Home baking during Lockdown Day 40+

Cook Islands donut recipe

Since our National Lockdown started some 40+ days ago (although now in level 3) our family got into some serious baking with the Bakeries closed during Lockdown level 4.

We searched the internet and went on the Coconet website https://www.thecoconet.tv and found lots of Pasifika recipes old and new, bought ourselves a Baker's large flour sack and some yeast and went for gold.

The funny thing was that when the Lockdown happened in the first couple of weeks it seemed like many other New Zealanders also had the same idea so when we went to buy yeast at various stories, there was none left.

Until my beloved went to shop at a local Indian supplies store and found yeast on the shelf and the rest was history. We've been baking ever since and the response has been mixed from ecstatic to "really?" depending on the successful (or unsuccessful) outcome.

To date, we've tried making the following for dessert, breakfast, supper etc. topped with cream, icing, sauces etc. all complemented with a cup of tea, coffee, water etc. Definitely would not have happened had we not had the time and space to share together in making:

• Cook Island donuts (pictured above) / cream donuts
• Cakes / cupcakes
• Coconut buns (with coconut sauce)
• German buns or steamed pork/chicken buns
• Dumplings
• Apple pies
• Chocolate chip cookies or biscuits
• Cheesecakes

I haven't quite got to the puddings yet but that's next on the agenda although I did hear that some of the local bakeries are now opening up with social distancing encouraged. Somehow, I don't miss them and think we'll continue with our own home baking. Maybe we might even open shop but then again it might take away the fun, so nah!...