Chocolate Ganache Bread Pudding with Rosemary Port Caramel Sauce

(Photo from Food and Wine)

I think this is the first time I've used a stock photo for a recipe. I feel pretty shitty about it, but I couldn't help it. I made homemade challah bread, added rosemary to the caramel sauce, and created a little bit of chocolate magic that was devoured before a proper photo could be taken.

I had enough ingredients to make this twice... and I still wasn't able to get my own photo.

It was too amazing to wait for. We had to eat it immediately. Photos seemed unnecessary. 

(Adapted from Vicki Wells)

Ingredients:

• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 pound challah, crust removed, bread cut into 3/4-inch dice (6 cups)
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 6 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Rosemary Port Caramel Sauce

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon ruby port
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons rosemary

Directions:

1. Make the caramel sauce.
2. In a heavy, medium saucepan, cook the granulated sugar over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Continue to cook, without stirring, until an amber caramel forms, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the light brown sugar and stir until smooth. Return the caramel to the heat and carefully add the port; the caramel will harden slightly. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Add the cream and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and rosemary. Transfer the sauce to a pitcher and serve warm.
3. Preheat the oven to 325°.
4. Put 2 ounces of the bittersweet chocolate in a small heatproof bowl.
5. Heat 1/4 cup of the heavy cream in a small saucepan over moderately low heat. Pour the warm cream over the chopped chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes, then stir until the chocolate ganache is smooth. Let the chocolate ganache stand at room temperature until set.
6. Butter an 11-by-8-inch baking dish. In a small saucepan, melt the butter.
7. In a large bowl, toss the melted butter with the diced challah. Spread the bread on a baking sheet in an even layer and toast for about 15 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown. Wipe out the bowl.
8. In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream with the milk and 6 tablespoons of the sugar and bring just to a boil. Remove the heavy cream mixture from the heat. Add the remaining 3 ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until the chocolate is melted.
9. In the bowl used for the bread, whisk the remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar with the egg yolks, cocoa, vanilla and salt until a paste forms. Slowly whisk in the warm chocolate cream until smooth. Strain the custard into a clean bowl. Add the toasted bread and toss to coat with the warm chocolate cream. Let stand for 10 minutes, or until most of the chocolate cream is absorbed.
10. Pour the bread mixture into the prepared baking dish. Using a large spoon, dollop the chocolate ganache on top. Bake the bread pudding for about 35 minutes, or until it is cooked through. Let the chocolate bread pudding stand for 15 minutes, then serve with the Port Caramel Sauce on the side.

Beignets with Vanilla Dipping Sauce

 

(Adapted from Alex Guarnaschelli)

I've made these baby donuts a zillion times since Boyfriend got me Alex Guarnaschelli's book, Old School Comfort Food. 

Boyfriend and the roommates lose their shit when I mention that I feel like making them.

Boyfriend told me "I didn't have to make them if I didn't want to" while giving me puppy dog eyes.

Kinny told me that she'd dip a shoe in the vanilla sauce and eat it.

I was considering making them on Monday and Robo made a whole speech about how "beignets and Mondays go together." Pretty sure that was a ploy to get me to make them right then and there.

But I was tired (or maybe feeling a little sadistic?) yesterday.

So here I am, on a Tuesday, frying up donuts in the middle of the  night.

Maybe I should get those three to cover my rent next month in exchange for late-night donuts.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plus 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour
• Extra flour, for rolling the dough (about 1 cup total)
• 1 gallon fryer oil

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the yeast and the water. Set aside to proof.
2. After 10 minutes, stir in the all-purpose flour, cover with plastic, set aside in a warm place and let it double in size.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, with the mixer on low speed, one by one. When the mix is smooth, add the vanilla and salt. Stir to blend. Add the bread flour and mix on low speed until fully incorporated.
5. Change the electric mixer attachment to a dough hook. Continue mixing the dough until it becomes a ball.
6. Then, stir in the yeast mixture until thoroughly incorporated. Put the dough in a bowl, cover with plastic and allow to proof, 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes.
7. Lightly flour a cool surface and roll the dough out to about 1 1/2-inch thickness.
8. Using a pizza cutter, cut them into 1.5 in. x 1.5 in squares, and turn them onto a floured baking sheet to rest, 20 to 30 minutes, before frying.
9. Heat the oil in a large pot to 365 to 370 degrees F.
10. Drop the beignets in the hot fat and cook until golden brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes.
11. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon. Dust with powdered sugar.
12.  Serve immediately with Vanilla Dipping Sauce.

Vanilla Dipping Sauce

Directions:

• 1 cups heavy cream
• 1 cups whole milk
• 1 vanilla beans, split and scraped
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream and milk to a simmer and add the vanilla beans.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until they become a pale yellow color, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. When the milk/cream simmers, pour it gently over the egg yolks and whisk to blend.
4. Pour the entire mixture back into the pot and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens slightly, 5 to 8 minutes.
5. The sauce should register about 170 degrees F on a thermometer and still be smooth. Strain into a bowl, stir in the vanilla and allow to cool slightly before refrigerating.

Salted Fudge Brownies

(Kate Krader)

I'm gonna be totally honest here and tell you that I have never made these myself. I try to give Boyfriend opportunities to make things that seem easy-ish whenever I can so that he can build his kitchen skills and so I can save myself some time! Every time we need these, he makes them.

They're so fudgy and delicious, that he makes them regularly. They're as close as you can get to licking the bowl without getting salmonella from the raw eggs. 


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Maldon sea salt 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. 
2. Line a 9-inch square metal cake pan with foil, draping the foil over the edges. Lightly butter the foil.
3. In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the unsweetened chocolate over very low heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from the heat.
5. Whisking them in one at a time until thoroughly incorporated, add the cocoa, sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
7. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the batter. Using a butter knife, swirl the salt into the batter.
8. Bake the fudge brownies in the center of the oven for about 35 minutes, until the edge is set but the center is still a bit soft and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out coated with a little of the batter.
9. Let the brownies cool at room temperature in the pan for 1 hour, then refrigerate just until they are firm, about 1 hour.
10. Lift the brownies from the pan and peel off the foil.
11. Cut the brownies into 16 squares. Serve at room temperature.

MAKE AHEAD The salted fudge brownies can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, and frozen for up to 1 month.

Fleur de Sel Caramels

(Adapted from Ina Garten)

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon fine fleur de sel, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Prep the pan:
2. Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to drape over 2 sides, then brush the paper lightly with oil.
3. Boil the sugar:
4. In a deep saucepan (6 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches deep), combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and corn syrup and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown. Don't stir -- just swirl the pan.
5. Heat the cream:
6. In the meantime, in a small pot, bring the cream, butter and 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and set aside.
7. Finish the caramel:
8. When the sugar mixture is done, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful -- it will bubble up violently.
9. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees F (firm ball) on a candy thermometer.
10. Fill the pan:
11. Very carefully pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate for a few hours, until firm.
12. Cut the caramel:
13. When the caramel is cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut the square in half.
14. Roll it up:
15. Starting with a long side, roll the caramel up tightly into an 8-inch-long log.
16. Cut into pieces:
17. Sprinkle the log with fleur de sel, trim the ends and cut into 8 pieces. (Start by cutting the log in half, then continue cutting each piece in half until you have 8 equal pieces.) It's easier to cut the caramels if you brush the knife with flavorless oil like corn oil.
18. Wrap the candies:
19. Cut glassine or parchment paper into 4-by-5-inch pieces and wrap each caramel individually, twisting the ends.
20. Store in the refrigerator and serve the caramels chilled.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Praline Topping

This cheesecake/pumpkin pie/pecan pie tri-brid was the best cheesecake I've ever made. 

I LOATHE using water baths for cheesecakes and custards because I am terrible at keeping the water out of my pans. This low temperature, long baking method eliminates the need for a water bath to ensure even baking. It is wonderful. It takes some TLC, but it's totally worth it in the end.

No cracking, no bullshit. Best pumpkin cheesecake ever.

(Katherine Beto)

Ingredients:

Cheesecake:

• One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (1 3/4 cups)
• 8 whole graham crackers, broken
• 1/2 cup pecans (2 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 1/2 cups cream cheese (14 ounces), at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Praline topping (recipe follows!)

Driections:

1. Set a rack over a baking sheet and line the rack with 2 layers of paper towels. Spread the pumpkin puree over the paper towels and let drain for 2 hours, until the puree is fairly dry.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°. Butter the bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until finely ground.
3. Add the pecans and brown sugar and pulse until finely ground.
4. Add the melted butter and pulse just until incorporated.
5. Press the crumbs onto the bottom of the prepared pan.
6. Bake the crust for 5-8 minutes, just until it is fragrant and lightly browned. Let the crust cool completely. (Watch your crust carefully! I burned TWO before I got this right. When it's fragrant and darkish…take it out!)
7. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the cream cheese until it is very smooth.
8. In a small bowl, whisk the sugar with the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.
9. With the machine on, add the spiced sugar to the cream cheese and beat until creamy, scraping the bottom and side of the bowl.
10. Carefully add the drained pumpkin puree and beat until smooth.
11. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl between each addition. (This process is tedious, but completely necessary for light, fluffiness!)
12. Beat in the heavy cream, lemon juice and vanilla until the cheesecake mixture is smooth.
13. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the cooled crust and bake for 12 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 220° and bake the cheesecake for about 3 hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 150°; the center will be very jiggly but not liquify.
14. Let the cheesecake cool on a rack, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. 
15. Run a hot knife around the cheesecake and loosen the springform ring. Carefully remove the ring and transfer the cake to a plate.
16. Using a warm knife, cut the cake into wedges and serve with the Pecan Praline Topping and whipped cream.

Praline Topping:

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups pecans (8 ounces)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, combine the butter and brown sugar and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream and salt and bring to a boil. Simmer just until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Let the caramel cool.
2. Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 8 minutes, until they are lightly browned and fragrant.
3. Transfer the pecans to a work surface and let them cool.
4. Coarsely chop the nuts, stir them into the cooled caramel and serve.

Peppermint Bark

(Adapted from Food.com)

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces chocolate chips
• 1 lb white chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1/2 cup peppermint candy, crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 F.
2. Line a 9x13 pan with foil, letting it hang over the sides. Spray foil.
3. Pour the chocolate chips in an even layer on the foil. Place in oven for 5 minutes or until almost melted.
4. Remove from oven, smooth with a spatula.
5. Place in refrigerator until cold and firm, about 20 minutes.
6. Melt white chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a metal bowl over simmering water (don’t let bottom of bowl touch water), until chocolate is almost melted.
   
7. Remove bowl from water and stir until completely melted, stirring in extract.
8. Let cool a little bit so it doesn’t melt the chocolate layer when you pour it on top. Pour this over chocolate layer, and, working quickly, spread to cover.
9. Sprinkle with crushed candy (I pressed the candy in just a bit). 
   
10. Chill until both layers are firm. Lift foil out of pan and shake off excess candy.
11. Trim edges. Peel away foil and break into pieces. Makes about 1 pound.

Fresh Pumpkin Spice Pie

Boyfriend and I moved to our new apartment almost nine months ago. Since then, we've had two parties, countless kickbacks, and I've made dinner at least three nights a week (and when I make dinner, I try to make things I haven't made before!). 

However, we have never had anyone over for dinner.

Of course, I've made dinner for our roommate (Mah Bestfriend), and for other close friends. It's never been a big deal, and usually we're all drunk. I just make food, and people I live with eat it. The end.

So I've been really excited/terrified to make dinner for people who aren't drunk roommates.

A girl I've worked with for years and her boyfriend are coming over for dinner tomorrow night. She's someone who I consider to be a close friend in an unusual way. We've been through so much together-- hated each other, appreciated each other, related to one another, and somehow became unlikely friends. But all of these experiences have been at work. It's been a crazy ride, and we're both busy with school and work, so it's been hard to hang out.

This dinner has been a long time coming.

Boyfriend and I finally get to have an actual sober adult dinner party thing in our new-ish apartment, and we finally get to hang out with a couple we've been needing to kick it with for years!

And damn, was it a great night!!

(Adapted from AllRecipes)

Ingredients:

• 1 sugar pumpkin (A sugar pumpkin, or pumpkin pie pumpkin. For more info, check out Baking Bites)
• 1 recipe for My Favorite Pie Crust
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (If you don't have it, you can make it REALLY easily from the recipe here!)
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

Directions:

1. Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds.
2. Place cut side down on a cookie sheet lined with lightly oiled aluminum foil. 
   
3. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the flesh is tender when poked with a fork.
4. Cool until just warm.
5. Scrape the pumpkin flesh from the peel.
6. Either mash, or puree in small batches in a blender.
7. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C.)
8. In a large bowl, slightly beat eggs.
9. Add brown sugar, flour, salt, 2 cups of the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and evaporated milk. Stir well after each addition. (Don't be alarmed by the runniness of the filling!)
10. Put the whole mixture in the food processer again and process until smooth, in batches if necessary.
11. Pour mixture into the unbaked pastry shell.
12. Place a strip of aluminum foil around the edge of the crust to prevent over browning.
13. Bake 10 minutes at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
14. Bake an additional 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
15. Remove the strip of foil about 20 minutes before the pie is done so that the edge of the crust will be a light golden brown.
16. Cool pie, and refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

Chocolate Raspberry Tart

(Adapted from Epicurious)


Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
• 1 large egg yolk
• 6 tablespoons raspberry jam

Filling:

• 1 cup whipping cream (or half and half, if you want to cut some calories!)
• 4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• (2) 1/2-pint baskets fresh raspberries
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions:

For Crust:

1. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add butter and stir on low, until mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Add water and egg yolk and stir on low until combined.
3. Gather dough into rectangle chill 20 minutes. (Can be prepared 4 days ahead. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
4. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour large round tart pan.
5. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper to a circle that is about two inches wider than your pan.
6. Peel off 1 waxed paper sheet. Invert dough into prepared pan, press evenly to fit.
7. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes. Peel off second waxed paper sheet. Trim edges.
8. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans, dried rice, or pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 12 minutes.
9. Remove foil and beans. Bake until crust just begins to darken around edges, piercing with toothpick if crust bubbles, about 12 minutes longer.
10. Remove from oven; maintain oven temperature.
11. Spread jam over bottom of crust.
12. Bake until jam is set, about 3 minutes. Transfer pan to rack; cool completely.

For Filling:

1. Bring cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat.
2. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth.
3. Transfer chocolate ganache to bowl and refrigerate until chilled but not firm, about 45 minutes or less
4. Using electric mixer, beat ganache until very thick and semifirm.
5. Spread ganache over jam in crust. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Refrigerate.)
6. Arrange raspberries atop ganache.
7. Stir powdered sugar and cocoa in bowl. Sift over tart.

Watermelon, Ginger, and Lime Granita

(Adapted from Kelsey Nixon)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 6 cups roughly chopped seedless watermelon (about 2 pounds)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 lime, zested
• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger divided, 1-inch cut into coins, 1-inch peeled and grated
• Fleur de sel, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a blender, blend the lime juice and watermelon together, creating watermelon water (We actually don't have a blender currently, so we just smashed the melon up with a fork!) 
2. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds.
3. Place 1/2 cup of the watermelon water into a saucepan and add the sugar, lime zest and ginger coins. Bring the mixture to a simmer to dissolve the sugar and infuse the liquid with the ginger and lime flavor. Set aside to cool.
4. Add the grated ginger to the remaining watermelon water. 
5. Once the syrup is cool, remove the ginger coins and mix into the watermelon water.
6. Pour the mixture into a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. 
7. Place the dish into the freezer to chill. Every 30 minutes, scrape the mixture with a fork to break up the ice crystals and to keep it light and fluffy.
8. Continue scraping every 30 minutes for at least 2 hours.
9. Scrape the granita into glasses or bowls and sprinkle with fleur de sel.

Bourbon Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

Cookies are delicious. Pie is delicious. Put 'em together and it's pretty impossible to lose.



(Adapted from Very Best Baking)


Ingredients:

• 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell *
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup (6 oz.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• Sweetened whipped cream or ice cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325° F. 
2. Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Beat in bourbon. Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into pie shell. 
3. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. 
4. Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired.

* If using frozen pie shell, use deep-dish style, thawed completely. Bake on baking sheet; increase baking time slightly. 

Summer Balsamic Peach Pie

My cooking philosophy starts with the Three B's: 

Booze. Balsamic. Beyonce.

These three things are often my secret to deliciousness, particularly when it comes to baking (Another of my favorite B words!).

Booze takes on two roles in my kitchen. I use it to cook and I also use it for cooking. Most of the time, I just get tipsy and the magic happens on its own. Other times, I add a bottle of beer or a splash of wine or a cup of Bailey's Irish Cream to my food and somehow it works out. I'm not an alcoholic! I'm a chef, dammnit!

Balsamic is one of my favorite flavors in the entire world. I love that it goes with both savory and sweet things. I love that you can reduce it and drizzle it over just about anything. I love that a splash of it can completely change the direction of a dish and give it that little something extra.

Beyonce is my Kitchenaid Artisan Series Stand Mixer. I got her as a gift from Boyfriend and I use her two to four times a week for all kinds of things. I named her Beyonce because she's fierce and because the sound she makes kneading bread or mixing cupcake batter or whipping butter is like music to my ears. Cheesy? Maybe. But who doesn't love cheese?

The following recipe uses all Three B's AND is a testament to my own self-development.

I used to hate summer. I hated it with a passion. I hated the sun, I hated the heat, I hated wearing a bathing suit, and I hated sand. While I still hate sand, and while the heat is still not my favorite, I've found it more bearable over that last couple of years. I've developed a love for the bounty of summer fruits and vegetables and I've found the love of my life, who loves every part of me, even when I hate how I look in a bathing suit. 

Boyfriend and I have gone swimming almost every day this summer, I've got a kick-ass tan, and now instead of seeing the sun as a problem, I see it as an advantage. When I walked into the grocery store today, I saw an enormous display of fresh, peak-season, ripe-as-fuck peaches. Of course I decided to make a peach pie....

...with a little BabyBakes twist, of course!

(Adapted from Food Network)




Ingredients:

Pie Crust:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for bench and cutters
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
• coarse white sugar (for topping!)

Filling:

• 6 ripe but firm peaches
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup aged balsamic vinegar
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon or pinch ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 egg

Directions:


For the crust: 

1. In a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt and cold butter.
2. Beat with flat beater attachment until mixture forms pea-sized balls. 
3. Add the ice water to the mixture. Beat just until the mixture rolls itself into a little ball. If the mixture is a bit dry, add more ice water by the tablespoonful until it comes together. 
4. Gather the dough into a ball. Divide the mixture evenly in half. 
5. Shape each half into a disk. Do NOT overwork.
6. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes. At this point you can keep the wrapped dough in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze for later use.

For the filling: 

1. Peel and cut the peaches into 1/4-inch thick slices and toss with the lemon juice, balsamic, and sugar in a large bowl. 
2. Allow it to marinate (macerate)  for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in another bowl, making sure there are no lumps. 
4. Add the dry mixture to the peaches and mix until well incorporated.

Putting it all together!

1. Flour your rolling pin and roll out 1 pie crust to about a 12-inch round and drape over a 9 1/2-inch fluted pie plate. Roll out the other pie crust to about a 10-inch round, and cut this into 1-inch strips with a fluted pizza cutter.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
3. Stir the flour mixture into the peaches and mix well. Pour the peaches into the pie crust. 
4. Scatter with the pieces of butter. Top with the lattice strips. 
5. Brush away any flour underneath the lattice to make sure it seals well. 
6. Crimp the edges to seal. 
7. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water and brush the lattice and edges with the egg wash.
8. Pop in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, and then lower the heat to 350 degrees F and bake until the crust gets brown, about 50 minutes more. 
9. If the edges brown too fast, cover them with strips of aluminum foil about halfway through baking. 
10. Turn oven off and allow pie to sit in the cooling oven for ten minutes. This will bake off some of the liquid to combat any soupiness!
11. Top with coarse white sugar and cool about 30 minutes before serving.

Toasted Caramel Pot de Creme (Custard)

I got this really sweet cook book from Boyfriend's mom for Christmas. It's a book of recipe from a San Francisco bakery called Miette. It's full of recipes for pastries, cookies, candies, and other sweet treats, which have so far really been a test of my skill. I've really been in need of a challenge in the kitchen. 

This is not to say that I am particularly skilled. In fact, my skill level is intermediate at best. I'm still a rather new home cook so I've spent a lot of time with trial and error so far!

This recipe was no different. I've made it five times total, and I have burned and seized countless batches of caramel (In fact, the pictures from this batch are the result of NINE failed attempts at melting sugar before I found the secret!) 

Hopefully I have encountered and mitigated all potential roadblocks for this recipe. I also tweaked it a bit and I believe I made it better =]

The final result was positively magical. I could eat custard every day.


Toasted Caramel Pot de Creme

(Adapted from Miette: Recipes from San Franciscos Most Charming Pastry Shop and Michael Recchiuti)



Ingredients:

• 3 ounces milk chocolate, roughly chopped (I used Swiss Milk Chocolate from IKEA!)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 6 large egg yolks
• Water
• Whipped Cream for garnish
• Grated Chocolate for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Bring a large saucepan or kettle full of water to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat; keep the water at a simmer. 
3. Lay a kitchen towel (Or doubled-up paper towels) in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Arrange 6 (6-ounce) ramekins 1/2 inch apart on the towel. Set aside. 
4. Fill a small bowl with water and have a pastry brush ready.
5. Combine the cream and milk in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; remove from the heat, set aside, and cover to keep it warm
6. Combine the sugar, 2 tablespoons of water, and lemon juice in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan (make sure to use a saucepan between 2 1/2 and 3 quarts in size) and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until it is combined well and the sugar begins to dissolve. DO NOT CONTINUE TO STIR IT. This will agitate your sugar and cause it to seize.
7.  Continue to cook the sugar, without stirring. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush away any sugar crystals clinging to the sides of the pan. Cook until the mixture turns a dark amber color, about 4 to 6 minutes. Keep a close eye on it, as it may brown very rapidly. Immediately remove it from heat.
8. While whisking gently, very carefully add about 1/2 cup of the warm cream mixture to the caramel (it will bubble up and sputter so be sure to only add a small amount at a time), making sure to whisk the bottom of the pan, until the bubbles subside. Continue to slowly add the cream mixture 1/2 cup at a time while slowly whisking to incorporate it, until all of the mixture has been added; set aside.
9. Whisk the yolks in a small heatproof bowl until blended. While whisking constantly but not too vigorously, slowly pour about 1 cup of the cream mixture into the yolks until combined. Pour the cream-egg mixture back into the saucepan and whisk to combine. Add the chocolate and gently whisk until it’s melted and evenly combined.
10. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large measuring cup or a bowl with a spout and pour in the custard. Remove the strainer and evenly divide the strained custard among the ramekins filling them three-quarters full.
11. Being careful not to get any water inside the ramekins, add enough of the simmering water to the roasting pan so that it reaches 1 inch up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the tops of the custards are darkened in color and almost set, about 1 hour. (The entire custard will still jiggle, but it will set as it cools. If it is overcooked, the custard will cool to a rubbery consistency)
12. Using tongs and being careful not to get any water inside the ramekins, carefully transfer each custard to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. 

1. Serve or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, let the custards sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
2. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and grated chocolate.