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Bake Fresh

Bake Fresh

September 27, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Home Office – 5 steps for blogger and cake decorator!

Tutorials· Uncategorized

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Hey ya, I am back after a rejuvenating summer break. Lots of traveling, family gatherings all punctuated by food now and then. Slipping back into routine can be overwhelming and sometimes depressing but its always good to be back home, reconnect with friends and to your own work space, your own home office.

Speaking of work space, this post is picture heavy as I share lots of tips with pictures to setup your own home office and that too on a budget. Working from home can be challenging in so many ways, not only you need self motivation, discipline, schedule but also a space. It can be just a chair in a corner of your house but it should be a dedicated one. Lot of things have been said about working from home and you can find tons of articles but in my humble opinion this is a great option if you are a young mom (or a mom of young kids 😉 , your potential workplace involves lot of commuting or your work is freelance/self employed/ entrepreneurial sort. Whether its serious office kind of work or creative, you should be having a space for the said task. It just gets you into mood and boosts productivity. With the advent of internet and communication channels, work from home has become quite trendy.

 

I have been wanting to setup a corner for myself for the longest time but somehow besides a desk and chair, I had stuff all over the place. My baking and cake decorating books were in the kitchen while my cake decorating tools were in a living room shelf. My laptop was in my bedroom moving around as necessary while all the thoughtful adorable stuff I was gifted were packed inside a cupboard. I wanted to combine everything so I have only two places, kitchen with related equipment like mixer, pans, oven, ingredients for baking and office (I like to call it creative studio because that is what it is) for my blogging, cake decorating and photography as well as occasional teaching.

home office

Home office – creative space

My previous home had no space for home office however, when we moved in our current one, it had a big living/family room architecturally divided into two portions. This one third of the portion of living room towards the left when you enter the room naturally isolates from the rest of the living room features a big window while the other two third connects with the rest of the house. At that time, I had decided either its going to be library/fitness corner or my home office. For almost three years, it served as a laundry drying area and sported our cross trainer. The three major challenges were 

a) find a suitable work table that is sturdy enough to roll my fondant on and classy enough to adorn a laptop with some storage 

b) budget was limited

c) it should have a fun and vibrant feel with some serious attitude but without going formal

 

So here are my tips to setup your own creating work space or home office:

  1. Space – Find a space/corner that works for you. You don’t have to change house, construct anything, just allocate a dedicated area no matter how small. I love my desk by the window which throws ample light to brighten up everything including my mood.
  2. Budget – Set a budget or atleast mental notes on how much you want to spend, ofcourse sky is the limit but if you are from entrepreneurial mindset or aspiring to be one, I am sure you won’t be spending too much. Look around in local stores, what matches your style, need and budget? Luckily (ok a little too much), I got this table for free in one of the promotions at local furniture store when we bought something else. I could’nt ask for more.
  3. Furniture – Do you sew? or knit? or work on computer?  or paint? The furniture you pickup is your next step. Not only it should fit in the selected space but also suits the nature of work you do majorly. For knitting, may be a comfortable chair and small table is sufficient, for sewing, a table for machine and couple of drawers and so on. I have added a reading corner too with a huge palm plant for that mind grilling sessions.
  4. Storage – What kind of storage do you need and how big or small. For me it was books, cake decorating tools, fondant storing racks, decorative paper rolls, ribbons to name a few. Ikea found in most of the countries is my favorite to shop for such nifty storage. I got a solid white cube shaped open shelf with four sections which sufficed. From previous purchases I had a super simple multi color six drawers plus four racks movable trolley. In case you are wondering, this refrigerator is part of my setup and is a dedicated storage for all my desserts, cakes and baking ingredients.
  5. Accents – While you may want your major pieces in neutral so you can up or down play them with various accessories, adding accents is the most fun and personalized way to put a look together. Pinterest can be your inspiration while the existing things you have can add lot of character. You can see that I have used a ladder from kids bunk bed (which we disassembled) and used it as a multipurpose shelf decorated with yarn ball lights. Throw in a pillow, an unused rug, an exquisite mug with your visiting cards.

Most importantly, have fun and exploit your work space to its fullest.

  

 

 

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HELLO & WELCOME

Hello, I’m Nadia. I am the cake decorator, blogger, a fanatic mom and a home maker, passionate about all things sweet and pretty.


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"We had joy , we had fun, we had seasons in the su "We had joy , we had fun, we had seasons in the sun, but the hills that we climbed were seasons out of time"

Rasha my friend , I will miss you, our crazy hangouts, exploring, fun night outs, shopping and ofcourse when we worked together!

This is not a goodbye, it is just beginning of us meeting at new destinations.

@rashayoussif @shaziahassan10
I first had chocolate truffles in USA which were I I first had chocolate truffles in USA which were I guess from Tiffany.

Since then I was always intrigued by how they were made.

The delish chocolate bites are easier to make than other varieties like bonbons.

A luscious chocolate ganache is prepared which is then divided into bite size pieces either by piping or scooping, dipped in tempered chocolate and rolled in cocoa powder.

Do you like truffles and have you ever tried making at home?

#truffles #Darkchocolate #karachifoodbloggers #riyadhbakers
#riyadhfoodbloggers
#riyadhfoodphotograpgers
#mashionpk #hautecuisines
Freshly pounded green cardamom infusing these mode Freshly pounded green cardamom infusing these moderately sweet Pakistani shortbread cookies made with pure clarified butter, flour and chickpea flour for that added nutty flavor, slight leavening agents for that open and melt in mouth crumb and powdery texture. The top is brushed with beaten egg and sprinkled with pistachios making the best tea time biscuits!

Let me know if I passed the test of describing our very own desi besan ki naan khatai, brought in for dearest friends who never let me make tea!

Detailed recipe on YouTube, dm for link or just search "bakefresh naan khatai"

Stories has direct link too.

#naankhatairecipe
#naankhatai
#pakistanicookies
Got cookie press? Make this foolproof recipe now t Got cookie press? Make this foolproof recipe now to fill a jar. These are any day better than store brought!

There wasn't any eid we didn't had jars full if these spritz cookies !

Sharing my family recipe that has been absolute favourite!

Full video tutorial on my YouTube channel!

Ingredients 
3/4 cup Butter (room temperature) 
2/3 cup Sugar (grinded) 
2 teaspoons vanilla essence 
1 egg 
2 cups flour 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
 
Method 
1. Cream butter and sugar 
2. Add in egg 
3. add in vanilla 
4. Sift in flour and baking powder 
5. Beat until combined 
6. Fill the dough in cookie press or just make balls by hand. 
7. Place on an ungreased tray and bake in a pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes at 350 F until golden brown. 

#cookies
#spritzcookies
#buttercookies
#riyadhbakers
#karachibloggers
If you want to make an impressive and indulgent ca If you want to make an impressive and indulgent cake for celebrating an important day at home,  do give this a try.

Flourless chocolate cake that is a cross between brownies, chocolate bar and mousse!

Topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream, and any seasonal.fruit, this is sure going to win hearts.

Detailed recipe on my YouTube channel.

Linked in stories. 

A quick version of coming up in reels today.

INGREDIENTS 

250 grams Dark Chocolate 
125 grams butter
2 tablespoon Cocoa Powder 
50 ml Cream

Heat all above on double boiler (or super slow heat stirring continuously) till melted and combined.

Separate 4 eggs.

Whisk egg yolks lightly and stir in cooled Chocolate mixture.

Make.meringue from.4 egg whites and 125 grams of sugar.

Fold in the chocolate mixture.

Pour in 9 inches spring foam pan (greased and dusted with cocoa powder)

Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes until set.

Cool and plate, serve with whipped cream lightly sweetened and fruits.

#bakefresh
#riyadhbloggers #riyadhbakers #chocolatecake
#flourlesschocolatecake
#mashion #foodphotography #f52grams #f52community
The brand I use the most is beryl's chocolate.(sw The brand I use the most is  beryl's chocolate.(swipe to see the packaging)

It's a Malaysian brand and I find it pretty easily here from @moltaqa.alkhabbazeen as well as in Pakistan from empress market karachi.(not sure about the current status,  will.update when I go in summers)

If you ask me one chocolate you should buy go for this brands 62% one either in coins or blocks. Coins are just easier to use. The 1.5 kg bag or 2 kg block is more than enough and has good price point. 

Therir 41% milk chocolate is great as well nut not recommended for baking. 

I use it for ganache, brownies, icecream, chocolate chip cookies, mousse and mousse cakes and in general great for dipping, coating etc.

I use milk chocolate 28% white one inky for white chocolate mousse or sometimes in cookies.

I use compound chocolate for chocolate decorations or making cake pops or cakesicles.
This also comes in block and small chocolate chips both are fine.

The other brands I have tried 
arabesque (belgium) 58%
@patissierchocolate (singapore) 61% ,41%

@callebautchocolate ( so popular, slightly overrated, difficult to get, available for bull orders)

dawn chocolate - good quality but i find it very sweet

All these brands are available in the above shops.

Let me know if you found this information helpful.

Come in stories to see more!

#chocolate #chocolateinformation
#bakefresh #riyadhbloggers
#karachibloggers #karachifoodbloggers

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