crack blondies

Okay, so I know I literally just posted about my favorite chocolate chip blondies. But, the other day, something happened... Something I need to share immediately or else it's like it never happened. Crack blondies. Guys, this is a real thing.. as of right now. I know that sounds all sorts of suspicious, but they are actually incredibly awesome and not at all shady. For one thing, they do not in fact contain crack. Crack blondies are a spinoff of [the more well-known] crack brownies. They are like "crack" because the two additional layers of marshmallow and peanut butter chocolate krispies keep you wanting more. When I did a personal taste test, I found myself continuing to eat every crumb of the square and I didn't even understand why I was doing this. There's just a lot going on and it all works. 

Clearly, my goal in life is to send you all into diabetic shock. This treat is absolutely over the top, but that's exactly what makes it so great. If your sweet tooth isn't satisfied with one square, then don't talk to me ever again. 

Don't be discouraged by the list of directions. My intent was to be thorough so you could replicate this creation. You don't even need a stand mixer to make these, which just doesn't happen very often in my kitchen anymore.

Crack Blondies

Yields one 9x13-inch pan

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate Chip Blondies (from Taste and Tell)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

2/3 cup white granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs, room temp.

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Marshmallow Layer

10 oz. bag of miniature marshmallows

Peanut Butter Chocolate Krispies Layer

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 cups Rice Krispies cereal (or equivalent)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper. I spray with cooking spray first to help the parchment stick. Then proceed with two folded pieces of parchment that overextend past the edges of the pan (one lengthwise and one across the width, making a criss-cross). For visual help, see picture from previous post here. I do not add any extra cooking spray or butter. The parchment alone will prevent sticking.

2. For Chocolate Chip Blondies: In a large bowl, whisk butter and sugars until smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla.

3. Add flour and salt and stir gently with a spatula to combine. Mix until just moistened (do not overmix). Fold in chocolate chips. 

4. Transfer mixture into parchment-lined pan. Spread the batter out event across the surface of the pan. 

5. Slightly underbake the blondies, about 38-40 minutes. The top should be slightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center does not come out perfectly clean. 

6. For Marshmallow Layer: Remove the pan of slightly underbaked blondies out of the oven pour the entire bag of marshmallows across the top of the blondies. Distribute into an even layer. Put the pan back into the oven for 2-3 more minutes. You want the marshmallows to soften.

7. Remove pan from the oven. With a knife dipped in water, spread the softened marshmallows into an even layer. Allow pan to cool completely.

8. For the Peanut Butter Chocolate Krispies Layer: In a medium saucepan on the stovetop, heat butter, chocolate chips, and peanut butter together until well-combined and smooth in consistency. Then remove from the stovetop. Add Rice Krispies cereal and stir until the cereal is completely covered with the mixture.

9. Pour peanut butter chocolate krispies on top of the marshmallow layer. Use a spatula to spread it out into an even layer. Refrigerate the pan until the top layer solidifies and is no longer gooey.

10. Use the extended parchment to pull the contents out easily and place onto a large cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut into desired pieces. Eat right away or store in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.

blondies with chocolate chips

I am terrible. I can't believe I've never posted this recipe. Okay, today is the day I share this secret gem with you. I love making chocolate chip cookies but, sometimes, scooping out portions of dough and baking them off sheet-by-sheet gets a little tedious and time-consuming. There is an easier [and just as delicious] solution. They are called chocolate chip blondies. In case you don't know, blondies are like brownies but, well, blonde. Also, they are freakin fabulous. I keep the recipe link on my bookmarks bar for easy access. Sometimes I'll make changes to an original recipe, but these are just perfection. I wouldn't change a thing.. except I double the recipe.

Blondies with Chocolate Chips
Recipe by Taste and Tell
Yields one 9x13in. pan

INGREDIENTS
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted 
2/3 cup white granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temp.
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 9x13 pan with parchment paper. I spray with cooking spray first to help the parchment stick. Then proceed with two folded pieces of parchment that overextend past the edges of the pan (one lengthwise and one across the width, making a criss-cross). See picture below. I do not add any extra cooking spray or butter. The parchment alone will prevent sticking.
2. In a large bowl, whisk butter and sugars until smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla. 
3. Add flour and salt and stir gently with a spatula to combine. Mix until just moistened (do not overmix). Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Transfer mixture into parchment-lined pan. Spread the batter out evenly across the surface of the pan.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Allow pan to cool completely. Then use the overhanging parchment to lift out of the pan completely. Place on a cutting board and cut into squares or desired pieces with a sharp knife. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. 

And, today, these blondies got packaged up with bows. Because these blondies are like a gift from God... actually, Taste and Tell Blog. Same thing. 

jamdoodles

I thought I would pay homage to my first recipe post of 2014 (oh, those delicious Cranberry Orange Scones..), by making a homemade Cranberry-Orange Jam. I then proceeded to stuff it into cookies. And, let it be known, that is how Jamdoodles were born.

Jamdoodles
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Snickerdoodle recipe
Yields about 20-24 cookies

INGREDIENTS
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
-----------
jam (see my Cranberry-Orange Jam recipe below, or any jam of your preference)
cinnamon sugar (2 Tbsp sugar + 2 tsp ground cinnamon)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, to butter-sugar mixture at medium speed. Scrape down bowl and paddle with spatula and mix again until well combined.
5. Add dry ingredients to the bowl of the stand mixer. Mix on stir speed until it there is no more visible "dry". Use spatula to scrape down bowl and paddle and finish mixing until dough looks cohesive.
6. Onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, use a cookie scoop to dish out portions of dough-- I use a rounded 1" scoop. 
7. Make a deep well in each rounded portion of dough. Insert a dollop of jam. Then, carefully seal the dough back up so the jam is enclosed. Round it back out into a rough dough ball form. This takes some technique and practice. You will find a way that works for you.
8. Roll each ball of dough into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place back onto the cookie sheet. Space each portion about 2 inches apart on the sheet.
9. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes. Then the cookies can be transferred to a cooling rack to cool further. 
10. Eat right away or store in an airtight container. For optimal freshness, I would recommend eating within 3 days.

I may be partial to my homemade Cranberry-Orange Jam, but this cookie has the perfect combination of everything-- tart, sweet, spicy, chewy. It's a twist on the traditional snickerdoodle, which I absolutely love. It reminds me of a jelly doughnut in cookie form. Basically, you need these in your life.

Regretfully, I don't stuff my cookies often. However, when I do, they definitely don't disappoint. Remember these gems? And OMG, these.

______________________________________

Cranberry-Orange Jam

INGREDIENTS
1 lb (16 oz.) frozen cranberries
2 cups white granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp fresh orange zest
2 tsp freshly-squeezed orange juice

DIRECTIONS
1. In a saucepan, combine cranberries and sugar. Heat on medium-high, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.
2. Transfer cranberry mixture to a high-speed blender (I used my Vitamix) and blend on high until berries are completely pulverized.
3. Return mixture to saucepan and place on medium heat. Add orange zest and juice.
4. Stir frequently until jam thickens-- it should coat the back of the spoon without sliding off.
5. Remove from heat, allow to cool to room temperature. If not using right away, transfer to a sanitized jar or airtight container once cooled. Can be stored in the refrigerator for several months.

pumpkin muffins with almond & oat crumb topping

Now that Thanksgiving and Christmas are over, I finally have some free time to test bake. Sadly, my holiday baking fell a little short this year. I caught the flu and it was absolutely miserable. Needless to say, I was not in the best condition to whip up any holiday treats. I am totally ashamed of myself. And, even worse, I had an unopened can of pumpkin purée that clearly didn't get any lovin'.

Well, it's still pumpkin season in my book. I wanted to try Smitten Kitchen's Pumpkin Muffins recipe, because she never lets me down. I also added my own personal touch-- my Almond and Oat Crumb Topping.

Almond and Oat Crumb Topping

INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients except melted butter.
2. Add melted butter to mixture and combine well. Break up into crumble pieces to your preference.
3. Use as a topping for muffins, fruit crisps, etc.. If preparing ahead of time, can be refrigerated until ready to use.

So, I usually prepare the topping first, so then I just have to put it all together. This pumpkin muffin recipe is stress-free, not overly sweet, and just amazing. The moist muffin with the crunchy topping is   too good.

Pumpkin Muffins

Adapted by Smitten Kitchen

Yields about 24 standard cupcake-sized muffins

INGREDIENTS

3 cups all- purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 cups canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2/3 cup canola oil
4 large eggs
2 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
Almond and Oat Crumb Topping (see above for recipe, also used here)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl. 
3. In a larger bowl, whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, and white granulated sugar.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until just combined. 
5. Fill muffin cups 1/2 to 3/4 full.
6. Add a heaping tablespoon of Almond and Oat Crumb Topping to each muffin cup.
7. Bake about 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then, transfer to cooling rack until warm or room temperature.
9. Muffins can be stored in an airtight container. Muffins will remain fresh for up to 3 days at room temperature. Then can be frozen to store for longer until needed (just defrost before serving).

pear crisp

Want to hear something crazy? I haven't baked anything since I've been back from New York.. until now.

Two nights ago, after getting home late from work, I decided to skip sleep and test-bake instead. Of course, I then proceeded to eat the warm pear crisp.. right out of the oven.. at midnight. The next morning, I opened the refrigerator and devoured a couple spoonfuls and it was just as delicious. Seriously, all of that happened.

Welcome to the blog, Pear Crisp. I also recommed throwing a pillow of french vanilla ice cream on top while it's still warm to make it extra amazing. My local taste-testers approve of this recipe. So, if you hate it, blame them. But I feel pretty confident that you will enjoy this.

Pear Crisp

Yields one 10-inch skillet

INGREDIENTS

Filling

4 large pears, peeled and sliced (about 1/2-inch thickness or so)

1/4 cup granulated white sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Topping

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, add all the filling ingredients. With a large spoon, toss everything together well. Set aside.

3. In another medium mixing bowl, stir together all topping ingredients together except for the melted unsalted butter. 

4. Then add the melted unsalted butter to dry topping mixture. Gently combine well. Break up into crumble pieces-- keep large or break up as small as you like.

5. In a round 10-inch cast-iron skillet (or about the same size baking dish), distribute pear filling mixture into an even layer. 

6. Then add crumb mixture and spread it out on top of the filling.

7. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Then transfer to the top rack for an additional 10 minutes.

8. Serve warm.. preferably a la mode. 

I used pears that were just under-ripened, because they mimic the firmness of apples and hold up better during the baking process. Slicing the pears fairly thick also results in a nice bite. I'm not a fan of a mushy fruit consistency. If you are, just slice your fruit thinner.

This may have been my first attempt at making a crisp, but it's definitely a new favorite. I used pears because I happened to have a 10-pound bag haunting my kitchen. However, you can substitute with apples, peaches, berries, or any other fruit of your liking. 

I'm in love. Pear crisp is like apple pie's cousin, except a million times easier to make. 

chocolate chip coconut cookies

We all know I LOVE Ina Garten's Chocolate Chunk Cookie recipe. It's a classic that should be in everyone's recipe box. The flavor of the dough itself is just SO damn good. Yesterday, I was feeling fancy and decided to cut out the nuts and added some coconut into the mix instead. The texture of the coconut is really harmonious with the chocolate, and the chewiness of the cookie itself with crispy edges is unbelievable. These cookies are TOO good and must be made right away. No joke. I couldn't take a picture that does these cookie any justice, because it was late and my kitchen lighting is the worst at night.

I could have easily eaten the whole batch. If I had kept them in my house, I probably would have. But, I decided to practice some self-control and share them with work and Starbucks.. because mid-week is always sweeter with baked goods. Happy Wednesday! (As I'm writing this, I'm totally regretting that I don't have any left for myself. I actually might make these again tonight.)

Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies
Recipe Adapted from Ina Garten
Yields 36-40 cookies

INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
2 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. With a stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. On medium speed, mix in vanilla, then eggs one at a time. 
3. Add flour mixture to butter mixture Mix on stir speed until just combined. Add chocolate chips and shredded coconut mix on stir speed for a few seconds. Everything should be well-incorporated and should not look "dry" but do not overmix.
4. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour. *I added this step. The chilled dough will prevent a super flat cookie. If you want a super flat cookie, skip this step. Either way, it won't change the flavor. ;)
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Drop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet using a 1 3/4-inch-diameter scoop or a rounded tablespoon. With the palm of your hand, slightly pat down the rounded portions.
7. Bake for exactly 15 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone). 
8. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. (OR eat warm, because that's how cookies should be eaten!)

royal chocolate- marshmallow bars

On my iPhone, I have at least 12 windows open on Safari. It's been like this for at least 6 months, which is kind of embarrassing. Every once in a while, I'll come across a recipe I want to try and leave the window open. I do this with the hope that, eventually, I'll actually have time to get the ingredients together and make it. You might be thinking: why not just bookmark these recipes? Good question. Here's my answer. I only bookmark recipes that I have already tried and are proven to be worthy of my recipe box. For the record, I didn't say it was a good answer.

So where is this going? On my first day off this summer, I immediately scrolled through the 12 open windows on my iPhone. I decided to make the Royal Chocolate- Marshmallow Bars by Recipe Girl.  I had all the ingredients, so it just seemed like an easy choice. 

Royal Chocolate- Marshmallow Bars

Recipe adapted from Recipe Girl

INGREDIENTS

1st layer

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp unsweetened Dutch process cocoa

2nd layer

10 oz. bag of miniature marshmallows

Topping

1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup peanut butter

2 cups Rice Krispies cereal

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12x9 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Also line the pan with parchment so that there is extra parchment that hangs over all sides. *I do this because it makes removing the final product from the pan super easy once it's cooled. You can just lift it out carefully.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and Dutch process cocoa. Set aside.
3. In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, mix butter and sugar on medium high speed until well-combined. Then, add vanilla and eggs one at a time. Keep on medium high speed until light and fluffy.
4. Add dry mixture to the butter mixture. Mix on stir speed until just combined. 
5. Spread this batter into your parchment-lined pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until set. (*The original recipe used a 15x10 inch pan which required about 15-18 minutes. I had to add more time, but it's best to gauge based on if it's set and not wiggling around when you move the pan.)
6. After first layer is done, immediately pour the marshmallows on top and return back to the oven for 2-3 more minutes. With a knife dipped in water, spread the melted marshmallows into an even layer over the first layer. Let cool.
7. For the topping, heat chocolate chips, butter, peanut butter in a small saucepan on low heat. Stir occasionally and heat until the ingredients are well combined. Remove the saucepan from the stovetop and add Rice Krispies. Spread this mixture evenly over the marshmallow layer.
8. Chill until firm (topping layer is set). Cut into bars.

I made a few slight adjustments to the original recipe when I made these. I used a smaller pan (12x9 instead of 15x10). Even though I have a 15x10 inch jellyroll pan, I wanted the layers to be thicker and more substantial. It's really a preference and either will work. It's like choosing to make regular brownies or extra thick brownies. Remember, just like the directions on the back of a brownie mix box, account for extra baking time if you use a smaller pan.

These bars are crazy good. It looks super sweet and overwhelming, but it's really not. The first layer is like a hybrid of a brownie and cake. It's not overly sweet or dense. The 2nd layer of marshmallows makes you feel like you're biting into a cloud-- an airy, gooey cloud of heaven. And the top layer of chocolate, peanut butter, and Rice Krispies.. it's like everything you didn't know you wanted in a dessert. (See my Everything Rice Krispies Treats if you like this combo, too). 

Give these bars a try. This recipe is definitely going in my recipe box.

milk and cookie shot

I would like to preface this by saying I will never make these again. So, don't ask, beg, or bargain because it's not happening.. ever. But, I will share my journey with you. Prepare yourself for a novel. It's a doozy.

Background:
At SXSW, Dominique Ansel (creator of the ever-so-popular cronut) debuted his latest genius: the Milk and Cookie Shot. Ever since I came across the news, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I googled high and low for answers, direction, something to help me recreate this novelty. Nothing. Because it was so recent, people have been talking about it but nothing more.

The Method (or lack thereof):
I googled "deep baking pan" online, in search for some kind of structured apparatus for my cookie vessel. As I was scrolling, I noticed "petite popover pan". I scrutinized pictures from all angles, looked over the dimensions, and read numerous reviews on all the different brands offering a version of the same thing. I put a lot of effort into this, because I wanted.. hoped.. prayed.. I could actually make it work.

Thanks to Amazon Prime, I was able to get started 2 days after ordering. Those 2 days, I waited in nerve-racking anticipation. My eagerness to just dive in and do it was consuming me. I had no plan but I really felt like something would just click once I got my essential petite popover pan. Basically, I was an idiot. ALWAYS plan when taking on a project, especially when the odds of screwing up are more likely than not. Can't stress this enough.

In the past 24 hours since my petite popover pan arrived, I've almost had a panic attack (or five), wanted to give up (more then 100 times), and pretty much hated every miserable second of every minute of every hour of my existence. You get the gist. If you hate me and want to revel in the details of my torture, see my Twitter for your sick pleasure.

Because I was so excited, I woke up super early yesterday to get started. I knew I wanted to use Ina Garten's Chocolate Chunk Cookie recipe for my cookie vessel, simply because it's delicious and I firmly believe in using what I already know I love. Upon making the cookie dough, I realized that it was a little too soft and way too sticky to use for this. I literally stared at the dough, stared at my sticky fingers, and stared at my petite popover pan and felt completely defeated already. It was way too early for that. I would not let the cookie shot win.

I added an extra 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour to the already prepared dough. I also had an extra 2 pounds of standby flour because this shit was just not cooperating. It was less sticky but still somewhat too soft. I soon realized that the dough was the least of my problems. Although, I now had the petite popover pan, I didn't have anything to create the opening of the cookie shot glass. It took every little bit of creativity and craftiness in me (which isn't much- I hate crafts with a passion) to figure out what to do next. I'm not a freaking DIY person, I B-U-Y. If I were a DIY person, I would make my own coffee instead of going to Starbucks everyday.

I tore my kitchen apart and found a box of small sample-sized Dixie cups. I've had these damn cups since my 9th grade science fair project. I think I can work with this. Obviously the diameter of the Dixie cups is too large. So I cut a slit down the side and halfway through the middle to manipulate them a bit. To keep their new shape, I wrapped the Dixie cups tightly in aluminum foil.

I then began to roll out the cookie dough. Eff. Why did I have to use chips instead of chunks or flakes?! The chips became a new obstacle, because they awkwardly would not roll down with the dough. I started taking my anger out on the dough and added extra pressure with my pin as I rolled it out. Most of the peaks of the shitty chips broke and kept sticking to my rolling pin. It was necessary for me to adapt again, because clearly the dough had to be a certain thickness and it wasn't taking "no" for an answer. Grrrr. I also realized this when I wrapped the foil plugger I made with the dough and the whole fat thing would not fit into the slot of the petite popover pan.

Only 2 of the 12 that I prepared actually fit. As you can tell, it was going really well. So I put those 2 pieces of crap in the oven and baked them. I also wrapped some parchment around them so that it would stabilize the structure while baking and be extra easy to remove from the pan. Needless to say, I had to remove the thick dough from the other useless foil pluggers in order to unwrap, reshape, and re-foil. This really sucked. We're now on hour 5 or 6 (feels like 50) of this bullshit. It was at this time that I made the conscious decision to call it quits for the day. Nothing was going right for me and I didn't want to deal with this crap dough any longer.

After 15 minutes (in 350 degree oven), I took a peak at the 2 cookie vessels in the oven and they were doing exactly what I wanted them to do. I rotated the pan and let them bake for an extra 3 minutes so they would get more golden. When I pulled them from the oven, I was shocked. They looked freaking normal. I must have done something right, which I guess doesn't say much considering I still had a whole mound of dough on the counter that I absolutely despised. But, screw you, I was thrilled. I couldn't even look at the dough anymore and I felt like it was mocking me, so I just put some plastic wrap over it and threw it in the refrigerator. It was ruining my life.

While the cookies were still somewhat warm, I pulled my crafted foil plugger device out of it. This is the most awkward thing in the world because it's like pulling a tampon out of a vag. That was not PG and extremely gross, but I felt like it just needed to be said. I placed the cookie vessel upright and this effing thing actually stood up on its own. Holy hell. Kill me. It's working. I knew I had to sleep off my day's endless frustration. I just couldn't take anymore abuse from this project. I was too annoyed and too tired to keep going. However, the last 30 minutes of the day did give me a little hope that my ingredients, time, and money I spent on a petite popover pan weren't a total waste. That would have sent me over the edge.

Day [freaking] 2:
This morning, I woke up feeling good... well, not that good (less excited than when I woke up yesterday). More than anything, I felt motivated to finish this ridiculous project I had dumbly convinced myself I was capable of completing. I took the dough out of the refrigerator before taking a shower and getting ready, so that it could [un]chill out and I wouldn't have to work with a big rock.

The "getting myself ready for the day" was just what I needed. I got a sudden burst of energy. I was pumped. I was ready. I had my "Happy Place" playlist all set up. Refrigerating the dough overnight turned out to be helpful. Perhaps it just needed a time out to think about all the hell it put me through. I kneaded and abused it a bit to make sure it knew I was the boss today. The dough beatdown was key. After that, it was much easier to manage. And, somehow, everything that was an absolute disaster the day before was now going much more smoothly than I expected. The "Happy Place" playlist also kept my patience high and blood pressure low. Here's how it went down..

24 hours later, I have the cookie vessel. Halle[freakin]lujah. But oh no, wait, this nightmare isn't over yet. Dominique Ansel lined his cookie shots with a thin layer of dark chocolate. I followed his lead and lined mine with chocolate, too. I ended up melting a bunch of chocolate (can't tell you how much exactly because I did it like 5 times more after the first). Because I'm obsessed with a pop of color (see here and here), I also dipped the bottom of the cooke shotglass in more chocolate and then into a bowl of sprinkles. That's how I roll. These monsters needed all the help they could get, so you know I just had to do it.

Execution:

They sure looked cute now, but then I had to bring out the milk (leftover from this) to test these assholes. Umm.. I tested one and it failed. There's nothing worse to bring spirits down than spilled milk.. literally. I quickly realized that any part inside the cookie vessel that wasn't lined with the chocolate was going to cause the milk to leak out. So, I melted more chocolate and slathered all of them again. Tested another one.. FAIL. OMG. I was really anxious and pissed off at this point. Like, are you kidding me? How could something so adorable make me feel so much hate? This is real life, people. It's not perfect. In fact, sometimes, it downright blows. So where do I go from here? Slather more chocolate, I guess. What else could I do?! (Please, someone give me another solution here!) I started melting all the effing chocolate I had in the house, because a thin layer was obviously not going to keep these bitches from leaking. Just saying. 

I felt like shit and a half. How the eff would you effing feel? I almost started throwing the remaining cookie shotglasses against the wall or in the garbage. Either way, I was over it. But everyone knew I was working on a project and I dreaded breaking the news that I had nothing to show for my 36 hours of misery.

We're on to the third cookie shotglass. Milk goes in.. wait for it.. nothing comes out. OMG OMG OMG. It's a Christmas miracle, I tell ya. The third shotglass with the third layer of chocolate... my heart just stopped because I was in disbelief. Seriously, this really happened and it made me SO happy. (See it unravel, here-- I unravelled many times prior this, clearly.)

So, I knew one worked for sure. The other 10 or whatever.. not so confident. I've never been more nervous to share baked goods in my life, and I hated it. Obviously, I wasn't going to poor milk in every single one just to be positive that it wasn't going to leak. So, as I handed them over, I made sure to provide the appropriate disclaimer of [perhaps] faulty execution-- i.e. Lower your expectations and pour over a plate first. Or just eat the damn cookie and eff the milk.

I recruited a few brave souls to put my cookie shot to the test. My heart was pounding so hard that it was about to jump out of my chest. Simultaneously, I was on the verge of peeing myself. Guess what, friends? Sometimes, dreams really do come true. Watch the Milk and Cookie Shot in action here and here!!

Conclusion:

The Milk and Cookie Shot was definitely an adventure.. a one-time-only sort of adventure that I will never attempt again. But don't let me discourage you. Maybe you can learn from my never-ending sequence of mishaps. After all, that's why I'm here-- to do all the screwing up first and to show you that, at the end of the day (or 2 days of legit hell), it's possible. To see it work was actually incredibly cool and rewarding, so the whole experience was totally worth it.

If I haven't scared the crap out of you by now and you are interested in pursuing this project (maybe need more details than the lengthiness of this blog post), feel free to reach out. I have 48 hours of [more] unfiltered advice for you. Get excited for that.

Milk and Cookie Shot-- It's been fun (hah!), but see you never. Love you, but actually [not-so-secretly] hate your guts.

rustic apple pie

I don't remember much from math, but I do remember 3.14 (a.k.a Pi and the best excuse to make pie today).

So, Joanne Chang is the author of this amazing cookbook, Flour. I've made the Homemade Pop-Tarts from her book, which is constructed with the most perfect pâte brisée. I'm telling you, it's incredible. That's all I can say. Wait, no, I can say more. It's flaky, buttery, not too sweet, and oh-so-orgasmic. Yes, let me repeat that. Orgasmic. Needless to say, it's a go-to recipe for the rest of my life.

There's really only one kind of pie I make. Apple. It's not your traditional apple pie, but rather more rustic and way less complicated. There's no blind-baking and, surprisingly, no pie dish. This is probably the easiest homemade pie ever, and I can't believe I'm sharing all of my secrets right now. I swore I would take this one to the grave with me. Oh well. For the sake of butter, I'll let you steal this from me.. as long as you tell your grandkids where you got it.

So, here's the story. Basically, one day I was thinking about how traditional apple pies have a distinct end crust. Some people like that sort of thing, but I wanted to create a pie with a little bit of apple in every bite. This the kind of stuff that keeps me up at night...Literally. I distinctly remember not sleeping that night in anticipation. I wanted it to have the mind of a turnover and yet maintain the essence of a pie.

It was then that I recruited Joanne Chang's scrumptious pâte brisée for such a mission. And that's how the Rustic Apple Pie was born. Welcome to the world, you beautiful creature.

Rustic Apple Pie
Yields one pie to the face

INGREDIENTS
3 medium Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, and cut into roughly 1/2-inch slices)
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Pâte Brisée (see recipe below)
1 egg, lightly beaten
sparkling sugar (optional, but recommended!)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pull out the pâte brisée from the refrigerator.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, use a spoon to combine apple slices, sugars, flour, and cinnamon. Make sure the apples are evenly coated.

3. Lightly dust a large working surface and rolling pin with flour. Unwrap the pâte brisée onto the working surface.

4. Roll the pâte brisée out until about an even 1/4-inch thickness (or desired thickness). 

5. Have a parchment-lined baking sheet ready. Use the rolling pin to transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking sheet: Roll most of the dough onto the rollin pin. Then carefully lift it on top of the baking sheet. Unroll the dough from the rolling pin.

6. Once the dough is positioned onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, arrange the apple filling. Make sure all the apple is in there! See how I do it below.

7. It doesn't matter where you start on the dough, but just begin folding it over the apples. I like a little bit of apple to still peak out. The exposed apple will also help with ventilation of the pie, so it has some room to breathe. Each time you fold it over, make sure to press the down in areas where dough is overlapping so that it sticks together while baking. 
8. Brush the crust with the egg wash. Then immediately sprinkle with sparkling sugar.

9. Bake for 40 minutes or until the crust is just golden brown.
10. Allow to cool completely, about 20 minutes until cutting and serving. (It's best to allow the filling to set up a bit.)
11. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.


Pâte Brisée
Recipe by Joanne Chang
Makes about 18 oz. of dough

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp white granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
2 egg yolks
3 Tbsp cold milk

DIRECTIONS
1. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt on stir speed for 10 to 15 seconds or until combined.
2. Scatter the butter over the top. Mix on stir speed for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or just until the flour is no longer bright white and holds together when you clump it and lumps of the butter the size of pecans are visible throughout.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and milk until blended. Add to the flour mixture all at once. 
4. Mix on stir speed for about 30 seconds, or until the dough just barely comes together. It will look really shaggy and more like a mess than a dough.
5. Dump the dough out onto an unfloured work surface, then gather it together into a tight mound. Using your palm and starting on one side of the mound, smear the dough bit by bit, starting at the top of the mound and then sliding your palm down the side along the work surface, until most of the butter chunks are smeared into the dough and the dough comes together. Do this once or twice on each part of the dough, moving through the mound until the whole mess has been smeared into a cohesive dough with streaks of butter.
6. Gather up the dough, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and press down to flatten into a disc about 1-inch thick. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before using. (** I did not wait 4 hours before using it. Maybe 1 hour, at most. You can use once it's firm and relatively cold.) The dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

What I LOVE about the Rustic Apple Pie:
-Easy for anyone despite baking experience.
-Very adaptable. (I've added cranberries and almonds to this during the fall. But honestly, I still like it best just the way it is.)
-Every bite has a little apple.
-Ratio of crust to apple.
-Year-round staple. It's appropriate for any time of the year. (Because what's more American than apple pie?)
-Tart of the apple. I purposely made this not overly sweet. (I've test-baked a lot of these pies with different apple filling variations. I find that the simplicity of just cinnamon, rather than overdoing it with other spices, allows the apples to stand out.)
-Having the last bite be as good as the first (except the fact that it's the last).
-Imperfectly perfect.
-Not labor-intensive.
-Glittering, semi-crunchy, sparkling crust! Holy goodness!


Congratulations to anyone who just noticed that I spelled out EVERYTHING. Because that's what I truly love about this Rustic Apple Pie.

Happy 3.14 to all the nerds, pie makers, and pie consumers everywhere today! P.S. I am all of the above.

banana pudding

You know what they say.. When life gives you ripe bananas, make banana pudding. Okay, maybe that's just a personal motto. It's a good one though, right? Duh, don't answer that.

On my first trip to NYC, my sister brought me to Magnolia Bakery and made me try the banana pudding. OH MY GOODNESS. It was like heaven in a cup. Every bite seemed like it was even better than the one before it. It's so filling and deliciously decadent that a small cup is all I need. I never knew a small cup could seem so large. And even then, as stuffed as I am, I just can't seem to stop eating it if it's in front of me. It is seriously that good. I'm pretty sure I got drunk off that pudding once. Like food drunk that makes you deliriously happy. Good times.

The recipe for Magnolia Bakery's Banana Pudding is all over the web (like here). The first time I made banana pudding at home, I obviously used their recipe so I could relive that life-changing banana pudding experience. Over time, I've unintentionally created my own banana pudding recipe. When I'm missing an ingredient, I tend to find a way to do without it while still fulfilling my craving. That's what probably happened here. Sweetened condensed milk isn't exactly on my weekly grocery list, if you know what I mean. But honestly, I'm not going to tell you not to make it the Magnolia way. There's no denying that pudding is yum.

My banana pudding is a little lighter and more airy compared to Magnolia's recipe, but the flavor is still there. I can't detect too much of a difference-- but I'm also not a picky pudding eater. I just need the Nilla wafers. Hell yes. Those are magical in pudding.

With my recipe, you also don't really have to do much measuring if you buy the ingredients in the indicated volumes. I like to be lazy and not bring out a bazillion things I'll have clean up afterwards.

Once you see how easy banana pudding is to whip up, your ripe (perhaps, on the cusp of over-ripened) bananas will never see the trash. No cooking, no baking. 5 ingredients that will blow your mind and, hopefully, make you smile.

Banana Pudding
Yields 1 large bowl of pudding, serves however many people you think that feeds. 

INGREDIENTS
4 ripe bananas, sliced (Use at least good, medium-sized bananas. I got about 3 cups sliced.)
3.4oz box vanilla instant pudding mix
2 cups (1 pint) cold fat free milk
2 cups (1 pint) whipping cream (I used the regular whipping cream but you can use heavy whipping cream also)
11-12oz box vanilla wafers

DIRECTIONS
1. Reserve 1 cup of the vanilla wafers. This will be used to top the whole shabang.
2. As indicted by the box of instant pudding, whisk milk and instant pudding mix together in a medium bowl until it is soft set-- about 5 minutes. Then refrigerate while you prepare all your other ingredients. The longer you allow the pudding to set, the better.
3. Slice bananas if you haven't done already. Also, in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a large bowl with a hand mixer, whip together the whipping cream until stiff peaks. Note: Start your hand/stand mixer on low and then increase to medium speed. Do not shoot straight to medium or there will be problems.. messy problems.
4. When your pudding looks more like a medium set, you are ready to use it. At least 5-10 minutes in the refrigerator. 
5. With a spatula, fold in about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until there are no pudding streaks. Then add the vanilla pudding mixture directly into the bowl of the remaining 2/3 whipped cream. Continue folding the mixture until, again, no streaks and it all looks cohesive.
6. In a large bowl, layer the vanilla wafers, banana, and pudding mixture. I like to go in that order, and I usually get at least 3-4 layers. The number of layers will depend on what size bowl or dish you use. Just make sure you end with a layer of pudding on top.
7. With your hands, crush the reserved 1 cup of vanilla wafers over the very top of the layered pudding to finish it off. 
8. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours. Overnight is even better.
9. After the pudding has been sufficiently refrigerated, you are ready to serve it up. Or grab and spoon and dive right in. Do not let pudding sit out. Continue to refrigerate leftovers.

The pudding mixture might seem somewhat too loose when layering. Don't worry about that. If you whipped your cream into stiff peaks and gently folded in the pudding (completely but not overdone), you are good. Just be nice to the pudding and it will be nice to you.. in about 5 hours. 

And, after refrigerating overnight..

As you can see, the pudding continues to set as it refrigerates for all those hours. It fluffs up and all that whipped cream creates a really light texture. My favorite part is getting a bite of a vanilla wafer. The wafers soften into this cake-like deliciousness that is so so amazing. Nom.

I made this last night, had it for breakfast this morning, and probably could have devoured at least half the bowl in one sitting. I resisted. Self-control is a bitch.

If you don't want to make banana pudding right now, there is something wrong with you and we probably shouldn't be friends. Just kidding.. kind of.

Goodnight, lovelies.