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Giant Chocolate Caramel Ice Cream Sandwich

Posted on June 1, 2012June 1, 2012 by Claire

giant chocolate caramel ice cream sandwich

I love cakes. Baking them, eating them, looking at photos of them. They’re extravagant and delicious. But my boyfriend prefers cookies, and it’s long been a source of tension between us. For his recent birthday, however, we came up with a compromise. An ice cream sandwich the size of a cake. All the extravagance of a cake, even layered almost like a cake, yet really just two giant cookies with ice cream. We tossed around flavors for a while before settling on chocolate and caramel, a classic combination. Baking two very large cookies was as simple as filling two cake pans; this also resulted in a denser and chewier cookie, although I imagine you could just drop the batter on two cookie sheets for thinner and more traditional cookies.

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Salted Brown Butter Caramel Ice Cream

Posted on May 30, 2012April 9, 2024 by Claire

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.

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Brownie Cookies

Posted on May 28, 2012May 27, 2012 by Claire

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.

Thai Corn Salad

Posted on May 25, 2012May 25, 2012 by Claire

thai corn salad

As we move into summer, I just don’t have the patience to spend a long time next to a hot stove or hot oven to cook. And I certainly don’t feel like eating anything too heavy or rich. So this easy Thai corn salad is perfect for a light lunch or as a side to a lazy summer dinner. A dressing of fresh Thai basil and cilantro along with lime, honey, and ginger perfectly complements the sweet corn that will soon flood our markets and makes this a lot more exciting than your usual corn salad. And since the salad tastes great cold, at room temperature, or even a little warm (and there’s no dairy to spoil), this is the perfect dish to bring along to a picnic.

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Kimchi Omelet

Posted on May 23, 2012May 23, 2012 by Claire

kimchi omelet

When I was younger, I could wake up and go hours without eating. In fact, the thought of eating right after waking up made me feel slightly queasy. Lately, however, this has changed drastically. These days, I often wake up to the sound of my stomach growling. I need to eat as quickly as possible so often opt for oatmeal (cooked the night before) or yogurt. But sometimes I need a change of pace, and this kimchi omelet was a perfect addition to my morning rotation. The eggs and zucchini make this wonderfully filling, while the kimchi’s flavor means spicing is effortless.

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Cucumber Sesame Salad

Posted on May 21, 2012May 27, 2012 by Claire

cucumber sesame salad

My life has been crazy lately, an absolute whirlwind of activity. All exciting events in various ways, but I’ve barely had a chance to catch my breath. As a matter of fact, I am writing this from an airport terminal as I wait to board a flight to Istanbul (where I’ll be presenting at a conference – and getting ideas for new cooking projects, of course). It can be hard, amidst a flurry of events, to keep cooking, to eat well (both in terms of health and taste). So that’s why I’m posting a simple recipe today, one you can throw together in a matter of minutes.

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Garam Masala Cookies

Posted on May 18, 2012May 17, 2012 by Claire

garam masala cookies

When it comes to desserts, I much prefer the unusual to the ordinary. I’ve never been one for vanilla ice cream or chocolate chip cookies; they’re tasty, sure, but way too boring for me. Give me something complex and exciting! These garam masala cookies are definitely in line with my dessert philosophy. Yes, they’re sweet, as cookies are meant to be, but they’re also nutty from brown butter and spicy from garam masala. At first, these fragrant cookies are reminiscent of spice cookies, with the familiar flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. But then there are those less familiar notes from the other components of the garam masala.

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Japanese Curry

Posted on May 16, 2012May 16, 2012 by Claire

japanese curry

Japanese curry is an interesting phenomenon – traditional Indian curries twisted their way through the British to Japan and beget this now widely popular dish. Usually served over rice (or sometimes noodles) and often called “curry rice” as a result, Japanese curry adds extra sweetness over its predecessors (from a grated apple in this recipe – sometimes raisins are also added) and is thickened with a flavorful roux. I can’t help but love every incarnation of curry, from Thai to Indian to British, and Japanese curry is no exception. Usually made with humble potatoes, carrots, and peas, I like to switch out the potatoes for cauliflower and add in mushrooms and chickpeas, resulting in a variety of flavors and textures, as well as quite a lot of food.

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3-2-1 Stir Fry

Posted on May 14, 2012May 14, 2012 by Claire

3-2-1 stir fry

So you’ve probably heard that pound cake was thus named because it was once made from a pound of butter, a pound of flour, and a pound of sugar? Similarly, Cantonese 3-2-1 sauce is a recipe in a name. Only, unlike pound cake, this is a recipe I use regularly. Three parts soy sauce, two parts oyster sauce, and one part sesame oil yield this amazing basic sauce, full of umami and perfect for stir fries. I’ve mentioned my obsession with umami on here before, right? Officially recognized as one of our basic tastes (the others being sweet, sour, salty, and bitter) just 27 years ago, it’s that rich hearty flavor that makes steak, mushrooms, tomatoes, and cheese so addictive.

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Candied Kumquats

Posted on May 11, 2012May 10, 2012 by Claire

candied kumquats

Kumquats, if you’ve never had them, are a citrus fruit about the size and shape of grapes. Unlike other citruses, you can eat the peel of a kumquat, and in fact, the peel is pleasantly sweet while the flesh itself is quite tart. These flavors make kumquats great for eating straight, but they’re even better when candied. The basic formula for candying citrus is easy – water, sugar, and fruit. But I’ve changed things up a little here for this recipe. Brown sugar and bourbon add extra sweetness and depth while a dried chile lends a little kick. The result is complex and delicious.

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