Meringue Caramel Epice

Sorry I haven't made a post in ages! I've had to put both this and the food blog on hold for a while because of how busy I'm with work (which while I feel guilty about, I'm also extremely happy that it's because I've finally found a job I love at an amazing company!) 

I took the liberty to update the food blog first. This dessert is called Meringue Caramel Epice, which is a concoction of all the basics, like French meringue, whipped cream, and a spiced caramel pastry cream. I've actually bookmarked the recipe for ages but was a bit afraid of trying a spiced dessert (since they remind me of icky Costco fruit cakes). However, a classic dessert called pain d'epice came up in one of the episodes of Shitsuren Chocolatier and I was so intrigued by the idea I finally had to make it. 

The caramel cream is actually super yummy! I ate it by the spoonful when I ran out of meringue shells to layer it with :) 

If you're interested in the recipe, please click here!

I've also noticed that Dear Brother chapters have come out, so I'll try to make an update tomorrow (as well as read them of course). I've not been checking as regularly since my interest in the story has kinda waned, but hopefully the two latest chapters have some kind of exciting change to them! (Enjouji-sensei, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you'll work your magic)

Food Blog Update: Mt. Blanc Recipe

New update! It's been ages since I've written anything for the blog, and feeling a bit guilty for neglecting it, I finally uploaded a recipe of Mt. Blanc. It's one of my favorite desserts to eat year round (but unfortunately I can't get chestnuts year round in the states...), so fall and winter are really the only times I can make it. The top picture is a type of Japanese candied chestnut that leaves the skin on and it's called shibukawani 渋皮煮. It's really delicious (and no the skin doesn't taste stringent or tough anymore after you cook it), but it takes a while to cook and loads of prep work to peel. Sigh...if only I was in Japan, I could just go out and buy a jar!

Anyways, if you're interested, you can read the recipe here.

I saw that the newest chapter of Dear Brother has been up, and glanced through it briefly...but unfortunately, it's nothing to be excited about. I'll post the summary up soon as these days are a bit busy.

Food blog update! Super easy 5 ingredient Financier tea cake recipe~

Whoever said all French desserts are complex is wrong. Sure, there are those beautiful pesky cookies known as macaron that will give even the most seasoned chefs a headache, and then there are those entremets that call for 5 different layers that will take you at least 2 days to make…but then, there are financiers, buttery, golden, moist, springy cakes that go well with everything, and only takes 5 ingredients! (Well, more if you add fruit and stuff like lemon zest)

I had a load of butter to get rid of and decided to make these to use all my ingredients up.  This recipe uses brown butter, which is basically boiled down butter with the water solids removed (and when it’s done, it smells like caramel toffee!) They go well with tea, ice cream, clotted cream, and well…basically anything you can think of.  But the best thing about them is that they’re super easy to make~ Just boil your butter until it gives off that sweet burnt toffee aroma, mix together all your ingredients, let it sit in the fridge for a while, and stuff them into the oven.

If you google them, you would most likely see them in rectangular ingot like shapes, but I didn’t have those molds. Technically, you can fill muffin molds with it too, I just used tart molds (though I’m definitely going to purchase some rectangle ones soon).  If you’re interested, click here for the recipe!