Coconut & Mango Curd Cupcakes

Don't you just love summer? It's starting to get hot in my part of town and even though I live for cold weather, the sun just has this way of making everything seem right in the world doesn't it? My favorite part of summer is all of the seasonal foods that come along with it - bright citruses, light salads and sweet mango! My all time favorite fruit is definitely the mango. I usually resist doing anything to it at all since it's perfect as is, but I wanted to try baking with it at least once before I resumed consuming them 5x a day.

So... I decided to make some lovely mango curd. I'm a big fan of curd - it's velvety, sweet and decadent. Mango curd just sounded ten times better! After successfully making a delicious mango curd, I then decided it would be an awesome idea to stuff some into some light coconut cupcakes. I wanted to try this small batch recipe for cupcakes I'd seen because sometimes you just want cupcakes... without having to eat all 24 of them or having to pawn them off on friends (haha... like that's ever been a problem).


The mango curd recipe yields much more than needed to fill these cupcakes, but I'm sure you'll find many more uses for it. This recipe for small-batch cupcakes is nothing short of amazing! The cupcakes came out fluffy, light and delicious - I could not believe it. The combination of the light cupcakes, velvety curd and fresh coconut on top is beyond. BEYOND! Really, you could use a light shmear of any type of frosting on top, but I just wanted something to moisten the tops just enough so that the shredded coconut would stick. Thinking about it now, you could just smear some curd on top to stick the coconut on and skip making the frosting all together.

Coconut & Mango Curd Cupcakes
Yields: 6 cupcakes

Coconut cupcakes adapted from here. Original curd recipe here. Frosting adapted from here.

For the cupcakes:

1 large egg

1/4 cup sugar

4 tbsn. unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

1/4 cup sweetened, flaked coconut

1/4 cup coconut milk


For the mango curd:

1/4 + 1/8 cup sugar

1/8 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup mango puree

2 egg yolks

1/2 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

1/2 stick (4 tbsn.) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

For the flour frosting:

2 tbsn. flour

1/3 cup milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

3 tbsn. unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup shredded coconut, for topping

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a muffin pan with 6 liners, set aside. In a bowl, whisk the egg and sugar until well combined. Add in the vanilla and melted butter and whisk until combined. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and combine until no streaks remain. Mix in the coconut milk until smooth, then fold in the coconut flakes. Divide the batter among the 6 liners and bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely. 

To make the mango curd, in a saucepan, whisk the sugar and cornstarch to combine. Whisk in the mango puree, egg yolks and vanilla seeds. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until thick, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 tbsn. at a time until incorporated. Scrape the filling into a glass bowl and press a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface to prevent a film from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. 

To make the frosting, in a small saucepan, whisk the flour into the milk and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of brownie batter. Remove and let cool completely to room temperature. Once cool, whisk in the vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar until completely smooth and almost no sugary graininess is left. Add the flour mixture and beat the living daylights out it. If it looks separated, this means you still need to beat it some more. When finished, it should resemble whipped cream. 


To assemble the cupcakes, use a knife to scoop out some of the center of the cupcakes (set aside to consume later). Use a spoon to fill the hollowed cupcakes with 1 tbsn. of curd for each cupcake. Use an offset spatula to smear a thin layer of frosting across the tops of each cupcake. Dip each cupcake in the shredded coconut to cover. Enjoy!

Favorite Video of the Week

Happy Thursday everyone! 

The Mountain from TSO Photography on Vimeo.

Read more about this video here.

Tailored Tuesday & Travel

1. Zimmerman 'Posy floral-print cotton voile playsuit'

for some reason, all of a sudden rompers seem to love me, and i love this one back!

2. J. Crew 'Polka dot bikini top and briefs'

polka dots personify summer for me!

3. Ray Ban 'Round frame metal sunglasses'

shades are necessary

4. Stella McCartney 'Rope and faux leather sandals'

looks uber comf!

5. H&M 'Brown hairband'

for when hair gets in the way of your fun

6. Nina Nguyen 'Endurance white druzy bracelet'

love this! so into coral-red right now it's insane.

7. Nars 'Highlighting/ bronzing blush duo'

have it. love it. the perfect coral shade that works on EVERYONE and a nice bronzer for summer

8. Calypso St. Barth 'Market tote'

seriously the perfect beach bag. want!

9. Zipbuds 'Zip up earphones'

pet peeve: tangled ear phones. problem solved!

10. Essie 'Nail polish in turquoise and caicos'

teal love

11. Jergens 'Natural glow daily moisturizer'

i love this stuff! i don't enjoy laying out but i hate pale legs! when i tan i tend to get ashy looking but this gives me a nice warm glow :)

12. DC Watch 'Plastic camera bag cover'

ummm this is awesome! and would work equally as well in the rain.

{havasu falls, grand canyon national park}

havasu is known as party central. but this makes me re-think it's party reputation. it's so gorgeous!

{phoenix islands, republic of kiribati}

i love snorkeling! one day though, i will learn how to scuba dive!

{jiuzhaigou national park, china}

china?!!? gorgeous.

{the great barrier reef, australia}

one of my top destinations - although i'm a bit hesitant of all the great white sharks lingering around...

{a house on the water, belize}

belize was definitely one of my favorite places that i've visited this far. it's beauty is immense and breathtaking.

{split-view of a waterfall, hawaii}

what an amazing split-view shot! hawaii = lush relaxation.

{bora bora}

one day i will own this hut of a house. must.

{algarve, portugal}

wouldn't it be nice to spend a relaxing day all to yourself here?!

{sun island, south ari atoll, maldives}

there are no words...

All images from Pinterest and Net-a-porter.

Images are linked to their sources.

Pasta with Vodka Cream Sauce

Back when I was a novice home-cook, I didn't quite understand the concept of simplicity. Way back when, I would toss as many things I could fit onto a plate. Now, I try to think about how things work and how to value the flavor of a single ingredient. Best example: the famed 'simple tomato sauce with onions and butter.' It's been all over the web and back, making friends and fans all over - and for good reason. It's the simplest thing, but also, the most delicious thing ever. My sister made it one night and I couldn't believe how stunning a tomato sauce could be!

Such is the story of this vodka sauce. Simple ingredients + love = stunningness. When I read about how Xialou of 6 Bittersweets made and loved this sauce, I was intrigued. One day, when I noticed I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand, I gave it a try and well, stunningness. I know that's not a word, but it's the only word that describes the beauty of this sauce. Use good tomatoes, it's the key. And fresh basil? It's a must. 

I just love this vodka sauce. It's perfectly spicy, tangy and delicious. My whole family enjoyed it too! Oh, and I must add... one day, I randomly decided to toss some quinoa in the sauce, add steamed broccoli and slivered almonds and it was pure joy! I'm sure it would be good in many other things as well. 

Pasta with Vodka Cream Sauce

Yields: about 3 - 4 servings

Original recipe here.

1/2 lb. dry pasta, of your choice

1 tbsn. olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion or 2 - 3 shallots

scant 1 tsp. salt, divided

1/2 tsp. crushed red peeper flakes

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup vodka

1/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth

1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes, undrained

1/4 cup whipping cream

3 tbsn. thinly sliced fresh basil

shaved or grated Parmesan cheese, to garnish

additional fresh basil (optional)

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain and keep warm. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for about 4 minutes or until tender. Add 1/4 tsp. salt, pepper and garlic; saute for 1 minute. Add the vodka (be careful, because it can catch on fire) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by about half. Stir in 1/2 tsp. salt, the broth, and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from the skillet and let cool slightly.

If you have a stick blender, you can puree the sauce in the pan, if not, place the tomato mixture in a conventional blender. Remove the center piece from the blender (to allow the steam to escape) and secure the lid on the blender. Place a clean towel over the opening of the blender (to avoid splatters) and process until smooth. Return the mixture to the pan. Mix in the cream, then cook the sauce for 2 more minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked pasta, scant 1/4 tsp. salt and basil. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve immediately.

Sweet Cherry Scones

I've been kind of, in reality, totally obsessed with scones at the moment. I guess I actually can't even say 'at the moment' because I've been obsessed ever since I tried the most monumentally, mind-blowing scones ever at the Diamond Head Market & Grille in Oahu, Hawaii. I was never one to love scones. They have a bad reputation of being dry and chalky... but ever since I met the 'one' I can't get the idea of delicious scones out of my damn mind!

I've come to realization with the fact that I will never be able to duplicate the glorious scones that come from the Diamond Head Market & Grille and that's okay by me. I guess I'll just have to visit more often ;)

Anyway, despite failures to replicate their famous Blueberry-Cream Cheese scones, I now know that scones can be very loveable. They don't have to be dry, bland or chalky. These scones are easy, delicious and moist beyond belief. Seriously, I had a craving for scones and whipped these up in less than an hour with not a drop of sweat or a wave of stress. The best part is that you can toss anything you want into them - I happened to have some fresh cherries on hand so that's what I threw in and it was delicious.

I imagine any fresh fruit would be perfect, possibly some dark chocolate? Lemon zest? Cream cheese? The possibilities are really endless!

Sweet Cherry Scones

Yields: about 10 drop scones

Adapted from here.

8 tbsn. unsalted butter, cut into cubes and frozen

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whole milk

1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Fold in the frozen cubed butter and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, but do this fast so that the butter does not melt. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream and milk together to combine then add to the butter mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Use a large ice cream scoop to drop the dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown. 

Tailored Tuesday & Travel

1. Theyskens' Theory 'Kudi cashmere and silk blend sweater'

looks uber comfy and soft!

2. T by Alexander Wang 'Silk crepe de chine blouse'

anything a. wang makes is a winner in my book

3. Iro Yulli 'Sequined jacket'

sequined but subtle.

4. Diane von Furstenberg 'Georgine cuff cropped basketweave pants'

ah mustard yellow, my love.

5. Christian Louboutin 'Panier 120 espadrille wedge sandals'

quite possibly the most beautiful espadrilles i've ever seen and killer!

6. Marni 'Stud trimmed leather shoulder bag'

this looks like i could fit my whole life into it

7. Cutler and Gross 'Oval frame acetate sunglasses'

vintage-y and chic

8. Yves Saint Laurent 'Arty gold plated glass ring'

arty is right! a fine piece of work all for your finger

9. Rollasole 'Emergency rollable ballet flats'

i wish i was a wear-heels-all-day-and-be-dandy kind of girl, but i'm not, so these are quite helpful

10. Raindrops 'Merde il pleut black umbrella'

translates to: "shit it's raining" - how awesome is that?

11. Gentsupply 'The Indiana leather adventure duffel'

adventure duffel is right! this looks like it's ready for anything

12. Old Faithful 'Shop day planner'

i love making plans, whether i follow them or not...

13. Essie 'Nail polish in mango bango'

the perfect coral

14. Canon 'EOS mark II full-frame digital SLR camera'

someday you will be mine.... someday...

{autumn aspens, vail, colorado}

ummm can i have my future wedding photo shoot here?!

{the golden pond, the netherlands}

what i would give to stoll through this little piece of eye-gasm

{nanpu bridge, shanghai}

i'm a sucker for fast-moving city lights

{san francisco, california}

still my favorite US city to date, but then again I haven't explored many...

{gloucester cathedral, england}

i could possibly revel in the details of this beauty for hours!

{killarney, ireland}

these cliffs are beyond breath taking!

{new york, new york}

such an amazing city, i'd love to visit it again

{venice, italy}

i gotta go see this before it sinks (though i hope it never does)!

All images from Pinterest and Net-a-porter.

Images are linked to their sources.

Roasted Garlic Hummus

If I were to have a relationship with any food on the planet, it would be garlic. It is my one and true love, and I've known it to be ever since I could remember. I've always loved it - love at first taste if you will. When I was younger (say adolescent, mid-teenish), I used to just simply fry up smashed garlic in some salt and pepper and eat it. Alone. I know, I'm weird, but that's how much I love the stuff.

When a recipe calls for 1 clove of garlic, I scoff, and triple (possibly quadruple) the amount. I've been working my way along making mezze appetizers (see here), since I can't get enough of the stuff and what better than to combine two of my obsessions: garlic and mezze. Together, their love child is the simply irresistible roasted garlic hummus.

I have a hummus recipe I adore that's simple, easy to whip up and delicious. I just tweeked it a bit by adding loads of roasted garlic and I was in heaven. With warm pita bread or in a sandwich, it is purely awesome! Plus, it's healthy and lasts for weeks!

Roasted Garlic Hummus

Yields: approximately 2 1/2 cups

adapted from Zov's Recipes and Memories from the Heart 

2 heads garlic + 2 garlic cloves

2 cups of canned garbanzo beans, drained

1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup of tahini paste

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 cup olive oil + extra for drizzling over garlic heads

Preheat the oven to 400 F. To roast the garlic, peel off the outer layer of the garlic bulb, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Using a sharp knife, cut off 1/4" of the tops of the garlic bulbs, exposing the individual cloves inside. Place the heads in a large piece of foil, then drizzle with about 1 tbsn. of olive oil. Fold and roast for 30 - 45 minutes or until the cloves are soft. Allow the garlic to cool until you can handle it. Once cool, use either a fork to fish out the garlic cloves or you can squeeze them out of their skins; set aside. Mince the fresh garlic in a food processor. Add the garbanzo beans, lemon juice and roasted garlic, blend until creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Blend in the tahini, cumin, and salt. With the machine running, stream in the olive oil and blend until creamy and combined. Add in the jalapenos and cilantro, blend until well minced and combined. Serve and enjoy!