Baking an idea

In a bowl we mix sifted flour sugar baking powder and cocoa power and fold in butter and yogurt We struggle with the spatula to mix the wet and dry ingredients for our brownie batter when Anjani Rawat suggests the cutandfold method Rawat teaches the method to us and we have a blob of brownie batter with enough air holes for a dense result It gets easier and we actually begin to enjoy the processWe are in her newly furbished threemonthold baking studio in Breach Candy that has been her workspace since 2014 Done up in soft pink walls it has a central work table with a platform on the side is lined up with measured requirements for our baking classThe founder of Apron Patisserie at Breach Candy started baking as a passion after she quit her job at a textile firm six years ago The Malabar Hill resident says ldquoOnce you have had a fulltime job its difficult to remain idle all day During my sabbatical I found myself in the kitchen cooking for the family I am a MarwadiJain and we do not consume eggs So that was a challenge when I baked but I realised that friends and family began ordering my dessertsrdquo says Rawat who started following YouTube and Instagram bakers like Yolanda Gammp Nick Icing Artist Katherine Sabbath Zoe Clark Bets from Magnolia Kitchen Ivy and Stone She took her passion to the next level by enrolling for a cake decoration course at Le Cordon Bleu in LondonBake your wayIn another bowl she mixes oil and maida and brushes it on the tin bottom ldquoThis is cake goo mdash to ensure the brownie releases easilyrdquo says Rawat who has preheated the oven to 180degC We shove the tin in and turn to the cupcakes in a onebowl recipe that will hopefully curb the mess when we try them at homeAnjani Rawat suggests folding the piping bag up to half way for easy transfer of butter creamThroughout the class Rawat shares tips and information nuggets While your baking content can go into heat shock if you open the oven midway vanilla essence we learn is added to cut the smell of eggs It is necessary to learn to gauge the perfect baking temperature for your oven most recipes are suggested at 180degC Her cupcake baking tin tray has a layer of rice grains which will absorb the oil from the cupcake linesWe follow a creaming method where we fold in wet ingredients of butter and sugar into the dry ingredients of allpurpose flour cocoa powder baking soda and salt While we struggle to fold the batter she suggests we use our wrist movement and not burden the arm It works as we happily scoop the batter into the moulds using an icecream scooperWhile they too go off into the oven to bake we turn our attention to making a lemon curd for our lemon vanilla cheesecake parfait without gelatinThe smell of lemon zest fills the room and we mix it with sugar lemon juice and butter on a pan and stir it for five minutes before folding in corn flour which has been dissolved in water Once it thickens we take it off the heat and add condensed milkFinishing touchesThis dessert needs no baking and we beat cream cheese and heavy cream to form soft peaks In a jar we sprinkle a layer of crust prepared from Marie biscuit and butter add a dollop of the cream mix and top it with lemon curd which has set in the fridgeWe finish the brownies with chocolate ganache and the cupcakes are swirled with red floral patterns made using butter creamVerdict The class had easytomake eggless and gelatin recipes and focused on garnishing and presentation But we wish our brownie had a gooier consistency and found a slight grainy texture in the chocolate ganache The lemon curd was the star lesson of the classAT Apron Patisserie 205 Rajneelam Dr Rajabali Patel Lane Breach CandyCALL 9833126116CostRs 3000 onwards