It's been 3 years since I started working in the food industry-so crazy to think about! My passion for food, baking, and anything related to dark chocolate and caramel is what led me to study the pastry arts and follow my dream of working in professional kitchens. Ironically, I never really go out to eat anymore! I've had a growing list of restaurants to visit in Boston-and beyond! I was lucky enough to get a few days off a few months back to spend some time in New York and make it a point to eat at my favorite places, as well as try some new ones I've been drooling over from foodie Instagram photos. It was a food-centered trip, and for that I was beyond grateful.

I visited my old neighborhood in Brooklyn Heights. I fell in LOVE with Brooklyn Heights when I first moved there to attend pastry school. I can honestly say it is one of the most charming places I've ever been to-it is a quiet neighborhood with tree-lined streets, beautiful historic brownstones, and cute coffee shops.

 

 

 

 

The Brooklyn Promenade xoxo

Williamsburg for lunch at ROBERTAS....

 



 

 



Possibly the best wood-oven pizza we've ever had...the chewy crust, that charred flavor, those FRESH toppings...ohmygod.

Dinner with friends at MOMOFUKU

 



Afternoon break at CAFE SABARSKY for some old-world charm and Viennese Pastries

Decadent night out at DEL POSTO (photos didn't turn out that great but the experience here is unforgettable)

Chewy Fudgey Brownie Cookies

When you can't decide between a cookie or brownie....this is the best of both worlds.

The original recipe called for all purpose flour but I used coconut flour instead, making this an awesome delicious gluten-free option.

8 oz. of chopped semisweet or dark chocolate
3 Tbsp. butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour (or coconut flour if available)
1/4 tsp baking powder
6 oz. dark chocolate chips

1. Melt butter and chocolate over double-boiler
2. Meanwhile, in stand mixer with whisk attachment, mix eggs and sugar on medium speed until pale and thick.
3. Add vanilla and salt, then add chocolate mixture.
4. Fold in flour and baking powder, then chips. Chill in fridge for about an hour, then scoop on parchment-lined tray by Tbsp. amount, placing a few inches away from one another. Bake for about 11 min at 350.

Winter Wonderland Cottage

 Here are some photos of my gingerbread house from this past holiday season. My vision was to make something whimsical, sparkly, and stay within a color palette of different shades of green, pale pink, and white. I made miniature French macarons and glued the shells over the roof, across the house, and made a pathway to resemble stones. I loved my trees-coconut macaroons dyed green, shaped like small Christmas Trees!

Pissaladiere (Onion Tart)

The newest addition to my cookbook collection is My Paris Kitchen, by Chef and cookbook author David Lebovitz. It's an ultimate collection of his recipes and photos that chronicle his life in Paris. An absolute dream for a foodie with Wanderlust! I made this savory onion tart-so delicious! You can pair this with a salad for a light lunch or supper, or cut into squares and pass as an hors d'oeuvre. If you love caramelized onions, this one's for you. I couldn't find anchovy filets, so I settled with whole anchovies which turn out are not as nice looking on the tart. For now it was fine, but I will use the better quality filets when I make this for company.

For the Crust:
3/4 cup tepid water
1 tsp. active dry yeast
2 cups All Purpose Flour
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. sea salt

For Topping:
Olive Oil
3 pounds onions, peeled and thinly sliced
a few sprigs of Thyme
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. sea salt
pepper
about 20 Nicoise olives
anchovy filets

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook, combine water, yeast, and 1/2 cup of the flour. Let this stand for about 15 minutes until tiny bubbles appear.

2. While waiting, oil a bowl.

3. Stir in remaining flour, salt, and olive oil and mix on medium speed for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and forms a ball. Place dough in oiled bowl, then turn it so oiled side is up. Place a towel over the bowl and let the dough sit in warm place until it rises, doubling in size, about an hour or so.

4. While you wait for dough to rise, you can get started with the topping. Heat a large skillet over medium-heat, add a few tablespoons of olive oil, then add the onions, thyme, salt, and garlic. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring only a little, then stir more often as they cook down until they are a deep golden brown. Sprinkle pepper over and remove the sprigs of thyme. Prepare oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

5. When dough is ready, prepare a clean work surface and lightly flour. Stretch the dough into an oval shape about 12 inches long and let rest for 15 minutes.

6. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and pull dough until it reaches sides of pan. Spread the onions over the dough, then top with the olives and anchovy filets in a decorative pattern
 if desired. Drizzle with a little olive oil then bake for about 20 minutes. Brush edges with olive oil when you take out of oven.

Lemon Drop Pound Cake

~Lemon Drop Pound Cake~

The most lemony pound cake you will ever try. I made candied lemon peel to dress it up and drizzled royal icing over for a finished look as well. A slice of this with a cup of tea...heaven.

(For 1 standard 9 in. loaf pan)

For the batter:
220 grams cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
4 large eggs
200 grams sugar
105 milliliters heavy cream
100 grams  unsalted butter, melted and cooled
zest and supremes of 2 lemons


For the glaze:
200 grams fresh lemon juice
180 grams 10x sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 325. Butter and lightly flour the loaf pan.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder together. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine the eggs and sugar, whisking to blend well. Stir in the cream.
4. Add the flour mixture, stirring just to combine.
5. Stir in the melted butter and lemon zest and supreme, working quickly.
6. Pour batter in loaf pan and bake for about 20 minutes, then open the oven and run a knife down the center of the cake to create an even split down the center when it's done.
7. Continue baking for about another 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown or a cake tester comes out clean.

To make the glaze, combine the lemon juice and 10x sugar an pour over the cake while it's still hot, then put back in the oven for another 10 min. If desired, drizzle royal icing over when the cake has cooled. The cake lasts for about a week if wrapped well and refrigerated, or frozen up to a month.