Last week was a bit crazy, emotionally, more so than anything. I wasn't prepared for the shit storm that was about to unfold, i.e. I went to the dentist and found out my years of eating bags of Swedish Fish had finally come back to bite me in the tush. It played out like this; Tuesday morning, I'm at work, swamped with caterings and the like, reeling from turning 25. A bit dramatic, I know, but I tend to be a bit dramatic in such situations. One day into my 25th year, my youth long gone, middle age setting in... over-the-top, yes yes yes, I know, but this is exactly how I was feeling at the time. Those feelings have subsided drastically since then, so don't fret. I have not fallen into a hole of self-pity. So, I'm at work, tired, and a bit disheveled. I notice a tooth in the way back of my mouth is achey, sensitive to cold and sweet things, ugh, a sure sign I have a cavity. Now, generally, if I had been 24 or younger, I proabably would have ignored this dang tooth. I've always lived with this carefree attitude, shit will take care of itself. I admit, this hasn't been the best motto, or the most successful, more of an excuse to ignore the sometimes painfully obvious facts. But I'm 25, so this story is about to go in a whole new direction, the direction in which the mature, responsible adult seeks medical attention to deal with the problem at hand to avoid further complications. I somehow am able to lock down an appointment at the local clinic in Burlington. I leave work in a frenzy, scared to find out what the dentist has to say. After waiting 45 minutes, I finally am brought back. The next 30 minutes is spent taking x-rays of my mouth. I forgot how uncomfortable it all is, weird dental instruments being jammed in your mouth, the dental hygienist trying to ask you a bunch of trivial questions about your life that you don't care to answer, in this case only making the situtation worse as all of her probing questions reminded me of my recent birthday. I was probably a bit rude, maybe just short with her, as she quickly turned all of her attention to the work at hand. I'm truly sorry Miss Hygienist, I usually am quite a pleasant person to be around. The dentist comes in a little while later to take a peek at my x-rays. A fit man, probably in his 60's, white hair spilling out from under his hat. As he is looking at my teeth and my x-rays, he's hemming and hawing. Sounds that are increasinly worriesome. He finally delivers the awful awful news, "it looks as though you are going to need a root canal." 

Happy friggin birthday.

... Not until hours later, and a wonderfully supportive fella and mom, was I able to calm down a bit. Step away from all of the sludge that had been piling up, and just let it be. I am continusly learning how to roll with the unexpected, how to not sweat the small things, and how to become more aware and responsible of my life and all that it entails. 

When I have days like those, days when I feel a bit defeated, I try to balance them out by switching gears, and instead focusing my energy on creative projects. This could be writing a lovely letter to my one and only best bud Annie, or researching menu ideas for the Inn, or just day dreaming. It brings me back to a positive state of mind. Which leads me to... Chocolate Peanut Gianduja. I wanted a project, something that would get me out of the funk I was in, and obviously it had to involve some sort of cooking or baking.  I had stumbled upon the recipe for the Gianduja awhile ago, scribbled it down, and like so many other recipies, filed it away and forgot about it. Finding it hidden amongst all my papers this week was a nice surprise, it is a stunning dessert and a perfect addition to the menu at the Inn. 

So, lets begin. Gianduja traditionally is made with hazelnuts, but peanuts work really well in this recipe. The base of the dessert adds a nice crunch to the smooth mousse-like upper layer. 

Chocolate Peanut Gianduja 

Crunchy Layer
2 1/2 oz milk chocolate
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups finely crushed, thinly rolled butter cookies, such as Pirouette or Pirouluxe


Creamy Layer
10 oz milk chocolate coarsely chopped
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream
cocoa powder or chopped peanuts for garnish

1. Cut a 9 by 21-inch piece of parchment paper and line a 9 by 13 by 1-inch inch or 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan with the parchment, allowing it to extend evenly over the two short ends.

Crunchy Layer
1. Combine the chocolate and peanut butter in the top of a double broiler set over gently simmering water, and stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the cookies, coating all the pieces with the chocolate mixture. Spread evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. Set aside. 

Creamy Layer
1. Place the chocolate in the bowl of a stand mixer and set it over a pot of gently simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and is smooth. Remove from the heat and add the peanut butter. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment, set the bowl on the mixer, and whisk to combine.

2. In a small saucepan, bring the milk and salt to a boil. Add half of the milk into the peanut butter mixture, and whisk until incorporated, then whisk in the remaining milk. Increase the speed to high and whip for five minutes, or until the mixture is creamy and cooled to room temperature.

3. In a clean bowl, whip the cream just until soft mounds form; do not over whip. Fold the cream into the peanut butter mixture. Spread it over the crunchy layer in the pan. Cover the pan and freeze until set, at least 4 hours. 

4. To serve, run a knife alone the long sides of the dessert and it it out of the pan using the parchment "handles." Cut into slices or other desired shapes. Dust with cocoa or sprinkle with chopped peanuts, place on serving plates, and let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften slightly. 


Thank you all for reading! oxox

I am 25 years old today. Eeek. Every birthday leading up to this one seemed a bit more relaxed, less stress-inducing. But for some reason, in my mind, 25 is the turning point. The point at which you go from being a carefree/wild/roaming individual to the adult with a (somewhat) clear view of your future endeavors. But then again, I probably have said that about every birthday past 20. All the same though, birthdays will always remind me of being young. The feeling similar to the excitement on Christmas morning. Jamie and I, since getting together, have always made birthdays really special and fun. I realize that's a really "cutsie" thing to say, but it's the dang truth. We always extend the celebration, it generally lasts 5 days or so; between parties with friends, to delicious outings spent feasting on tasty foods.

 So here I am, 25 years old. If nothing else, this change of age has got me contemplating life and my goals, or possibly putting in just a little extra effort in accomplishing them, which is only a good thing. I'm the biggest procrastinator, a trait I really ought to do away with. It's a bit disabling in that I find I take far too many tasks on and then become somewhat overwhelmed with them all. In the most recent years, I look at my birthday as a fresh start, sorta like a second go at my New Years resolutions, or maybe just checking in with those resolutions I made months ago, and possibly have forgotten about. So here it is, I make one goal, a goal with a fluid time line, but a time line none the less. I dedicate time and energy, honest time and energy, no puttering, or not too much puttering. I commit to writing down the trials and tribulations of it all. Okay, that felt good to put out there. 

This is still a cooking blog, right? It is! Which leads me to, lemon bars. Lemon bars are just so dang good, and vibrant, and pretty. Growing up, I remember making lemon bars, the lemon filling was so thin, too thin for my liking. Think of the filling as you would a curd cause it is a curd, tart but oh so sweet. I encourage you readers to experiment with the lemon part of these bars, try other juices like lime or maybe even yuzu! Yuzu? What is yuzu you ask? I was first introduced to this fruit when I worked at Milk Bar. It's a citrus fruit that originated in East Asia. It tastes somewhat like a grapefruit, think tart! Okay, back to lemon bars. I love a somewhat thin shortbread to accompany a nice thick layer of lemon. Enjoy these babies, great with a cup of tea, pretty when put on a fancy plate and shared with friends. 

Thank you all for reading! ox.

Shortbread
228 grams unsalted butter
75 grams granulated sugar
2 T confectioners' sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
140 grams all-purpose flour
120 grams cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Lemon Curd
500 grams FRESH lemon juice
114 grams unsalted butter
60 grams heavy cream
8 eggs
400 grams granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Shortbread: 
1. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle atachment cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and confectioners' sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. If you are using pure arm strength to do this, it will take about 10 minutes. Stop the mixer a few times and use a  rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and the paddle to release any clinging butter or sugar. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes, or until thougroughly combined. Scrape the bowl and paddle again with a rubber spatula to make sure the egg yolk is thourougly incoroprated. 

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and then mix for about 15 seconds, or until the flour mixture is totally incorporated and the dough is evenly mixed. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl again to make sure all of the flour mixture is thouroufly incorporated. 

3. Scrape the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, and wrap the dough in the plastic wrap, pressing down to form a disk 6 to 7 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. Refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes, or until it has firmed up but is still somewhat pliable. 

Lemon Curd:
1. In a medium nonreactive saucepan, combine the lemon juice, butter, and cream. Place over medium-high heat and heat to jut below a boil. Meanwhile, in a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks until blended, then slowly whisk in the granulated sugar until combined. Remove the lemon juice mixture from the heat and gradually whisk a little bit of it into the sugar-egg mixture. Continue whisking the hot liquid into the eggs, a little at a time, until all of it has been incorporated.

2. When all of the lemon juice mixture has been incorporated, return the contents of the bowl to the saucepan, and return the saucepan to medium heat. Cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon and making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan frequently to prevent the eggs from scrambling, for 5-8 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and coats the spoon thickly. 

3. Remove the lemon curd from the heat and strain through a  fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Whisk in the salt and vanilla. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Assembly
1. Lightly flour the dough disk. Roll out the dough into a rectangle 9 by 11 inches and about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer the sheet of dough to a 9 by 11 inch greased and parchment paper'd baking pan or baking dish with at least 2-inch-high sides. Press the dough to fit the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the shortbread is light brown- about the same color as maple wood. Remove from the oven, pour the lemon curd on top, and smooth the filling evenly over the shortbread with a rubber spatula. 

2. Bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the curd has set and jiggles like firm Jell-O. Let cool to room temperature in the pan on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours to allow the curd to set. Sprinkle generously with confectioners' sugar!