Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Do you always Dress Up, put your makeup on and Bake? (My Nephew when he saw my profile picture)

LOL…Heck No. On an ideal day, you will find me in my PJs, hair tied up.

Q. Is that your Kitchen?

It once was when we were living in Orlando. In Dubai, we live in a rented apartment, and the kitchen is not nearly like the one in the picture. The days I bake you will be walking into a total mess.

Q. How do you find Dubai Compared to Orlando?

Things I miss here is natural light in the kitchen, the Lake view, storage, garage parking and a room all to myself for pictures. But on the other hand in Dubai, I can hire help to clean my messy kitchen. In Dubai, there are so many places to explore, not to mention good restaurants too. You can try a new restaurant every day and still won’t run out of options. On the other hand, so many restaurants offer home delivery plus groceries can be delivered to your home.

In short, Dubai can make you Laaaazy, which I really don’t mind after doing everything on my own for so many years.

Q. I want to start baking. Which recipes should I try?

Try this Hershey’s one bowl chocolate cake for starters. It’s straightforward and yet one of the best recipes to have handy. It is also an excellent recipe to bake with kids. If you like vanilla, then try the Chocolate marble cake (skip the chocolate part). It also contains a video recipe which could come handy.

Q. My Baked Goods are getting burnt?

Always remember that every Oven is Different. If your cake gets burnt, then next time lower the temperature and bake. Maintain a diary of the baked product with ideal temperature and time till you get the hang of baking. Standard temperature for cookies and cake is 175 degrees Celsius/350 Degrees Fahrenheit.  However, I have realized that cake bakes better and evenly at a lower temperature (160 degrees Celsius/325 degrees Fahrenheit. It will take a bit longer, but it’s worth it.

In the case of electric ovens, the middle rack of the oven is ideal for baking, but for gas ovens, a top shelf gives best results.

Q. What are the things I should keep in mind to get better results while baking?

• Measuring Ingredients: Always use proper measurement cups. For dry ingredients, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level it with a knife or spatula. Swift the dry ingredients 2-3 times to get a lighter texture.
• Use ingredients at room temperatures, like butter, eggs, and Milk.
• Mixing: Mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy. The more you beat, the better it is. Ideally 3-5 minutes if you are using an electric beater. Remember! Once you add eggs, beat only until incorporated. Also, do not overmix after adding dry ingredients. (There could be cracks in the cake, and the cake could yield a dense texture)
• Lining the cake pan: Grease the baking pan with butter and then line with parchment paper or baking paper. Use baking strips on the sides as well. Alternately, you can also butter the baking pan and then dust with flour.
• Baking Time: Cake tends to get dry if you prolong the cooking time. If this happens, take note and next time decrease the time.

Q. How do I know on the Internet which cake recipes to try?

For cakes, I prefer the recipes that use buttermilk, milk or yogurt. These ingredients make the cake very moist.

Q. I don’t eat eggs. What are the recipes I can try?

Check out the eggless and vegetarian recipes on the blog. I haven’t used any substitutes for eggs yet, but I have heard that yogurt makes an excellent substitute. On Pinterest, I have a board for Eggless bakes which contains recipes from another blog, though I haven’t tried them yet.

Q. Can you provide both measurements:

Yeah Sure. I am more comfortable using measuring cups, and I measure fluid in Ounces. I understand some countries follow different standards for measurements. I have started including both. You can also refer to this conversion Chart.

Q. I want to start blogging. Can you Help?

Sure. I would love to. I may not be able to guide you through every step. But I can provide you with useful resources, tell you where to look and help you get going.

Q. Can you help me through Food Photography?

If you are completely new to DSLR, Photography or Food Photography and are struggling with the basic settings, then I highly recommend Food Photography book by Lindsay of Pinch of Yum. This book changed my understanding of photography altogether.

If you know basic settings and are trying to improve your setup and styling, then I recommend the book by recipe tin eats.

Still, have questions, simply hit the contact button?

Q. What extra benefit do subscribers get?

Posts on the blog require a lot of time and work. In the process, some good things get missed due to lack of time. At such times E-mail is the best way to reach you. I could send you a simple kitchen hack or any other useful resources.

Q. Do you make money out of Blogging?

Yes! It all depends on how much effort you put in. If you strategize, plan and take time to think about what works and what doesn’t, you can do it too.