Background
I created this blog entry for my online course in the School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis.
My production plan for Project 2 is to help teach basic baking skills to anyone who is willing to learn. I am targeting the audience of patrons at a public library who are old enough to use a stove and a hand mixer, and who want to learn how to bake.
Within the last 3 years I have started cooking and baking. I was not eating the healthiest and I decided that I needed to make a change. I needed to learn how to create my own meals and to know where most of the food that I was eating came from.
I am not the most graceful in the kitchen. It took some time for me to make some decent cookies and cupcakes. I thought it would be simple, just follow the recipe. However, even following the recipe I still managed to forget ingredients or substitue the wrong ingredients for things.
I think that there is a need for instructional videos like these for patrons of public libraries. Videos can be an excellent resource for those that have a difficult time reading, or those who can not read. It is also helpful for those learners who are visual. Patrons can have access to these videos, so that they can follow along and create these recipes in their own kitchens at home. I wish I would have thought about going on youtube, watching more Food Network shows, going to baking blogs, and websites when I was learning to bake. With these instructional videos, I am hoping to help patrons learn about baking and where they can find some resources.
In the following blog post, you will find a step by step tutorial of the main supplies that you will need to bake Blueberry and White Chocolate Chip Scones, and The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!
How to make Blueberry and White Chocolate Chip Scones
Here is a video tutorial of me explaining how to make Blueberry White Chocolate Scones. I must apologize that my I did not realize until I recorded this that my laptop makes a high pitched noise.
The Recipe
Blueberry and White Chocolate Chip Scones
Recipe from Bigoven.com posted by ellie36. I have altered the recipe to include white chocolate chips.
Ingredients:
2 cups Flour
1/4 cup Sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder; (I use Rumford aluminum-free)
1/4 teaspoon salt; (I used a pinch)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon grated orange or lemon rind; (I used orange)
1/4 cup Butter
3/4 cup milk; (I used 2% milk with juice of a 1/2 lemon)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1 cups blueberries; (I used frozen)
6-oz white chocolate chips
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 deg .
Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a
pastry blender, until pea size.
Mix the wet ingredients in another bowl then add to the dry ingredients, stirring with a fork
until all the mixture has been moistened. (I usually mix half way and then fold in the
blueberries so that I don't overwork the dough). Fold in the blueberries. The key is to not
overwork the dough... just mix until it just comes together. Don't feel the need to press and
compact the dough...it will get tough!
Drop by large spoonfuls(I used a 1/4 cup measurement and formed them(lightly...don't
compact) into balls....be gentle with this kind of dough) onto a parchment paper lined
cookie sheet.
Bake at 400 F for 18 minutes.
Glaze
Make a glaze by mixing in a small bowl . . .
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp of the orange/lemon peel
3 Tbsp milk .
I added a tinge of almond extract as well.
Mix and drizzle over scones while still warm. Enjoy!
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Here is a video tutorial of me explaining how to make Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. I apologize again that my laptop makes a high pitched noise.
The Recipe
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe from Bigoven.com posted by sgrishka. I have altered the recipe to include white chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups Unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
1 cup unsalted butter; (2-sticks) - softened but still firm
1/2 cup Granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar; - firmly packed
2 teaspoons Pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs; - cold, straight from the refrigerator
6-oz milk chocolate chips
6-oz white chocolate chips
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with oven rack in center position. Line two baking sheets
with parchment paper or silicon baking pads, e.g., Silpad, if desired (*see note); set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or an electric mixer, or by hand),
beat butter at medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add granulated and brown
sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes (or 5 to 6 minutes by hand), stopping
to scrape down bowl as necessary.
Reduce speed to medium-low and add in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition
until well incorporated. Add vanilla and beat until incorporated. Reduce speed to lowest
setting (or gently stir by hand); gradually add in dry ingredients, scraping down bowl as
necessary, and beating until just incorporated; don't overmix.
Fold in chocolate chips. (If you find that the dough is very soft, cover and refrigerate until
firm, about 30 minutes.)
Using one heaping tablespoon of batter per cookie, drop cookies 2-inches apart on an
ungreased or prepared baking sheets.
Place one baking sheet at a time onto center rack of preheated 350 degree F oven.
Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, still have pale tops, and are soft in the
center, about 8 to 10 minutes. (Do not overbake! They will firm up more during cooling.)
Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet for at least two minutes before transferring
to wire rack to cool completely.
If you used parchment paper, remove baking sheet from oven and immediately slide
cookies on parchment directly onto cooling racks.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Cookies freeze
well. Makes about 3 dozen.
Cooking/Baking Websites
These websites contain baking tips, recipes, and lots of ideas that can help you develop your skills of becoming a baker.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/chefs/100-greatest-cooking-tips-of-all-time/index.html
http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/baking/index.html
http://www.pauladeen.com/
http://www.marthastewart.com/baking-recipes
This list of websites is a great way to find delicious and sometimes healthy recipes. They can help you practice your baking skills.
Baking blogs are a nice way to see what other people out there are doing in the world of baking. The more you get involved with the subject, the more information you will have.
http://cakejournal.com/
http://www.wildyeastblog.com/
http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/
http://bake-bake-bake-senora.blogspot.com/
http://52cupcakes.blogspot.com/
Cookbooks
Cookbooks are the go to to learn how to bake. Most cookbooks just have recipes. If you are wanting to improve on your baking skills, consider looking for cookbooks that have cooking techniques or a list of definitions inside.
Baking with Julia: Savor the Joys of Baking with America's Best Bakers by Dorie Greenspan
Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking by Jeff Hertzberg
Crazy About Cookies: 300 Scrumptious Recipes for Every Occasion & Craving by Krystina Castella
Super Scone Recipes - How to Bake Scones Like A Pro! by Judith Stone
The Complete Baking Cookbook: 350 Recipes from Cookies and Cakes to Muffins and Pies by George Geary
Magazines
Magazines are another way to see what is new in the cooking/baking field. Most magazines have excellent pictures and recipes of new things to try. One such as Cook's Illustrated is more about the cooking techniques. Don't worry, there are recipes and pictures in it as well.
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/
http://www.bonappetit.com/
http://www.foodandwine.com/
http://www.cookinglight.com/
Reflection
Creating this blog was an interesting process for me. In the beginning I was going to do a webpage, because I thought that would be the best way to organize all of this information that I needed/wanted to put into this project. I thought about it, and decided that I wanted to do a blog because it seems that I always create websites. I wanted to try something a little different. I also thought maybe after this class, that I should continue with a baking/cooking blog since it is becoming a new hobby of mine.
I have not created a video prior to this assignement. It was easier than I thought it was going to be. However, I did find it challenging. It was more time consuming than I planned. In my apartment's kitchen, I took pictures of the process of baking scones and cookies with my digital camera. I uploaded the photos to my computer. Then, I used Windows Live Movie Maker to create the videos. I uploaded the pictures and arranged them. Then I recorded myself speaking. I would click on the pictures as I would talk to create a tutorial. I was very nervous while doing this, so I have a lot of "ums" in my video. I did not write a script, so this could be a lesson learned in the future. I then posted the video to youtube and uploaded it to this blog.
I decided to create a video tutorial of pictures and audio because it would have been a long video if I recorded and edited it. On a side note, I am shy in front of the camera, and I would have had to recruit a volunteer to hold the camera for me while I mixed all of the ingredients. ;-) I felt that a video of pictures with audio would be helpful to educate and show patrons the process of creating these recipes. One of the comments that I received in my feed back would be to create the audio as a downloadable MP3 file. This is a good thought for the future, but I did not have enough time to add it to this current post.
To create the videos, I used Dell Webcam Central. I uploaded all of my photos. I was then able to click on the photos and record my narration. I then had to save the video to Windows Live Movie Maker in order to upload them to youtube. There was an issue with the recording having a load noise in the background. I think I am having microphone issues with my computer. If I had access, and time to another computer than I would have recordered other versions. This is another learning experience for the future.
Overall I have learned a lot from this project and possibly created a new hobby. I hope you are able to take something away from it as well.
Thanks!
