Baking Abroad and Muffin Dreams: A Bali Family Adventure

June 1, 2025

Let’s talk about muffins 🧁 …specifically the strawberry and blueberry muffin from Milk & Madu — soft, juicy, crumbly in all the right ways and basically muffin goals. 🍓🫐 And while I absolutely devoured this one with my coffee, it also reminded me how much I miss baking the way I used to back home. Since moving to Bali, baking has been a whole new adventure. The flour is different, ingredients vary between stores, and despite my best efforts I still haven’t found good old-fashioned self-raising flour! 😅 So we improvise... I add baking powder to almost everything and hope for the best, but let’s be real—it’s just not quite the same. But here’s the thing: I still love it. Even the flops. Baking is one of those slow, sweet things Lola and I love doing together, and even when things come out a little flatter or crumblier than planned, they’re made with love and that’s what matters most. ❤️ Our kitchen might be in Bali now, and the muffins might not rise like they used to—but the giggles, the mess, the smell of something warm in the oven, and the joy of feeding my family something we made with our own hands? That’s still the same. So if you’re a baker living abroad and wondering why nothing’s rising quite right… you’re not alone. But the muffins at Milk & Madu? Totally worth the cheat day. 😍 🧁 @milkandmadu #BaliBaking #MilkAndMadu #IslandLiving #FamilyMoments #ChadAndMia #MuffinMagic #BaliWithKids #BakingAbroad #MuffinLovers

Let’s talk muffins 🧁—specifically the dreamy strawberry and blueberry creation from Milk & Madu in Bali. Soft, juicy, and crumbly in the best way, it’s basically the gold standard of baked morning happiness. 🍓🫐 I savored every bite with my morning coffee, but it also sparked a wave of nostalgia for my own kitchen back home. Since relocating to Bali, baking has turned into a daily adventure. The flour? Different. The ingredients? Hit or miss, depending on the store. And self-raising flour? Still MIA. 😅 Improvising with baking powder has become second nature, but let’s be honest—some recipes just aren’t the same. That said, I wouldn’t trade these moments for anything. Baking with my daughter, Lola, has become a beloved ritual. Sure, our cookies may spread a little too far and our muffins might sink in the middle, but what we lose in perfection, we make up for in giggles and floury handprints. There’s something grounding about preparing food together, even in a kitchen that’s constantly adapting to tropical ingredients and foreign oven settings. And while nothing we whip up quite mimics that Milk & Madu muffin, it’s the baking journey—not just the result—that fills our home with sweetness. ❤️ If you’re a fellow baker living (or traveling) abroad, let this be your reminder: every crumbly attempt is still a memory made. And hey, when the kitchen lets you down, there’s always Milk & Madu to pick you back up. 😍 #BaliBaking #MilkAndMadu #IslandLiving #FamilyMoments #MuffinMagic #BaliWithKids #BakingAbroad