ONE-BOWL BAKING WITHOUT A MIXER

Eight zillion cookbook authors have tried to convince us that baking is a wonderfully meditative process, the antidote to a long afternoon. They’re not wrong. Except that baking can be a pain when you don’t have a long afternoon but still want a sweet treat. Here are three recipes that dirty only one bowl, don’t use a mixer, and get the job done in no time with a whisk and a wooden spoon (and the oven, of course). For all of them, we altered the liquid/flour/fat ratios so there’s no need to beat in lots of air. Yes, we all yearn for a long afternoon in the kitchen, but sometimes we need to get in and out in a few minutes.