Today is National S’mores Day, so what better day than to share with you the S’mores cake I made last weekend for a friend’s birthday. This girl loves anything chocolate, so when i asked her what kind of cake she would like this year, she first replied ‘something chocolate’. Then a few minutes later she sent a text saying ‘Actually, can you make a s’mores cake???’ The funny thing is, I had planned to make a s’mores cake back in June for my boyfriend’s birthday, but I didn’t have some of the necessary equipment (you will need a blow torch!) and I was short on time. I ended up making a chocolate cookie dough bundt cake, which didn’t require any decorating time.
dessert
Cherry Pie
Cherries are one of my favorite summer fruits; as soon as they come into season I always make sure I have them in my fridge. So it goes without saying that cherry pie is my favorite of all fruit pies. This recipe is all from-scratch, and trust me, it’s worth it! I used to be intimidated by making my own pie crust from scratch, I thought the whole process was too involved and tricky. After doing it several times, and improving each time, I realized it’s actually very easy, you just need to understand the golden rule of keeping all the ingredients cold. Only use as much water as you need for mixing the dough. It also pays to make some room in your freezer for the pie, so you can put it in there 10 minutes before putting it in the oven. This will ensure that the crust stays intact and the sides don’t droop.
Summer Offerings at Dominique Ansel Bakery
At my office, we always celebrate birthdays with a cake of that person’s choosing, and I usually bake it the night before to bring in the next day. This past Monday was my birthday, and since I’m the only one out of my colleagues who bakes, they let me choose a bakery to purchase a…
Matcha Coconut Energy Balls
Matcha and Coconut are two of my favorite things. It was only a matter of time before I put the two together to create a satisfying treat. These energy balls are raw vegan, and come together in a matter of minutes. Matcha ( a special form of green tea from Japan) has many health benefits and also gives you a boost thanks to the caffeine. Matcha is made from high quality tea and the leaves are ground down into a fine powder. Because whole leaves are injected, this makes Matcha a more potent source of nutrients than green tea. It is rich in antioxidants that can help prevent cancer and heart disease, and can help to regulate sugar levels in the body.
Salted Peanut Butter Cookies
If you read my food reviews, you’ll recall a recent post about Ovenly and how sinfully delicious their baked goods are. Especially their salted peanut butter cookies! I was so taken aback with how good these cookies were, that I knew I had to find the recipe and try to recreate them myself. Well I did it! It wasn’t such a hard task, thanks to Ovenly having this recipe in their cookbook. Smitten Kitchen featured the recipe on their website, so I was only a short amount of time away from having these amazing cookies baking in my oven.
For this recipe to be successful, you need to use a processed peanut butter such as Skippy or Jif. The natural peanut butters are too runny so don’t be tempted to make these cookies more healthy. Just enjoy them for what they are: pure peanut butter heaven. To achieve the shape seen in the photos, you will need to use a cookie scoop. Freezing the dough is mandatory if you want to get the pretty striations on top of the cookies.
This Pie Is Nuts
This Pie Is Nuts is a range of healthy pies and granola, which are free from preservatives and are nourishing for the body. I first tried these delectable pies at the Bryant Park Holiday Market and I got to meet the pie creator herself, Diana. The pies come cutely packaged as individual squares and the flavors are Key Lime, Chocolate Mousse, Purely Pumpkin, Coconut Cream and Sweet Potato & Ginger.
I chose a Key Lime pie and a Coconut Cream pie. The Key Lime was definitely my favorite, with its zesty tartness mixed with creaminess. Pie perfection. The Coconut Cream was really luscious, with flakes of unsweetened coconut adorning the top of the pie.
Authentic Isan Thai Food at Larb Ubol
Larb Ubol, in Hell’s Kitchen, serves up authentic Isan Thai food that will have you coming back for more. Isan, a region in northeast Thailand, dominates the food scene across the entire country despite containing only 30% of the population.
I ordered the Larb Moo (pork) salad ($9), which consists of finely ground pork, shallots, fresh mint, scallions, cilantro, chili powder and lime dressing. Larb is a Thai salad, although instead of a vegetable salad, it’s a meat salad. If I’d never had a taste explosion before now, this dish would definitely cause one. Upon first bite, I exclaimed ‘wow!’ It was like being hit in the face with a fish. But in a really good way! The flavours in this dish really delight the senses: you have spicy, salty, sweet and sour all in the same plate. Make sure to order a side of sticky rice.
Valentine’s Shortbread Cookies with Guava Jam
Valentine’s Day is almost here. Whether you celebrate it or not (let’s face it, it is very commercial), it’s a great excuse to eat heart shaped treats and to spend it with a loved one, who doesn’t need to be your boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife. If you’re single, a fun get-together with the ladies in your life is probably a much better option than an awkward date. I wanted to put a spin on the usual heart shaped cookies, and instead of filling them with strawberry or raspberry jam, I went with guava. I love the flavor so much, and it pairs so well with the rich, buttery shortbread.
Hidden Apple Tart Tartin
The other day I was having a highly productive (read BORING) day at home cleaning. But at least it’s exercise right? All that sweeping with the broom. Gosh I miss the days when I had a vacuum cleaner. But nobody in New York City seems to have one. They all sweep. Anyway, enough about that! This productive but boring day suddenly took a turn for the better when my boyfriend arrived home with a dessert from Dominique Ansel Kitchen. Oh he knows me well. So very very well. If you want to impress me, or apoligize to me, or just be nice to me, get me ANYTHING from the pastry wizard, Dominique Ansel.
NYC Restaurant Week: Riverpark
NYC Restaurant Week kicked off this Monday where diners can enjoy a 3-course lunch for $29 or a dinner for $42 at select fine dining restaurants across the city. Long before I came to live in NYC, I had been an avid watcher of the TV show ‘Top Chef’. One of the judges on that show is Tom Colicchio, who owns Riverpark as well as Craft and Craftbar & several others in the city. Riverpark is situated right by the East River, so a beautiful evening view while eating your meal is an added bonus. The restaurant itself is chic yet still inviting, with leather and pin-lighting throughout. I found it to be very comfortable: both with the seating and noise level. Tables are spaced well-enough apart that you can hold a conversation without having to raise your voice. The staff were very welcoming and helpful. There’s nothing more I detest than to go to an upscale restaurant and have rude or snobby service. Thankfully, you won’t find that at Riverpark.