~BIRTHDAY POST~

 

I've always loved celebrating birthdays, whether it be my friends', family, or my own! I usually plan a big night out every year, gather my best friends, and go somewhere fun, starting with a great dinner and usually ending with dancing. This year, I decided to keep things more low-key, as it's hard with my schedule working in the restaurant industry. And also because I just wanted to take a break from planning anything. I tend to make to-do lists every day, make plans far in advance for everything, and just try to micro-manage my life. I have to remind myself that it's important to be able to reflect on things every now and then and go with the flow.

 

I did have a wonderful dinner with my loving boyfriend and amazing parents at this AH-MAZING Steak House! Boston Chops is the perfect place to go with a group for a night out or to bring out-of-town guests. It really has that big city feel, with high ceilings and a stunning glass wine room. If you're into old-school cocktails, like me, try the Manhattan and definitely go with the NY steak and pair it with the side of herbed mushrooms. Of course, I had to get dessert because my favorite thing ever was surprisingly on their menu-Sticky Toffee Pudding. It was perfect.

 



~BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHUNK~

A classic favorite! I always make chocolate chip cookies using the "creamed-butter' method but wanted to try a new approach by browning the butter. This produces better flavor and a chewier cookie....yes please!!!

( For about 24 cookies)
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
14 TBSP. unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg + 1 yolk
1 1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks

1. Preheat oven to 325, line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

2. Whisk flour and baking soda together; set aside.

3. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and swirl pan constantly, cooking until it's a dark brown color and has a nutty aroma. Transfer to a large bowl.

4. Add both sugars,salt, and vanilla t melted butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add the egg and yolk, whisking to combine until smooth. Let mixture sit for 3 minutes.

5.Whisk for about 30 seconds more, then incorporate flour mixture just to combine and add chocolate.

6. Scoop dough into desired size (I rolled balls and weighed them at about 40 grams each) and drop 2 inches apart on baking sheet.

7. Bake for about 7 min, then rotate pan and bake about 7 min, more or until the edges are set and the center still looks soft. Cookies should look puffy and have a crackly surface when you take them out.

~FLAN~

On a recent lazy day, I decided to visit my boyfriend Vartan and surprise him with his favorite dessert! He loves Flan and always says that if I ever want to make something for him, it can be that. It's a pretty simple, classic Spanish Custard, that, when inverted onto a serving platter, is covered with a glossy layer of caramel sauce. It's not the most glamorous dessert, and not always my first choice but I like to think I have good reason to make it for my favorite guy, and here's why:

We were only dating for less than a month when I left to study abroad in Barcelona. I will never forgot the most amazing week when he came to visit me. We fell in love with everything about Barcelona, from the art to the eclectic tapas bars/ Spanish desserts and I like to think of it as the place where we fell for each other. So I guess making Flan has more meaning than I once thought it to be!

If done right, Flan has a tender, creamy texture, shouldn't taste too eggy, and has a firm enough structure so it can unmold onto a platter without collapsing into a mess. The main thing is to bake the custard in a water bath because it needs even, gentle heat for baking. Otherwise, it will over bake and produce a rubbery texture and look scrambled inside. And definitely add a small amount of orange zest! A little goes a long way here, and gives the custard a refreshing flavor profile. A lot of recipes I looked it didn't call for it, but I know it was common in Barcelona, especially when made by my host-family!

Classic Flan (serves 6-8)

1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs and 3 yolks
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1 (14 oz. ) can of sweetened condensed milk
1/4 tsp. grated orange zest

1. Preheat oven to 350. Place a dish towel in the bottom of a large baking dish and put a 9 inch round cake pan on the towel.

2. In  a small saucepan, combine the sugar and a small amount of water to make a wet-sand consistency. Bring to a boil and cook-do not stir- until the color has a faint golden color. Reduce the heat and continue to cook until caramel is a dark amber color.

3. Pour caramel into the cake pan. Allow to cool. It will harden but this is ok.

4. Whisk eggs and yolks together with milk and sweetened condensed milk, and then add the orange zest. Pour the mixture into the cake pan.

5. Place baking dish with cake pan into the oven and carefully pour hot water into the baking dish so it reaches about halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake for about 30-40 min, depending on your oven. It should look just barely set in the center. Carefully remove from the water bath and allow to cool at room temp. for 2 hours, then wrap well in plastic and chill in fridge for another several hours.

6. To unmold, take a knife and carefully run along the edges of the cake pan. Take your serving platter, invert over cake pan, and then flip it quickly onto platter.