Black Forest Cake

I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm a bit obsessive when it comes to photographing my baking. I love to share my breads and desserts with you. I love to share my baked goods with other people too. And here is where the conflict of interest lies. Let me explain.
Say, for instance, you made a fantastic black forest cake. The layers are just right. The frosting is just so. The cake makes you feel warm and fuzzy and proud inside. Now here's the catch. You made this cake for a dinner party. You want to bring a beautifully frosted cake to the party to share. You also want to show off and share this cake to your wonderful online followers (that's you!). But you can't bring a cake to the party with a piece missing (well, you can, but people might stare and wonder whether you were so desperately starved that you dug in with your hands on the way there).

So what do you do?

I'm a bit greedy. I want the best of two worlds. So you know what I do? Oh, I cut the cake. I take the photos. I might even sneak a tiny bite with my fork. And then I slide that little piece back into the cake, fix up the frosting like this whole thing never happened, and don't tell a soul. I have no shame.

Shhh. This is our little secret.

This black forest cake is none too sweet, which is just right. When I imagine a black forest cake, I don't think of a sugary, gumdrop forest. I think of a forest that's dark, dense, with secrets hidden in the shadows. The cake is dense and rich. The cherry filling has subtle hints of rum. The pastry cream is oh so dreamy. And the whipped cream frosting is perfect. Just perfect. If you are looking for a cake to impress, look no further.

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Raspberry Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee

I just so happened to have twelve egg yolks just lying around. Yes, egg yolks. Yes, twelve. I never have this problem (but you'll find out why real soon, I promise). Usually I'm left with half a dozen egg whites, with no cravings for angel food cake or omelettes, so they get stashed in the freezer and never emerge again. My freezer is where egg whites go to die. But an excess of egg yolks? This is such a good problem to have. The most decadent desserts require these. And oh how I love decadent desserts.
Can you name something more decadent than creme brulee? Exactly. Creme brulee is near the top of that glorious decadent dessert list. And so, it needed to be made.
My friend Victor gave me some vanilla beans out of the kindness of his own heart. I've never actually held a vanilla bean in real life, so I was really excited. Almost too excited. Like any good cook, I sat and watched youtube videos on how to properly cut vanilla beans. I only got vanilla seeds up my nose once (don't ask). The flecks of vanilla in the dessert are so appealing and the taste is fantastic. I just might have to throw caution (and cash) to the the wind and buy vanilla beans more often.
This raspberry vanilla bean creme brulee is so smooth in texture and taste. The raspberries almost melt into the custard. The flavors of the vanilla and raspberry meld together so perfectly, you might imagine that they are not two separate flavors, but one. Everyone's favorite part of a creme brulee is cracking the sugar crust (and if it isn't, it should be) and this creme brulee is no exception. The sugary crust provides the perfect contrast to the silky smooth texture of the custard. You know you want to eat this.

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30 Second Sangria

After a long, miserable day at work, I don't feel like doing anything. I don't feel like making dinner. I don't feel like doing dishes. Sometimes, I don't even feel like eating. All I want to do is zone out in front of the television, involve myself in someone else's life, and forget about my own reality for a moment or two.
If you've had a particularly bad day, and you're like me, you might just need a drink. A sangria, perhaps? After the first drink, the cares of the day start washing away. After the second, making dinner might not seem like such a bad idea after all. And after the third drink? Oh, you'll be feeling mighty fine by then.
Although this isn't a traditional sangria, for a quick fix it can suit your needs just fine. This certainly doesn't taste like a simplified sangria; it tastes really good. This is not the ocassion to bring out the fancy wines. For this sangria, you'll want a cheap wine, something in the range of $7-8 dollars. If you spend anymore than that, it will be a waste. As a poor college student who can't afford fancy wines, this sangria is just perfect.

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