… And a very happy first birthday (on Friday) to my little labor of love, My Daily Morsel! It has been quite a year. I have had many a technological failure-related headache. In my quest for great photography angles, I have stood on many a wobbly chair and almost fallen off many a time. My dog has snatched many a cookie off of my backdrop on the floor. I have learned how hilarious and sometimes frightening the Internet can be at times. For instance, people have found my blog in this last year by searching for things like “George Clooney eating a doughnut” and “In need of anger management so don’t piss me off.” That one I get. The first one? In my deepest of dreams. In my deepest dreams we would be sharing a doughnut Lady and the Tramp -style.
Now, I hope you weren’t expecting me to make a big birthday cake. First of all, I am not at all in the mood to frost a pretty-looking cake. Secondly, that would leave me with a giant cake sitting in my kitchen. And we all know that I would just end up eating it in bed with the biggest fork that I can find while watching romantic comedies. Thirdly, such a special birthday calls for an even more special dessert. This Butterscotch Budino with Salted Caramel is a take on what has got to be the best dessert that I have ever ordered at a restaurant. Sure, it might have given me food poisoning the first time, but that fact that I was willing to order it again on my next visit just proves how amazing it was. Anyway, this is my feeble attempt to recreate that heavenly dessert. I don’t even really know how to convey to you how good this pudding is with just words. You would have to watch my facial expressions while I ate it. Then you would understand.
Butterscotch Budino with Salted Caramel
|
Yield
| Serves 6 |
|
Prep time
| 4 hours, 40 minutes |
|
Cook time
| 20 minutes |
|
Total time
| 5 hours |
|
Meal type
|
Dessert
|
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup Salted Caramel Sauce, recipe below
- Sea salt, for sprinkling
Directions
|
1.
|
Whisk the egg yolks in a large heatproof bowl and set aside. |
|
2.
|
Combine the granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the mixture registers 325°F on a candy thermometer and turns a light golden color. Remove from the heat and let cool for 1 minute. Stir in 1/4 cup of cream, then set aside and let cool completely. |
|
3.
|
Whisk together the milk, brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cooled caramel. Slowly add the warm milk mixture to the egg yolks, whisking vigorously until well combined. Return the mixture to the saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract. |
|
4.
|
Spoon the pudding into six 4-ounce ramekins and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, until cold. Spoon the salted caramel sauce over the tops of the puddings and sprinkle with sea salt. Chill for another hour, until firm. |
|
5.
|
Place the remaining 1/4 cup of cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Top each pudding with a dollop of whipped cream. |
Salted Caramel Sauce
|
Yield
| Makes about 2 cups |
|
Prep time
| 12 minutes |
|
Cook time
| 8 minutes |
|
Total time
| 20 minutes |
|
Meal type
|
Marinades & Sauces
|
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 tablespoons light corn syrup
Note
Recipe adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.
Directions
|
1.
|
Combine the heavy cream and salt in a small saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer and stir until the salt is dissolved. |
|
2.
|
Meanwhile, combine the water, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until a candy thermometer registers 350°F and the mixture is a deep amber color. Remove from the heat and let sit for 1 minute. Add the warm cream and stir until smooth. Let cool to room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container. |
Tagged as:
budino,
butterscotch pudding,
caramel,
dessert,
pudding,
recipe,
sea salt,
whipped cream
A wise man once said “Sex is good. But not as good as fresh, sweet corn.” That man was Garrison Keeler. I’ll go ahead and admit it. I am not a stranger to Prairie Home Companion. Night-time radio is a pretty lonely place, and I guess there’s something comforting about NPR and Garrison Keeler breaking into song if you find yourself on the road on a Saturday night. Whether or not you agree on the accuracy of his comment, I think we can all agree that corn is a very, very, very, very, VERY good thing. Almost as good as Bill Hader’s Garrison Keeler impression. Almost.
There’s something special about this Grilled Corn and Pickled Shallot Bruschetta. It’s something about how the sweet corn pairs up against the tartness of the tender, pickled shallots. And, of course, when there is good bread involved, nothing can go wrong. I top slices of toasted French bread with a mixture of warm chargrilled corn, Roma tomatoes, fresh basil, and, quite possibly the tastiest part of this combination, the pickled shallots. Every bite tastes like summer is getting closer and closer and closer.
Grilled Corn and Pickled Shallot Bruschetta
|
Yield
| Serves 6 to 8 |
|
Prep time
| 18 minutes |
|
Cook time
| 12 minutes |
|
Total time
| 30 minutes |
|
Meal type
|
Appetizers
|
Ingredients
- 1 French baguette, sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 large shallots, diced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 4 ears of corn, shucked
- 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
|
1.
|
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the bread slices on a large rimmed baking sheet and brush the tops with olive oil. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly toasted. |
|
2.
|
Toss together the shallots and vinegar in a large bowl. Let marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes. |
|
3.
|
Meanwhile, place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the corn for 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Cut the corn kernels off the cob and add to the bowl with the pickled shallots. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, and garlic and season with salt and pepper, to taste. |
|
4.
|
Spoon the corn mixture over the toasted bread slices and serve. |
Tagged as:
appetizer,
basil,
bruschetta,
french bread,
grilled corn,
pickled shallots,
recipe,
tomatoes
Let me preface this by saying that I can’t really figure out if this salad is more Asian or Mexican-inspired. Look at me, being indecisive. Surprise, surprise. I’m totally convinced by the Asian dressing until I see the crunchy tortilla strips on top. But there’s ginger. Then again, there’s corn. This is the most confusing thing I have ever eaten. So until I can learn how to make a concise decision, it is an Asian-Mexican love child. Deal with it.
Let’s talk about this vinaigrette. It is a mixture between a sweet peanut sauce and a cilantro-lime dressing. Here we go again… This sweet and tangy vinaigrette is drizzled over a salad filled with flavor nuggets (copyright pending) – mixed greens, slices of grilled chicken, shredded carrots and jicama, corn kernels, and crunchy tortilla strips. Enjoy this incredibly inconclusive salad.
Asian Grilled Chicken Salad
|
Yield
| Serves 4 to 6 |
|
Prep time
| 20 minutes |
|
Cook time
| 20 minutes |
|
Total time
| 40 minutes |
|
Meal type
|
Salads
|
Ingredients
Salad
- 3 split boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups mixed baby greens
- 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
- 1/2 small jicama, peeled and shredded
- 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
- 1/4 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
- 1 cup tortilla strips
Dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Directions
|
Salad
|
|
1.
|
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the chicken breasts with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 8 to 10 minutes per side, until cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut the chicken into 1/4-inch thick slices. |
|
2.
|
Toss together the mixed greens, carrot, jicama, corn, edamame, tortilla strips, and sliced chicken in a large serving bowl to combine. |
|
Dressing
|
|
3.
|
Combine the lime juice, peanut butter, soy sauce, olive oil, sesame oil, honey, Sriracha, ginger, and garlic in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the cilantro and pulse until well combined. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. |
You can make your own tortilla strips! Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut corn tortillas into very thin strips and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet. Spray generously with nonstick cooking spray and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. They are easy and much healthier!
Tagged as:
asian,
carrots,
cilantro,
corn,
edamame,
grilled chicken,
jicama,
mexican,
mixed greens,
peanut lime dressing,
recipe,
salad,
tortilla strips
by Riley
May 15, 2013
I want to get something off my chest. It is random, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the recipe that I am sharing with you today. But it is something that really bugs me. It haunts me down to my core. Feel free to scroll down and get to the good stuff….. Why [...]
Tagged as:
bell peppers,
chickpeas,
currants,
feta cheese,
orzo stuffed peppers,
recipe,
spinach,
vegetarian,
whole wheat orzo
Continue for recipe …
by Riley
May 13, 2013
Remember that irresistible Orange White Chocolate Bread that I made last week? Yeah, I barely remember it either, seeing as how I was able to down an entire loaf by myself in one day. I have no shame. Just kidding, I have a lot of shame. That was ridiculous. I had to put the other [...]
Tagged as:
bread,
breakfast,
brioche,
custard,
french toast,
orange syrup,
oranges,
pain perdu,
recipe,
white chocolate
Continue for recipe …
by Riley
May 4, 2013
How hard is it to grade a multiple choice exam?? I’m going to guess it’s not quite as hard as it has been to keep my crazy at bay. I’ve been obsessing over one particular grade for the last thirty six hours. I’m convinced that my professor has a personal vendetta against me and is [...]
Tagged as:
ancho chiles,
chile puree,
cilantro,
monterey jack cheese,
recipe,
shredded chicken,
soup,
sour cream,
tomatoes,
tortilla soup,
tortilla strips
Continue for recipe …
by Riley
April 30, 2013
There’s a whole lot of crap rolling around in my brain right now, and it has been crucial to my own personal sanity to occasionally stop, breathe, and go to my happy place. My happy place where statistics was never invented and you can survive on bread and chocolate. My real-life happy place is Whole [...]
Tagged as:
bread,
brioche,
flour,
orange sugar,
orange zest,
recipe,
sweet bread,
white chocolate
Continue for recipe …
