pudding and things

sundae: buttermilk ice cream. lime curd. toasted almond poppyseed cake

how many times can justin bring sexy back, really?

this sundae is:

not a swanky getaway in a nice hotel kind of sexy.

more like, gourmet camping trip sexy. a nice fire going, stars and shit. and a sundae in a mug.

the mish mosh: buttermilk ice cream. lime curd. toasted almond poppyseed cake cubes.

Buttermilk Ice Cream

from smitten kitchen

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/4 cup sugar

8 egg yolks

2 cups buttermilk

2 tsp vanilla or 1/2 a vanilla bean, scraped and simmered with cream

pinch of salt

in a large heavy saucepan, combine the cream and 1 cup of sugar and bring to a simmer over medium heat. 

in a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. 

remove cream mixture from heat and drizzle a small amount into the yolks slowly, whisking constantly to keep eggs from curdling. continue slowly adding more to warm the yolks well, and then pour back into the cream, whisking constantly. 

cook over low heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. pour through a fine mesh strainer, then whisk in the buttermilk, vanilla, and salt. press plastic on the top surface so a skin doesn't form and chill in the refrigerator, and then freeze according to your ice cream maker's directions. 

Lime Curd (

recipe here

)

Almond Poppyseed Pound Cake (

recipe here

)

sundae: pile all into a mug and do it right. 

coconut pastry cream + a cake

hello.

questions and statements.

is it bad if i don’t put neosporin on cuts from metal things?

smoothies are $6-$7 now.

as i was waiting outside a restaurant the other evening, two tipsy older ladies asked me to take their picture. 5 minutes later, one was touching my arm, referring to me as her mini-me, and assuring me that things will get better.

teeth clenching when you sleep. why?

are you in los angeles? if yes, have you heard about the new flour mill in town? it's called grist and toll and let me tell you, it is legit.

it is by time there were some recipes up in this house.

i had a birthday cake request of coconut and banana.

i made some pastry cream with coconut milk. i stirred a giant handful of shredded coconut in, and after it chilled,  folded some whipped cream in to lighten it a bit.

so, coconut pastry cream. slices of banana. soft white cake. layer the crap out of them.

frost the whole thing with coconut swiss meringue buttercream, press coconut up the sides, and a birthday cake, you have!

cakes are lovely and all, but if you are to take one thing from this, it is to make some coconut pastry cream.

it would be a great filling or topping to mostly everything that acts as a dessert vessel.

cake. of all different kinds...lemon. a buttery chocolate chip cake. i think it'd be cool with gingerbread.

fill a donut or cronut or beignet with it.

sandwich it in a whoopie pie.

layer it in a trifle. with graham cracker crumbs and lime curd and maybe some blackberries.

trifles are coming back aren't they?

alright. is that enough for you to make the damn pastry cream?

have a pleasant rest of the week!

Coconut Pastry Cream

from Zoe Bakes

1 (14 oz can coconut milk)

3/4 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean

pinch kosher salt

3 large egg yolks

2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

1/2 cup heavy cream

heat coconut milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla bean in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. in a metal bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the cornstarch. once the crema is hot, remove the vanilla bean, scraping out any seeds into the cream. slowly add about 1/2 cup of the hot cream to the yolk mixture while whisking. continue pouring more of the cream slowly into the yolk mixture while whisking. Pour the now warm yolk mixture back into the saucepan and whisk. continue to whisk with heat on medium for a 3 more minutes. the mixture will turn thick and bubble. Continue to whisk for the full 3 minutes or the pastry cream might separate as it cools. 

After the 3 minutes, whisk in the butter. then add the coconut flakes. pour into a shallow dish to cool, and place a piece of plastic wrap right on the top surface so that a skin doesn't form. refrigerate until cold, at least an hour. once it is cool, stir it to loosen. whip the 1/2 cup of cream to medium peaks. Stir in 1/3 of it into the pastry cream to lighten. then fold in the remaining cream until the pastry cream is nice and light. 

Soft White Cake

adapted from multiple sources via

Willow Bird Baking

2 1/4 cups cake flour (9 oz)

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp whole milk, room temp

1/2 cup coconut milk

6 large egg whites (3/4 cup), room temp

1 tsp coconut extract

1 tsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp granulated sugar

4 tsp baking powder (1 T+1tsp)

1 tsp table salt

12 tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) softened

set rack in oven to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degreesF. grease 2 9inch round cake pans, line the bottom with parchment paper and grease the parchment. 

Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts in a small bowl and whisk gently until blended. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and continue beating with the paddle attachment until the mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks left. 

Add all but 1/2 cup of the milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes. add the remaining 1/2 c of milk and beat 30 seconds more. scrape down the sides of bowl before beating just a bit longer. divide batter between cake pans and smooth tops with a spatula. rap on counter to eliminate air bubbles. 

Bake until a thin skewer inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 23-25 minutes. If you wait until the toothpick comes out totally clean, the cake could be dry, so don't over bake! 

Let cakes rest in pans on a wire rack for a bit, until running a knife around the edges of the pan and inverting the cakes. Let them cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours before wrapping in wax and plastic wrap and freezing until pretty firm, about 30 minutes. 

Coconut Swiss Meringue Buttercream

 1 cup sugar

4 large egg whites, room temp

24 tbsp (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp coconut extract

Few cups of shredded coconut for pressing into sides of cake

Combine the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil without stirring until syrup reaches 240 degreesF on a digital thermometer, about 5-6 minutes. 

meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. with the mixer on medium speed, slowly pour in hot syrup in a thin stream. Increase to medium-high speed and beat until stiff peaks form and mixture is completely cool, about 8 minutes. reduce speed to medium and add butter 1 tbsp at a time, beating after each addition. Once all butter is added, beat on high speed until buttercream is smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute. beat in vanilla and coconut extract. 

Cake Assembly: with a long serrated knife, carefully slice each cake layer in half.  set one bottom layer on a cake circle or plate. spread 1/3 of the pastry cream on top. then top with a layer of sliced bananas. line up another layer of cake on top and gently press it down into place. repeat with pastry cream and slices of banana in between each layer and top with the final cake layer. refrigerate for a few minutes to let it chill and set a bit. then do a thin crumb coat of the coconut swiss meringue buttercream to seal in all the pesky crumbs. refrigerate for 15 minutes. then frost the cake fully with the buttercream. press shredded coconut onto the sides of the cake and boom, cake. 

serve at room temperature. 

the actual cake seems firm and not moist enough when it has been in the refrigerator and it's cold and hasn't had enough time to sit out on the counter. room temperature cakes for premium moistness, always. 

vanilla bean bourbon pudding

baking is comfort, the warmth from turning on the oven,

the dries and the wets melt together.

watching things rise and puff.

but some days are pudding days.

days for turning the flame on low and lurking over a pot of hot liquid. stirring and stirring, babying it, never leaving it's side.

and now, when it's november and the weather keeps doing what it's doing, any day can be a pudding day.

vanilla beans and bourbon make this pudding a luxury.

the moment milk transforms into gloopy beautiful custard...it's like whoooaaaa, this is totally pudding man.

i ate some and soon realized i had too much and in a stroke of productivity, tipped it into a graham cracker crust layered with sliced banonos.

top it with whipped cream and you have a damn classy bourbon banana cream pie.

Vanilla Bourbon Pudding

adapted from smitten kitchen

2 2/3 cups whole milk, divided

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)

1 large egg

2 tsp bourbon

bring 2 cups of the milk to a soft boil in a medium saucepan. while it is heating, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, and the vanilla bean (if you're replacing it with extract, don't add it yet) in the bottom of a medium, heatproof bowl. gradually whisk in the remaining 2/3 cup milk, a little at a time so lumps don't form, then whisk in the egg. once milk is boiling, very gradually add it to the cornstarch mixture in the bowl, whisking constantly. 

return the mixture back to the saucepan, stirring constantly with a silicon spatula. once it comes to a simmer, cook for one minute longer (which will cook the cornstarch and egg fully.) stir in the bourbon and vanilla extract (if using). divide pudding in a bowl or among individual dishes and chill in refrigerator until fully set, about 2 hours. press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the top surface of the puddings so as to prevent a skin from forming. 

eat some. then make a pudding pie.

to make a Vanilla Bourbon Pudding + Banana Cream Pie:

Make a graham cracker crust by mixing graham cracker crumbs with a bit of sugar and pinch of salt. then slowly stir in melted butter until it resembles wet sand and clumps together if you squeeze it in your hands. press it into a pie plate or tin and bake for about 10ish minutes. 

oR buy a pre-done graham crust. whatever gives. no one's watching. 

fill the bottom with sliced bananas. then pour in some pudding over the top. then top with some barely sweet whipped cream. 

caramel would be good too. also pecans...a pecan graham crust, do that. 

strawberry + blackberry cobbler



"the early bird need not pursue the worm when he can order pizza at midnight."

-snoopy



this cobbler is as easy and as delicious as pizza at midnight. really




Strawberry + Blackberry Cobbler

notes: this could be the simplest, most straight forward recipe of all time. and it's so good it doesn't make sense. i swear i was 3 glasses of sangria deep and had everything mixed and dumped together in the oven in 4 minutes. (minus the slicing of the strawberries). I doubled the original recipe to bake it in a 9x13 inch pan, swapped half the blackberries for strawberries, decreased the sugar a tad because the strawberries are so sweet, and threw some poppy seeds into the dry mix. i think next time i'd try adding a bunch more poppy seeds for an even more awesome speckly looking cobbler. either way, it's absurdly good and comforting for these airy summer nights. and vanilla bean ice cream scooped on top is absolutely demanded. 

8 oz (1 cup/2 sticks) unsalted butter 
1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 tsp salt
a tablespoon or two of poppy seeds
2 cups milk
3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 cup blackberries

preheat oven to 350 degreesF. melt the butter on the stove or in the microwave. grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. combine the 1 3/4 cups sugar, flour, salt, and poppy seeds in a large bowl. whisk in the milk, mixing well. then pour in the melted butter and whisk it all well together. pour the batter into the baking dish. sprinkle the berries over the top of the batter, distributing evenly. sprinkle a few tablespoons of sugar over the surface. 
bake for about 1 hour 10 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. 
seve warm with lots of ice cream. 

summer lovin!


citrus creamsicle sundae


i'm going to be perfectly honest, things haven't been the most peachy.

blogs can seem so picture perfect. everywhere i click, there are well designed websites of people whose lives look so lovely and happy and well-lit and full of endless smilez.

once in awhile, this can drive a girl mad.


i try to keep things upbeat around here. no one's favorite thing is reading miserable words paired with pictures of sundaes.
not that i'm always miserable, i'm not.

but i am a human who does occasionally find it difficult to live free and happy in the present.
it's hard to live in the present when you are not super pumped with the present.


so i've been living for the future, the things to look forward to, the things to work for.

like a weekend trip to seattle
a christmas day off, giving people gifts that i love and they deserve.
and an eventual city relocation. to a wonderfully rainy, jacket-wearing, earthquake-heavy city.

these are the things that are pushing me through the shit, week by week.
i must keep my hopes and caffeine intake high.


and on my day off, sundaes.

the breakdown:
yogurt pound cake, scented with vanilla and lemon zest, soft and dense.
tangy lemon and tangerine curd.
vanilla bean ice cream. yesh.
and orange segments.


i am calling it a citrus creamsicle sundae, okay?

(i hope you are having an okay week and have lots of good things to look forward to!)


French Yogurt Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
3/4 cup whole-milk greek yogurt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

preheat oven to 350 degreesF. coat an 8x4 inch loaf pan with vegetable oil spray and then dust with flour, tap out the excess. 
whisk flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a medium bowl. using your fingers, rub sugar with lemon zest in a large bowl until sugar is moist and fragrant. add yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract and whisk to blend. fold in dry ingredients just to blend. 
pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. bake until top of the cake is golden brown and a tester comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes. 
let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then invert onto rack and let cool completely. 
Lemon + Tangerine Curd

1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tangerine juice
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest (can throw in some tangerine zest too!)
1/2 cup sugar
small pinch of salt
3 large eggs
1 egg yolk
6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes

whisk together lemon and tangerine juice, zest, sugar, salt, eggs, and yolk in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. bring to a slow simmer and immediately add butter, whisking constantly until curd is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 8-10 minutes. 
strain curd through a fine mesh strainer into a metal bowl. press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd so that a skin doesn't form. chill until cold in the refrigerator, at least an hour. 
should last about a week. 

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
from the Perfect Scoop, recipe on Dave Lebovitz's site here

to compile the sundae, slice poundcake, dollop on the curd, pile on some citrus segments, and scoop dat ice cream. 


maple cream tart + pretzel crust


october. over?


i sit in my living room.
i pick pineapple off the pizza.
i rub my eyeballs.
i squeeze the cellulite on my leg.
i watch political things.
i rewatch episodes of girls.
i search the bag for the fruity tootsie rolls.
i dream of better things.`
i make a tart.



maple cream, pretzel crust.
whips of cream. valhrona carmelia crunchy balls.

i'm so into it. especially the crust. and maple.
and the balls.


Maple Cream Tart with Pretzel Crust
crust adapted from food & wine, maple cream from here

for the crust:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups coarsely crushed thin pretzels
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg

maple cream:
4 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1 1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp cornstarch
6 egg yolks
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into pieces

1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
splash of vanilla 

to make the crust:  in a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with 3/4 cup of the pretzels and the confectioners' sugar at low speed until creamy. beat in the flour and egg. add the remaining 1/2 cup pretzels. flatten the dough between plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes. 

preheat oven to 350. roll of the dough between sheets of parchment (or just press in the crust as i did) into a round or rectangular tart pan. (you may have dough leftover depending on the size of the pan you're using.) refrigerate the shell for 30 minutes until firm. 
line the shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. bake for about 30 minutes, until nearly set. remove the parchment and weights and bake for 10-15 minutes longer, until the tart shell is firm; cover the edge with foil if it darkens too much. let it cool completely. 

for the maple cream: in a large heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat, add the milk, the vanilla bean, the maple syrup, and the salt. bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and steep for 10 minutes. 
in a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the corn starch to a thick paste. bring the milk back to medium heat. once the milk just comes to a simmer, ladle a few cups of  it into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to combine. pour the egg mixture into the pot of milk, whisking constantly. cook until custard thickens, about 5-8 minutes. once thick, remove from heat and continue stirring to cool. once the custard has cooled a bit, add the softened butter pieces, stirring after each addition. the custard should be smooth and thick. if there is any trace of lumps in the custard, pass it through a fine mesh strainer. 
pour the maple cream into the cooled tart shell. this recipe makes more maple cream than needed to fill one tart shell, so if saving for later, press plastic wrap on the surface of the cream so it doesn't form a skin and refrigerate. 

whip cream with sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. spoon or pipe onto tart. 

basil pots de creme + strawberry cream crumbs



well, art is art, isn't it? and east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does.
now, you tell me what you know.

Groucho Marx



trust me.


Basil Pots de Creme
from brave tart, she's magical

16 oz cream
8 oz whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, seeds reserved
7 oz sugar 
1 1/2 oz clean basil leaves
8 oz egg yolks
1/4 kosher salt

in a medium pot, combine the milk, cream, and vanilla bean pod. bring mixture to a simmer, then turn off the heat. cover and steep for 1 hour. 
while the vanilla steeps, prepare for the water bath and set a large pot of water on the stove to boil. you'll also need a baking pan with tall sides, like a 9x13" baking pan, a fine mesh strainer, and aluminum foil to cover the baking pan. 

grind the sugar and basil leaves together in the bowl of a food processor for 2 minutes, until the sugar has turned solid green. put the yolks in a medium bowl, then whisk in the basil sugar, reserved vanilla bean seeds and salt. stir to fully incorporate. 
when the steep time is up, preheat the oven to 300 degreesF. return the milk/cream mixture to a simmer, then carefully ladle some of the hot cream into the eggs. repeat with a few more ladle-fulls until the egg mixture has warmed and is more fluid. then whist the warm egg mixture back into the pot of cream. turn the heat to medium low and cook mixture, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides. keep cooking and stirring until the mixture becomes quite hot to the touch and has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. 
pour the mixture through the sieve into a medium bowl (okay to reuse the bowl that held the eggs). portion the strained mixture evenly between ramekins (i used little jars), and place in the baking pan. fill the pan about 3/4 way full with the boiling water, then cover the whole thing with aluminum foil and carefully transfer to oven. 

bake for between 30-45 minutes, or until the custards have a gentle set. to test, giggle a ramekin. there should not be any liquidy movement in the center. keep baking until the custards are set through. its possible for some of the custards to finish cooking before others...so feel free to remove one by one. 
remove from oven and allow to cool 1 hour. then cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or until thoroughly chilled through. they will keep, covered and refrigerated, for a week. 

i even put some in the freezer, and it was good. 

+

Strawberry Cream Scones
adapted from big sur bakery,  and these lovely ones

crumble them up, toast a little bit more in the oven. top the cremes with the crumbles. add a little extra fresh strawberry if you want. i wanted. 

triple coconut cream pie (with bananas)


i've been a little of a mess lately. everything's all over the place..me, my brain, my clothes, my eating habits, my slightly clumsy awkward ways.

i feel tired. i'm overwhelmed, i'm bored, excited, and not excited.

i've been getting honked at on my bike a lot, one guy even yelled. it makes me nervous.


i've been surviving off of brownie batter, cheddar cheese cubes, sticky bun scraps, and cereal. in a very not good way. my stomach and my heart and my blood have good reason to be quite pissed off at me.

i make biscuits by hand almost every day of my life. and not like 30...like 300. that must be doing something strange to my brain.

the other night, i was laying in bed, and i dropped my phone on my face.
maybe i was hallucinating and thought i was holding a biscuit.
i was not. it was an iphone. it really hurt.


my hair is either in work position - low super tight bun, jutting bobby pins, covered with a baseball hat.
or ridiculous knot mess bun on top of the head.
i'm having a hard time remembering the last time i looked particularly put together.

i went to a crosby stills nash show with my parents. they were rockin, i was falling asleep in my lap with kettle corn stuck in my scarf.


i was out in the world at a shin dig, in a room with well-groomed, seeming sophisticates.
within ten minutes of being there, i bit into a cream puff, and the cream shoots out the other end.
i somehow catch the cream before it lands on my clothes, while trying to lick off the additional cream that made its way onto my chin, and i have a drink in the other hand.
trying to look graceful in this situation is out of the question.


i have even been dreaming about myself doing weird embarrassing things, and then waking up the next day feeling ashamed and dumb, all in the dream.

this has been my life, i'm hoping to snap myself out of it soon.

in the meantime, i'll just keep baking and dropping phones on my face.


coconut cream pie is too dang good. add bananas and, it is, for me, the ultimate pie.

i have read some crazy good tales of seattle's dahlia bakery, and it's famed coconut cream pie.


and the recipe is out in the world! for everyone to bake up and savor, slice by slice.

with a coconut crust, a custardy coconut cream, an added layer of bananas, a blanket of whipped cream and a finish of toasted coconut and white chocolate..it's certainly dreamy.

better than any party cream puff that i could ever drop on myself.


Triple Coconut Cream Pie with Bananas
adapted from Tom Douglas of Dahlia Bakery     

for the coconut pie crust:
1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup ice water, plus more if needed

for the coconut pastry cream:
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut 
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
2 large eggs
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

for whipped cream:
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

 2 bananas, sliced
2 ounces unsweetened shaved coconut toasted in a 350 degree F oven for 7 minutes
a small chunk of white chocolate, shaved into curls

for the crust: put all the ingredients, besides water in a food processor. pulse until it becomes coarse crumbs. add water a few tbsp at a time, pulsing in between, until dough holds together when pressed between your fingers. 
dump dough onto a sheet of plastic and press into a disc, cover with plastic and refrigerate for an hour. 

roll dough onto a floured surface into a 12-13 inch circle. ease the dough gently into a 9 inch pie pan (i used a deep fluted tart pan), and trim the excess. chill at least 1 hour before baking. 

preheat oven to 400 degreesF. place a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper in the pie crust extending over the edges and fill with dried beans or pie weights. bake for 20-25 minutes until rim is golden. remove from oven, discard foil and beans, and return to oven. bake for 10-12 minutes more, until golden. remove and cool completely on a wire rack. 

for the coconut pastry cream: combine milk and coconut in a medium saucepan. scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add both the seeds and the pod to the milk mixture. place the saucepan over medium heat and stir occasionally until the mixture comes to a boil. 
in a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and flour until well combined. temper the eggs (to keep them from scrambling) by pouring 1/3 cup of the scalded milk into the egg mixture while whisking. then add the warmed egg mixture to the saucepan of milk and coconut. whisk over medium-high heat until the pastry cream thickens and begins to bubble. keep whisking until the mixture is very thick, 4-5 minutes more. 
remove saucepan from heat. add the butter and whisk until it melts. remove and discard the vanilla bean pod. transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and place it over a bowl of ice water, stir occasionally until it's completely cool. place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream to prevent it from forming a skin. refrigerate until completely cold. the pastry cream with thicken as it cools. 

for whipped cream: in an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream with the sugar and vanilla on medium speed, gradually increasing the speed to high and whip to peaks 

To Assemble: fill the pie crust with a generous layer of bananas. pour over the coconut pastry cream and spread it into an even layer. dollop and spread whipped cream over the top and garnish with a sprinkling of toasted shaved coconut and white chocolate curls (made with a vegetable peeler)

banana chocolate hazelnut cake

umm

hi.

i've been working like a wildebeest.
when i get into my bed at night, i impulsively kick around in the smooth sheets and slightly grin to myself, thinking about absolutely nothing else but how nice it is to be there.

neverending: the work week. seriously, it hasn't been ending. i feel like such a little restaurant kitchen rat.


new: awesomely colorful shirt.

new: fish plate. ah yes, gotta be happy about a new fish plate. anthropologie, you DEMON. (i love you)


new: chin zit. no picture, you're welcome.

knotty: the back of my head
nasty: finding moths in flour bags
natty: portman? what a gal


naughty: word that sounds creepy when said by adults not to children.
naughty: you, probably sometimes.
naughty: this cake. this freaking cake.


the hefty little 6 inch cake is both a blessing and cruelty.

momofuku, let's run away together and never return.


it's banana cake. it's banana cream. it's two layers of the most ridiculously addicting hazelnut crunch.
there is chocolate hazelnut ganache made with homemade fudge sauce.
and there is hazelnut frosting to top it all off.


it's oprah's favorite cake.
someone at the table referred to it as a veritable symphony of textures and flavors.
another called it 'tonguegasmic'. no further comments on that one.



i hate to say it, but i will anyway...it was the best piece of cake i've had, my favorite for sure.
dammit oprah, you're right again.

i'm not going to lie to you, making this cake beast is definitely a commitment. but after one perfect bite, all the beating, stirring, and dish cleaning felt like nothing. i don't know what ungodly cake could top it. i just don't know. 


if there is any leftover, it will be gone in about.....right now. 

and the leftover bowl of banana cream? banana cream puffs for everyone!




Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

1 recipe Banana Cake
1/4 cup milk (55g)
1 recipe Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache
1/2 recipe Hazelnut Crunch
1/2 recipe Banana Cream
1 recipe Hazelnut Frosting


Banana Cake:
6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200g) sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup (110g) buttermilk
2 tbsp (20g) grapeseed oil
1/2 tsp banana extract
2 (225g) very ripe bananas
1 1/3 cups (225g) flour
3/4 tsp (3g) baking powder
1/2 tsp (3g) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2g) kosher salt


heat oven to 325. combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium high for 2-3 minutes. scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg, and mix on medium high again for 2-3 minutes. scrape down the sides of the bowl once more. 
stream in the buttermilk, oil, and banana extract while the paddle swirls on low speed. increase the mixer speed to medium high and paddle for 5-6 minutes, until the mixture is practically white, and twice the size of your original fluffy butter-sugar mixture, and completely homogenous. stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl. 
on low speed, add the bananas and mix for 45-60 seconds til the bananas are broken apart. still on low, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix for 45-60 seconds, just until the batter comes together and any remnants of dry ingredients have been incorporated. scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
spray a quarter sheet pan (10x13 inches) with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper. using a spatula, spread the cake batter in an even layer in the pan. give the bottom of the sheet pan a tap on the counter to even out the layer. bake for 25-30 minutes. the cake will rise and puff, doubling in size. at 25 minutes, gently poke the edge of the cake with your finger; the cake should bounce back slightly and the center should no longer be jiggly. leave the cake in the oven for a few extra minutes if it doesn't pass these tests. 
take the cake out of the oven and cool on a wire rack. the cooled cake can be stored in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 5 days. 


Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache:
1/4 cup (55g) heavy cream
2 ounces (60g) gianduja chocolate, melted (hazelnut chocolate)
1/4 cup (65g) hazelnut paste
3 tbsp (38g) Fudge sauce (recipe to follow)
1/4 tsp (1g) kosher salt


bring heavy cream to a boil in a small heavy-bottomoed saucepan over medium-high heat. meanwhile, combine the melted gianduja, hazelnut paste, fudge sauce, and salt in a medium bowl. 
pour cream into the bowl and let sit for 1 minute without stirring. with a hand blender or whisk, slowly mix the contents of the bowl until the mixture is glossy and smooth. this will take 2-4 minutes, depending on your speed and strength. use  immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. 


Fudge Sauce:
1 ounce (30g) 72% chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp (18g) cocoa powder
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup (100g) glucose
2 tbsp (25g) sugar
1/4 cup (55g) heavy cream


combine the chocolate, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl. combine the glucose, sugar, and heavy cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir while bringing to a boil over high heat. the moment it boils, pour it into the bowl holding the chocolate. let sit for 1 full minute. 
slowly begin to whisk the mixture. then continue, increasing the speed of your whisking every 30 seconds, until the mixture is glossy and smooth. this will take 2-4 minutes, depending on your speed. you can use the sauce at this point or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. 


Hazelnut Crunch:
1/3 cup (100g) hazelnut paste
1/2 cup (1/2 recipe) Hazelnut Brittle (recipe to follow)
1 cup (80g) feuilletine
2 tbsp (20g) confectioners' sugar
3/4 tsp (3g) kosher salt


combine the hazelnut paste, brittle, feuilletine, confectioners' sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and paddle on medium-low speed for about 1 minute, until homogenous. the crunch can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. 


Hazelnut Brittle:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup hazelnuts


line a sheet pan with a Silpat (parchment won't work in this case!)
make a dry caramel: heat the sugar in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high. as soon as the sugar starts to melt, use a heatproof spatula to move it constantly around the pan - you want it all to melt and caramelize evenly. cook and stir, cook and stir, until the caramel is a deep dark amber, 3-5 minutes. 
remove the pan from the heat and with the spatula, stir in the nuts. make sure they are coated in caramel, then dump the contents of the pan onto the prepared sheet pan. spread out as thin and evenly as possible, work quickly as the caramel will harden and become hard to move around very fast/ let the brittle cool completely, then break it up into pieces with a rolling pin or in the food processor. store in an airtight container. 


Hazelnut Frosting:
2 tbsp (25g) butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (65g) hazelnut paste
2 tbsp (20g) confectioners' sugar
1/8 tsp kosher salt


put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and paddle on medium high speed until it is completely smooth. scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. this is a small amt of ingredients so a hand mixer works perfectly too. add the hazelnut paste, confectioners' sugar, and salt and mix on high until the frosting is fluffy and has no lumps in it, 3-4 minutes. scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds, just to be sure everthing is nice and smooth. use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month. bring to room temperature before using. 


To Assemble the Cake:
put a piece of parchment or a silpat on the counter. invert the cake onto it and peel off the parchment. use your 6 inch cake ring to stamp out 2 circles from the cake. these are your top 2 cake layers. the remaining cake "scraps" will come together to make the bottom layer of the cake. 
Layer 1: 
clean the cake ring and plate it in the center of a sheet pan lined with clean parchment or a Silpat. use 1 strip of acetate to line the inside of the cake ring. 
put the cake scraps inside the ring and use the back of your hand to press the cake scraps together into a flat even layer. dunk a pastry brush in the milk and give the layer a good wash of half of the milk. 
use the back of a spoon to spread half of the ganache in an even layer over the cake. sprinkle one-third of the hazelnut crunch evenly over the ganache. use the back of your hand to press it down slightly to hold in place. then use the back of a spoon to spread half of the banana cream in an even layer over the crunch. 
Layer 2:
gently tuck the 2nd strip of acetate between the cake ring and the top 1/4 inch of the first strip of acetate, so that you have a clear cake ring of acetate 5-6 inches tall. set a cake round on top of the banana cream and repeat the process for layer 1. 
Layer 3:
nestle the remaining cake round into the banana cream. cover the top of the cake with all of the hazelnut frosting. garnish the top of the cake with the remaining hazelnut crunch. 
transfer the sheet pan to the freezer and freeze for a minimum of 12 hours to set the cake and filling. the cake will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. 
at least 3 hours before you are ready to serve the cake, pull the sheet pan out of the freezer and, using your fingers and thumbs, pop the cake out of the cake ring. gently peel off the acetate and transfer the cake to a platter or cake stand. let it defrost in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours. 
breathe, you did it! slice the cake into wedges, and serve. 



banana cream puffs


haloo! how is everyone's day?
or better yet, how was everyone's weekend? was the weekend better than today? umm, yes, probably.

i did some things that i liked.


i weekend lunched, like a lady does. we sat outside. i listened to facts about batman. i drank iced tea and got a salad. that's a lady move.

there was walking and talking, and stopping to watch a lovely casual wedding on the beach on the way home.

i baked chocolate chip cookies. milk and dark chocolate. sea salt.

i ate dinner at 10. woops. ..whatever.


there were also things i didn't like. a weekend rarely goes off without a hitch or two.

well, i fell asleep watching a movie again. i do that, and the fact that i do it fairly often annoys me.

i also got served with a parking ticket. sixty dollars!?! come on. i was three minutes late...a nickel's worth of minutes. i screamed in the car and let myself be mad for twenty minutes, then i got over it.
evening coffee on the lifeguard tower calmed my nerves.


a cream puff will also calm some parking ticket nerves. unless the first pan of cutie puffs deflate when you them out of the oven. sigh.
that happened. it made me feel sad. i mourned for them.


but then the second pan...oh baby. perfect.


alright, let's get our cream puff on. let's puff this place up.  (with banana cream!)

banana cream, light, luscious, and truly banana-y.


i'm in love. i'd eat these all day long. oh wait, i might have [definitely] done that.




Banana Cream Puffs
adapted from pierre herme, dorie greenspan, and momofuku milk bar

for the cream puffs:
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 large eggs

line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. fit 1 large pastry bag or plastic freezer bag with a small round tip. 
bring milk, butter, 1 tsp sugar, salt and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a medium sauce-pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. add flour all at once; reduce heat to medium-low. stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a dough forms and pulls away from sides of the pan, 1-2 minutes. continue to stir quickly until a thin dry film forms on the bottm and sides of pot, about 1 minute. transfer to a bowl. add 1 eggs and stir vigorously with a wood spoon until egg is incorporated and dough looks dry again, about 2 minutes. repeat with 4 more eggs, adding one at a time and beating. the dough should be smooth, shiny and thickened. 
spoon dough into prepared pastry bag; pipe out little 2-3 inch rounds onto the baking sheets. 
preheat oven to 350. whisk remaining egg with a tablespoon of water and brush the dudes with egg wash. 
put the baking sheet in the oven and turn the oven off. after 10 minutes, heat oven to 350 and bake for 10 minutes. then rotate the pans, front to back, and continue to bake until they turn deep golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. the puffs will deflate if removed from the oven before fully baked! 

to assemble cream puffs: there are two ways to easily fill the cream puffs. take your cooled puffs, and using a serrated knife, slice off the top third of each. fill a piping bag fitted with a round tip with the banana cream and pipe the cream into the puffs, then smush the tops back on. the second method is to inject the cream straight into the puff from the bottom. just flip them over, insert the small round metal tip of the pastry bag into the center, and squeeze until the puffs feel heavier and fuller. dust the tops with confectioners' sugar and serve. 

Banana Cream

225 g very ripe bananas (about 2)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 egg yolks
2 gelatin sheets
3 tbsp butter
couple drops of yellow food coloring
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup confectioners' sugar

combine the bananas, cream, and milk in a blender and puree until totally smooth. add the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and yolks and continue to blend until homogenous. pour the mixture into a medium saucepan. clean the blender canister. 
bloom the gelatin in ice water. whisk the contents of the pan and heat over medium-low heat. as the banana mixture heats up, it will thicken bring to a boil and then continue to whisk quickly for 2 minutes to fully cook out the starch. the mixture will resemble thick glue, bordering on cement. 
dump the contents of the pan back into the blender. add the bloomed gelatin (making sure to squeeze out the water) and the butter and blend until the mixture is smooth. color the mixture with the few drops of yellow food coloring, just to perk up the color, and get the cream not looking so blah. 
transfer the mixture to a heatsafe container and put in the fridge for 30-60 minutes until it cools completely. 
with an electric mixer, whip the cream and confectioners' sugar to medium-soft peaks. add the cold banana mixture to the whipped cream and slowly whisk until evenly colored and homogenous. in an airtight container, the banana cream will keep fresh for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. 


earl grey ice cream


it's been incredibly hot out. i can't seem to flip my pillow enough at night.

when i feel this hot, i think about things like antarctica.

i will never in my life make it down to antarctica. this is, most likely, a fact.

and though i will most likely never experience that type of icy cold, there are some things that can be done.


i can saran wrap ice cubes to my legs.
i can make water balloons and throw them at myself awkwardly.
i can put a bag of frozen edamame between my neck and the couch.

and of course, i can make and consume ice cream. and if i want, can self-induce my body into a cold ice cream coma.

um, yes. let's do all these things. we can start with the ice cream.


for a long time, i stuck to making philadelphia style ice cream. philadelphia style ice creams aren't made with a custard base.

aka. no eggs. (wooP!) i was always worried about the possibility of ruining my ice cream with curdled eggs.


and i did make some pretty delicious ice creams without those yolks, so custard based ice cream was unimportant to me for awhile.

but i'm glad to report that i've gotten over it... thou shalt accept the beauty of eggs.
i'm evolving like crazy.

and good thing, because custard based ice creams are beyond perfect, bomb diggity creaminess, with a fresh taste as pure as the heavens. it's as good as ice cream gets.


and the best part...you don't even have to worry about creepy curdling yolks.
a fine mesh strainer saves the day, every time.

so bring it, custard.
bring it, earl grey tea!


what? yes.
i looove the flavor of tea. and i loove putting that awesome flavor in more than hot water.


earl grey tea steeped in milk. egg yolks turn milk into earl grey custard. silky custard into ice cream.

and oh, earl grey ice cream is a marvel.


it was made to go with pie.
the pie lasted a couple days in the house. the ice cream didn't make it through the night.

i'm sad it's gone.
time to throw water balloons at myself. or i could opt to be less weird and just make more. we'll see.



Earl Grey Ice Cream

1 cup whole milk
2 cups half and half
3/4 cup sugar
6 earl grey tea bags
5 egg yolks
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

in a small saucepan, heat milk, half and half, and sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally. once the milk is steaming (but not boiling), remove pan from heat. place the tea bags in the milk mixture, cover and steep for twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. remove the bags, then return to medium heat. 
in a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and vanilla until frothy. once the milk mixture is re-warmed, add a couple tablespoons of it to the eggs, whisking to combine. repeat a few times, whisking constantly, until the yolk mixture is warmed. then pour the warmed egg yolks into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan constantly until the mixture thickens to a custard and coats the back of a wooden spoon. 
immediately strain through a fine mesh strainer, and then refrigerate until completely cooled (at least 6-8 hours).
then churn custard in ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instruction. 


brown sugar rosemary pound cake + lemon cream


i've caught myself summer daydreaming hard lately...thinking of all the things i want and hope to do.

reminding myself to slurp up all the goodness, the brightness and lightness that comes with summer.

take trips. eat popsicles. walk barefoot. the smell of water on asphalt. barbecues every sunday.


and this lemon cream.
i want a summer full of this lemon cream.

it's tart and fresh like lemon curd, but creamier, lighter.


it's my new favorite dessert condiment and i shall slather it on everything i can get away with.

cake, scones, tarts, as a filling in a layer cake...

i declare summer 2012 the summer of lemon cream.

sounds like a pretty lovely summer, amiright?


dessert condiments need cake to ride on. brown sugar rosemary pound cake is dense caramely bliss.


if this humble looking loaf had arms, it would smack be for never giving it the attention it deserves.
because it's delicious.


it takes all of 5 minutes to whip up the batter.
next, chop up rosemary, smell your herby fingertips, then fold those pretty green flecks through the batter.


what is better than a beautiful pound cake?

two beautiful pound cakes. one to eat now and one to freeze and eat later.


this summer of lemon cream is gonna be good.


we'll be sitting on porches, iced tea in a glass, lemon cream on cake, fingers licking our plates clean.

it's everything i can hope for.

Brown Sugar Rosemary Pound Cake
adapted from the Martha Stewart Baking Handbook

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar, lightly packed
5 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 tsp chopped rosemary

preheat oven to 325. grease two loaf pans. sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. set aside. in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar til light and fluffy. add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl. add the rosemary. add the flour mixture in 3 batches alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. beat until just combined. divide the batter between the prepared pans, and smooth with a spatula. bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until cakes are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour. transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. turn out cakes onto the rack to cool completely


Lemon Cream
adapted from tartine inspired by for me, for you

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
2/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
pinch salt
1/4 cup heavy cream

create a double boiler by placing a steel or glass bowl over a saucepan filled with 2 inches of water. over medium heat bring water to a simmer. combine lemon juice, eggs, and sugar and continually whisk until mixture registers 180 degrees F on a thermometer and has thickened, about 10-12 minutes. take off stove, strain through a fine mesh strainer and let cool for a couple minutes. transfer to a blender. cut butter into 1 inch pieces and blend, adding the butter a couple pieces at a time 
beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form and gently fold into the lemon cream. 


meyer lemon pistachio rice pudding


silence.

sHh!


this is a calm space today.

i'm meditating.

and i'm sorry for shushing you.


some people lay on the floor, or revert into child's pose. i make rice pudding.

making rice pudding is therapeutic.


there's no vigorous whisking. the stirring is calm. i'm totally calm.

everything is quiet and romantic.


ah tranquility, it can be hard to come by.

meyer lemon pistachio rice pudding is so perfect for spring i can't stand it.

except that i can. i really really can.


wait, i'm getting worked up. i'm supposed to be relaxed.

40 minutes of gentle stirring, watching rice and milk slowly transform.

into pudding, beautiful pudding!


thick and creamy, comforting and calm.

i'll be hyper and freakish tomorrow. but today, eat and shush.


Lemon Pistachio Rice Pudding
adapted from smitten kitchen

1/2 cup arborio rice
4 cups milk
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split
zest of a lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup pistachio nuts

in a large saucepan, place all the ingredients except the lemon juice and pistachios. bring it to a gentle boil and then turn it down to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan, about 30-40 minutes. taste to check for doneness, the rice should be very soft and plump. 
take the pudding off the heat and stir in lemon juice. stir in some chopped pistachio nuts and sprinkle the rest on top. can serve warm immediately or chilled. i like this one chilled. 


malted chocolate pudding



valentine's day would be much better if we were all on tropical islands. 
romance would be a lot easier to get into on a sunset boat ride, 2 margaritas deep. 


but this is realistic valentine's day.. it's tuesday. 
and tuesdays can get boring and tough. 


resume writing is a bummer. 
favorite socks go missing. 
my leg hurts. 




but the things we love make all that junk worth it. 


and any day can be made more romantic with pudding dammit. 




this valentine of mine is a good one. he takes me to french bakeries fully knowing that once we step in the door, i will transform into Crazy. 


he doesn't act disgusted when i eat every macaron in the box, 
and then he rubs my back when i feel sick from eating every. macaron. in. the. box. 


he deserves pudding. 




special malted chocolate pudding. 


does this interest you, sir?
does the mere mention of malt make you want to skip to work today? ..kinda.




i have a grand idea! today, you take the time to make some pudding. making pudding is a definite love gesture. 
present your pudding to someone you love tomorrow..boyfriend, girlfriend, mom, friend, dentist, pet, whoever!




show up with a darling cup of pudding in your hands, and they will jump into your arms and love you even more and surely not care that you don't have expensive jewels for them. they won't. 


unless they are rude. 


Malted Chocolate Pudding

*it's super important to splurge and use good quality cocoa powder in this recipe, i use Valrhona

2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup malted milk powder
2 1/2 cups whole milk
4 egg yolks
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract

set a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl and set aside. 
in a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, cocoa powder, and malted milk powder. carefully whisk in milk, a bit at a time, making sure to dissolve the cornstarch. add the egg yolks and whisk well to combine. 

set pan over medium heat and whisk constantly. cook until it thickens and the first large bubble forms and breaks the surface. reduce heat to low and continue to whisk for 1 more minute. the pudding should be thick and generously coat the back of a spoon. 
remove from heat and stir in vanilla and butter. pour through the fine mesh sieve. place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. 
chill for 3 hours, and up to 3 days. 
top with lightly whipped cream and whoppers for extra happiness.