baked by erica

My baking adventure started with a brownie recipe on the back of a baking chocolate packet when I was about 10 years old. I was completely devastated when what came out of the oven looked nothing like the photo! Thankfully, I had a cousin who was cheering me on and enthusiastically devoured most of the brownie regardless. My little heart and baking determination wasn’t completely broken by the experience but it did lay dormant for a long time.
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My love for baking and cooking was reignited nearly two decades later out of desperation. Several years after migrating to Australia, I started missing a lot of the delicious dishes and yummy treats I grew up with. My theory on my kitchen adventures has always been – if I can read then I can cook! So I jumped into recipes with much gusto. Majority were edible, some were even presentable, others were forgettable at best!
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A perfect example of forgettable was the first time I tried to make our delicious classic chocolate cookies. The first batch I made 8 years ago was a textbook Pinterest fail. It was nowhere near the childhood cookies I was dreaming of replicating. It took me 7 long years to recover from that baking mishap. Since my second attempt was no longer a Pinterest fail, I played around with the recipe and tried several combinations.

Thankfully, my baking expertise in between those years did improve and my baking creations are now edible, certified YUMMY! by everyone who has tested them and the cookies, especially, are just like what I grew up with! Every bite brings me back to the moment I first tasted them.
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Baking has always been an enjoyable experience for me, especially when what comes out of the oven is actually edible. Over the years, friends, family and work colleagues (I once flew to work with a suitcase packed with cookies and cookies only) who have been on the receiving end of my baked goods encouraged me to open up my own little baking shop. After several wedding cakes, birthday cakes, muffins, cupcakes, cheesecakes, cookies, etc, I finally listened! Always a scary venture but here we are today with Baked by Erica.
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I hope you all enjoy the delicious treats I create as much as I enjoy making them! Remember, let each bite take you to your happy place and savour the moment. Enjoy,