The moment I laid eyes on the recipe for these marshmallows, I was determined to make them for s’mores as in the linked recipe (look for my version of the s’mores later in the week). Despite my excitement about this particular combination of flavors, this ended up being a particularly divisive recipe, with reactions varying from enthusiastic pleas for a taste to an incredulous “there’s meat in those?” Bacon in marshmallows may indeed seem strange but when it’s candied bacon alongside maple syrup, it actually makes a lot of sense, especially if you (like me) love salty-sweet combinations. If you had the same reaction as me, you already know you want to make this recipe.
Category: desserts
Candied Bacon
Today marks a special milestone for my blog. For more than six months, I’ve been posting here three times a week every week, and this post right here is my 100th post. I struggled trying to come up with the absolutely perfect recipe for this occasion. I wanted something I was really proud of, something unique and delicious, something salty and sweet. And when I came across this recipe, I knew it was the one. Candied bacon. Could anything be more perfect? The combination of salty, sweet, spicy, and smoky is unbelievably decadent and addictive. Not too difficult to make but certainly not an every day recipe (because it’s not every day that you use a whole pound of bacon).
Blood Orange Curd
I feel pretty lucky to have friends who are wholeheartedly enthusiastic about food. Nothing reminds me of this quite so much as when we get together for brunch; we pull out the leaves on the table just so we can have as much space as possible to load down with food. Bagels with cream cheese and lox, omelets, hash browns, biscuits, scones, bacon, curried vegetables, fresh fruit, crepes… and the list goes on. Sometimes it’s a chance to get creative, sometimes an excuse for a feast, and always a welcome time to relax and chat with friends.
For our most recent brunch, I decided I wanted to make a blood orange curd to go with the crepes that my boyfriend was cooking.
Brown Butter Blondies
Browning butter is truly a magical process. Somehow, simply by adding heat, your run of the mill stick of butter transforms with nutty caramel notes that elevate nearly everything. I’m not usually a butter fiend, but when the aroma of browning butter starts to waft through the air, it’s all I can do not to start eating it plain. Brown butter can be used in both savory and sweet dishes, but I think my favorite use is these brown butter blondies. They’re incredibly easy to make and really showcase the butter’s phenomenal transformation (the combination of the brown butter with brown sugar has prompted many to ask me if there’s caramel in these).
Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Ganache
This is a cake so amazing, so delicious, so decadent that I made it for my birthday two years in a row. I wanted to make a different cake this year, I really did; I love cooking things that are exciting and new, and I don’t have nearly enough excuses to bake cakes. But as the day neared, I found my mind constantly wandering back to this rich, dense chocolate cake, layered with salted caramel ganache, just the right balance of salty and sweet. And I finally admitted that I’d already found my birthday perfection; it’s my day after all, dammit, and I was going to have this cake.
Salted Chocolate Toffee Cookies
So I need glasses.
I really like defying expectations. I’m a really big nerd (anyone who’s talked to me for more than 15 minutes can testify to this), and I’m proud of it, but I also like that I don’t look like a stereotypical nerd. So I’m adjusting to wearing glasses, to having a traditionally “nerdy” accessory.
These cookies are kind of like that. At first glance, just chocolate cookies. But then you take a bite, and there’s the incredible salty-sweet flavor and the hidden toffee bits. And, at a second glance, the sprinkling of fleur de sel heightening the chocolate (please use the best quality you can) has been sparkling on the surface of the cookie all along.
Nana’s Original (Manakeesh bil Zaatar)
Despite being half-Lebanese, it wasn’t until the summer of 2009 that I was able to spend an extended period of time in Lebanon. I was studying at the American University of Beirut, taking two classes (one, a fascinating abnormal psychology course, and the other, “the art of honeymaking,” a class on beekeeping – I’ll share some great stories from this class another time, rest assured) and spending every other weekend visiting my grandparents (who I’d only met once before) in a small town in the north of Lebanon. Needless to say, it was a scary and amazing experience for me, not to mention a formative one.
Gingerbread Waffles
Spices and molasses come together in these gingerbread waffles to make the perfect winter breakfast. For extra decadence, serve topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream and maple syrup. Berry preserves would also work well here, as would a dollop of yogurt to cut the sweetness. If you don’t have a waffle maker, I think this batter could be easily used for pancakes. My suggestion is to make the full batch, even if you’re only planning on eating a couple waffles (or pancakes); probably my favorite part of making these waffles was freezing the leftovers. Now, whenever I’m feeling particularly lazy, I can quickly toast up a couple of these and have a delicious breakfast (or dessert!).
Pumpkin Pancakes
We’re approaching the end of pumpkin season, so I’ll be posting my very best pumpkin recipes this week and next week. Luckily, pumpkins keep well for a couple months (and my pumpkin puree will keep good for 6 months or more when frozen) which means after you buy up those last pumpkins, you’ll have ample time to cook these delicious recipes!
These subtly orange pancakes are quite easy to toss together and have the perfect amount of pumpkin flavor alongside traditional pumpkin pie spices. They’re great for when you have some leftover pumpkin puree but not enough for most recipes, since you only need 1/2 cup for this recipe.
Bacon Cheddar Biscuits
I have an embarrassing habit to admit: I try to put bacon in as many things I cook as possible. I’m lucky enough to have access to some amazing bacon from Truck Patch Farms at the weekly farmers’ market a block from me, but sometimes a slice of bacon doesn’t quite fit in a dish – that’s when I use my saved bacon drippings. I’ve heard bacon fat referred to as “white gold,” and I can’t help but think of the term every time I open my personal stores. It actually has less saturated fat and less cholesterol than butter, and it’s a great way to add some salty smoky flavor when sauteing veggies.