Nicole kneading dough during her bread making module at Cereal Tech.
Full-Time
Conference
Services
Director,
Part-Time
Baker
Contributed by Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, Director of Conference Services & Catering, Ms Nicole Tan, CMP
I only started baking a few years ago, because I was looking for a new hobby. My two children have grown up, which meant I had more personal time, and it seemed like a good way for me to achieve work-life balance.
I used to help my mother bake cakes when I was younger, but the passion to learn more about baking only came in recent years.
This newfound love for baking led me to take up a diploma in Baking Arts & Science at Cereal Tech School of Baking Technology in 2016. It was a bit of a challenge, as it required me to commit to attending four-hour classes thrice a week after work, but it was a good way for me to achieve balance between work and personal time.
Nicole (fourth from left) and her course mates on the first day of the diploma course at Cereal Tech.
Nicole (standing, second from left) with her colleagues at the recent Millennium Hotels and Resorts Singapore group wedding showcase, who get to try her baking creations.
Through the diploma course, I learnt more about baking, even the science behind it. Beyond baking cakes, I also learnt how to bake bread, pastries and other desserts. Some of my favourite recipes are citrus limoncello cake, pineapple tarts, and gula melaka coconut buns.
Although I've already completed my diploma, I still enjoy baking regularly. I also attend classes to learn new techniques. For example, for Easter, I attended a short course to learn how to make traditional Easter pastries such as hot cross buns and Osterbrot.
Nicole at an Easter Baking Class conducted by Dean Bretschneider, owner of local bakery Baker and Cook, where she learnt how to make hot cross buns, Osterbrot and Swiss Zopf bread.
She also attended a macaron class conducted by Phoon Huat, a Singapore wholesaler for dessert ingredients, to learn how to bake the sweet meringue-based confection.
I also enjoy the opportunity to give back with this hobby. I baked fruitcakes last Christmas, and made pineapple tarts for Chinese New Year that were sold for charity. It's something I hope to continue doing.
For me, baking is a great way to de-stress, and I have plenty of ingredients at home, should I feel like baking after work or on weekends. I usually stock at least twenty blocks of salted and unsalted butter in my refrigerator! I'm sure my colleagues enjoy my de-stressing process very much, because they get to try whatever I've whipped up!
Nicole will also be joining a competition this June, to challenge herself, and the Hi-Life team wishes her all the best! Follow Nicole's baking journey and check out more of her creations here.
Nicole's baking creations: (L-R) Sourdough baguettes and four- and six-strand Winston Knot breads; an elaborate Peranakan-themed cake project that was completed in six hours; and individually packed fruitcakes using homemade rum- and brandy-soaked dried fruits.
