Lavender & Vanilla Bean French Macarons

After I 'mastered' the macaron, I was flying on air! I couldn't wait to dirty up my hands and have a go at them again. I had this perfect little package of almond flour waiting for me to use it up (more about this perfect almond flour below) - but I was waiting for the special opportunity to use it. My friend's birthday was just around the corner and I knew there was one thing that would make her heart explode - a plethora of French macarons!

These lavender macarons are especially pretty! I love the color of the light violet and the speckled buttercream in the center. These came out perfectly - lucky me! The lavender flavor is very prominent, even though I just sprinkled the tops with the dried lavender. It's very floral, so if you aren't used to it, you might be surprised by the flavor. My favorite part though is the vanilla bean buttercream! It's so fabulous, I cannot even express! It literally tastes like a delicious vanilla bean ice cream.

About this perfect almond flour, Sam, from Oh Nuts!, was kind enough to send me some fabulous and very generous samples of anything I fancied from their website. Trust me, I was having a hard time picking the things that I wanted, because there's every kind of dried fruit and nut a girl could ever want! I finally decided on the almond flour, dried peaches, Antwerp pistachios and hazelnuts. Everything was delicious, and I swear I'm not just saying that!

I've never tried dried peaches before but these were wonderful and I can't wait to stuff them into a cookie! The Antwerp pistachios were an extreme treat because they are unlike the regular pistachios you get from the supermarket, they are smaller and have this great flavor. Of course, I had to get the almond flour for macaron making! This flour was perfect and especially great because the skins had been removed, which makes for a prettier macaron!

If you need some fine quality fruit & nut products, go to the Oh Nuts! website immediately!

Lavendar & Vanilla Bean French Macarons

Yields: 2 dozen macarons

Adapted from here.

For the macarons:

1 cup powdered sugar + 2 tbsn.

1/2 cup almond powder or meal + 1 tbsn.

2 large egg whites, room temperature

5 tbsn. granulated sugar

purple food coloring

culinary lavendar buds, about 2 tbsn.

For the vanilla bean SMBC:

1/2 cup sugar

2 large egg whites

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1 vanilla bean, split & seeded

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Have a pastry bad with a plain tip (about 1/2 inch) ready. In a blender or food processor, grind together the powdered sugar and almond powder/ meal to make sure there are no lumps. Add the purple food coloring into the granulated sugar to your desired shade and mix until combined. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. While whipping, beat in the dyed sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes. Carefully fold in the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. When the mixture is smooth and there are no streaks of egg whites, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag. Pipe the batter on the prepared baking sheet in 1 inch circles (about 1 tbsn. each), evenly spaced 1 inch apart. Sprinkle some violet buds on top of each macaron. Tap the baking sheet a few times on the counter to flatten the macarons and let air 'dry' for 1 hour. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Let cool completely before removing them.

To make the SMBC, put the sugar and egg white in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like marshmallow cream. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed until it cools and forms a thick, shiny meringue, about 5 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment, and add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, beating until smooth. Beat on high speed until it is thick and very smooth, about 6 - 10 minutes. Fold in the vanilla beans and extract. To assemble the macarons, pair the shells off into similar sizes. Take one shell and pipe about 1 tbsn. of the vanilla bean SMBC onto it. Top with the other shell and enjoy!

Oops! I guess I didn't properly mix in the purple food coloring :/

Crème Brûlée Cupcakes

Well, not so long ago, I made creme brulee. What you didn't know is that I made it specifically for the purpose of putting it into this cupcake! Crème Brûlée cupcakes, yes, they are not only a figment of your imagination - they are real and they are divine!

When I came across the concept, I gasped, was awed, motionless in shock and wonder. Once I wrapped my head around it, it just made sense, why not?! Tucked inside of my favorite chocolate cake recipe (black magic cake) is a creamy, uberly light creme that is then torched to a crisp so you still get that classic creme brulee. Topped with some fresh berries, and you are basically set to conquer the world - yep, I said that!

Crème Brûlée Cupcakes

Yields: 24 cupcakes

Inspired by this. Crème Brûlée recipe from here.

1 recipe Black Magic Cake, baked and cooled

For the creme brulee:

2 cups heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

4 large egg yolks

1/4 cup + 1 tbsn. sugar

1/3 - 1/4 cup white sugar or light brown sugar

Prepare the baked cupcakes by using the 'cone method' to remove some of the center of each cupcakes, leaving about a 1/2 centimeter edge on each cupcake and about 1 - 2 cm deep, set aside. To make the creme brulee, preheat oven to 300 F. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the cream with the vanilla bean over medium low heat for 15 minutes, stirring to ensure it does not burn; DO NOT let it boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the vanilla bean. Strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsn. sugar. Add about half of the cream mixture, a little at a time, to the egg mixture, whisking until well blended. Then pour the egg mixture into the remaining cream mixture, stir until completely blended.

Pour into 4 (9oz.) ramekins or custard cups. Place the dishes in a large baking pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until the mixture is set in the center (it shouldn't wiggle when shaken). Carefully remove the dishes from the baking pan. Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. Once cool, use a spoon to fill your cupcakes with the creme, using a spatula to flatten the tops. When ready to serve, sprinkle the Crème Brûlée with sugar to coat, then use a blow torch to brulee the tops and caramelize the sugar. If desired, you can top with some fresh berries!

Tailored Tuesdays

1. Alice by Temperly 'Erika hammered silk blouse'

2. J Brand 'Low rise cigarette leg jeans'

3. John Hardy 'Naga 18-karat gold and sterling silver hoop earrings'

4. Miu Miu 'Patent leather pumps'

5. Jimmy Choo 'Caro leather shoulder bag'

all images can be found at net-a-porter.com

The Bridge to Nowhere/ San Gabriel Canyon

I don't often post about things besides food, music and fashion but sometimes I get so excited about something I just feel like I have to share it with you guys! This past weekend, I went on a hike at the San Gabriel Canyon up to the Bridge to Nowhere, and it was awesome, to say the least!

The infamous 'Bridge to Nowhere.'

If you are from the area or ever visit the great state of California in your lifetime and love the outdoors/ hiking, please visit this great site. It's a moderate hike upwards and along the way you get to cross through deliciously blue river water and witness some great native Californian plant life (as shown below).

Isn't it just beautiful? I really could not get over how beautiful it was the whole time I was hiking through! It's about 5 miles up to the bridge and 5 miles back, and overall a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Hiking through Californian dessert while being greeted by icy cold river water in between.

I have no idea what kind of trees these were, but boy were they a site. Their furry little leaves had a life of their own!

Once you hike up to the bridge, you have this awesome view of the canyon below, where the water is the most gorgeous shade of blue and literally just calling your name! After a long, hot hike up, the icy cold water is the cherry on top.

Well, hello there Mr. mountain sheep!

Ahhhh, quite possibly the best feeling in the world!

Oh, and did I mention this is the ONLY bungee jumping site in California? Yes, it is, and if you dare, this is an awesome opportunity to be scared out of your wit! But don't worry, Bungee America (who operates the site) offers a 100% safety record.

Golden fields.

All in all, one gooooooooooood day.

More information:

Modern Hiker

Wikipedia

Bungee America

Yelp

Crème Brûlée

Crème Brûlée is one of those things. You know? Those things that are necessary to a dessert lover. You just have to have one at least once in your life! If you don't feel this same urge, then may I ask... do you have blood running through your veins? What is wrong with you!? I'm just kidding, but seriously I think almost all people love this dessert... here's to wishful thinking!

"Times are hard for dreamers." That is quite possibly my most favorite quote from my favorite movie, Amelie. If you haven't watched it, please do! There is a moment in the movie that would touch any foodie's heart - the moment when she declares that one of her favorite things in the world to do is to crack the top of a crème brûlée with the back of her spoon. Ever since then, I smile widely whenever I come across a crème brûlée!

But, there are more reasons to love crème brûlée than that! Actually, there are plenty of reasons. First, it's actually quite simple to make and thankfully only requires but a few ingredients. Oh, and it doesn't help that it's utterly delicious. Creamy beyond words and perfectly sweetened. Of course, the hardened-crackled top is necessary!

A quick note: for some reason when I baked these in the ramekins pictured here, everything turned out rainbows and butterflies. But... I baked another batch in a larger, deeper dish and it turned out horribly mangled and curdled! I have no idea why, but consider that as you are making this.

One of my favorite desserts! I can't believe I hadn't made it until now!

Crème Brûlée

Yields: 6 servings

Original recipe here.

2 cups heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

4 large egg yolks

1/4 cup + 1 tbsn. sugar

1/3 - 1/4 cup white sugar or light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 300 F. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the cream with the vanilla bean over medium low heat for 15 minutes, stirring to ensure it does not burn; DO NOT let it boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the vanilla bean. Strain the cream through a fine mesh sieve. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsn. sugar. Add about half of the cream mixture, a little at a time, to the egg mixture, whisking until well blended. Then pour the egg mixture into the remaining cream mixture, stir until completely blended. Pour into 4 (9oz.) ramekins or custard cups. Place the dishes in a large baking pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until the mixture is set in the center (it shouldn't wiggle when shaken). Carefully remove the dishes from the baking pan. Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. Let creme brulee stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving. Divide 1/3 - 1/2 cup of the white or brown sugar in a thin, even layer over each custard, covering it completely. To caramelize, light a propane torch and hold it so that the flame just touches the surface. Serve immediately.

Thai Mangos with Coconut Sticky Rice

Sticky rice has been one of my long time loves. Really, I grew up on the stuff. We (Vietnamese people) have all kinds of variation on sticky rice, whether it be sweet versions or savory - both of which I am enamored with deeply. But I think one of my absolute favorite versions is the one the Thais have perfected.

Yep. It's utterly heavenly. Sweet rice that's mixed with some lightly sweetened coconut milk then topped with some perfectly ripe mango. Really, I don't think it gets better than this. Seriously though, it doesn't.

This recipe is overall pretty simple. I steamed the rice but I think it would easier and perfectly fine if you just used a rice cooker to cook the rice. Also, in the recipe I used it had a comment about soaking the rice overnight as opposed to 1 hour. Since the rice I made was a bit toothier than I wanted, I suggest soaking it overnight!

Thai Mango with Coconut Sticky Rice

Yields: 2 larger or 4 smaller servings

Original recipe here.

1 cup Thai sweet or sticky rice, available in Asian grocery stores

1 can coconut milk, unshaken

3 tbsn. raw or white sugar, divided

1 tsp. salt, divided

1/2 tsp. cornstarch

2 ripe mangos, peeled, seeded and sliced

toasted sesame seeds and mint, to garnish

Soak the sticky rice in some water overnight. When ready to use, drain the rice and rinse it thoroughly. Then pour 1 cup of water into a saucepan and place the rice in a steamer insert inside the saucepan. Cover tightly and steam over low to medium heat for 20 minutes. White the rice is steaming, make the first sauce. You will make two coconut sauces to go on the rice: one thin one to mix into the rice itself and a thicker sauce to spoon over the top. Start by opening the can of coconut milk and spooning out the thick cream on top. Place the thicker coconut cream into a small bowl (you should have about 1/2 a cup). Pour the thinner, lighter coconut milk left in the can into a small saucepan (it will be a little over 1 cup). Stir in 2 tbsn. sugar and 3/4 tsp. of salt. Warm over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Do not let the sauce boil.

By now the rice should be done and the grains should be tender and shiny. Spoon the rice out into a bowl (the rice should be clumpy). Slowly pour the warm coconut milk over the rice in the bowl, stirring frequently. You want the milk to coat the rice but not leave puddles. Keep stirring, and stop pouring the coconut milk when it looks like the rice is saturated. You may not use all of the milk. While the rice is standing, make the coconut topping sauce. Rinse out the coconut milk saucepan and pour in the coconut cream. Stir in 1 tbsn. sugar and 1/4 tsp. salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together a few tsp. of water and the cornstarch. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the coconut cream and cook over low heat for about 3 minutes or until the mixture thickens considerably. Set aside. To serve, place about 1/3 cup of cooked sticky rice onto each plate, arrange mango sliced around it and top with the coconut sauce, sesame seeds and mint. Enjoy!

Dig in!!!!

Tailored Tuesdays

I lost my sunglasses this weekend - these would be a good replacement!

1. Alexander Wang 'Rocco leather tote'

2. Acne 'Amon printed chiffon blouse'

3. J Brand 'Low rise skinny leg jeans'

4. Benjamin Eyewear 'Kanye acetate sunglasses'

5. Lanvin 'Ribbon tie leather sandals'

all images can be found at net-a-porter.com

Bo 7 Mon {Garden Grove, CA}

Bo 7 Mon translates to "7 courses of beef." Doesn't just reading that make you happy? Who doesn't want 7 courses of delicious beef, Vietnamese style!

The first course you get is a hot-pot of sorts. They give you a burner filled with broth and a plate of thinly sliced beef that you can cook yourself in the hot liquid. Alongside, they also give you lettuce, mint, a variety of herbs, rice paper, cucumber, unripe banana slices, the works. All of these things are necessary so that you can roll yourself some delicious spring rolls!

I love all spring rolls and I love meat, so this is the kind of place for me! Plus, I grew up eating this stuff on special occasions, so it will always be near and dear to my heart. All of the rolls are served with this pineapple-shrimp concoction that's deee-licious and full of flavor!

My all time favorite of all the courses though, has to be the two shown above. I'm sorry I don't exactly know what they are called but it doesn't matter because they are delicious beyond words!! I could eat them all day long haha.

Yelp

Bo Tai Chanh/ Vietnamese Beef 'Carpaccio'

Since I can remember, for special occasions, my family has always been going to this one restaurant called Favori. It's not the best restaurant in town, but it has always been a tradition, one that we still keep to this day. Anyways, no matter what, two things were always true. First, my sister and I always had to get their delicious pineapple shakes! Second, we always started with the Bo Tai Chanh appetizer, because well, they make it the best and it's one of my absolute favorites!

Well, I've always wanted to make this at home and I've been eyeing The Ravenous Couple's recipe for it for quite some time! Well I've finally made it, and with some improvisations of my own, it turned out to be quite the meal. Basically it's almost like a mix between beef carpaccio and ceviche; thinly sliced beef 'cooked' only by the acidity of either lime or lemon juice. Then, topped and mixed with all kinds of goodness (as you can see below).
The beef is beyond tender, then mixed with an uber refreshing combination of herbs, mixed with a tangy and sweet sauce, and you get the great texture from the toasted peanuts and fried shallots. Also, you can make it spicy if you want to, like I did, by adding tons more jalapeno or Sambal. I didn't have jalapeno or Vietnamese corriander on hand so I used Sambal for spiciness and a mix of cilantro, mint and other herbs.

Mmmmm, see all that red Sambal? That's my favorite!

Mise en place: Vietnamese herbs, fried shallots, fresh shallots, toasted peanuts, cilantro.

I know this looks gross, but it's informative: how the beef should look as it's 'cooking' in the lemon/ lime juice. I like my steak rare, but if you like it cooked more - just marinate it for longer.

Bo Tai Chanh/ Vietnamese Beef 'Carpaccio'

Yields: 2 salad servings, 4 appetizer servings

Adapted from this recipe.

1/2 lb. beef (beef eye round or tenderloin), thinly sliced

1/2 cup lemon or lime juice

1 1/2 tbsn. sugar

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

2 tbsn. dried shallots (from Asian grocery stores)

2 tbsn. peanuts

2 tbsn. nuoc mam

1 jalapeno, thinly sliced

handful of cilantro, coarsely chopped

1/2 bunch of mint, basil or rau ram (Vietnamese corriander), coarsely chopped

In a large rimmed plate, spread the thinly sliced beef evenly throughout the plate so that it creates one even layer with the meat evenly exposed and not overlapping. In a small bowl mix together the lemon/lime juice and sugar until dissolved. Pour the mixture over the meat evenly and make sure all the meat is covered in the juice. Let the meat 'cook' in the juice in the refrigerator for 20 - 25 minutes (till the done-ness suits you). In the meantime, heat a small pan over medium high heat. Add the peanuts and toast until fragrant and golden brown. In the same pan, add enough oil to create a very shallow pool (about 1/4 cup) and heat. Once hot, add the dried shallots and fry until golden brown, then drain on a paper towel. Once the meat is ready, drain and squeeze any excess juice from the meat. In a bowl, toss together the meat, raw shallots, herbs and nuoc mam until dressed well. Assemble on a plate, then top with the fried shallots and toasted peanuts. Add more nuoc mam, if desired. Enjoy!

Mise en place.

The best mix of textures and flavors, seriously.

Tailored Tuesdays

1. Chloe 'Paraty leather and suede bag'

2. Proenza Schouler 'Long sleeved sequin top'

3. Citizens of Humanity 'Avedon slick mid rise legging jeans'

4. Pedro Garcia 'Emelyn satin pumps'

All images can be found atnet-a-porter.com.