Decided to not do any office work today ie Saturday. My son instantly asked me if I would bake a white chocolate cake. Honestly, my idea of relaxing is never going into the kitchen but watching my pre-recorded tv programs and sleeping. But since he asked, I did not want to disappoint him immediately. But I had to get this across his head that my free time does not mean cooking or doing chores for anyone else. My free time is my free time.
I asked him to Google search for a recipe of white chocolate cake and bring out everything from various storage places on the counter. He did it with a lot of help and shouting.
Then it was his duty to measure out the ingredients while I supervised. Next he had to mix all ingredients in the food processor. ( Yup I use food processor and never beat anything by hand). I asked him why I am not using hand beater but a food processor. He smartly told me the ease of using powerful machinery.
While sifting maida and baking powder he asked me why baking powder and not baking soda. When I told him how baking powder needs heat to slowly release co2 to make those tiny holes in the cake vs baking soda that releases co2 instantly, he learnt chemistry too.
The last step was to melt white chocolate. The recipe expected me to use the double boiler. Obviously, I was not going to be wasting my time doing so. So quickly used the microwave to melt the white chocolate and added it into the batter.
He also had to turn on the convection to preheat which he found interesting as he learnt the concept of preheating.
He suddenly got a call from his friend to go out and play. I had to tell him unless the whole work was finished he will not leave. He said ok not realising what was waiting for him.
First he had to grease the baking dish with oil and while I poured the batter he was about to run off.
I asked him to clean the food processor. Before he could refuse, I told him that baking cake means doing everything including cleaning the kitchen.
While he washed the processor, I told him it’s 1 hour since we started. He was surprised. Then I got the chance to share a piece of advice that I was dying to part with. I said, ” I want to spend my free time as I want and not as how you want me to. Tomorrow when you get married, you should not expect your wife to cook and clean when she has her offs from her work. ”
Then I added the importance of time utilisation. I said ” To eat this cake two people spent one hour each. That is two hours in total. I think I value this one hour more to relax and rejuvenate as my one hour would have been far more valuable had I written a blog on MadhurieSingh or SchoolKhojo. But that fact that you were with me the whole time was worth everything else. If you had left me to bake it alone, it would have been a total loss of time and value. So if you expect a lavish dish from any family member, ensure you are with that person the whole time.”
The reason why I am sharing this is because as Indian moms and wives, we jump to do our duties but forget our right to free time. Unless we teach our boys to respect our free time today, how will they learn to respect their spouse’s free time tomorrow. Even though I have two boys I am hoping mothers and fathers of daughters will teach this to their girls today. With every duty that they are expected to fulfill, there is a right too that they should enjoy. With every right you enjoy, there is a responsibility you have to bear.
On demand, I am sharing the recipe of White Chocolate Cake.
3 cups Maida, 1 cup sugar, 3/4 cup butter melted, 1 cup melted white chocolate, 1 tsp vanilla essence, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup milk.
Preheat oven to 180 degree.
Grease the baking dish with oil and maida.
Sieve maida + baking powder + salt.
In a food processor mix sugar + butter + melted chocolate + vanilla essence.
Add milk in the processor.
Slowly add maida in the processor and mix till all is smooth.
Pour the batter in the baking dish and sprinkle chocolate chips. Slowly turn and mix.
Bake the cake till 35 to 40 min.
After the time is done, keep it to cool for 30 min.
I am avoiding too much fat, so the frosting recipe is not shared.
Enjoy and do comment and like to tell if the cake turned out well.
Madhurie Singh says
Anyone tried it