Cook - Brioche

I've been meaning to post this for a while but I haven't had time till now. Before final exams, I helped my cousin make some brioche from a recipe provided Ina Garten, host of the Barefoot Contessa. You know, the lady who starts every recipe with a stick of butter. Anyways, I've never had brioche before but I was excited to make it since it was the first time I got to use the dough hook of our beloved Kitchen Aid. The recipe wasn't too difficult and quite easy to follow, but just remember to check your yeast to make sure it's still active and it's probably a smart idea to take your butter out of the refrigerator well in advance to let it soften. We didn't let it sit at room temperature because we didn't have enough much time, so we microwaved it instead.

The results were excellent, it smelt delicious and it tasted wonderful. It's a type of French bread but tastes better than your average loaf from the grocery store, probably because it contains half a pound of butter. I love the smell of fresh baked bread and the brioche had a great consistency that almost resembles a cake. We also prepared some jams to accompany the bread including blueberry jam, strawberry jam, and apple sauce. The jams were easy to make by simply combining some orange juice, frozen fruits, honey, and gelatin mix. The apple sauce is made from a traditional recipe of apples, cinnamon, and sugar, so nothing too complicated. My cousin thought the brioche wasn't worth all the work since you need to let it rise overnight but I thought it wasn't too bad. Hopefully, you will enjoy the picture and perhaps give it a try.

Cook - Bliss & Co. Cupcakes and Desserts

(Clockwise from top left hand corner: lemon cream, vanilla classic, Valencia, island dream, strawberry bliss, caramel bliss)

I discovered Bliss & Co. Cupcakes and Desserts after reading some reviews on Skyscraper Page and I was instantly intrigued to see a bakery in Chinatown that doesn't serve egg tarts and BBQ pork buns. I looked on Chowhound for some more information and I learned that it's located in Chinatown on Centre Street and 3rd Avenue near U & Me but you will need to go down some stairs so it might be difficult to find. It's run by two Chinese ladies from Edmonton and I think it's an excellent idea to bring some modern establishments to Chinatown that can hopefully bring some more life to the streets. They have some very traditional cupcakes but also some very interesting flavour combinations and it's great to see an alternative to Crave. My cousins told me that the cupcakes are frosted right in front of you and they also serve other baked goods including pies, cakes, and cream puffs.

The cakes are very delicious and extremely moist, while the frosting is delicate without too much butter so you can definitely taste the different flavours. I truly believe these cupcakes are better than Crave since I find that it is not overly sweet and the frosting to cake ratio is much better. Lemon cream features a fresh lemon cupcake with a tart and sweet lemon frosting. The vanilla classic cupcake is just like its name with a classic vanilla frosting with vanilla bean seeds throughout. Valencia is a unique twist with a chocolate cupcake topped with Valencia orange frosting. It's not my favourite because I'm not a fan of the chocolate and orange combination, but I do love the frosting and it definitely tastes like creamsicle. Island dream features shredded coconut baked right into the cake with a frosting that tastes like cream cheese and some more coconut. Strawberry bliss is similar to Crave's princess cupcake with a vanilla cupcake and strawberry purée frosting. Finally, the caramel bliss cupcake was my favourite with a rich chocolate cupcake, caramel frosting, and a drizzle of some more caramel. Overall, the cupcakes were delicious and I will certainly visit Bliss & Co. again, but next time I will try the chocolate bliss cupcake.

Anyways, next time you're in Chinatown, remember to visit Bliss & Co. and help your local Chinese businesses!! I included their business card but unfortunately, their website doesn't appear to be operational yet.

Cook - Nutter Butter

I know this technically isn't a recipe but it is food related so it will be my first "cook" post. I want to introduce you to the wonderfulness that is Nutter Butter. My sister just returned from Montana and she brought home my family's favorite snack. Unfortunately, it's only available in the US so if you ever head south of the border, remember to stock up on Nutter Butter at any available Walmarts. It's really delicious with a wafer shell and creamy peanut butter filling, plus it's not overly sweet so it's a perfect snack. In addition, there's no cooking involved and anything with peanut butter gets a thumbs up from me. Bon appétit!