SHOP: sugar paper los angeles recipe box

You ever have that fleeting dream that one day you'll have a cottage house on the bay filled with the most whimsically beautiful things you ever did see? How about we make a pact. Let's not let it be fleeting. The house may be too far off in the distance to see now, somewhere covered in a dense fog of student loans, 9-5 jobs, and responsibility, but every now and then, a little treat never hurts. This perfectly pink recipe box from my new fave paperie, Sugar Paper LA, is so the perfect gift to yourself. Add recipes now, and the dream house later. Okay?

CRAVING: rich chocolates

I'll admit, I'm turning into a bit of an artisanal sweets snob. One whiff and I can tell if the French chocolate, Mexican vanilla and slow roasted almonds will do me in. Just one look and I know whether that rich creamy filling is chocolate ganache or burnt salted caramel. Is it bad? I promise to keep it at bay. But you can bet yourself one thing, this means when I am craving something sweet, you'll only be hearing about the creme de la creme from me. And Rich Chocolates and Candies are it. Handmade in Chicago by chocolate extraordinaire Lauren, these treats are giving me cavity aches just by looking at them. Oh and did I mention she does something with gooey marshmallows and chocolate in a waffle maker!

BLOG: like strawberry milk

If I had a blog sister, you know, like blood sisters but much less dramatic, it would be undeniably Fanny from Like Strawberry Milk. Her whimsical imagery, her poetic tongue, and her happily failing kitchen adventures. And since I know some of you are a lazy bunch, here is an excerpt from her blog below. But don't be a dud. Go visit her. Or else!

PS- Loving her recipes for chocolate loaf cake and mini marbles!

I could tell you how my dad would take me to the boulangerie after school, as I was smaller than the smallest tree of your garden. In fact, I could barely walk. But making my way to the bottom of the crumpled paper bag handed to me by the lady at the counter seemed easy.

That paper bag could hold a dozen of chouquettes. Or as I would call them, chouchou. Possibly, a made-up word from my dad.

Oh yes, I could tell you how my hands would be sticky. And my mouth most likely surrounded by pearls of sugar.

But instead, I will tell you about what happened a few days ago.

I brought milk and butter to a rolling boil. With a pinch of salt, just so; because, that’s the way to go. I added a good amount of flour. Off the heat, it goes without saying (and yet, here I am). I placed the pan back over the gas and mixed it with a wooden spoon until it was just dry enough.

I transferred it to the bowl of my stand-mixer; although arms and a spoon would do a fine job too. And add the eggs, one at a time. Until it was just wet enough.

I piped. Without a nozzle, because they all seem to be in London. And I am not.

I brushed eggwash. I scored the top with a fork. Dipped in the remaining egg.

I sprinkled sucre casson [pearl sugar].

I baked. And poured us a glass of white wine. Or perhaps it was a rosé.

And then, we ate them. Slightly warm. And guess what? Sticky hands and sugar around the mouth are a must.

Read the rest....here.

RECIPE: a very merry creamy berry oatmeal and pumpkin pie pancakes

What have you been eating this season? I woke up craving a piece of fleeting autumn this week, and nothing pays a better tribute to our most bountiful season than plump berries and aromatic pumpkin spices. So this morning, only just a couple hours ago, I treated myself to fluffy pumpkin pie pancakes dusted with sugar and dripping with rich maple syrup. To balance out the indulgence, I had a healthy dollop of honey infused Greek yogurt and fresh papaya. Yum! I'm a quarter way through a book about how to live like the notoriously skinny yet satisfied French women, and it seems yogurt is the new it food. So to my delight, I discovered a recipe that called for some in my beloved Pretty Delicious cookbook. Can anyone say ultra creamy oatmeal and tangy raspberries with crunchy almonds and golden brown sugar? I can. And trust me, its so freaking simple to make and absolutely delicious, you could whip this up in minutes. Try it and let me know what you think!

PUMPKIN PIE PANCAKES

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all purpose flour
6 tablespoons organic light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2/3 cup almond milk
4 large organic eggs
1/2 cup organic unsweetened apple sauce
confectioners' sugar (optional)

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350F. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, spice, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk puree, milk, eggs, and applesauce together. Add to the flour mixture with a rubber spatula gently until well combined. See how thick and creamy the batter is!? Then heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat coated with cooking spray. Dollop about 1/3 cup of batter into skillet and cook until edges firm up and bottom is golden brown. Flip, and repeat for other side. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Continue making pancakes, moving them to the baking sheet. Pop baking dish in the oven and bake for about five minutes. Serve with dusting sugar if desired and a side of golden amber maple syrup or apple butter.

BERRY CREAMY OATMEAL

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups organic quick oats
1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup organic honey
pinch of organic ground cinnamon
pinch of organic nutmeg
pinch of sea salt
1 cup organic blueberries, raspberries or strawberries
4 teaspoons organic brown sugar (optional)
1/2 cup organic toasted sliced almonds (optional)


METHOD:

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the oats, stir, and turn off heat. Once the oats are plump, about 4 minutes, stir in the yogurt, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Gently fold in the berries. If you're like me, go ahead and sprinkle each serving with one teaspoon of brown sugar and two tablespoons of almonds. Voila! Breakfast is served.

RECIPE: chocolate peanut butter caramel torte

So child labor is wrong. Period. But when it comes to holiday baking, I am all for it. Now, now, listen up. As you read in the post below, I am back where I belong (Grandma's house for you newbies) which only means one thing- I'll be baking up a storm and even...gasp....cooking if the household gets lucky. And so having been here a whole week already, I decided to celebrate by baking a cake. So fitting right? Well, I invited my baby brother over and my little cousin already lives here. I told them quite frankly, if they wanted any part in my peanut buttery chocolatey goodness they would have to help out. See, I am not into the whole mommy blog scene yet because I have no kids. I am not running around with a glow planning birthday parties galore, whipping up sand box treats for playdates, or any of the like. Instead, I practice my maternal instincts on siblings and cousins. They really have no choice but to surrender to my discreet slavery. 

All this is to say one thing. This cake TAKES SOME WORK. I won't sugar coat it (well not figuratively anyway...have you seen that dripping caramel topping!) and so you should really follow my 'mis en place' philosophy by setting up all your equipment and room temperature ingredients first. Plan ahead, have the minions on standby, and I promise you won't even notice all the components of this masterpiece. I had the kiddies washing the stand mixer bowl in between sets, licking the spoons as taste testers, cracking my eggs (they couldn't separate them as cool as I can, but you take what you can get) and in the end...with conversation brewing and people in and out of the kitchen to see what all the ruckus is about, it was absolutely the highlight of my week. Nothing beats baking a delicious centerpiece cake with family. And you know what, if you're a little bit solo this holiday season, consider yourself lucky as well. This cake had to feed the mouths of eight people. At least you can savor it on your own for a week to come...

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CARAMEL CAKE

INGREDIENTS:
8-oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tbsp sugar
4 large egg yolks
4 large egg whites, divided
2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup hot coffee

1-1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
8 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-1/4 c. powdered sugar
Place the peanut butter, butter, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-low speed, just until thoroughly combined. Add the remaining ingredients and combine again. Then turn the speed up to high and beat for 2 to 3 more minutes, until frosting is light, airy, and fluffy.

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup karo syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt

METHOD:

1. In the top bowl of a double boiler or your preferred method, melt chocolate, whisking frequently so that no hot spots scorch the chocolate. Add in 1 tbsp sugar and whisk well. Whisk in egg yolks one at a time, waiting until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Chocolate mixture will be fairly thick. Remove chocolate from heat. In a large bowl, beat egg whites on medium-low speed until frothy. Increase speed of mixer to high and beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Add 1/3 of egg whites to chocolate mixture and, using the electric mixer, blend them in. Add another 1/3 of egg whites and fold in. Fold in vanilla extract as well. Fold in all remaining egg whites, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. Fold until mousse is uniform in color and texture. Put in fridge to set for at least two hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, Dutch process cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla and then add into the dry ingredients. Whisk in the hot coffee.
3. Place the peanut butter, butter, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-low speed, just until thoroughly combined. Add the remaining ingredients and combine again. Then turn the speed up to high and beat for 2 to 3 more minutes, until frosting is light, airy, and fluffy.
4. In a medium pot, bring butter, sugar, karo syrup, and heavy cream together until smooth and melty. Stir in peanut butter, then keep stirring over medium-heat. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 3-5 minutes (or, if you want to be technical, until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage). Remove from heat, allow the caramel to cool slightly, then dip skewered apples right on in it.
5. Cut each half sheet pan cake into two long rectangles. Mix together 1/3 of the peanut butter frosting with 1 cup of peanuts. Mix remaining peanuts with the peanut butter caramel. Layer cake > peanut butter frosting with peanuts > mousse > peanut butter frosting > cake > peanut butter caramel with peanuts. Refrigerate to set.

image: wehearit.com