Labour of love

Author and food stylist Shivesh Bhatia finds succour in flour, dough and sugar

My relationship with baking is now over seven years long. It started as a hobby when I was in school and later became my passion while I was studying political science in college — to now being my full-time job. And now, spending a large part of this year in lockdown has also made me realise that baking has become more than a job to me — it’s been my anchor and something I find comfort in.

Baking also came to me at a significantly low point in life. It was at a time when my nani had been hospitalised following a stroke and I was struggling to fit into a new school in a year that was tough, both academically and personally. I would look forward to the weekends where I would be baking away in the kitchen. I did not have proper baking tools or even an oven then, and more often than not my cakes would come out of the microwave either burnt, rock hard or spilt out of the baking dish. Even then it was the process of baking that would bring me so much calm and joy that I would forget everything about the things that were bothering me
otherwise. I enjoyed every step of the process so much that even the disastrous results could never get me to give up on baking. I remember running to the kitchen to whip up a quick dessert after wrapping up my exam preparation so I could sit down for one final revision with my cake. Those thirty or forty minutes in the kitchen — playing around with the ingredients, mixing my batter and watching it transform magically — would be enough to calm my nerves and take the stress about a high school exam away, something I thought would determine the rest of my life!

Shivesh Bhatia

Last year, I enrolled myself into a post-graduation course. And months later, I took the tough decision of dropping out. I realised it wasn’t adding value to what I wanted to pursue in life. Those two months were tough because of the ongoing battle in my head about whether or not I wanted to continue studying — dropping out of college is always frowned upon. So, there was a lot of pressure to do the right thing. Funnily, what helped me make the decision was some me time in my kitchen baking choux pastry. It sunk into me that how in that moment, piping eclairs onto my baking tray and filling them with pastry cream made me happy, almost euphoric. This feeling was something I hadn’t experienced at all in the two months of sitting through endless hours of classes. During the lockdown when the whole world was at a standstill, baking became my saviour in the truest sense. It not only helped me stay sane, but it also helped me maintain a schedule throughout. Every day, I would go to my kitchen, bake a dessert, record it and share it with my audience. From weighing out the ingredients to cleaning up the bowls later, the entire process kept me busy. I didn’t end up missing my friends or travelling and the panic didn’t get to me. Baking is actually such a great isolation activity, in that sense. It is something I could do just on my own, be indoors while being safe. It’s also something that requires all my attention and makes me focus and be precise, which helps me take my mind off everything else and just be present in that moment.

Baking became my own personal therapy during this time.

Apple Raspberry Pie

I avoided making pies for the longest time simply because they looked so scary to put together. Pies can be intimidating but, just once, let go of your fear and you’ll see the magic unfold. Remember, the dough can sense your fear. Treat it with love!

Ingredients

For the crust

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/3 cup unsalted cold butter, cubed

1–2 tablespoons cold water

For the filling

3 apples, diced, peel on

¾ cup frozen raspberries

½ cup castor sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons cornflour

Method

To make the crust, pulse the flour, granulated sugar and butter in a food processor until it resembles a coarse meal. Add water and mix until the dough comes together. Divide the dough into two halves and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Let the dough chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before you begin rolling it out.

To make the filling, combine the apples, raspberries, sugar, lemon juice and cornflour in a large bowl. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Dust a clean surface lightly with flour. Roll out one half of the dough into a circle, ¹/8 inch thick. Once rolled to the desired size, lightly wrap the pie crust around a rolling pin and unroll it on top of the pie pan (7–8 inches in diameter). Gently press it into the bottom and sides of the pie dish. Trim the dough along the edge of the dish. If the dough feels too soft, let it rest in the refrigerator for longer. If the pie dough cracks while working, roll it out again or simply use a wet finger to fix the crack. Pour the filling into the crust.

Roll out the other half of the dough into a circle, 1/8 inch thick. Using a knife, cut it into long strips. Carefully lift and place these on top of the filling, pressing one end into the edge of the pie. Alternate the strips to create a lattice on top. Secure the other end of the strip as well.

Brush the crust with milk and sprinkle the castor sugar on top. Bake the pie for 1 hour, until it turns golden brown.

(Shivesh Bhatia’s new book, Desserts for Every Mood: 100 Feel-Good Recipes, has been published by HarperCollins, India.)