Aglio Dulce Pizza

Sorry I locked my blog for a couple days, I was completely redesigning it! I'm still working a few things out but I hope you like the new look!

Sometimes the strangest combinations have the tastiest results - our apple garlic butter is proof

Remember when I went to Woodenheads and made my own pizza? On it I had apple butter and roasted garlic. One bite and I was sold. The two together are actually amazing. I knew I wouldn't be able to go through life without tasting it again. Seriously, I'm obsessed.

My onion-loving housemate and I decided to have a flatbread dinner. We made two different types, one of them pictured in this post.

We used naan bread and topped it with: caramelized red onions (lots, of course), toasted walnuts, goat's cheese, sundried tomatoes and sea salt. Underneath all of this was a thick, warm bed of apple garlic butter that we made ourselves.

Our own original Aglio Dulce Pizza

The flatbread was fantastic and definitely one I will make again. All the flavours and textures blended together wonderfully in a crisp pizza. And that apple garlic butter.... oh, I was in heaven. We made it again a couple days later (a larger batch) and we used it on burgers, sandwiches - anything really. It didn't last long.

Trust me, you all need to make this and try it. You will not regret it.

Apple Garlic Butter

(makes about 1/2 cup - enough for one flatbread)

2 apples

4 cloves of garlic

Preheat the oven to 350F

First take the garlic cloves and wrap them in tin foil with a little drizzle of olive oil.

Roast it in the oven for about 30 minutes or until it becomes fragrant and the cloves are soft.

While the garlic is in the oven, peel and chop up the apples into small pieces. Place them in a small pot over medium heat with 1/4 cup water. Cook until they become soft and tender.

Take the apples off the heat and blend or mash them into a puree.

When the garlic is roasted, take the cloves out of the foil and mash them. Then mash the garlic into the apple puree.

Enjoy on flatbreads, toast, sandwiches, etc.

A Swiss Evening in Japan

I love sushi. I love fondue. Add the two together and you get the BEST fusion dinner.

We've been trying to get through as much of our bucket list as we can before we all move out at the end of the month. I think we're going to fail though. We only just passed the halfway mark - but I'd say that's quite an accomplishment as there are 40 countries on the list! We've got a week left... 20 countries in 7 days? Yeah definitely.

We decided a long time ago that we would make sushi for Japan and chocolate fondue for Switzerland so we decided to throw the two together in an extreme fusion dinner. I don't care how weird you think it is, the meal was DELICIOUS.

Spicy tuna roll

Shrimp?

We made a huge amount of sushi. I wish I had a picture of the table when it was laden with the 5 platters of rolls. Oh what a feast. There's something really satisfying about working long and hard to create a meal and then sitting down to enjoy it with everyone.

Who doesn't love fondue? No one. You'd be crazy if you didn't. We prepared a variety of fruits and had four different pots of melted chocolate: dark, white and Toblerone. See, we got that swiss chocolate in there so I think it's fair to cross of Switzerland. The three chocolates were divine and we graciously accepted the invitation to devour it all.

I still have so much Toblerone left. I'm using any excuse I can to bake with it and my pile doesn't seem to be diminishing. If you've got any creative ideas, or just want it... please please let me know!

Freedom never tasted so sweet

I know I KNOW, it's been a long time since my last post and I've been seriously slacking this month. I'm sorry guys, but I've had a lot on my plate! And not something delicious that I would gladly devour - it's exam season right now. You all just lost your appetite too didn't you. The end of the semester is always stressful, with finishing paintings and studio work, cramming for exams, packing up, all the while trying to fit in socializing with friends before splitting for the summer. And when you're doing all of this for the last time, it's a bit overwhelming. I may have consumed a very large sum of easter eggs this past week...

But today, I am happy to say I am finished. Yesterday I wrote my last exam of my undergraduate university degree. I left the lecture hall feeling so liberated, walking all the way home with a smile on my face that I couldn't shake. It's really quite strange and I don't think it has fully sunk in yet that I am graduating.

I am free, and oh it never felt so good.

Or tasted so sweet.

I love peanut brittle, but I don't eat it very often or have ever tried making it. I made a batch the other day to keep my friends and I awake during a late night studio party when we powered through 6 hours of painting.

I found the recipe here: Brown Eyed Baker

It is actually so easy to make. And fast. And for such a simple recipe it has a very yummy result. I actually used mixed nuts because it's all I had in the cupboard.

Mmm mixed-nut brittle where have you been all my life?

Peanut (or mixed-nut) Brittle

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 cups of nuts

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the sugar, water and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes - or until deep golden brown.

Remove it from heat and quickly add the butter, baking soda and nuts. Continue stirring it until it is no longer bubbling (about 1 minute) and then pour it out onto the parchment paper.

Spread the mixture out using a spatula. Do this quickly because it will cool fast and become difficult to spread out. Let it cool before breaking it up into pieces.

Chocolate Mousse

I've never been a huge fan of mousse but since having it at Woodenheads in their dessert lasagna I've had such an urge to try making it. While at home I made it one of my goals to make a delicious chocolate mousse.

The first recipe I tried I wasn't too fond of. I used milk chocolate and vanilla extract (which I later regretted) and didn't really like the result. It didn't have the exact flavour and texture I was aiming for so I decided to try again. I think part of the problem was that I used cream so I knew that with my second attempt I would omit this. I decided to try a more trustworthy recipe - one of Laura Calder's.

THIS mousse was lovely. It had a wonderfully rich, chocolate flavour and the airy texture of mousse I was searching for. Each spoonful of soft bubbles was like biting into a chocolatey cloud. I brought it to a friend's and we enjoyed it along with some strawberries.

If you're looking for a great mousse recipe, I would highly reccomend this one. It's really fast and easy to make and doesn't take many ingredients (no cream)!

Chocolate Mousse

(adapted from: Laura Calder's Chocolate Mousse)

5 ounces dark chocolate (you can also use bittersweet)

4 egg whites

2 egg yolks

3 tbsp sugar

Set a pot of water to boil. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over the pot.

Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, add the sugar one tbsp at a time and continue beating until you form stiff peaks.

Whisk the yolks, and then whisk the chocolate into them.

Fold a large spoonful of the egg whites into the chocolate. Next pour the chocolate into the whites and fold gently to combine everything together.

Pour the mousse into serving bowl(s). Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.