while in search of ice cream, i stumbled on the brentwood country mart last weekend. its the perfect mix of kick back chill and LA classy. though i was disappointed by the ice cream (especially after hearing such great reviews), the vegetarian tacos were good, the independent bookstop is stelar and there is a darling little stationary store in the back that sells rifle stationary. overall, it was an afternoon well spent.
my best friend is going back to england to be all cool and tour with his band. whatever. after visiting for the summer, we decided to have a little late night send off and what better way to send someone off than an all night hang out and donut shop-hop? we three have been friends since we met on a mission trip to england and austria a few years back and though we never seem to be in the same place for very long, we are inseparable when we are together. i sure do love these people! by the way, if you are in the newport/ costa mesa area and want donuts, dippity donuts is the way to go. janky but oh so yummy
lately, i’ve been obsessed with all things green tea. green tea macaroons, green tea lattes, green tea boba, just plain green tea, etc. so when i found this recipe, i knew i just had to try it. i hadn’t made cupcakes since college so i decided it would be a fun change from all the cakes, cookies and macaroons i’ve been baking up over the past few weeks. thank goodness for yoga or i would be seriously fat with all this baking. i used this recipe and they turned out great (if i do say so myself)… they made 18 cupcakes instead of 24 and i had tons of extra icing but i’m not complaining. they taste really “green” and not as sweet as usual cupcakes which i enjoyed but that probably isn’t everyones cup of tea (pardon the pun). overall, these cupcakes were a success.
today was my moms birthday! to celebrate this joyous occasion, i made a yellow cake with vanilla frosting from magnolia bakery (one of the things i miss most about nyc) and a whimsical banner to go on top. i didn’t have much time to make it but it was a relatively simple recipe so i could whip it out in no time. i love making cakes and this one was no exception! i made the banner by gluing felt to string then trying it to two long sticks. it was so easy to make and the best part is it’s reusable! so happy birthday momma! hope you’re day was fantastic
i’ve been on a total baking kick since i’ve been back from college. when i found these cookies on pinterest, i just had to try them. these really are the best cookies i have ever made. they take a lot of chocolate. i mean a lot! i didn’t take any pictures of the finished cookies but they cooked flatter than expected (which is a pet peeve of mine) but they were so good that it was easily overlooked. the original recipe is from the New York Times and can be found here. enjoy and bon appetit.
ingredients
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons
(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)
Sea salt.
instructions
1. sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. set aside.
2. using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. stir in the vanilla. reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. when ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. set aside.
4. scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. eat warm, with a big napkin.
