Dentist turned Baker

When did you have a feeling that baking is exactly your niche?

Angelique Vikram Goel:- The most unexpected and difficult roads of your life often lead to beautiful destinations & that’s what happened to me too! I was practising full time as an Endodontist but was going through a rough patch personally. It was then that my mom noticed that baking gave me happiness. I could do it any time of the day irrespective of what was going on around me. She gave me a push and hence started my journey! Endless possibilities for Bakers in the Digital era.  

Do you remember the first recipe you made at The Little Oven? Please tell us about the first order you got at The Little Oven?

Angelique Vikram Goel:- My dream venture was named after the very first oven that my friends gifted to me on my birthday. Though I had been baking for home earlier it was then that I started doing it professionally. And the very first recipe I tried in my “little oven” was that of shortbread cookies.

My first order was that of a birthday cake for a little girl. I was so anxious that I made two cakes instead of one, both exactly similar, and made my family taste it before I sent the other one for delivery. It was then that I realized that baking for others is a lot different from baking for the family.

What is chocolate to you as a baker and which is the most preferred chocolate brand for you?

Angelique Vikram Goel:- I feel the best desserts in the world are made from chocolate! To me, chocolate is pure love. As a baker, it is my favourite ingredient to use as it provides structure, texture and a taste on its own and it almost masks every mistake you might have committed in your bakes. There is a huge variety of desserts you can make from chocolate, from cakes & brownies to mousse and bonbons. With the right technique and knowledge, you can actually create masterpieces with chocolate. Though I haven’t tried all of the best brands of chocolate for baking one of my favourites is the famous Belgian couverture chocolate brand, Callebaut.

What do you think; can we say that baking is actually a creative process?

Angelique Vikram Goel:- Baking is actually a science where there is a reason behind everything. It’s not something random and we should always try to understand the logic behind the recipe. But it still needs a lot of imagination and creativity.  The cake decoration part is pure art. It gives us a blank canvas where you can run your imagination wild and create the most unique and breath-taking designs.

What is the most exciting part of the baking process for you?

Angelique Vikram Goel:- I love the entire process, right from baking to decorating. I love to learn new things and try out new recipes and see how they work. But the decoration part excites me the most. It gives me immense happiness to see how a simple cake can turn dreams into reality.

Can you share with Hospibuz readers how to master cooking skills?

Angelique Vikram Goel:- Though I have been in this profession since the last four years, I still feel like an amateur. My quest for knowledge knows no bounds and this is what helps me improve myself every day. I have learnt from some of the best mentors in the industry and still continue to do so.  But the most important thing remains practice. As much as you can. Until and unless we try out everything with our own hands, we can’t really master anything. As they say, don’t practice until you get it right, practice until you can’t get it wrong!

In a world where it sometimes feels like every possible cake design had already been thought of, how do you get inspiration for new bakes?

Angelique Vikram Goel:- There is no end to creativity and imagination in the world. You can get your inspiration from anything around you, you just have to observe a lot more than you usually do. The theme or idea behind the cake also helps a lot in the creative process.  One of my friends sent me a video of a bike trip asking me to make a cake for her fiancé and I ended up making an actual structure cake in the shape of a bike for him. It was as exciting for me just as it might have been for him to actually go on the trip!

How important are the cake plunger cutters for a baker? Which is your favourite brand when it comes to cake plunger cutters?

Angelique Vikram Goel:- There is no doubt about the fact that the plunger cutters make your job a lot easier when decorating a cake. They save you time and effort which actually is a boon for a baker. I don’t really have favourites when it comes to plunger cutters, I usually go for the designs that suit my purpose. 

As a baker, how different is baking and decorating a cake as compared to baking and decorating cupcakes?

Angelique Vikram Goel:- I don’t think there is much of a difference between a cake and cupcakes as a baker for me. It all depends on what the client wants. I love doing cupcake bouquets which have an appeal of their own. They serve to be one of the best gifts on many occasions. On the other hand, most people prefer a cake when it comes to a celebration. It brings everyone together and is often the life of a party. 

Comments

0