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Pork Kebabs with Peach Melba Sauce
After a short break which involved getting married (!) and moving across the pond (Hello, London!), the chic brûlée is back and better than ever. I will be transitioning the blog to be London-based, reporting on the latest and greatest London food and style scene, while still of course posting every type of sweet and savory recipe I make in my kitchen.
Last night I made a great summer dish ~ Grilled Pork Kebabs with Peach Melba Sauce. We have a terrace in our new London flat, so we have already been grilling up a storm since we arrived. I started with a
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Almond Butter Rice Cakes
I am so excited to share with you all my latest food obsession: almond butter. Luckily, almond butter is not only delicious and satisfying, but it is good for you too. I hate to admit it, but I learned about this snack from a recent episode of Dr. Oz where Snooki (yes, Jersey Shore Snooki), was on the show to share the diet she used to drop 42 pounds
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Creamy Vanilla Rice Pudding
Today I am thrilled to share a simple yet delicious recipe for stove-top Creamy Vanilla Rice Pudding. To make the pudding, I used a vanilla bean, which infused a rich and intense vanilla flavor into the creamy rice pudding, and truly sets this recipe apart from all of the others. You can find vanilla beans at gourmet stores and larger grocery stores like Whole Foods (where I got mine). I chose a Nielsen-Massey Madagascar vanilla bean, which is one of the most popular varieties, known for its buttery, sweet aroma. There is really no comparison to regular vanilla extract and the beans are essential for recipes like this that feature vanilla as the main attraction. I also chose to use medium-grain rice, which provides the most thick and creamy texture. I hope you enjoy this simple and decadent vanilla treat!
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Fudgy Brownie Bites With Ganache
For the ultimate Valentine’s Day indulge this year, I made fudgy brownie bites with dark chocolate ganache. I decorated them in plenty of shades of pink and red, but this recipe can of course be used any time of year for many different occasions that require a fun, bite-sized dessert. I was inspired to make the bites after I came across a box of Duncan Hines Brownie Mix in the form of bites. It’s one of those mini boxes that doesn’t make a full batch, so it’s perfect if you are not serving them for a big group. I decided to dress them up a bit by adding a frosting of shiny, rich ganache. Ganache, made simply of semi-sweet chocolate, whipping cream and butter, is one of those things that sounds scary to make, but is actually quite easy!
The brownie bites came out rich, moist and fudgy, and the extra kick of ganache on top elevated them from a regular brownie into a gourmet dessert. Check out all of the steps below. This recipe is a guaranteed hit for all of the chocolate lovers in your life. Enjoy and Happy Valentine’s Day!! xoxo
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Scallops Wrapped in Bacon
For a simple and classic hot hors d’oeuvre, what’s better than a sizzling scallop wrapped in bacon? I made these crowd favorites around the holidays for an elegant appetizer and decided to serve them recently as a light dinner alongside a salad. The recipe has been around forever, but I wanted to post about it today to bring them back in style!
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Mini Blueberry Almond Crisps
Yesterday I made a delightful recipe from one of my favorite chefs, Carla Hall, recently featured on The Chew. This is an easy and trimmed-down recipe for a scrumptious blueberry crisp made in six ramekins for fun individual portions. The filling, made with blueberries (fresh or frozen), lemon, sugar, cornstarch and salt, is topped with a crispy and buttery crumble that bakes up to perfection.
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Twice Baked Shortbread
Shortbread is the ultimate indulgence. With an ingredient list traditionally comprised of one part white sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour, these Scottish “biscuits,” popular since the 16th century, have surely stood the test of time. On my last trip to the U.K., I took home a box of shortbread from Harrod’s famous upscale “food court” and savored every last bite while back home in New York. I made a double batch to bring home for Christmas since both my Dad and my fiancé love shortbread as well ~ a win-win situation for all! This recipe calls for you to double bake the shortbread and from my experience is the best method to cook this delightful buttery treat. Because there is only a short list of ingredients, the quality of each is very important. In light of that, I decided to use European-style butter to elevate the richness of the shortbread and provide the most flavor possible. If you can’t find European-style butter at your grocery store or market, you can certainly still use regular butter for this recipe. After baking the shortbread twice (first in a pan and then cut into fingers on a baking sheet), it came out rich, crumbly and the most beautiful golden butter color. I hope you enjoy this little taste of Scotland in your kitchen for the holidays this year!
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Saltine Toffee
I just finished making a batch of one of my favorite holiday treats ~ Saltine Toffee. This crunchy candy is irresistible and so easy to make. Check out my recipe here. Enjoy!
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Christmas Cookies with Royal Icing
There is nothing like a batch of freshly baked, buttery Christmas cookies frosted in rich royal icing and dusted with colorful sugar. I can guarantee that you will not find a better, more delicious recipe for cutout sugar cookies anywhere. These festive cookies are favorites of kids and adults alike and are truly a work of art! This year, I decided to do trees, stars, snowflakes, candy canes and reindeer, and I’m thrilled to share with you my recipe for these scrumptious frosted cookies along with a few helpful tips and techniques for frosting the cookies. So, throw on some Christmas carols and get baking!
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Knob Creek Balls
Known as “Southern Truffles,” I couldn’t wait to make a batch of fun, boozy bourbon balls. Most of all, I wanted to impress my fiancé, quite the bourbon aficiando, with a dessert made of his favorite Kentucky bourbon, Knob Creek. These no-bake balls are easy to make and pack quite the punch. Inside the balls is a mix of crushed Nilla wafers and pecans for just enough crunch. I rolled them in chocolate sprinkles to make them beautiful enough to serve at any of your holiday parties this year. Enjoy!
