Baking has always been up my to-do list, because learning how to bake goods would help me give myself a treat whenever I want. But learning how to bake stuff was time-consuming hence was never done by me due to academics and other stuff. But CAS has provided me with the perfect opportunity to get baking experience. So for this, I had done explicit research on how to make perfect cakes and brownies, and under the supervision of my mother, I had baked a chocolate sponge cake, vanilla sponge cake, and brownies.
LO 1: Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth
In this experience, I was successfully able to explore a baker’s side of me. I was able to understand my strengths in baking and understanding measurements and precision with ease, as baking felt like a science experiment, which demanded precise measurements and love. At the same time, I was able to identify my weakness in remembering stuff, as I was continuously forgetting steps while baking.
LO 2: Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process
This challenge was really challenging especially for someone who has baked just a couple of times before. Baking seemed more like a science experiment that demanded specific ingredients including specific rising agents, flavorings, binding agents, etc. all in specific amounts, and a bit more of any ingredient might ruin the whole process. Hence doing something with such technicalities wasn’t easy for me, hence to avoid any errors I had written things down and just tried to go with the flow of the recipe. Overall, accepting this as a challenge forced me to build a certain focus on things and forced me to abide by the steps of baking.
LO 4: Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences
Despite so many technicalities, I was able to make 3 different types of baked goods, with commitment and perseverance. Though it was hard to be committed because I had only one oven to bake my cakes in, and it was taking a lot of time to even make one cake, I had stayed encouraged throughout the experience as it helped me explore another side of me. In addition to that I had also experienced baking fail on the very first batch of brownie, as the brownie sunk down from the middle and was crisp on the outer crusts of the brownie, but then reflecting upon what must have gone wrong I was able to make two other bigger brownies.
Overall, this experiment helped me develop integrity towards whatever I bake and not cheat or skip steps which could have ruined the whole thing. Also, I was reflective while reflecting upon the mistakes I had done when I faced a baking fail and worked upon my mistakes to bake more goods. This experience also helped me explore an unknown side of mine of baking and helped me understand the technicalities involved in producing quality goods.
