1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to develop a signature bake master a 4 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 1: recipe you love to share with the people you love, 5 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: and you will warm hearts and tummies this winter. Plus, 6 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: you will never have to think about what to bring 7 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: to a party. If you are a fan of the 8 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: TV show The Great British Bake Off, you may be 9 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: familiar with the concept of a signature bake. Every episode, 10 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: contestants present a signature bake, a tried and tested recipe 11 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 1: that reveals their personality. It's usually something that they make 12 00:00:56,240 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: regularly for family and friends. Now, to be sure, the 13 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 1: recipes that baking show contestants would make for family and 14 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: friends tend to be a bit more complicated than the 15 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: recipes most of us would make, but the concept is 16 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 1: still relevant. It can be fun to develop a signature bake, 17 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: a treat you can whip up for the people you 18 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: love with joy and a plum. Perhaps this winter, when 19 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: people tend to spend more time inside and especially in 20 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 1: the kitchen, it could be a great time to develop 21 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: a signature bake just for fun. It could be something 22 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,319 Speaker 1: simple like chocolate chip cookies, or maybe something a little 23 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 1: bit more advanced involving meringue. It could be an old 24 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 1: family recipe or a recipe that you found and developed yourself. 25 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 1: Once you've decided on your signature bake that it's time 26 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 1: to work on perfecting it. First, master the recipe as 27 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: it is written. Then, once you can reliably produce the 28 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: recipe as is consider whether there are tweaks that could 29 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: make it even more delicious. Some people swear by a 30 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:15,079 Speaker 1: little extra salt as this secret ingredient and chocolate chip cookies, 31 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: what about adding some cinnamon or chili powder to your brownies? 32 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 1: Do you prefer your pound cake buttery or a bit lighter? 33 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: Get your friends, family, and neighbors involved as tasters. Experiment 34 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 1: with your treat until you get it just the way 35 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:38,519 Speaker 1: you prefer it. Then document your perfected recipe for future use. 36 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: Keep baking, and eventually you will internalize the recipe so 37 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,079 Speaker 1: that you will progress fluently and confidently through the recipe 38 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: every time. But even if you don't get to the 39 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: master level, you will still probably build your skills and 40 00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 1: confidence with the recipe. When you need to take a 41 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 1: sweet to a gathering. It's nice to know that you've 42 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: got this covered. You can bake something that you know 43 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:13,399 Speaker 1: your friends will enjoy. Personally, I've been figuring out more 44 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: dairy free baking as I experiment with butter substitutes. My 45 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 1: next goal is figuring out how to do cupcakes with 46 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 1: butter cream like frosting. It's not gonna be easy, but 47 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:26,919 Speaker 1: my goal is a treat I love just as much 48 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:32,119 Speaker 1: as the ones from the bakery. What about you? If 49 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: you develop a signature bake, I'd love to hear about it. 50 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: You can reach me at Laura at Laura Vanderkam dot com. 51 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and 52 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 53 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 54 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 55 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod 56 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 1: that's b E the number four then breakfast p O D. 57 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 58 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 1: podcast at iHeartMedia dot com. That Before Breakfast is spelled 59 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: out with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look 60 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production 61 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from My heart Radio, 62 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 63 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.