by jessica yoon
I knew home baking was starting to become popular in Korea, but I had no idea it had become such a big trend. I realized this when I went to a bookstore last week and found dozens and dozens of books devoted to the art of baking. Everything from cutesy cupcake books to healthy vegan alternatives, I was really surprised and delighted to find such a large variety. I was tempted to buy a few of them, but I decided to fight my book glutton instinct and just buy one.
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It’s cookie season right now, which means smells of chocolate and peppermint or green and red sprinkles should be filling the kitchen counters. Instead, I decided to make the most spring inspired cookie in the book. Maybe my head skipped Christmas and I fast forwarded to Easter. These purple dotted shortbread took me to warmer days and sunny skies, where the smell of grass is fresh and pastel hued flowers have just started to bloom.
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It’s finally the end of the month. When I think back to the beginning of November this day seemed so far away, but somehow four weeks went by in a flash. I’m actually really surprised at how comfortable I became with blogging everyday. Not saying that I didn’t have slumps or one liners, but I sort of enjoyed the panic that comes with meeting a deadline. It kept me motivated and pushed me to try more daring recipes outside of my comfort zone. I want to thank all you readers, whether this is your first time here or your 30th, but knowing that somebody is reading my site is so rewarding and a great encouragement. Thank you!
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I’ve been wanting to make croissants again but haven’t had the time With the rolling, folding, and endless waiting, not to mention the fact that the dough needs to be used between 8 and 18 hours, the timing just hasn’t worked. So, I decided to look for a nice alternative in Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. This is the perfect book for those who crave homemade bread but don’t have the time.
I’ve made their rustic, peasant loaves a few times, but have never tried any of their pastry recipes. They didn’t have a one for croissants, but they had one for brioche. It’s not exactly in the same category as puff pastry, however, both have a common interest in butter. Good enough for me.
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I’m doing another retake. First it was the potatoes, gratin to mashed, and now it’s the pumpkin, from caramel pie to cheesecake. It’s repetitive, I know. I also admit, for a toddler blog, I have quite a few pumpkin recipes (here, here, here, and here). But, what can I say I’m a raging pumpkin-a-holic.
I’m working on cutting back. After all, this isn’t “Jessica’s Pumpkin Party” (although, it has a nice alliteration ring to it!). In the meantime, before I decide to lay low on the orange stuff I have to tell you about this amazing pumpkin cheesecake crumble. The taste and texture is similar to a New York style cheesecake, but immersed in pumpkin goodness. The original recipe was for making cheesecake squares with sour cream topping. I simplified mine and made it into a pie, left the sour cream out, and served it with crumbles of the leftover crust. The crumble tastes like evil granola: full of nutty, whole grain flavors that mask the fatty, buttery, white flour reality.
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