It’s Sunday evening and the sun has just dipped below the horizon. Your rational mind tells you that it’s time to finally collect those books that you’ve so expertly avoided all weekend long, but the moment you reach for the remote to turn off the 20th consecutive episode of “The Great British Bakeoff,” your chest seizes. The mere thought of doing schoolwork brings you emotional and physical anguish.
If you have lived through even a quarter of a semester at a university, you know this feeling all too well. Perhaps even the simple act of reading the above paragraph triggered repulsive reflexes (and if that is the case, I owe you my sincerest apologies). But no matter how far ahead we are or how well organized we aspire to be, procrastination plagues the best of us. But fear not! I have a temporary solution to diminish the dread pertaining to school work and expand the joy that comes with the consumption of homemade treats.
Here’s how it works: the next time you feel the onset of a minor existential crisis when you even consider looking at your stats assignment that’s due at midnight, preheat your oven to 350 F and consult these quick, but delectable, recipes. No, baking will not erase your school responsibilities, but it sure will heighten your mood, give you a burst of inspiration, and maybe, just maybe, bestow upon you the energy with which to bang out that last paper you’ve been putting off for the past two weeks. Now onto the treats!
When you need sugar but have limited ingredients…
Better Boxed Brownies
Chances are, your little collegiate apartment kitchen isn’t as expansive as the baking aisle of your local Whole Foods. We all can dream, though. Finally fancy up that boxed-brownie mix that has been sitting in your cabinet since freshman year with a few extra ingredients for an easy, late-night treat.
When you need an Instagram worthy dessert…
Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread (aka “The Cookies)
If these adorable little cookies have not yet popped up on your food flooded explore page on Instagram, it’s time that you bring them to your own feed. Known ubiquitously as “the cookies” on social media, Alison Roman’s chocolate chunk shortbread recipe will not only soothe your information overloaded brain but might just attract a few new hungry followers along the way.
When you have to consider your gluten-intolerant roommate…
Chocolate Tahini Brownies
I am a self-acclaimed gluten-aholic; however, these gluten-less brownies make me question my entire carb-loving identity. The mesmerizing tahini swirl gives these brownies a unique nuttiness that compliments the dark chocolate perfectly.
When you need something more wholesome…
No-Bake Energy Bites
I think that all foods can be nourishing in moderation, but there are some moments when your body just cannot take another Oreo. These no-bake bites are simple to throw together and are conducive to this aforementioned sugar coma state. No added sugar, no problem.
When it’s the night before your exam and you’re suddenly considering culinary school as a backup career plan…
NYT Apple Pie
I really don’t know why they say “easy as pie,” because I think this recipe is reserved for the ambitious. I recommend saving this bad boy for an instance in which you really need a distraction. However, baking this pie is not a fruitless endeavor (both figuratively and literally). The finished product comes out of the oven with a crisp golden crust, emanating the most glorious fall scent that makes every bit of effort worth it. As a requirement for this recipe, it must also be served with an adornment of Jeni’s vanilla ice cream. Go big or go home.
You are so close to being relieved of your educational burdens (for the next few weeks until the final, that is) that you can almost taste it. So take a break from your study guide and actually bring that taste to fruition. You deserve it.