Aragon graduate Travis Kwee encompasses all the attributes of a dedicated student-baker: creativity, commitment, and passion. “My unrealistic long term goal is to become financially stable enough to work a job part time and open a bakery. I have been hired for one-night jobs by catering companies and other family friends,” Kwee says. Although Kwee is off to college now, he hasn’t completely robbed Aragon of baking talent.
Aragon students began baking in diverse ways. Regarding her beginnings in baking, junior Christina Tun Zan says, “My neighbor across the street is a chef originally from England who decided to start a cooking school for kids. I would go once a week with a group of friends from school. We learned various recipes ranging from entrees to school lunches but I had a major sweet tooth, so I was drawn to desserts.”
Another student baker, junior Vicky Hoznek, says, “My mom was always baking and so that got me interested because I was helping her, but then I started checking out baking books in the library as I discovered more interesting stuff and not just the traditional cookies or bread.”
The motivation for creating these delicacies varies from baker to baker. Junior Yulan Chen says, “Baking kind of releases stress from doing any kind of work, whether it be homework, practicing an instrument, or chores.”
Baking can also be tailored to fit dietary needs. Sophomore Isabella Duan, who is allergic to eggs, says, “Usually what I do is use the regular recipe for cookies or cakes, but instead of the eggs, I will put in an egg replacement. There are a lot of things you can use as egg replacements. You can use bananas; you can use applesauce, flax seed, oil— there are a lot of different things. My favorite is either flaxseed or banana.”
That is not to say that baking enthusiasts haven’t found drawbacks. “It’s chemistry. That’s food chemistry and you have to be so precise. It’s a lot of work and takes a lot of time,” explains Nutrition teacher Susan Hontalas.
Multiday projects aren’t uncommon to bakers. “If I’m doing a more serious project then it’ll take up a lot of time,” says Hoznek. “I did, for my sister’s birthday, cupcakes that were covered in fondant, and they looked like beach pillows and that took me like a week. So that was intensive, and I’m never doing it again. It really depends on the project, but if I commit myself to something I usually like to finish it, even if it takes more time than I intended it to.”
Some have taken their baking skills back to Aragon through cooking related clubs. Last year the Om Nom Nom club allowed students to share their baking knowledge and products with other students. “I took charge of the Om Nom Nom club because I thought we could have a great time sharing food and making a positive impact with our food,” says Kwee.
In fact, this club’s impact went beyond the Aragon community. Kwee explains, “We were able to send almost $1,000 to Heifer International, hopefully lessening and eliminating hunger for at least a few families in need.”
Applying her baking talents in the workforce, senior Elaine Hsu is a cupcake decorator for Sibby’s Cupcakery in San Mateo. “At home you have a lot more freedom since at work you have to comply with what the customer asks for,” Hsu says. “There’s also a time sensitive aspect at work that pressures you to get it done more quickly, but you also try harder to have a better looking end product since someone’s paying for it.”
Many customers are very specific about the end product and leave little room for creativity. “There’s a lot of drama sometimes, but it’s really fun. There’s some pretty ridiculous customers that are super demanding. We have to redo orders all the time, like scraping cupcakes or refrosting them. People are really picky with colors like ‘Oh this isn’t chartreuse’,” she remarks.
But, even the fussiest customers don’t completely restrain the creative aspect involved in baking. “It gives you a lot of direction as to what you’re doing creatively and you’re able to go deeper into it,” Hsu says.
Despite the wide range of baking styles and obstacles, Kwee says, “If you love to do something enough, you’ll make time to do it.”
Isabella Duan’s Recipes:
Washington Apple Bread with Streusel Topping
apple bread:
2 cups flour
1tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
2large eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 apples, peeled and chopped (it suggests Granny Smith apples)
Streusal topping:
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. To prepare the topping, combine flour, granulated sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Set aside.
3. To prepare the bread, combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.
4. Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat in eggs, lemon juice and vanilla.
5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until moistened. Add apples and stir gently to combine.
6. Spoon half of the batter into a buttered 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with half of the topping. Spoon remaining batter into the pan and sprinkle the remaining topping. Spoon remaining batter into the pan and sprinkle with the remaining topping. Finish by sprinkling evenly with brown sugar.
7. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the bread from the pan and set on a rack to cool.
Makes 10 servings.
Coffee Cake
cake:
1-1/2 stick butter, softened
2 cups (scant) sugar
3 cups flour, sifted
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1-1/4 cup whole milk
3 whole egg whites, beaten until smooth
topping:
1-1/2 stick butter, softened
3/4 cups flour
1-1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1-1/2 cup pecans, chopped
instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat egg whites and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar. Add flour mixture and milk alternately until combined. Don’t overheat. Fold in beaten egg whites with a rubber spatula. Spread in a well-greased 9×13 (or larger) baking pan. A cake pan with higher sides would be best.
In a separate bowl, combine topping ingredients with a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle all over the top.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until no longer jiggly.
Oatmeal Cookies
ingredients:
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cornstarch (optional)
1 cup dairy-free margarine, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup silken tofu, lightly beaten
instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch, if desired, in medium bowl.
2. Beat brown sugar, margarine, and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add tofu, beat until blended. Gradually add oat mixture; beat just until blended.
3. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet. Bake 11 to 15 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheets; transfer to wire racks.
Makes 3 dozen cookies
Russian Tea Cakes
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, room temperature ½ cup powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat together butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in flour and baking soda until well blended. Stir in pecans. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 1-½ inches apart, on ungreased baking sheet. Or, roll dough by teaspoonfuls into balls or crescent shapes and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until edges begin to brown lightly. Remove cookies from baking sheets; cool on racks. While warm, sift powdered sugar generously over tops. Makes 55 to 60 (1-½ -inch) cookies.
Vicky Hoznek’s recipes
Oreo-inspired cookies
Filling:
4.4 ounces chopped white chocolate
0.5 ounce unsalted butter
1/2 cup + 1 teaspoon heavy cream
Chocolate Shortbread:
1 3/4 cups + 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3/8 teaspoon baking soda
8 ounces unsalted butter
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon white sugar
Directions:
Filling: Melt the chocolate and butter together, stirring constantly. Meanwhile, bring the cream to just under a simmer. Pour the cream over the melted chocolate and whisk to combine. Pour into a container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until chilled.
Shortbread: Mix butter, sugar, and salt together until fluffy, make sure to scrape down the bowl. Add the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda separately and mix until the dough comes together. Take the dough out of the bowl and shape it into a 6 inch square cube. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat your oven to 325°F, and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the dough and place it between 2 sheets of parchment paper, then roll it out to about 1/8 inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut out your cookies, then place them on the cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 17 minutes until the cookies smell good and have small cracks on the surface. When the cookies have cooled completely, make sandwiches with two cookies and the filling.
Eggless Cookie Dough
This recipe makes 1.5 cups of cookie dough ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cups chocolate chips
Directions: Mix together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Mix in the milk and vanilla, then add in the flour and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. The dough can be eaten immediately, but I think it tastes better if you refrigerate it in an airtight container for a few hours.
