Ask Joy the Baker
Written by joythebaker on February 14, 2009 – 9:34 am -
Can we have a heart to heart?
Good. Thanks.
The reality is… I’m up to my ears in emails from many of you lovely people. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great! I totally love it… but honestly, I’m overwhelmed.
Let’s make this fun. If you have a question… any question, leave it as a comment to this post, and I’ll answer it. Any and every question, answered… I promise.
It could go something like this:
Hey Joy, do you really like pancakes as much as you say you do? What’s your favorite toothpaste? Do you have a recipe for peach cobbler on your blog? And what should I make my Dad for his birthday?
My answers might be something like this:
Yes, I really do like pancakes as much as I say I do. My Dad’s pancakes are a little bit of awesome. Aquafresh… the silver kind, that’s some good toothpaste. Peach cobbler? No not yet. And for your Dad’s birthday how about Mocha Coffee Coffee Cake?
See? We could be going places with this. Maybe you have a question about my camera. How about culinary school? We could talk about that. Anything at all…
Let’s do it. You ask. I answer. Easy as pie!
Tags: questions, Thoughts
Posted in Thoughts | 85 Comments »
What camera do you use to take such amazing pictures?
Joy: Thanks so much for allowing your many adoring fans to have the opportunity to ask you questions – you are truly fabulous! Since many of my questions are already in the queue above, I’ll ask the big one on my mind:
If you had children and could only share one recipe with them, what would it be? (I have children, and they LOVE your dad’s pancake recipe, so it has to be a different recipe from that one since they already help me make those pancakes on the weekends.)
Thanks in advance!
Oh Joy – joy, joy, joy! I’ve been wanting to ask this question forever: Can I use less sugar called for in a recipe or will it completely change the outcome or structure (besides a less sugary taste)? I love everything about you and your blog too ;o) Thanking you in advance. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!
Do you have a recipe for macaroni and cheese? I woke up craving it..and if you did have a recipe, I bet it would be a good one..
PS:
“a) What inspired you to start a blog?
b) Did you know you’re amazing?
c) What’s your favorite thing to bake?
d) Has anyone told you that you’re amazingly sexy?
e) Will you forgive me for being an internet creeper?”
..Really?
No questions here…I will read the answers to the others…just stopped by to let you know I enjoy reading, looking, laughing, smiling, at your blog!
Hi Joy, great blog! I am trying to improve my cake decorating skills. I did see your post on how to frost, which has helped. But a couple of things I need to know: do you use a special tool to slice your cake layers so evenly? Also, when serving the cake, how do you get the slices to look so pretty? I used a serrated knife and do wipe it between slices, but still get crumbs all over the slice. Thanks!!
Hey blogger girl! I need to know more about blogging. What have you found to be the most successful for your blog and how do you make it worth your time?
Thanks!
Hey there!
Great idea for a post! Can’t wait to read all the answers
I’ve noticed that you seem to have had a pretty strong following since the birth of this awesome lil’ blog… how do you generate traffic to your blog, and what other channels do you use to get your words out there?
And food related, what would your perfect “last dessert” be?
~Char
Hey Joy, one of my friends said he recognized you from U of Windsor. Is it true that you were once one of us happy go lucky Canadian’s, or was he mistaken? If he is right, than it is a really small world, but then again everyone in Canada knows eachother, EH!
Hi Joy, no questions, just wanted to say I love your blog! Both my wife and I read it and love all the recipes! Please don’t get overwhelmed – keep cooking/baking/ posting – cause we love it! Thanks Jim
Hey Joy – Love the blog. I am overwhelmed with all of the questions and their not even for me to answer! I was wondering if you had any good cookie recipes that pack up and can be mailed well. My brother’s bday is in less than a month and I want whatever I bake him to be fresh when it gets there. Thanks!
Hi Joy,
Pie crust makes me suicidal, and my family loves pies. Can you save them from a pieless life?
Hi Joy, I just wanted to tell you that your blog has inspired me to bake like no one else has. Thank you for helping me include love as the premiere ingredient in every cake, cookie, cupcake and delicious treat I make. I have far too many questions, but one that comes to mind this very moment is: Will you gift us with anymore of your video podcasts?
Why do my cream puffs and gougeres bake into flat discs instead of puff into nice little spheres?
And what’s your favourite ice cream flavour?
I’m going crazy. Unless I use shortening (Crisco or some kind of margarine) my chocolate chip cookies come out FLAT. Then they get crispy. I tried Alton Brown’s recipe yesterday – he has 3 and I tried the one with bread flour. It calls for butter. They’re supposed to be somewhat chewy. They were flat and after cooling, crisp. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?
Hey Joy — this isn’t really a question but I concur with one of the other posters — you SHOULD hold baking courses. I would totally fly down from Vancouver to come to one.
And why don’t you have a cookbook out yet??
Hi! I love your blog and have tried a couple of the recipes! I loved them!
This questions is about your camera since that was one of your suggestions!
I have just recently purchased a nicer camera and want to know how to get my background to just kind of fade away. What kind of camera do you use for these pictures?
Thanks!
Hi! I saw on your post about how to frost a cake that you would post the recipe for Yellow Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream and Caramel Butterscotch, but I can’t find it. I would love to get the recipe for a birthday party.
Also, I made your pan dulce and it was amazing!
Thanks!
i second the cookbook commend. your instructions are so brilliantly clear to follow, the images are beautiful… all you need to do is swoosh it all into a lovely layout on Adobe InDesign, print to .pdf, then upload on lulu.com and VOILA!! seriously that simple. that’s how i made my portfolio. you’ve got my email with this don’t you? if you have any questions feel free to ask away! i love your blog!!
Hi, Joy!
, we’re here to read you, laugh and dream of tastes with you, not to add stress to your life. Thank you for a beautiful blog!
My question is: do you know of any _great tasting_ rolled fondant/sugarpaste/whateveryoucallit recipe? I love the liberty of decorating with fondant, but i hate the flavour and am constantly on the lookout for finding the perfect, tasty gumpaste … so far i’ve tried buying it, making it from scratch and making it from marshmellows, but i like for my cakes to have flavour and any of those options is just a sugary, chewy blanket …, so when faced with options of putting that as a finishing touch or covering the cake in either whipped cream, frosting or chocolate+butter, i usually opt for the tastier solutions with less decorating liberty. I was thinking of maybe trying to make a cross between a fondant and marzipan paste, though i would need a better machine to polverise the almonds, what do you think? And don’t feel overwhelmed with the questions
a hug from accross the world, Maja
Hi Joy! m still waiting for an answer from ur question n answer post regarding the strawberry southern cake…U must be overwhelmed by so many questions so let me help u out. I’ll take the answer to my first question as a yes and Ill google the answers to the other 2.
..ur welcome. Love ur blog!
No questions, you have too many to answer.
I just wanted to say CONGRATS! on making the London Times’ 50 of the world’s best food blogs.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/real_food/article5561425.ece
Hi Joy! I am a relitively new fan, but I have to say I made your cinnamon roll muffins on Valentine’s Day and they were a huge hit… even without the powdered sugar icing.
That is all… aren’t I sweet? lol…
Val
I love u. Cake looks amazing. Seriously.
yea! you made pb! most delicious.
Ciao Joy! I am a cupcakes/muffins addict and I like your blog very much.
)
I of course like your creations and the super brilliant way you present them, but this time I’m writing you because (since I hate plastic bags) I appreciated your post about reusable grocery bags “Baggu for you” very much. I was very surprised in reading all the comments your readers left there, wow! Unfortunately, when I found that post, it was too late to write a comment, so I will do it now together with some questions…
1) Have you ever heard about http://www.morsbags.com?
2) Do you like sewing?
3) Have you ever sewn a reusable grocery bag yourself?
I sewed around 200 up to now and I think it is great fun and a fantastic way to help our planet!
Spring is just around the corner, isn’t it wonderful?
I wish you all the best.
Joy:
My question is yogurt. Yes question, not statement. Yogurt? Do you make yogurt? I know it’s not baking but do you know how difficult it is to find someone with help for making yogurt? Well, let me tell you it’s tough! I can make plain old plain yogurt. But my tastebuds (and children) are SCREAMING for some flavor. I’m not sure what to add or how to do it where it won’t ruin the texture of my yogurt. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance – Libby
Hey Joy!
I know you’ve been asked this, but I don’t know if you are directly responding to people! Did you go to culinary school? Do you currently work at a bakery? Have you been working at a bakery for your entire professional life? I’m in my late 20s and thinking of doing a career switch and even looking to work for a bakery on the weekends part time just to learn the ropes until I make the switch! Do you have any advice? Thanks so much!
Joy the Baker,
Where do you buy your professional baking ingredients? I am using ALOT of flour lately & want to buy in bulk, but the stuff at the local club warehouse just doesn’t cut it (or sift it, as the case may be).
Thanks!
I am just beginning my story of baking with a 1st birthday cake in the shape of a 1. I have made a cake, wrapped it and frozen it. I will be icing it in a couple of days with your chocolate buttercream frosting.
* How long do I leave it out to thaw before icing?
* Do I allow it to thaw in the plastic wrap or uncovered?
* Any other tips?
Wondering if you have any good cookbook recommendations? Especially any with good photos, I can’t deal with cookbooks that don’t have any pictures, thus the love for blogs such as yours. Also agree with the requests for pictures of your kitchen, I guess I’m just nosy. Plus it gives me an excuse to buy any neat gadgets or fun looking spoons, or stuff like that.
Joy-
I’m wondering what you think its the best quality vanilla extract. Do you buy it or make your own? If you make your own, how long do you age it?
Thanks
Dads and Pancakes. My dad rarely cooks, maybe heats up some canned soup or cranks out an egg sandwich every six months. However, I discovered, after he peeked over my shoulder while making pancake batter, that he has been the “Flicker’s Nest” (the family hunting cabin) pancake maker for probably twenty-five years. I was nearly stunned when he told me that he prefers to add brown sugar, orange zest, and vanilla to his pancake batter. It was terribly adorable.
I guess I should ask a question instead of playing story time (above). Obviously, some brownies need no additions, but if in the mood, do you have any favorite or just fabulous additions to brownie batter?
Also, this is rather silly and I’m not sure if there are many, but do you have a favorite literary referenced baked good? (Mine: Lane Cake)
Hi Joy!
your blog is such an inspiration to me because im currently pursuing pastry in a culinary school(yeh, i know.) and i would so love to meet you in person and talk about food and everything under the sun!but unfortunately im from across the world in Asia:(
Anyway, i do have a few curious questions to ask you.How hard did you work to get to where you are today?How do you find so much time and energy to do so many things at once?i mean, you have your work and then this blog and then there’s socializing…lastly, what’s your favourite ingredient of all time!
thanks for your time:)