Lovers' Carvings

Is it fortuitous that a couple days ago I changed my ring tone to this song, then I see it glorified in the new Kindle Zest commercial? Heart when happy things like this happen!

Previous post here.

Bibio . Lovers' Carvings

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

I think about food a lot. Maybe too much? Is that possible? I cook food, I eat food, I read about food, I take pictures of food - I think it really consumes my life. Sometimes I come across people who think of food as sustenance only and I get so confused. Food is so central to my life that it seems strange that people see it as such a small thing.

I'm always dreaming about what I'm going to be making next. While dreaming, I stumbled upon The Cupcake Project and her pumpkin pie frosting. Mind you, not pumpkin pie flavored frosting, actual, honest-to-goodness pumpkin pie AS frosting. Did I lose you? Let me break it down... a baked pumpkin pie filled into a piping bag and used as frosting! Genius right?


I knew exactly what I wanted to make: pumpkin pie cupcakes. So that's what we have here: a crispy graham cracker crust, vanilla cake and the creamiest pumpkin pie frosting. I think the perfect Fall treat!

The anatomy of a pumpkin pie cupcake:

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Yields: 15 cupcakes

Inspired by this; adapted from here and here.

For the cupcakes:

1 3/4 cups cake flour

1 cups sugar

1/2 tbsn. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup or 1 stick unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature

1/2 cup milk, divided

2 large eggs

1 large egg white

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

For the graham cracker crust:

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tbsn. light brown sugar

3 tbsn. unsalted butter, melted

For the pumpkin pie frosting:

2 large eggs, beaten

1 can (16 oz.) pureed pumpkin

2 tbsn. molasses

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tbsn. flour

1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

The "frosting" should be made first as it takes the longest to bake and needs to cool before using. Preheat the oven to 425 F. In a medium bowl, mix together all the filling ingredients until well combined. Pour the filling into a 9-inch round pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350 F and continue cooking for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the filling comes out clean. Let cool completely before using.

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a cupcake pan with liners, set aside. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the butter and 1/4 cup of milk. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. In another bowl, blend the eggs, egg white, remaining 1/4 cup milk and vanilla. Add to the batter in 3 additions, mixing for 2 minutes on medium speed after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl in between additions. Set aside.

To make the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter in a medium bowl and mix well. Add 1 tbsn. of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner and bake for 5 minutes until the graham crackers are golden. Remove from the oven then fill about 1/2 full with the cake batter. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely. To frost, scoop the pumpkin pie "frosting" into a piping bag and pipe onto the cupcakes.

Jasmine Green Tea Lemonade

There's something so thirst quenching about Arnold Palmers - just the perfect hint of sweetness from the lemonade with the subtle earthiness from the tea - I love it so! I think it's pretty swell to have a drink named after yourself - especially one as delicious as this. Hmmm... I wonder what kind of epic drink I could create? For some reason though, I don't think a drink with the name 'Michelle Huynh' would catch on as well!

Anyways, I adapted this recipe from Hannah. It's the perfect recipe with just the right amount of sugar and the right amount of tanginess. If it's a bit too strong or too sweet, the recipe is easily adaptable - just add water! I used jasmine green tea since it's my favorite but you could use whatever you'd like. Hannah told me that it's imperative to drink with stripe-y straws, so that I did! It was fantastic.

Jasmine Green Tea Lemonade

Yields: 6 - 8 servings

Adapted from here.

4 - 6 tea bags, depending on your preference of strength (I used jasmine green tea, but you can use any)

6 cups water

1 cup sugar

1 cup water (for the simple syrup)

1 cup lemon juice (from 4 - 6 lemons)

Bring the 6 cups of water to a boil, remove from heat, add the tea bags and allow to steep for 8 - 10 minutes. To make the simple syrup, heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar is completely dissolved. Combine the lemon juice, simple syrup and steeped tea in a pitcher, stir and refrigerate until cold. Enjoy!

Crispy Kimchi Fried Rice

Short post - just a simple, delicious and incredibly satisfying meal. One of my favorite things to make when I want something quick!

Kimchi + Crispy Rice + Bacon + Perfectly Fried Egg = NOM.

Crispy Kimchi Fried Rice

Yields: 2 servings

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 tbsn. olive oil

1 tbsn. gochujang

2 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 green onions, sliced

2 tsp. soy sauce

3/4 cup chopped kimchi

3 cups leftover rice

1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)

2 large eggs, fried (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine the rice and gochujang. Mix until the rice is evenly covered in the sauce, set aside. In a large fry pan or wok, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and green onions until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and mix everything together well. Use a spatula to flatten the rice against the pan, and keep still for about 3 - 5 minutes to let the rice get crispy. Repeat until the rice is evenly crispy. Next, add the soy sauce and sesame oil, adding more to taste, stir well. Mix in the crumbled bacon, chopped kimchi and frozen peas (if using). Continue stir frying until everything is well mixed and the peas have thawed. Portion evenly onto two plates, then top with the fried eggs and enjoy!

Ooey, gooey yolk all over my rice!

Instrumental Mixtape

Old & new - perfect for these foggy, gloomy mornings we've been having!

Sigur Ros . Samskeyti

Ratatat . Cherry

Four Tet . She Just Likes to Fight

Four Tet . Sing

Broken Social Scene . Guilty Cubicles

The Cinematic Orchestra . Arrival of the Birds

Cale Parks . Moccasin Bend

Aphex Twin . Corrugated Tubing

Amon Tobin . At the End of the Day

American Analog Set . We're Computerizing and We Just Don't Need You Anymore

Balanescu Quartet . Waltz

The Books . Tokyo

Nujabes . The Final View


White Hinterland . Icarus (Instrumental Version)

Please, if you do anything today, pour yourself a warm bath, light some candles and play these songs on repeat. I love good instrumentals, especially this Sigur Ros song... gorgeous.

Milk + Honey {Costa Mesa, CA}

It's been a couple of years now since the whole fro-yo craze boomed here in southern California. I'm still on the bandwagon. Icy treats to beat the heat? I'm there.  

There are plenty here to choose from: Yogurtland, Pinkberry, Cherry on Top... I could go on for ages. I think one that really stands apart though is Milk + Honey. They have more than just your typical frozen yogurt and shaved ice!

Above is their 'Chai shaved ice' which is decadently laced with cinnamon and milk, then filled with a cheesecake center and topped with all kinds of fresh fruit. I was pretty sad that they ran out of the cheesecake filling this day, which sounded awesome! But it was delicious all the same.

We also got their 'Fro-yo Parfait' which was really fun to eat and I loved the concept. Basically, it was layers of tart frozen yogurt, granola, and oodles of fresh fruit. It was perfect on this unbelievably hot day, no really it was in the high 90s, in the middle of our Californian winter!

My favorite part though was the atmosphere. It was super welcoming, the staff was nice and they have an adorable outside lounge area filled with plush couches and friendly sparrows!

All done!

Yelp

Spiced Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

There's nothing quite like oatmeal. I know you've heard me wax on and off about the joys of oatmeal, so I'll stop and leave you here with another delicious version of my favorite.

Pumpkin + Spices + Pecans + Maple Syrup = match made in breakfast heaven!

This oatmeal is hearty, just barely sweetened with a bit of nice crunch from the pecans and warmth from the fall spices. In other words, perfect. Please enjoy!

Spiced Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

Yields: about 6 - 8 servings

Slightly modified from original recipe, which can be found here.

2 1/2 cups regular rolled oats

1/2 cup steel cut oats

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 cup packed brown sugar (or more to your taste)

2 cups milk

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup cooking oil (I used coconut oil)

1 cup pecans, lightly toasted (candied would be even better!)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease a baking dish, set aside. In a large bowl combine the oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and sugar. In another bowl, combine the milk, pumpkin puree and oil. Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix to combine. Place mixture into a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently stir the mixture, fold in the 3/4 cup of the pecans, stir again. Bake for another 20 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Serve warm and top with remaining pecans. You can additionally add yogurt, cream, granola, fruit or whatever you'd like!

Give me a bowl of this any day!

Tailored Tuesdays

I heart stripes & neutrals!

1. Donna Karen "Oversized cashmere cardigan"

2. Chloe "Striped wool-jersey tank"

3. J Brand "Low-rise straight-leg jeans"

4. Aubin & Wills "Sandbanks leather satchel"

5. Michael Kors "Gold-plated and leather watch"

6. Lanvin "Patent-python ballerina flats"

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

Pasta with Corn, Burrata, Pancetta and Chilies

Everything about this pasta screams SPRING! It's in the middle of winter and I'm making a pasta that is vibrant with color and delicate in taste - in other words, perfect. 

In the midst of winter, this pasta was like a bright shining light. I used frozen corn since corn isn't in its peak right now and it still tasted fantastic. The combination of basil, corn and pancetta was so freaking delicious. Sadly, I couldn't find burrata! I normally get it from Trader Joes but I think they stopped carrying it. I love Trader Joes but the most frustrating thing about that place is that once you bond with one of their products, they'll remove it from their stock!

Anyways this pasta is amazing! Light, fresh, and delicious. 

Pasta with Corn, Burrata, Pancetta and Chilies

Yields: about 4 servings

Original recipe here.

1/2 lb. dried or fresh wide noodles, like pappardelle or fettuccine

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, plus more to garnish

1/4 tsp. sea salt, plus more to season

extra virgin olive oil

1/4 lb. pancetta

2 ears of corn, kernels removed

4 dried red chilies, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup Parmigiana Reggiano, shredded

1/4 lb. burrata

Cook the pasta according to the directions, to al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the breadcrumbs and sauce. For the breadcrumbs, place the panko, basil, and salt in a food processor and grind until small. Drizzle the breadcrumbs with 1 tbsn. of olive oil and pulse until well incorporated. Using a non-stick skillet, toast the breadcrumbs until lightly browned and dry, set aside. To make the sauce, heat up a large skillet and add 2 tbsn. of olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook for 2 minutes or until slightly caramelized. Add the corn and chilies to the skillet and cook on medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Deglaze the pan with some of the cooking liquid if necessary. Finally, turn off the heat and add the pasta, cheese and cooking liquid to the skillet. Combine well using tongs. Top with a generous dusting of breadcrumbs and several hunks of the burrata. Garnish with torn basil leaves.

Guest Post: Meringue-Kissed Raspberry Pots

Of course, you guys know I've been a long time reader of 6 Bittersweets for a long time. I'm obsessed with her creativity and she has a knack for finding the most delicious recipes around - I just made her Ricotta Blueberry Hotcakes and I was in heaven! I literally can't wait to find the perfect event to make her sesame & matcha cupcakes. I was so excited when she agreed to do a guest post on my blog and I hope you all enjoy - it's a real treat!


When Michelle invited me to guest post on her blog, I was giddy with excitement. It's not every day one gets asked to contribute to such a gorgeous collection of food, fashion, music, and photography! Especially after she shared those amazing cinnamon cupcakes with my readers, I knew I had to bring her a special treat. Thanks so much to Michelle and all of you for having me!

One thing you should know about me is that I love fresh fruit. Whether at the supermarket or farmers market, my basket is always brimming with whichever fruits are in season. But they taste so good out of hand that I just eat them right up. They rarely survive long enough to show up in a blog recipe 8). Then I found these stewed fruit pots topped with pretty meringue. And they are really worth having a little patience for.

What I like most about this dessert is that it looks fancy but can be whipped up so quickly. Couldn't we all use more recipes like that? But what about the taste? Well plums happen to be a fruit I find yummier when cooked. Here they're quickly stewed to coax out more sweetness and a silky texture. Combined with a delicately toasted meringue topping and almond cookie crumbs, the pure fruit flavors are enhanced but not at all masked. These pots were a great change of pace from my usual cupcakes and cookies and would be lovely for any get-together.

Meringue-Kissed Plum Raspberry Pots [Printable Recipe]
Adapted from Waitrose
Serves 6 


NOTES: Feel free to swap out the fruit here for any fresh seasonal or frozen fruit you like or have on hand! You can also make the fruit filling in advance and complete the pots with meringue right before serving. Amaretti biscuits should be available at fine coffee shops and in specialty food stores/sections. But if you can't find them, an equal amount of crushed almond biscotti should suffice. Or you could even bake your own!

3/4 cup PLUS 1 Tbsp sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup PLUS 2 T water
8 to 10 small plums, stones removed and each cut into 8
1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries, unthawed
8 amaretti biscuits, crushed [about 1/3 cup]
3 large egg whites, room temperature

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place 5 Tbsp of the sugar, cinnamon stick, and vanilla in a medium sized saucepan with water. Gently heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the plums to the pan, bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the plums have softened. Remove from the heat and stir in the frozen raspberries. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, then remove the cinnamon stick.

Divide the crushed biscuits among six 6 to 7 oz.  ramekins, and then spoon the stewed fruits over.

In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until it holds a soft peak. Gradually whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and continue beating until you have a stiff, glossy meringue. Heap some meringue onto the top of each ramekin. Use a spoon to spread the meringue to reach the edges of the each ramekin and then to make pretty swirls ^_^. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the meringues are golden but still soft inside. Serve immediately.