The snow from last night is now a mix of icy rain—it’s just a yucky day.   It’s ok, though. I’m going to spend my time baking and making a supply of malted milk crumb for future Momofuku Milk Bar cake baking.

Now I don’t know about you, but when I spend a day in the kitchen, I have to wear pretty crappy clothing—mostly because I get flour and any other dry ingredients all over me.  Sticky glaze drips onto my pants and my sleeves. Butter not only greases the pans I use, but it pretty much greases me too! I am fashionably attired in “Pant of Yoga” and “Shirt of Sweat”. Also, because my tresses are always shedding, I gotta wear my hair up. Today it’s up in a big bun. Do you like it? I ordered this bun donut in black from Amazon. It’s great because my lack of hair doesn’t allow for a thick, large bun. This works like a charm.  I gather my hair in a high pony tail, slip the donut on,  I pin my hair around it, spritz a bit of spray and I’m good to go!

I started off preparing some Malted Milk Crumb. Since I do a lot of baking from Christina Tosi’s “Momofuku Milk Bar” Cookbook, I know that the recipes are time consuming. Milk Crumb is a large part of the cookie and cake recipes from the book. I’m telling you I am obsessed with all Milk Crumbs. I have jars of Chocolate Crumb and regular Milk Crumb in my pantry. Today I added Malted Milk crumb to that collection.   Besides, when I’m having a “emotional” moment, I go into the pantry with a spoon and crumb binge! I also love the fact that Ms. Tosi tells you how much time you’re gonna need to prepare each step of her recipes! I respect!

 Ingredients and jarred and ready for future goodies!

I also made two lemon pound cakes from a recipe I found online. Although the cakes turned out very tasty, I won’t be using this recipe again. It read “10 minutes to prepare” and 45 minutes for both cakes to bake. It takes me much longer than 10 minutes to prepare anything I bake or cook. In the first place, my pantry is a bit like my car. Slightly disorganized. If I find the vanilla right away, it’ll take me 15 minutes to find that darn baking powder and another 15 minutes to find the baking soda I bought only  three days ago. Then it takes an additional 20 minutes to put everything back into the pantry because I took everything out looking for my ingredients. It takes me 5 minutes just to grease a pan. I need to make sure every single inch of that pan is covered in buttery goodness.  An hour later I have everything ready. Sifting, breaking the eggs, mixing everything in the mixer takes another 20 minutes. The 10 minutes to prepare has turned into an hour and 20 minutes.

Into the oven at 350 and after 45 minutes the cakes aren’t nearly done. Another 40 minutes and they are finally baked. They cool for another hour, the glaze is drizzled on and all is finished! It takes a lot longer than the original 55 minutes stated from start to finish!

When the baking is done the  cleaning begins. It astounds me how The Barefoot Contessa and Giada have such spotless kitchens. I do realize they are cooking on TV—but can’t they have a bit of a mess? It would be so much more realistic to see a stained dishtowel, or spilled flour, or batter that splashed from the mixer. Why do these women have to be so perfect?   And why does everything they bake come out of the oven perfectly symmetrical? It isn’t real life. Real life is baking a cake that may be slightly lopsided, but after you load the lopsided layer with an extra heaping of frosting to even it out, only then does it appear flawless!   Know what I mean? If it’s made with love–it— perfect!!

Somebody is looking rather lovingly at my counter! I meant to give him a treat and I forgot about it and left it on the counter.  Isn’t he adorable? Chippy! He’s a sweet as sugar!

…speaking of “Sugar”…in honor of all the sugar I used in my baking today, here’s a little tune that I’m sure all of you who are around my age will love hearing again.  “Sugar, Sugar”..by the Archies!  (I always wanted to be Veronica–what normal person wants to be a cartoon character?)

Enjoy the rest of your Saturday!

XOXOXOXOXO!