Bake up some magic.

The Gourmandise School   of Sweets and Savories

Bake up some magic. It's in the air- and I can't help it. The sweet smells of the holidays get me more pumped than the radio classics or bearded fella sharing his tea with me at Groundwork (Santa needs his caffeine). It's taken a few years, but we've finally come to a point where the insanity of the baking season is tempered by organized chaos. Here are a few of our favorite tips for those of you who, like us, prefer to spend a day baking gifts than pushing through crowds or picking through endless, meaningless gadgets (also, a recipe below). 1. Do ahead. Take a couple of hours to make some cookie dough. Get yourself a good old cookie scooper and form pucks. Place them side by side in a container or on a cookie sheet, wrap it up and freeze them until the day before gifting. Or come to class this Tuesday and get it all done then. 2. Get your ingredients. Today. Avoid the mad rush and make a list of what you need to make those goodies- good chocolate tends to sell out before the holidays. 3. Make it easy! Brownies and bars are awesome to make and bake ahead, freeze and then cut to perfection with a large knife. You can use one base and add fun extras on top before baking. 4. Clean as you go. Sort of. If you're undertaking a major baking operation, be sure to create a space just outside your kitchen or line of sight to stash your dishes. Once each task is finished, take these, wash them and put them away. You'll be more efficient than if you stop what you're doing every single time a dish is dirty. 5. Leave yourself time to package. Packing always takes more time than you think it will. Be sure your baked goods are fully cooled before you place them in bags or boxes. We love both Papermart (it's local) and Big River Packaging for the great, eco-friendly options. 6. Surprise them. Don't tell your friends and colleagues that you're making them individual French Macarons towers. Way too much pressure. Keep a lid on it and surprise them with the best of what you can do effortlessly.  Big & Rich Oatmeal Cookies In the bowl of a stand or hand held mixer, cream together: 2 sticks butter 1-1/3 cups packed brown sugar Set aside: 2 eggs 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp vanilla (optional) 2 cups assorted mix-ins, such as dried fruit, chocolate pieces, toffee, nuts... Whisk together in a medium bowl: 1-1/2 cups flour 3 cups oatmeal  1 tsp cinnamon (optional) 1-1/2 tsps baking soda 1. Once the butter is creamed and light and fluffy, add the eggs and salt and mix for another minutes. 2. Add your mix-ins and mix just until they are incorporated.  3. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. 4. Chill the dough for 1 hour. 5. Scoop either 2 Tbsps of dough onto parchment-paper lined cookie sheet or use an ice cream/cookie scooper. You can also scoop the cookie dough, freeze for up to a month and let them defrost for 30 minutes on cookie sheets before baking. 6. Bake at 325 for 7-10 minutes, depending on their size. Remove from oven when the sides of the cookie begin to brown. Let rest for 15 minutes before removing from parchment paper. Wishing you a delicious day,  Clémence and Hadley