chocolate croissant bread pudding with salted caramel sauce

and the baking continues....
With sho (my brothers friend from Japan) in the house nothing I make lasts long, so I have been cooking/baking like nonstop. But this is one recipe I had to post on here (I was trying to copy the bread pudding from Chaya Venice and not gonna lie. . . I think I succeeded).

I added banana slices on top of this one, and one mushed banana inside the custard part. 

Ingredients:
6 or 7 chocolate croissants (if you aren't into chocolate or just don't have chocolate croissants just use plain)
2 cups of whole milk
1 cup of cream (I put 1 cup half and half on the lighter side)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
6 egg yolks  (yeah I know. . . what do you do with 6 egg whites? try this)
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz bittersweet chocolate chips (depending on how chocolately your croissants are)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F (up it to 375 and bake for about 40 min if you like it toastier and crispier) and lightly butter an 8 inch square baking dish or something similar (I actually skipped the butter all together this time, and it turned out fine!).

In a big bowl whisk together the milk, cream, egg yolks, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon and salt.
Next, cut the croissants (either homemade like mine or store bought) into little 1 inch pieces and try really hard not to eat them (I had to hide my pieces from my brother/friends/brother's friends).
Pour the milk mixture into the pan and then put the croissant pieces in the mixture. Make sure everything gets soaked in the custard, but you don't want every piece totally submerged, so the top of the bread pudding should be pieces of croissant sticking out of the liquid (so you get that nice buttery crunchy croissant layer). Finally press the chocolate pieces in between the croissant pieces and on top of the croissant pieces and stick the whole thing in the oven. Bake for about 45-50 minutes until the liquid is gone and the top is nice and toasty. (While it bakes make the caramel sauce.)

Let cool for about 10 minutes and serve hot with salted caramel sauce (just a little), vanilla ice cream, salted caramel ice cream (I recommend the one from Sweet Rose Creamery if you are in LA - SO DELICIOUS) or any combination of those three actually. I just wouldn't add any strongly flavored ice creams because the flavors of the pudding itself are awesome.

Salted Caramel Sauce from Zoe Nathan (Huckleberry owner/chef/master baker/awesome person)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tbs light corn syrup
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 tbs unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp sea salt (crushed)

In a sauce pan, bring the sugar water and corn syrup to a boil. Boil over high heat until the mixture becomes a deep amber caramel (about 6 min - dont let it burn though so make sure you keep an eye on it). Remove from the heat and slowly and carefully whisk the butter and cream into the caramel (not the other way. . . trust me, its not pretty). Finally, whisk in the salt. Let the caramel sauce cool while the bread pudding is baking.

Enjoy!!

"better than starbucks coffee cake"

Its official. I'm a stress baker (basically, I bake when I'm stressed instead of exercising, or eating, or cleaning, for example).
So out of my stress, I made a ton of coffee cake from the lovely vanilla sugar blog in the middle of the night, and now, 12 hours later all the coffee cake is gone.

This recipe isn't really that difficult, but there are a bunch of steps so its better if you actually do the whole thing the right way (so actually sift the flour... don't get lazy on me).

Ingredients:
topping-
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup golden brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup melted, warm unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
optional- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

cake-
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
12 tbsp softened unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup fat free greek yogurt
1/2 cup cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
optional- 2 cups fresh blueberries (or chocolate chips... or both!)

First preheat the oven to 350 F (with the rack in the center of the oven). Butter the sides of a 9 by 13 inch glass pan (or slightly larger)

Make the really delicious crumbly topping-
In a big bowl, whisk together the three types of sugar, salt and cinnamon. Once combined, add the melted butter and whisk that some more. Finally, fold in the flour (I folded mine in 3rds). Then set that to the side. (Add chopped walnuts if you'd like at this point!)

Make the super awesome moist cake-
In a little bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.
In another little bowl mix together the greek yogurt and cream until smooth (I probably went a little more yogurt than cream so closer to a cup of yogurt and 1/4 cup cream). Next, in a big bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until its nice and smooth. Then add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Next, beat the eggs into the batter one by one. Finally, blend in the yogurt mixture and vanilla. Add the flour in 3rds, beating until incorporated before adding the next third.

Assemble your cake!
Pour the batter in the cake pan spread it evenly with a spatula or spoon or whatever you fancy. Then, if you choose to add blueberries (I did half and half) press 1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries into the batter (or 3/4 cup on half the pan if you do half and half like I did). Use your fist to create big chunks of topping and break those chunks into smaller chunks over your cake until all you see are chunks of topping. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of blueberries over the crumb topping if you are making a blueberry version (just squeeze them in between chunks). Don't worry if your topping looks thick! It should be!

Stick the whole thing in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes (rotating the whole pan every 15 minutes or so) or until a knife comes out clean and the pieces of cake that rose through the topping are golden brown.
Let it cool for about 30 minutes and enjoy!

And now all your stress should be gone :)

rip

"British police say singer Amy Winehouse has been found dead at her home in London on Saturday, July 23, 2011. The singer was 27 years old."

summer so far

4. go to Thursdays at the pier

13. stop being so pale for a latina

16. learn how to longboard

18. get my license (lol what a joke)

20. boba at Volcano Tea

on a role 

WIN

swackett is the shit

colombia

love.

and its all over.... 

on a side note : I miss Colombia already and I can't wait to go back! I love my family and all the lovely people I met on my trip. (and I really think American guys could learn a thing or two from Colombian guys.... but really)

cartagena beach :)

Beautiful days on the beach where carts full of mangos roll by, women give foot massages, fresh coconuts are cracked open with machetes, cold coconut lemonades are brought out to the cabanas, caramayonas (aka the best food ever) are sold for 30 cents, women walk dressed in bright reds and yellows with baskets of fruit balanced on their heads, and the ocean is clam and warm.

I LOVE COLOMBIA

I love the people, I love the food, I love the weather, I love the spontaneity, I love the guys, I love the fruit, I love the ocean, I love Colombia.

Really though everything is better here.

It was a actually a little bit rough at first because, well, we were a bit stranded.

We couldn't get the key to the apartment we are now staying, so we were driving around, crammed into a tiny taxi with all of our luggage piled on top of us. It was crazy, but hey, its all part of the adventure! We actually ended up staying in a hotel in the beautiful old city, which I really wanted to do anyways... so its all good ;)

the old city buildings are so colorful! I love it.

Yesterday, after wandering around the old city in Cartagena, we saw La Popa monastery, the highest point of the city, and the giant fort in the middle of the city called The Castillo de San Felipe. Even though we were BOILING in the humid heat here, we saw a toucan, held a really cute sloth (perezosa), saw some truly incredible views from La Popa and the Castillo, made a wish in front of the Virgin Mary's 32 karat gold alter (seriously blinged out), climbed through the pitch-black tunnels of the Castillo, went swimming on a rooftop, ate a mango as big as my face from a street vendor, ordered some yuca thing and arepas con huevos from the taxi window, went dancing in the hot rain, had a shower party, tried to go night swimming in the rain but had to abort the mission after I got 15 bug bites in a span of 5 minutes (I'm not exaggerating... I even got one on my face), partied with some awesome Colombians.

Street food!

View from La Popa

El Castillo de San Felipe

I love this country and I cannot wait for the adventures we will be going on the next 9 days. I probably wont give such detailed posts from now on, but I'm just so excited.

summer list

The only thing I hate about summer is the part where I sit around and try to think of something exciting (and free for the most part) to do. So I'm making a summer list.

1. write at least 10 songs
2. blog more recipes
3. save up for a camera, so basically make some bank
4. go to Thursdays at the pier
5. go to First Friday
6. go to LACMA
7. see the Tim Burton exhibit with Nicolio
8. go to the Getty Villa (bring a sketch pad)
9. start making paintings as college gifts for the besties
10. go to the Melrose Flea Market on Sundays
11. see a play
12. go to a  comedy show
13. stop being so pale for a latina
14. buy more heels
15. bike to Hermosa/Redondo
16. learn how to longboard
17. be a beast surfer
18. get my license (lol what a joke)
19. read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell
20. boba at Volcano Tea
21. go the Annenberg Community Beach House
22. go to Chinatown
23. see Watts Tower
24. go to Olvera Street (they have mariachi... why have I never heard of this)
25. see some movies with dead people! (movies at the forever cemetery)
26. night hike in Griffith Partk
27. go the Huntington Gardens
28. become an Archer (free archery lessons on Saturdays) more info
29. J.A.M. Sessions at the Ford Amphitheater (Monday Nights, 7 pm) more info
30. wine and jazz (minus the wine) at Hollywood and Highland Center (tuesdays 7-9 pm) more info
31. Also I Like to Rock (at the Hammer Museum, Thursdays 7pm)

hell yeah.

way too excited for my own good.

i love laura

Can I just say how awesome Laura Christina Onasch-Vera is? because she is freaking dope.
I love her so incredibly much and I am so glad that she is taking over my life until Tuesday (I wish she were here longer though... )  :)

I love that she is one of those people who I can go a long time without seeing and, when I see her again, we pick up right where we left off.

**Some new Iowan lingo that I'm trying to incorporate into my life: dope & bone.

Class of '11

I'm officially no longer a high school student! (I'm a freshman again...)

Graduation (and my song/speech) went really well, and I am so honored and grateful to have been part of such an amazing class -- truly the most intelligent, talented, kind class that has ever existed (in my view).

And also, thank you again to all the awesome people who liked my song! I think I am recording it pretty soon, so the people who wanted a copy of it will be able to get it!

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." - Eleanor Roosevelt

LOV

I love my Iowans.

and madi wants me to put this up here... she's an addict. 

can't wait to be a tiger

Banana Bread!

I have been making this banana bread for years now, so this is definitely my go to recipe whenever there are bananas lying around, or I need to bake something for school. All my friends are in love with it and they always ask me to make it... so basically, if you make it people will like you!
yay!

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups of mashed super ripe banana (i usually put a little more than 1 cup so like 3 bananas)
1 3/4 cups of flour (all purpose or whole wheat or some of both)
3/4 cup of brown sugar (packed) (or slightly less than 3/4 cup of agave)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbs milk
6 tbs butter (or 4 tbs and 1/4 cup of applesauce)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnuts or chocolate chips (or both if you want!)

There are two ways to make this... The easy way and the real way. As far as I can tell they turn out the same so its up to you!

for both: preheat the oven to 350 F.

EASY WAY:
Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix them, then make a well in the center. Put the eggs, melted butter, milk, sugar and vanilla in the well and them up in the center with a fork so that the wet ingredients are combined and then incorporate the surrounding dry ingredients.

REAL WAY:
Cream the softened butter with the brown sugar. Then add vanilla, eggs and banana. In a different bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and those to the wet ingredients.

BAKING: There are 3 ways I've made this: Bread/cake, muffins and pancakes.
Bread/Cake: put in a greased bread tin (you may need two) or any cake pan and bake for 45 to 1 hour. Just test the readiness by sticking a knife in the center at like 45 min (it should come out clean).
Cupcake/Muffin: If you want you can make this in cupcake/muffin form, in which case you put the batter in a cupcake tin in baking cups and bake for about 20- 25 min (but you might need more depending on your oven so just check the readiness with a knife at 20 min and then every 5 min or so after that).
Pancakes: You may need to add 1 or 2 more tbs of milk to make the batter a bit looser, but just put the batter in circles on a heated, greased pan and you get lovely banana pancakes!

Pali Choir

Oh my goodness.
Tonight, my last choir concert every, definitely didn't go as I expected it to, but it was wonderful nonetheless.

I love Pali Choir so incredibly much and I have grown close to so many incredible people over the past three years. I can honestly say that some of my best high school experiences occurred in choir and I'm so thankful to Mr. Elson for everything has given and continues to give to the choir.

I just need to say that Mr. Elson might be the most inspirational, caring, genuine person I know, and I am so grateful that I have had him in my life to talk to and, of course, sing with. I think I can even go as far as to say that he has actually changed my life - that I am the person who I am today in part because of him. (I could go on forever... so I'll just leave it at that.)

Every song we sung tonight was amazing, the solos were all so beautiful, and it was a great way to end an amazing three years with choir. I promised myself I wouldn't cry when I sung tonight, but I guess when you are leaving something behind that has changed you so completely, its impossible to hold back the tears. I love every single person in choir so much, and I with that everyone could have the chance to experience all that I have experienced with choir.

super crunchy coconut almond walnut hazelnut granola!

I found a container of oats, and an old package of coconut, and I couldn't find the fourth Harry Potter book, so I decided to try making granola! I love love love coconut, and coconut oil is supposedly really healthy, so I decided to go coconut all the way. Hope you enjoy this easy, crunchy granola!

What you need:
4 cups of old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup of grounds almonds (optional)
1/3 coconut milk
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup honey/agave/syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1-1/2 slightly over flowing cups chopped or whole almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts (you can add whichever nuts you like, or no nuts at all!)
1/2 shredded coconut sweetened or unsweetened (mine were in flakes)
1/3 cup of pumpkin seeds (and you can add a tiny bit of flax seeds or sesame seeds but I just stuck to pumpkin seeds)

*if you want to add chocolate chips and/or any dried fruit, add those in later.

How its done:
Preheat oven to 325 F.
Ok so first, in a large bowl, combine the oats, ground almond meal, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, hazelnuts/almonds, seeds, and coconut until everything seems somewhat evenly distributed.

Next, whisk the coconut milk, coconut oil, vanilla and agave or syrup in a saucepan until the oil is melted (don't boil it though!) and pour it into the bowl with the oat mixture. If you are using honey don't heat it with the milk and oil. Instead add it to the dry ingredients separately. Stir up all the ingredients until everything is nice and sticky and coated and then press half of the mixture onto a parchment papered covered sheet tray and the other half on another tray.

Put the trays in the oven and after 15 min stir the granola around with a spoon or spatula.
*If you want to add any dried fruit or chocolate or you want some not so crunchy coconut add those ingredients into the granola now (incorporate them as you flip the granola around).

Finally bake for another 10-15 min until the granola is a nice light golden brown, and take it out of the oven to cool. Don't worry if its not crunchy yet (it should still be pretty soft) but as soon as it cools it will harden. Put it in an airtight container to store and enjoy with some delicious yogurt and fruit or just as a snack!

chamomile. my love.

chamomile when its cold. chamomile when its hot. 

(Grad night was soooo fun! I'm so exhausted and I can barely keep my eyes open so I will post about that later.)

new glasses?

I would pick the $550 dollar glasses....