Creamy Creme Brulee and an Avocado Milkshake

One of the perks of teacher's college is that I had a March Break! I relaxed a bit, socialized a bit, and ate a LOT! I also tested out a few recipes, like ricotta pancakes, different homemade juices (I miss having my juicer around) and creme brulee, my absolute a time favourite dessert

I don't know where my obsession with creme brulee came from, but it started when I was young. Maybe it's the subtle elegance of the dessert itself- creamy custard hidden underneath that crackling sugar shell, or the taste of broiled sugar juust a hint more sophisticated than toasted marshmallows. Or maybe it was the fact that I thought of it as a "fancy dessert", one you could only get at a fancy restaurant (read: one that didn't given children toys or colouring books with their meals). In either case, I always thought of it as beyond my reach, something difficult to make with a million steps. I also figured that if it was only served in fancy restaurants, that it had to be unhealthy and therefore not enjoyed at every given moment.

I was wrong. Oh so completely wrong.

It's not hard at all-the only tricky parts were getting a cake pan with four almost-overflowing ramekins of uncooked custard into the oven. It also can be made health-conscious with a few swaps- almond milk, instead of cream, xyitol instead of sugar and using a few less eggs.

I also made an avocado milkshake. I've always loved taking weird food items and making them sweet, and a milkshake is the perfect vehicle. Cool and creamy, with a hint of sweet!

Was this creme brulee perfect? Pretty much!

Cookbooks and milkshakes and brulee, oh my! 

Creamy Almond Creme Brulee(serves 4) 
(adapted from Providence Farms)

Ingredients
3 eggs
2 cups almond milk
13 cup sugar, plus extra for garnishing ramekins- I used brown, and it wasn't as sweet as I would have liked
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cinnamon
1 tbsp vanilla extract (vanilla bean paste looks lovely in plain creme brulee)
1 tsp instant coffee granules

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients except for garnishing sugar
• Pour mixture evenly into 4 ramekins (the little baking dishes)
• Slowly put ramekins into a 13x9 baking dish, and fill baking dish with hot water halfway up the sides of the ramekins, being careful to not get into into the ramekins

What the pre-baked ramekins will look like

• Bake for 50-55 min or until knife inserted into a ramekin comes out clean
• Take ramekins out of the baking dish and place on a cooling rack. When cool enough, place ramekins in fridge.
• Whenever you are ready, take ramekins out of fridge and cover with a thin, even layer of sugar. 
• This is the fun part- if you have a blowtorch, torch the ramekins just until the sugar begins to brown. Alternatively, place ramekins 4 inches under a broiler and broil for a minute.

Avocado Milkshake (serves one)

Ingredients

1/2 ripe avocado

1 cup milk (substitute almond or coconut milk)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp brown sugar

• Blend everything together!

Enjoy!

Choconut-Cinnabon Bread Pudding

Two posts in a day! This is called trying to catch up, which I am not adept at doing.

A few weeks ago, I went out for my birthday with a few friends. I split a dish of chocolate bread pudding with a friend...and it was the most delicious bread pudding I have ever had.

Birthday girl with birthday bread pudding!

Until I had another craving and decided to make my own.

I made this under the guise of sharing with friends, but I still had half a dish leftover for myself!

I searched for easy recipes, because I had never made bread pudding by myself, and came across this one from The Kitchn-Coconut Milk Bread Pudding

As an avid fan of coconut milk (I always have at least one can in the pantry at any given time), I thought this bread pudding sounded delicious....except for the fact that I didn't have candied ginger, pistachios or jaggery. However, I did have chocolate chips, chopped walnuts and brown sugar. I also had Cinnabon bread. The combination of them all sounded delicious to me!

I followed the cooking directed of the recipe, but used my own substitutions

Choconut-Cinnabon Bread Pudding (adapted from The Kitchn, serves 6-8)

Ingredients:
butter-flavoured cooking spray
6-7 slices Cinnabon Bread, toasted and torn into bite-size pieces
1/4-1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional, but oh so delicious!)
1/4 cup chocolate chips (to keep it dairy-free, use carob chips instead of chocolate chips)
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
3 large eggs
3/4 brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• Spray a 9x7 or 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange the bread pieces in the dish and evenly sprinkle the walnuts and chopcolate chips on top.
• In another bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, eggs, sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt.
• Pour the coconut milk mixture over the bread, pressing down with a spoon or fork to make sure all the bread gets soaked.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until set. The center should spring back when lightly touched.
• Let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.