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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Mixed Berry Crumble

I have a soft spot for neglected fruit. Slightly bruised, a little overripe, sitting quietly in the corner minding its own business. They might be a little imperfect. They might be a little flawed. They might not make the cover of any magazines. They might be just like me (and maybe you).
When I was last at the market, I spotted a small table full of all the overdue summer berries, looking for a good home. These were the leftovers. The unwanted ones. As if to prove my point, a smarmy woman walked by and remarked, "Oh, would you look at those. A mile past their expiration date if you ask me." Well, I wasn't asking her. And I bought them just the same.
Bruised fruit is absolutely perfect to make tarts, pies, and crumbles. When I made this crumble, I could hardly contain myself when they were baking in the oven. The fruit bubbled and boiled, filling the air with sweet scents. And these crumbles? They actually sung. The fruit crackled. It popped. It hissed with the glorious sounds of bubbling over. These crumbles are worth making for that and that alone.

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Dark Chocolate Raspberry Oatmeal Muffins

Moving to a new city where you know not a soul is interesting for a few reasons. It forces you to be tremendously independent and self-reliant (like it or not). It allows you to find your own way. I don't mean this in a clichéd sense either; I mean it quite literally. Once you've walked down a sketchy street in a not-too-pleasant part of town, at dusk, completely lost, blindly searching for the metro, you can understand what I mean. Lastly, and perhaps most curious of all, you have the chance to reinvent yourself. There is no one to judge if you decide to be a little different or even very different. And so, I sit and ask myself, do I want to be someone new?
As I know very few people in this city of over three million (I can count them on two fingers, to be exact), I am in the market to meet new friends. Acquaintances. Anything that breathes. I am not picky. I held a fascinating conversation with a squirrel just yesterday. And so when grad school finally started this week I got excited. I get to be around people! Real people! I just hope I don't seem too desperate for friendship. We all know what that looks like. God forbid I catch a case of those crazy eyes.
My new research group has Wednesday morning meetings and I wanted to make a good impression. So did I read all of the 400 page thesis that was handed to me? Not quite. But I did bake muffins. Either they will love me (and temporarily forget about my lack of contributions) or wonder how I found the time to bake when I could have been researching instead. It could go either way. Wish me luck.
These muffins are so moist they practically fall apart in your hands (not to mention your mouth). The flavors of the chocolate and raspberries stand out, but are not overpowering. You can still taste a little of the oatmeal too, making these a perfect breakfast muffin. These muffins are healthy and quite filling (but you'd never guess it because they taste like a special treat).

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