If something has happened in my “love” (read: anything to do with a male) life, there will be brownie batter dishes in the sink. This is what every one of my flatmates knows when there is yet another tray of brownies lying around on a Wednesday night.
I’m unsure as to how it began, but after my first serious break-up, I found that my therapeutic fix was making brownies from scratch. Every single night. For a month. The sense of measuring, mixing, tasting and creating a product you know will not disappoint has a satisfying sense that no male encounter can bring to you. Especially not every night. For a month.
I hadn’t realised this boy-brownie correlation until I started seeing other guys, and increasingly started baking more and more brownies. It was by the fourth batch in five weeks I realized that not only were my flatmates and myself on a pre-diabetic path, but also the oddly satisfying calm baking can bring to you.
Photo by Sydney Segal
With baking, you can put the same pieces together and sometimes it creates a gooey brownie, and sometimes you end up with a deflated cupcake, and sometimes all the pieces don’t even make it into the mixing bowl because who the hell knows what happened.
I may be single, but I know that the perfect brownie needs 3/4 a cup of cocoa power, plus two extra tablespoons for that dark chocolate taste, and freezing them after the oven always, always makes them gooier.
So, if you like brownie batter, and aren’t anywhere near planning your wedding, here are five benefits baking can bring you in all aspects of your life, but specifically those that have to do with anxiety:
Baking makes you happier
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Personally, I can assure you this is a fact. I mean, who isn’t automatically happier with the thought of licking a bowl full of chocolate brownie batter, but if this sounds too good to be true to be really true, it’s not, BBC has proof. If these cupcake brownies don’t cheer you up, I don’t know what will.
Baking stimulates your senses
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Whipping up those brownies or whatever delicious indulgences you may be making stimulates your senses, which then produce endorphins and make you forget about why you had to bake in the first place. Most importantly, while stimulating your sense, your brain allows you to forget about that whoever didn’t respond to your fun n’ flirty Snapchat.
Baking leaves you alone with your thoughts
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Plus maybe some good music to just zone out and let your mind wander. Being a busy college student, it feels great to have nothing to do but eat batter and bake your sorrows away, so indulge and let yourself jam out to some tunes. Sometimes, putting down your phone and just getting your hands buried in your baking is the best remedy to relax and let yourself think about whatever comes to mind.
Sharing with friends and housemates is great
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Once you’ve distributed these delicious goodies, you will undoubtedly realize you have people around you who love you unconditionally. Especially your housemates who will be there through it all, but mainly to lick the bowl clean for you. Spoiler alert: Your roommates will love these Nutella brownies.
Getting to eat delicious concoctions
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Last, but most certainly not least, you get to eat whatever amazing creation you’ve whipped up in your confused relationship state. So don’t dwell on the issues – just enjoy the chocolatey goodness you’ve baked with some friends and enjoy the sugar rush. No matter what, chocolate will always be there for you. When you’re ready to start baking, try one of these next-level brownie recipes.