Once a year, in the town of Pawnee, Indiana, two Parks and Recreation Department employees have an annual day of self-indulgence. That day, “Treat Yo Self” day, is October 13. So in honor of the upcoming fictitious holiday, I think we should manifest ourselves some treats.
I love the ritual of a day dedicated to doing nice things for yourself, but I also stand ten toes down believing that I deserve my “silly little treat” every day. It doesn’t have to be dessert — though it’s fabulous when it is — but it’s always something I’ve made with future me in mind.
As much as I bake for others, I also bake to show up for myself. Setting aside time on the weekend to make things that I know I’ll want after a long day of work, or that I’ll need when I’m inevitably running late for … everything … is something that keeps me afloat. When I see that cookie dough in the freezer or the granola on the counter, I pat myself on the back with a cheeky smile and thank myself for the tiny win.
Below are some of my favorite ways to “bake to the future,” as my wonderful editor Mia puts it. Consider them gifts that keep on giving the whole week long.
6 a.m.: Granola o’clock
Homemade granola is like a talisman that somehow lures this sleepy boy out of bed in the morning. It is a necessary part of my weekly routine: I start my days with a smattering of it on yogurt, then top my peanut butter toast with it in the afternoon, catapulting handfuls of it in (or around) my mouth every time I enter the kitchen.
Cybelle Tondu has assembled my ideal granola with this ginger sesame number, a beautiful dance of spicy ginger, fruity olive oil and nutty, earthy tahini. Aside from the stellar flavor, it’s also a great springboard for customization — I’m going to add some salted pistachios and toss in chunks of dark chocolate to this week’s version. Regardless of how I spin it, I’ll always heed Cybelle’s directive of adding a couple of egg whites to the mix, which helps achieve beautifully airy clusters of toasty oats, nuts and seeds (and satisfies my protein-heads).
3 p.m.: Loaf cake o’clock
Loaf cakes have recently become my go-to afternoon pick-me-up. I’ve been eating out of the hand of Big Banana Bread for quite some time, but it wasn’t until I developed this peanut butter and jelly pound cake that I began working some sort of loaf into my weekly baking rotation. It’s all the best parts of the sandwich amplified in a tender cake, topped with a tangy glaze and salty peanuts. I get excited for an afternoon slice of this cake just as I did my 3 p.m. PB&J growing up. One bite and I’m nostalgic for back-to-school time, stocking up on gel pens to fit into my new pencil case or begging my mom to buy me a Spice Girls backpack (she caved).
For those with nut aversions or sensitivities but who still want something fruity, why don’t you try my good pal Eric Kim’s chamomile tea cake with strawberry icing? Freeze-dried strawberries lend a bright hit of tang that pairs perfectly with the buttery, floral cake. This week I’m making that or Samantha Seneviratne’s orange cranberry loaf to immerse myself in autumnal delusion even though it’s 80 degrees outside. If you (unlike me) cannot polish off a loaf cake in a few days by yourself, slice the loaf in half, cut that half into slices and freeze them. They usually toast well but they also take only about an hour to defrost.
8 p.m.: Cookie o’clock
The other night, my boyfriend and I were getting ready to watch “The Conjuring,” and I really needed an emotional support cookie. I always keep mounds of cookie dough frozen in a plastic bag for such occasions (and for when company comes over without much warning). I call them cookies on demand, and more often than not, they’re the Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookies or the new brown-butter toffee one I developed for “Cookies,” my soon-to-be-released New York Times Cooking cookbook.
While you’ll have to wait until Oct. 28 to see that recipe (have you pre-ordered the book yet?), you can, and should, make some chocolate chip cookie dough for a rainy day. My tip: Chill the dough per the recipe before freezing so the flavor has a chance to develop and the flour can hydrate. When the mood strikes, bake them for about two minutes more than indicated, checking them after the normal time to see how they’re coming along.
So treat yourself and your future you. Maybe it’s an Oreo with peanut butter (today is actually another holiday, Hallie and Annie’s birthday), maybe it’s a massage, maybe it’s reading this newsletter. You deserve it.
The Monthly Bake
Everyone’s making the Boozy Apple Crunch Cake!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos of our Monthly Bake, the boozy apple crunch cake. I can’t choose just one, so here are a few that made me particularly giddy. Keep sending them to [email protected], keep tagging me on Instagram @vaughn and be on the lookout for the next Bake Time video, where I’ll share more!
Thanks for reading (and baking)! See you next week.
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