In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, students are facing unprecedented amounts of free time. What better way is there to fill this time than with a few lengthy baking projects? I tried out three famously finicky and time-intensive recipes and reviewed them below, so you can choose your favorite (or try them all!) when you have nothing better to do while social distancing.

Crêpe Cake

These light layer cakes are a fun and unique dessert idea. The best part is the number of variations! From rainbow to matcha to Boston cream pie, you can make a crêpe cake in any flavor combination you can dream up (or find on Pinterest). I attempted this Chocolate Mousse Crepe Cake and ended up with mild success. My cake was nowhere near perfect, but by the end of it, I had pretty much gotten the hang of cooking crêpes. The final product tasted good but not mind-blowing; I would attempt a crêpe cake again but in a different variation.

Taste: 7/10

Time: Varies, typically under 2 hours. While crepe cakes take less total time than the recipes below, most of the time it takes to make the crepe cake is active, hands-on prep time instead of waiting for the dough to rise, chill, or bake. 

Difficulty: 8/10. The batter and frosting are super easy to make, but there is a major learning curve with cooking the crêpes.

Ingredient accessibility while quarantining: High! Though this varies depending on which version you make, the average crepe cake requires only basic ingredients.

French Macarons

These elegant french cookies are uniquely delicious. With their airy texture, delicate crunch, light almond flavor, and the contrast of a creamy filling, a single bite will transport you right to Paris. I recommend the recipe and instructions in this video. However, it uses weight measurements, so if you do not have a scale you can never go wrong with a recipe from Food Network. As for the fillings, try your hand at making sweet-tart lemon curd, a rich dark chocolate ganache, a sophisticated salted caramel, or any other filling of your choice. Though french macarons are famously intimidating, with some time and effort they will turn out beautifully. I have made these a few times and while it is difficult and intimidating the first time around, you quickly learn the tricks and will feel confident making them in no time.

Taste: 10/10

Time: Roughly 2.5 hours, longer if you make a filling that requires chilling beforehand. 

Difficulty: 8/10

Ingredient accessibility while quarantining: Low. This one requires some ordering ahead for most, because the base of the recipe is almond flour. Otherwise, the ingredients are pretty simple as long as you are stocked up on eggs.

Reviewing Time-Consuming Baking Projects to Try While Quarantined

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Croissants

These buttery, flaky pastry classics are irresistable. Perfect for a simple breakfast or an over-the-top brunch, croissants are a bucket list baking item worth trying. I followed this tutorial to learn how to make them. The process is long, but not too difficult as long as you read through the directions thoroughly and watch the video before you begin. They are definitely worth the wait and eating one of your own croissants feels like a major accomplishment! 

Taste: 9/10

Time: 13-65 hours, depending on how long you choose to chill the dough at each step. Most of this time is not active, just the dough chilling, rising, or baking.

Difficulty: 7/10

Ingredient accessibility while quarantining: Medium – most of the ingredients are basic pantry staples, except for yeast and the exorbitant amount of butter.

Looking for more recipes to take up the afternoon? Try making cream puffs, souffles, or cinnamon rolls, or a smith island cake!