sel et sucre

Tag: sweet

  • Argentine Cappuccino with Dulce de Leche

    argentine cappuccino with dulce de leche

    I was at a cafe in Buenos Aires for merienda (an afternoon snack, usually consisting of coffee and pastries) a few weeks back when I spotted a drink the cafe called a “capuchino porteño.” Porteño is an adjective used for the natives here (literally meaning of/from the port, referring to Buenos Aires being a port city), and once I read the description of this cappuccino, I knew I had to order it. The key ingredient, unsurprising given its great popularity here, was dulce de leche. The drink was right up my alley, since I prefer my coffee drinks sweet and milky. When I found that our apartment in Uruguay (another dulce de leche loving country, by the by) included an espresso machine, I was determined to recreate this drink. It’s not a traditional cappuccino, although it does have the usual base of espresso and steamed milk; this is more of a dessert than anything, and in the Argentine style of desserts, it’s quite sweet. Dulce de leche is drizzled down the side of the glass and whipped into some cream on the top (this recipes makes extra dulce de leche whipped cream, but I’m sure you’ll find a use for it), and a sprinkle of cinnamon (cocoa powder would also work well) is a great complement to the caramel flavor.

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  • Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites

    frozen peanut butter chocolate banana bites

    Frozen bananas used to be a staple in my refrigerator for making “milkshakes” since their frozen consistency closely mimics that of ice cream. But now that I’m traveling and sadly without any method of blending, I’ve had to give up those tasty desserts. When a couple bananas were on the verge of being overripe recently, though, I cut them in slices and froze them without thinking about it. The frozen banana slices were good even eaten up plain, but I wanted something that was a bit more of a treat. So, with thoughts about my banana breakfast roll in the back of my head, I mixed up some peanut butter and honey (plus a little water to thin it out) and dipped them in that. And then, because peanut butter always calls out for some chocolate, I dipped them in a little melted chocolate, too. Dark chocolate is always my preference – here, I used a chocolate with 85% cocoa content that was too dark for eating out of hand but worked well with the creaminess of the banana and richness of the peanut butter. The result is decadent enough to satisfy an ice cream craving, while still being a healthy option. I like them in bite-sized form like this, but you can also cut the bananas in half and put them on a popsicle stick for something more closely resembling an ice cream bar.

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  • Lemon Olive Oil Cake

    lemon olive oil cake

    I’m a big fan of olive oil. Extra-virgin, of course. It’s my go-to for roasting vegetables, the first thing I reach for when sauteing onions, and the natural base for homemade salad dressings. I even add it to my soap (it’s a moisturizer!). So here is my ode to olive oil, in the form of a cake. Paired with lemon and rosemary, two among many flavors that sing alongside its fruitiness, the olive oil somehow yields a cake richer than if it had been made with butter. This cake is similar to a sponge cake, fluffed up with beaten egg whites and topped with turbinado sugar, and although I found it deflated after leaving the oven, the texture still seemed spot on to me. I intended to try a couple slices with fresh fruit and whipped cream, but to be honest, it was gone before I had a chance and tasted just perfect as is.

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  • Salted Brown Butter Caramel Ice Cream

    salted brown butter caramel ice cream

    Three years ago, I pulled my parents’ dusty ice cream maker out of storage and started putting it to use. I began with simple recipes and was astounded to find just how easy it was to make delicious ice cream. I quickly graduated to custard-based recipes and discovered a whole new level of creamy richness. This recipe, however, still made me hesitate. Not only custard-based, but involving two separate batches of caramel pushed right to the edge of burning, it seemed far too complex to be worth it, especially when I could make very tasty ice cream without such a hassle. But it stayed in the back of my mind. In these past three years, I’ve become much more confident with making caramel, with making ice cream, and with my cooking in general, and finally it became clear I had to take on the challenge of this recipe. Never content to just follow the recipe, I decided to also brown the butter. Even with this extra step, I found this recipe came together fairly easily. And the resulting ice cream… unbelievably decadent, streaks of caramel in a rich caramel base with hints of nutty roasted flavors, and, of course, some salt to balance the sweetness. It was a triumph, one that made me seriously consider starting my own ice cream business, perhaps even exploring an Ice Cream Truck Rental to share these indulgent flavors with others on the go.

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  • Brownie Cookies

    brownie cookies

    Some people love brownies, and some people love cookies, but most people, myself included, love both. For all of them, these are a revelatory dessert. All of the chocolate decadence of a brownie in cookie form. The key to this magical crossover dessert is large quantities of melted chocolate and eggs which give the cookies a fudge-like texture. Simple to make and guaranteed to please, these cookies should most definitely make their way into your life. You’ll never look at brownies or cookies quite the same way again.

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  • Maple Bacon S’mores

    maple bacon s'mores

    Okay, it might be a little silly for me to post a recipe for s’mores. I know, you already know how to make s’mores. It’s really so simple, just marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers. But these were easily the best I’ve ever had. Very different from what I had as a kid (and I wonder what me as a kid would have thought of these). The salty-sweet combination with bacon in the homemade marshmallows and smoked salt on the homemade graham crackers adds another dimension to this classic dessert. As I’ve gotten older, my chocolate preferences have shifted away from milk chocolate and towards dark chocolate, and this was the perfect place to embrace that. Dark chocolate (60% cocoa content or higher ideally) helps these seem sophisticated instead of sickeningly sweet (although, okay, they’re still quite sweet). These s’mores were the perfect way to kick off the grilling season during the recent abnormally warm weather, and I’m pretty sure I’ll have to make them the next time I go camping. I think my young self would approve; these are the best of both worlds: playful and messy to tap into your inner kid but complex enough to please your adult taste buds.

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  • Blood Orange Curd

    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. Of course, I managed to undercook my blood orange curd the first time around. As I shook my head with dismay and tried to hide the less than perfect results in the kitchen, my brunch companions excitedly spooned the “sauce” onto their crepes and reassured me that the flavor was still amazing. Nevertheless, I poured the concoction back into the saucepan after they’d left in a second attempt at thickening it up. Luckily, all I needed was a little more heat, and within minutes, I had my curd at the perfect consistency.

    Blood oranges are nearing the end of their season sadly, so now is the chance to embrace them while you still can. If you’ve had lemon curd, you can guess at how delicious blood orange curd is (and if not, a curd is a smooth sweet and tart spread, thickened by eggs, similar to a custard). The flavors here are a bit more subtle than lemon curd; there’s still that citrus tang, only now it’s accompanied by light floral notes and a gorgeous dusty rose color. Crepes are not the only option for this curd; it will do equally well slathered on scones and shortbread or used as the filling for a tart.

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  • Brown Butter Blondies

    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). This time around, I mixed in finely chopped walnuts and cocoa nibs, but they’ve been equally delicious in the past with hazelnuts and toffee bits. Actually, nearly any leftover sweet bits (or savory, if you’re feeling adventurous) in your pantry can work here, or you can even forgo the mix-ins entirely. I’ve made these blondies for hosting friends, meeting new roommates (one of whom I ended up dating – can’t be a coincidence, right?), bringing along to parties, and just when craving something sweet. Toss these together the next time you’re in the mood for a decadent treat, and you will most assuredly not be disappointed.

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  • Salted Chocolate Toffee Cookies

    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. Salt and sugar, surprisingly complementary flavors… it’s exactly what this blog is all about.

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