I know why baking has become so important to me recently.  It's all about the process and my love of it and it's a great stress reliever.  It all starts with the idea.  Then the planning and shopping for ingredients.  Next is preparation and assembly.  And finally, here is the end result of yesterday's endeavours:

About half way through the cooking time, the aroma wafting through my kitchen was tantalisingly irresistible.  Cooking satisfies my senses and I'm not sure why I let baking slip over the past year.  At one time I used to bake every Sunday.  It demands time and effort for sure.  Since I lived with a French family in Lyon, all I had to think about was the harp and my studies - I didn't have to do the cleaning, cooking and gardening and worry about paying the bills.  Towards the end of my studies, before I got my job in Cape Town, I was practicing for 6-7 hours a day - good times!!  In Lyon, cooking was like breathing.  My legendary teacher Germaine was another fine cook and gourmand and her passion for food was on a par with her passion for music and for life.  After my four years studying in Manchester and becoming independent and able to take care of myself, or so I thought, moving to France was a real eye opener.  How green I was!  I thought I knew how to play the harp and how to cook - I had a lot to learn!   I remember clearly learning to separate eggs and the fascination I felt at discovering you could beat them into a foamy amalgamation to be incorporated into all sorts of culinary delights.

There is an air of nostalgia about my baking - I have been using this foolproof recipe for over 20 years and it's a crowd pleaser.  I love how it has only 4 ingredients.  I enjoyed 2 pieces yesterday and it felt a whole lot better than trashy chocolate...