>Daring Bakers – September Challenge

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September was my first month as a member of the Daring Kitchen. On the first of every month, the bakers are given a baking-related challenge and then have until the 27th to complete said challenge. Of course, I completed the challenge immediately, but next month I’m going to wait – going 27 days without sharing was a challenge in and of itself.

This month’s challenge was hosted by Mandy of What the Fruitcake?! – and let me just say, I am so happy that my first month as a daring baker wasn’t all that challenging. We were advised to make sugar cookies with royal icing, and tune them to the theme of September. Since September is the time of the year that Thom starts growing out his moustache, I decided to make moustache-shaped sugar cookies. However, most people did birthday, anniversary or spring/autumn themes. Leave it to me to make moustache cookies while everyone else is being all sentimental and shit.

To be quite honest, I wasn’t fond of either of the recipes (taken from Peggy Porschen and Joy of Baking). The cookies were tough and bland, and the icing was difficult to work with. Maybe it was the altitude? Or maybe I was just royally sucking that day? One thing’s for certain, I will never be making either of those recipes. Ever again.

(From top, clockwise: Thom in his TOMS, Welcome cookies for our Ohio transplants, Cedric 185 years ago, Ooni with a fat nose and me in my Harriet Pintuck dress)

And then I decided to make vegan sugar cookies + vegan royal icing. The cookies turned out great, but the icing? The icing was kind of an almost disaster. Kind of an almost, did you get that? I don’t know why I thought using egg replacer would be a good substitute for the eggs, especially considering the egg replacer box clearly states: DESIGNED FOR USE IN BAKING. For some reason I don’t ever think anything applies to me. 2 hour parking limits? Nope, not for me. 15 item limit in self-checkout? Not for me either.

Vegan sugar cookies

1/2 c. non-hydrogenated shortening (Spectrum brand)
1/4 c. cane sugar
2 TBS agave nectar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Ener-G egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 c. unbleached flour

• Cream together shortening and sugar
• Add agave nectar, vanilla and Ener-G egg
• Sift flour, salt and baking soda into mixture

To bake:

• Refrigerate dough for 30-60 minutes, or until firm
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper
• Roll out to desired thickness, then cut
• Place on baking sheet, then put in freezer for 5 minutes prior to entering the oven

Bake at 350 for 9 minutes

                                        

Vegan royal icing

2 TBS non-dairy milk
1 TBS Ener-G egg replacer
1 TBS light corn syrup
2 c. confectioner’s sugar
1 dash cream of tartar
1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract

• Beat egg replacer and non-dairy milk with electric hand mixer for 3-5 minutes
• Better yet, use water instead of milk – I think that’s why my icing turned out speckle-y
• Add remaining ingredients
• Add more confectioner’s sugar to thicken icing, if necessary

PS – I’ve spent the past couple of days perfecting my pumpkin cookie recipe. Are you ready? I’ve already devoured an entire batch..

>Cocoa nibs + espresso

>

We live in a nearly 100 year-old flat in downtown Denver, which is absolutely charming. It has french doors, crown molding and a claw foot tub (oh, and an updated kitchen with stainless steel appliances, to boot). But the one thing I cannot stand about our old charming flat? The noisy radiator system. The damn thing woke me up at 4am, and kept me up until 7, at which point I realized between the radiator and the hippos upstairs, the chances of me falling back to sleep were slim-to-none. I rolled out of bed, headed toward the kitchen and decided there was nothing better do to than bake. No, doing homework at 7am is not an option. Neither is taking a shower. Or doing anything even remotely productive.

Vegan cocoa nib espresso cookies

1/2 c. non-hydrogenated shortening
1/4 c. cane sugar
1/4 tsp unsulphured molasses
1 Ener-G egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 TBS agave nectar
1 TBS non-dairy milk
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 c. unbleached white whole wheat flour
1/2 c. cocoa nibs (or, grind cocoa chips in a food processor)

• Combine sugar and molasses – this is your brown sugar
• Cream together brown sugar and shortening
• Add Ener-G egg (follow directions on box) – mix well
• Add vanilla, agave and milk
• Mix in espresso powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder
• Add flour 1/4 c. at a time – mix well
• Add cocoa nibs

Baking:

• Line baking sheet with parchment paper
• Use cookie scoop to place cookies on baking sheet (smoosh down, lightly) – these don’t spread much, so an inch is enough space to keep between the cookie
• Put cookies in freezer 5 minutes prior to placing in the oven

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes (they will look underdone – they’re not)

Notes: if you want a strong, noticeable espresso flavor, add 2 tsp instant espresso powder.

>Night baking with Sundrops

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It should come as no surprise that the same approach I use to complete school assignments, is the same approach I use in the kitchen. And lately, winging it seems to be a rather effective method for me. But, I’m not going bore you with a story about my life or a fairytale about Cedric, because you need to make these cookies right now. Oh, and if you want more than 15 cookies – double the recipe. I was ballsy to wing it, but apparently not ballsy enough to waste more than 1/3 c. of Sundrops on a recipe that would maybe turn out. Now, get to it.

Vegan dark chocolate Sundrop cookies

1/2 c. non-hyrdogenated shortening (Spectrum brand)
1/4 c. + 1 TBS cane sugar
1/4 tsp unsulphured molasses
1 Ener-G egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 TBS agave nectar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 c. unbleached flour
1/3 c. dark chocolate Sundrops

• Combine sugar and molasses – this is your brown sugar
• Cream together brown sugar and shortening
• Add Ener-G egg (follow directions on box) – mix well
• Add vanilla and agave nectar
• Mix in salt, baking soda and baking powder
• Add flour, 1/4 c. at a time – mix well
• Add Sundrops

Baking:

• Line baking sheet with parchment paper
• Use cookie scoop to place cookies on baking sheet (smoosh down, lightly) – these don’t spread much, so an inch is enough space to keep between the cookies
• Put cookies in freezer for 5 minutes prior to placing in the oven

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes

                                        

Grey’s Anatomy fanatics: I don’t know about you, but I’m a little upset there wasn’t more Jackson Avery eye-candy in tonight’s premier. And how crazy was little Grey? Not going to lie, I kind of liked it; crazy suits her well. But, I’m going to make a request for next week: a little more Avery, a little less crazy. Thanks in advance, Shonda.

Don’t judge me for dunking my cookies. Similar to Murphy’s law, anything that can be dunked, will be dunked.

>Crème de menthe

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I went to my first real dermatology appointment today. I stood in my skivvies while the doctor and her assistant looked over my body. Her assistant kept telling me, “you have pretty figure,” “very nice tummy”. And just when I thought it couldn’t get any more awkward, she pulled down the back of my underwear and inspected my rear. Something tells me she wasn’t just looking for moles.

Out of all of the irregular (to me) moles on my body, doc only found one worth removing. I received a lidocaine injection and then she reached for some tool that looked strikingly similar to a ballpoint pin. She must have noticed my suspicion because she tried to distract me by asking things like, what are you studying? What do you want to do after school? And in the midst of answering question number 2, I noticed her doing something to my leg and blurted out WHAT ARE YOU DOING? You have to tell me when you’re starting! To which she replied, I’m almost finished, I just have to put in your stitch.

Seriously? Seriously. I worried myself sick about this procedure and, just like doc said, the shot was the worst part of it all. If you have an unusual mole on your body, go get it checked. And even if you don’t, make sure you get a full-body scan every year. A way to rationalize? A shot and a stitch are way better than the alternative.

Crème de menthe cupcakes

1 c. non-dairy milk
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 eggs, room temperature
1/4 c. oil
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2/3 c. agave nectar
1 c. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 c. unbleached flour
1/2 c. Andes mints, chopped

(This cake is dense and spongey – similar to the texture of a marshmallow. Feel free to use any chocolate cake if dense + spongey isn’t your cup of tea.)

• Combine milk and vinegar, allow to sit for 5 minutes
• Add oil, eggs, vanilla and agave – whisk well
• Sift in cocoa powder
• Add baking soda, baking powder and salt
• Add flour, 1/4 c. at a time

Baking:

• Fill cupcake tins 3/4 full
• Lightly sprinkle with Andes mints

Bake at 350 for 16-18 minutes

                                        

Mint frosting

3 egg whites
3/4 c. cane sugar
2/3 c. confectioner’s sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp agave nectar
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
3 drops green food coloring, optional

• In a heat-proof bowl over boiling water, stir egg whites and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes warm and sugar has dissolved (4-5 minutes)
• Remove from heat and transfer to electric mixer (I used my stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment) – mix on medium speed for 3 minutes
• Add cream of tartar and confectioner’s sugar – mix on high speed for 3 minutes
• Add agave, mint extract and food coloring – continue mixing on high speed until icing forms stiff peaks

                                        

You know when you’re in the mood to bake, and you realize your recently-pulled-from-the-fridge eggs are going to take hours to reach room temperature? What if I told you I found a 30 minute solution to that problem? Well, I did, and it’s called incubating. Yes, with your body heat. I discovered this trick a while back, when I was baking 3 or 4 times a day, unplanned. I’d nestle the eggs between my hands, behind my knees (while sitting, obviously), on my belly, etc. for 20-30 minutes. Do I sound crazy yet?

Don’t bother asking your love interest to ‘sit’ on your eggs for you, because you’ll most likely get this response: sit on eggs, what the fuck do I look like? And don’t be alarmed if, when you arrive home, after he tried making you feel like a mother hen, he’s got the eggs wrapped up in his shirt, nestled against his warm belly.

>Peanut butter cubes

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Lately, I can’t go 24 hours without stirring up a mess in the kitchen. Which would be fine except, there are rainbow bars in the freezer, banana nut cookies in the cookie jar, Nutella cookies in an air-tight container and now, peanut butter cubes in the fridge. The most obvious fix would be to bake less, but since that isn’t going to happen it looks like halving recipes is the only viable option. If you like peanut butter and chocolate, this next recipe is for you. And if you do not like peanut butter and chocolate– well, do those sorts of crazies people even exist?

Peanut butter cubes

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 c. confectioner’s sugar
3 TBS milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 c. Ghirardelli 60% cacao chips, melted (microwave or double-boil)

• Cream together peanut butter, milk and vanilla
• Add sugar 1/4 c. at a time – mix well

Assembling:

• Line each mold with 1 tsp melted chocolate
• Layer with 1 tsp peanut butter mixture (I formed them into cubes)
• Top with 1/2-1 tsp melted chocolate

Freeze for 20 minutes, then enjoy

                                        

I am not a (good) cook. In fact, I’d eat eggs, toast and cereal until the end of time, if I wasn’t sharing my life with another human being. Although I don’t particularly care for cooking, I do have a killer vegan lasagna recipe that is too good not to share – one that will satisfy even the meatiest of all meat lovers.

Vegan lasagna

6 lasagna noodles, boiled and strained
14 oz. firm tofu
2 c. Boca crumbles
32 oz. pasta sauce
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, zoomed
1 TBS thyme + more for sprinkling
1 TBS basil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp salt
2 c. mozzarella veggie shreds (or milk-based mozzarella)

• Crumble tofu, thyme, basil, cinnamon and salt in a bowl – set aside
• Spread 1/2 c. pasta sauce on bottom of 11X7 pan, line with 2 noodles
• Layer tofu mixture, Boca crumbles, onions and pasta sauce
• Repeat until you top with last layer of noodles
• Top with pasta sauce, mozzarella, garlic and thyme

Bake at 400 for 55 minutes – cover with foil for 40 minutes, then remove and bake for an additional 15 minutes

* Layer with eggplant, spinach or zucchini, if desired. Also, if you’re using a larger pan, boil 9 noodles.

                                        

I woke up to cloudy Denver today. After weeks, upon weeks, of waking up to sunshine, I couldn’t be more happy. What’s that saying? You can take the girl out of Ohio, but you can’t take the Ohio out of the girl? I wouldn’t be opposed to a dreary Ohio day sometime in the near future. But for now, I think I’ll reap the greatest pleasure of cloudy days: back to bed with my knight in shining poly-cotton, to bask in the laziness of the day.

>More Nutella

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I went to breakfast this morning with G+S, and G asked (jokingly) if I wanted Nutella-stuffed french toast. Of course I wanted Nutella-stuffed french toast, but I couldn’t have it. I spent the better part of my morning thinking about Nutella; how perfectly the chocolate and hazelnuts blend together, how I can’t have it, how every 13 oz. jar contains over 50 hazelnuts, how I can’t have it.

To put my thoughts at bay I decided it was time I make a Nutella version of the peanut butter cookie. I’ve been wanting to write a recipe for quite some time, but I never got around to it. Cough-lazy-cough. Instead, I winged it in the kitchen, slugged down two mimosas and added the ingredients as I saw fit (last time I did this, it didn’t turn out so well). Oh, and in case you were wondering, I had scrambled eggs, potatoes and dry wheat toast for breakfast. Exciting, I know. But between you and me, I would have much rather had Nutella-stuffed french toast.

Nutella bites

1/2 c. butter, room temperature
1/2 c. cane sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 c. Nutella
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 c. cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 2/3 c. unbleached flour
2 TBS vanilla sugar, for coating (optional)

• Cream butter, sugars and vanilla together
• Add egg and Nutella – mix well
• Sift cocoa into mixture
• Add salt, baking soda and baking powder – mix well
• Add flour, 1/3 c. at a time

Baking:

• Line cookie sheet with parchment paper
• Roll cookies into quarter-sized balls and space 2 inches apart
• Sprinkle with sugar (or you can coat them in sugar after rolling)
• After baking, allow cookies to sit on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes

Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes

* These spread in the oven and turn into a thin, chewy cookie with a crunchy outer. For thick, cakey cookies use 2 c. flour, 1/4 c. less of each sugar and only 1/4 tsp baking powder. And I suggest baking at 350 – you’re on your own with the baking time.


* For vegan cookies: use Ener-G egg replacer for the egg, Earth Balance or non-hyrdogenated shortening (Spectrum brand) for the butter – and I regret to inform you that Nutella is made with milk, so mix 3/4 c. hazelnut butter with 3 TBS non-dairy milk and 1/3 c. cocoa powder for the Nutella.

                                        

And I’ll have you know, it took every ounce of strength in my body to keep me from licking the bowl clean. I snuck a tiny crumb bite of one of the cookies, and I would have eaten each and every one of them if I was certain there wouldn’t be a couch and stomach ache in my imminent future. If you’re on a diet, I suggest you run, not walk, far away from this recipe; you will not forgive yourself for eating the entire contents of the cookie jar.

>Rainbow bars

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I’m going to tell you a little story (and if you don’t want to listen to this story, please skip ahead to the large font that says Rainbow layer bars). This story is about college universities, and how they knowingly fuck over students because they are, no matter how many times they deny it, money making institutions. Just typing that sentence has my heart pumping. And I can feel the mean spirits I hold toward this one particular university oozing from every inch of my body.

I moved to Denver in July of 2009; signed a lease, got a job, normal things people do when they move. I was admitted into the business school at the University of Colorado and went about my way preparing for the fall 2010 academic term; filling out my FAFSA, in-state tuition petition, scheduling, etc.

1 week into classes I found out the petition I submitted to receive in-state tuition was denied because, a) I failed to obtain a Colorado license 1 year prior to the academic term, b) I failed to register to vote within the state of Colorado 1 year prior to the academic term and, c) I did not file my Colorado state tax return. Needless to say, I was pretty bummed.

I am an information person; I have to know everything. If you’re going to operate on me, I want to know every detail about the surgery – the procedure, what to expect after, etc. Similarly, if you’re going to deny me in-state tuition after I have exceeded the requirements for domicile, I want to see the document that supports your allegations.

I read statute 23-7 at least twenty times. Not one section of that document states one must obtain a license or voter registration 1 year prior to the academic term. So, as I suspected, the first two excuses were unsupported pieces of bullshit. As for the taxes, it clearly states one has to have paid taxes. In my case, paying taxes did not equal filing taxes, because CO owed me a whopping $14 bucks. I filed for an extension because I’m lazy, ok?

Since I was denied, I had the option of appealing the decision and presenting my case to a committee of tuition classification officers from other UC campuses. I went before the committee last Friday and felt I had a pretty good shot at winning this thing. I received the verdict yesterday, via e-mail, and thought to myself, this could either be a really good week, or it could be a really bad week, and this e-mail is going to be the deciding factor.

Rainbow layer bars

1 1/4 c. butter, room temperature
3.5 oz. marzipan (or matzi-pawn, as my Oma says)
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs, separated, room temperature
1 c. + 2 TBS sugar
1 c. flour
3 TBS almond meal
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c. apricot preserves
1/2 c. bittersweet chocolate, melted
Food coloring, 2-3 colors

*This recipe requires a stand mixer. And patience. Lots of patience.

• Use whisk attachment and mix egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form
• Gradually add 3 TBS sugar and continue mixing until peaks turn glossy, transfer to another bowl and set aside
• Fit mixer with paddle attachment and cream butter + remaining sugar
• Add egg yolks, almond extract and marzipan, small chunks at a time
• Add salt, almond meal and flour, 1/2 c. at a time
• Remove bowl from mixer and fold in egg whites, be sure not to over mix
• Divide dough between three bowls, choose food coloring (traditional colors are green, white and red) – I used deep hues of yellow, teal and magenta

Baking:

• Step 1: line 8X8 baking dish with parchment paper; coat with butter
• Step 2: Pour in bowl 1 – don’t worry if it’s lumpy and uneven, the oven will take care it
• Step 3: Remove from oven, transfer to cooling rack – it will look underdone, but a toothpick should come out clean (if not, bake until toothpick comes out clean)
• Step 4: repeat steps 1-3 with remaining bowls of batter (whichever bowl of batter you’re going to bake last, place it in the fridge while the first pan is in the oven; remove it when inserting second pan)

Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes


Assembling:

• Allow all layers to cool completely, then slather 2 of the layers with apricot preserves (be easy)
• Stack layers on top of one another (the top layer should not be covered in preserves; for those of you duh-ing me, I hear you)
• Cover in plastic wrap, sandwich between two heavy baking dishes and chill in fridge for 8 hours
• Remove from fridge and coat top (sides optional) with melted chocolate, chill for 10 minutes, uncovered
• Remove from fridge, flip and coat other side with melted chocolate, freeze for 20 minutes, uncovered
• Remove from freezer and cut into blocks
• Serve or freeze in an air-tight container

Notes: 

• Make sure the layers are completely cool before you stack them; I was slightly impatient and the layers started bleeding together
• Make sure you freeze the bars before slicing them; again (surprise), I was impatient and their little tops cracked

                                        

I hesitated momentarily, then opened the e-mail and read the first couple of lines.. 

The Appeals Board of the Committee on Tuition Classification has carefully considered the decision rendered by the Tuition Classification Officer. The Board has voted to support your appeal.

Those mother fuckers, now I have to hire a lawyer and deal with fighting a state university in court. And then I’m goi–.. wait, what? I won? I WON! [ Jumps up, screams, does celebratory lap around the apartment, which comes to an abrupt end on the dining room floor, lying in the fetal position, clutching foot. ] I really should be more aware of my surroundings.

My next battle with the the galactic forces of the university? Fighting to get back 3 semesters-worth of transfer credits they rejected because they ‘don’t match up with UCD curriculum’ (yes, UCD, not CUD – no matter how many times you idiots try to convince me otherwise, it’s not consistent; University of Colorado-Denver). Three words: money making institution. Three other words: YOM NOM NOM

PS – greatest cure for a bad week? A very Jackson Avery-esque doctor drawing your blood. Hospitals would be a much more pleasant place if every doctor looked like Jackson Avery.

>Banana nut something

>

I went 9 whole days without baking. 9 days. No baking. You see, I was dealt a series of rather unfortunate events, and let’s just say I didn’t want to go anywhere near a kitchen, not even to make dinner (I survived on coffee, toast and ice cream for an entire week). I am slowly coming out of my funk and experimented with a new recipe last night. Don’t get your hopes up, it’s not a great recipe. In fact, according to the consumer, it’s strange; not a bad strange. But strange, none the less.

I have been wanting to make banana nut cookies forever. Ok, not forever, but for a really, really, really long time. Teej was hoarding bananas to make banana bread, but since I decided I needed them more, I stole them and made the single weirdest cookie I think I’ve ever made. I should have let him make the banana bread.

Banana nut pancakes scones muffins cookies

1/2 c. butter, room temperature

2 medium bananas

1 1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. white sugar

2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

3 c. flour

1 c. chopped walnuts

• Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla
• Add eggs and bananas – mix well
• Add baking soda, baking powder and salt – mix well
• Add flour 1 c. at a time
• Add walnuts – mix well
• Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and dough
• Chill in freezer for 5 minutes prior to baking

Bake at 350 for 14-16 minutes

                                        

Next time I’m using frozen banana chunks and oat bran – incorporating the banana mush into the mixture was a bad decision on my part. And I am most certainly not using a gigantic ice cream cookie scoop to scoop the cookies; they were the size of my palm and as thick as my wrist. I think it’s safe to say that this recipe is not worthy of ever being made again. It’s not even worthy of being added to the recipe index. I probably shouldn’t even post this.

While the first batch was in the oven I couldn’t help but get geeky and do a little experiment with the batter. So, I fried one on the stove. One thing I did not expect? For it to turn out exactly like a pancake. According to Teej it’s the cookie/pancake/muffin/scone lovechild. And yes, he means they all had an orgy and created this cakey, banana compound. Good grief, I don’t know how that man sleeps at night; cookies do not have orgies.

Do they?

>Layers of goodness

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I was in the mood to bake last night, but not in the mood to deal with the aftermath. Out of several of the things Thom suggested I make, I decided layered cookies would be the quickest (not the mention, require the least amount of clean up). Browning the butter is the most time consuming part of these layer cookies, but it is so worth it. Seriously, don’t be lazy, brown the damn butter. Besides, butter browning included, I had the bars ready to go in the oven in less than 15 minutes, and I managed to clean the kitchen while they were baking. There is nothing I love more than having the entire kitchen cleaned before the timer sounds. Ok, that may not be entirely true. But it is certainly at the top of my things-I-love list.

Brown butter layer bars

2 1/2 c. crushed graham crackers
1/2 c. + 2 TBS unsalted butter, browned
2 TBS honey + extra to drizzle
2 TBS agave nectar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. butterscotch chips
3/4 c. walnuts, crushed
14 oz. condensed milk
2/3 c. shredded coconut
1/4 c. dried cranberries

• Brown butter in skillet (real butter)
• Mix the crushed grahams with butter, honey, agave nectar and vanilla
• Press 1 1/2 c. of graham crumbles into 8X8 baking dish
• Layer chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and walnuts over graham crust
• Layer condensed milk, coconut then dried cranberries
• Layer remaining graham crumbles and drizzle with honey

Bake at 325 for 30 minutes, allow to cool before cutting

                                        

And if the ingredients listed above don’t sound appetizing, there are so many different ways you could go with these..

– Add pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice to condensed milk; use cacao chips and roasted pumpkin seeds; top with honey and cinnamon
– Crush equal amounts of pretzels and graham crackers; use peanut butter chips and chocolate chips; top with oats and honey
– Add almond extract to graham crumbles; layer raspberry jam on top of graham crust; sprinkle with cacao chips and almond slivers; top with vanilla agave nectar and brown sugar

>Burnt creme

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I’m going to throw this out there: I’m not a fancy-schmancy dessert person.  I’m not even a fancy-schmancy person in real life; I have a plain hair cut, I wear plain clothes, I wear plain make-up and I eat a plain assortment of food.  So why would my sweet creations be any different?

Thom has been hounding me to make crème brûlée for a good 2 years, and I have always blown him off because fancy desserts do not appeal to me, not even in the slightest.  Well, yesterday I gave in.  I bought a torch and some ramekins, heavy cream and $12 vanilla bean, and got to work.  The ingredients were basic and the process was simple, leading me to believe that crème brûlée, despite it’s fancy name, is not a fancy dessert at all.  And for what it’s worth, I think it’s better suited being called burnt creme.

Crème brûlée
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

1/2 vanilla bean
2 c. heavy creme
3 egg yolks
pinch of salt
1/4 c. + 4 TBS sugar

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 300°F. Have a pot of boiling water ready. Line a baking pan that is 2 to 3 inches deep with a small kitchen towel.

Using a paring knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise down the middle and scrape the seeds into a 2-quart saucepan. Add the cream, stir to mix and set the pan over medium-low heat. Warm the cream until bubbles form around the edges of the pan and steam begins to rise from the surface. Remove from the heat and set aside to steep, about 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, salt and the 1/4 cup sugar until smooth and blended. Gradually add the cream to the egg mixture, whisking until blended. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Divide the custard among four 5- or 6-oz. ramekins and place the ramekins in the prepared baking pan. Add boiling water to fill the pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake until the custard is just set around the edges, 35 to 40 minutes.

Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.

Just before serving, sprinkle 1 Tbs. of the sugar evenly over each custard. Using a kitchen torch, melt the sugar according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Serve immediately.