Momofuku Milk Bar's Birthday Cake

I’m going to be upfront about it: this cake is involved. Like, A. Project. But if you don’t mind a project for a special occasion, say, your youngest’s second birthday, well then, you’re in for a real treat! The upside is that it can be broken down into steps and made ahead of time and kept in the freezer until the morning of the day you need it, at which point you transfer it into the fridge until the party. I made a lactose-free version of it and it was AH-ma-zing. Like seriously, possibly the best birthday cake you can conjure up. That being said, the road there wasn’t exactly smooth.

To refresh your memory, Christina Tosi is the chef at Momofuku Milk Bar (she’s the one who invented cereal milk ice cream and crack pie, too). I really got into this cake when I saw her on Chef’s Table, Season 4, Episode 1. (Admitedly, some found it lacking. While we’re at it, here’s an interview focused on how she stays so thin even though she’s a famous pastry chef.) The recipe for her birthday layer cake is in her cookbook, but I referred to the version published in Bon Appétit. Which, as it turns out, is erroneous: when I baked the cake in the specified 9”x13” jelly roll pan, which I had bought specifically for the occasion, it overflowed and I had a disaster on my hands. There’s nothing in the comments about this, but a bit of googling revealed I wasn’t the only one. I think that the problem stems from the fact that Christina Tosi calls for a quarter sheet pan (assuming this is the original recipe in her book), and then Bon Appétit went on to quantify those measurements as 9”x13”. The problem is that a quarter sheet pan IS NOT A STANDARD MEASUREMENT! So let me save you some trouble here: what you want is a rimmed baking sheet (such as a jelly roll pan) measuring 10”x15”. Smaller and your cake batter will overflow; bigger and your cake will be too thin and burn. For the record, there’s a pretty big difference in volume between a 9”x13” pan and a 10”x15” pan, so I’m surprised Bon Appétit let that slide! In any event, I had to make the cake a second time, and it turns out that the 9”x13” pan wasn’t a complete waste because that was the only size that would fit in my lower-drawer freezer for the last step! Plus, the Fox loves playing with it now.

My version (below) is lactose-free! It all works with Earth Balance sticks, even the frosting. It’s also nut-free as long as your ingredients aren’t cross-contaminated (I’m thinking of the sprinkles and clear vanilla extract in particular).

Before you even attempt this, make sure you have all the ingredients and equipment: in addition to the 10”x15” pan, you’ll want a roll of 3”-wide acetate and some clear vanilla extract (I bought Wilton, but Christina Tosi recommends McCormick). The distinctive imitation taste of the clear vanilla extract really makes this cake. You also need either a 6” cake ring or a 6” springform mold (I have the latter). The resulting cake is small, obviously, but it was enough for 4 adults and 2 kids. Also, as per the recommendations on Liv for Cake (which had solved the pan size issue), I made 1.5 times the recommended amount of frosting – you’ll have a bit leftover, but that way at least you won’t run out, and that’s what I wrote below. Since this recipe is so involved, it’s a good idea to start at least several days ahead of time, so that you can course-correct if needed.

All that being said, this was an amazing cake. The crumb is a vanilla funfetti that tastes like the best version you remember from childhood (even for me who hadn’t had those types of cakes on my birthday!), the crumbs are almost like a funfetti granola, and dang it if that frosting isn’t the best one I’ve ever had! I’m making that frosting again for sure; it was stark white, had the perfect consistency, and wasn’t too sweet (although the finished, assembled cake certainly was). I think we all really loved it. The Little Prince has even asked me to make it again for his birthday – oy! I’d actually love to adapt it to make a regular 2-layer, 8- or 9-inch round cake. Do let me know if any of you have tried!


For the cake
2 cups cake flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. kosher salt
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp. rainbow sprinkles, divided
1 ½ tsp. vinegar + enough lactose-free milk to make ½ cup (instead of ½ cup buttermilk)
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
2 tsp. clear imitation vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
4 Tbsp. (½ stick) lactose-free butter or margarine, at room temperature
3 Tbsp. light brown sugar
3 large eggs

For the crumbs
¾ cup cake flour (or all-purpose flour)
½ cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
2 Tbsp. rainbow sprinkles
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ cup grapeseed oil
1 Tbsp. clear imitation vanilla extract

For the frosting and assembly
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) lactose-free butter or vegan margarine, at room temperature
6 Tbsp. vegetable shortening
3 oz. lactose-free cream cheese, at room temperature
3 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1 ½ Tbsp. + 1 tsp. clear imitation vanilla extract, divided
7.5 oz. powdered sugar
¾ tsp. kosher salt
3/8 tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ cup lactose-free milk


For the cake
Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line a 10”x15” rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (I left some overhang on the long sides and strongly recommend it) and coat with nonstick spray; set aside.

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and ¼ cup sprinkles in a large bowl.

Combine buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl.

Using an electric mixer on medium-high, beat granulated sugar, shortening, butter, and light brown sugar in another large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of bowl. Continue to beat mixture, occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of bowl, until almost doubled in volume and very light, airy, and pale yellow, about 4 minutes.

With mixer on low, add buttermilk mixture until incorporated. Add dry ingredients, beating until just combined, about 1 minute.

Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp. sprinkles. Bake until cake is light golden brown, the center springs back when gently pressed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 30–35 minutes.

Remove cake from oven and cool on a wire rack or, in a pinch, in the fridge or freezer. The cake can be stored in the fridge, wrapped in plastic, for up to 5 days. (In the photos below, I’m showing you the prebaked cake in the 9”x13” pan because it has the 2 Tbsp. of sprinkles on it; I forgot that step when I used the proper 10”x15” pan.)


For the crumbs
Preheat oven to 300 °F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Combine flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, sprinkles, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add oil and vanilla, and using your hands (or a wooden spoon), mix until no dry spots remain and large clumps form when mixture is pressed together. As though you were making a crumble topping, break mixture up into clusters (some small, some large) and spread onto prepared baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until crumble is light golden brown and crunchy, 10–12 minutes (it will firm up as it cools). Let cool completely. The crumbs can be kept in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 5 days.


For the frosting
Combine butter, shortening, and cream cheese in large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high until mixture is smooth and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl and slowly stream in corn syrup and 1 Tbsp. vanilla. Beat until mixture is silky smooth and glossy white, about 3 minutes.

Scrape down sides of bowl and, with mixer on low, add powdered sugar, salt, baking powder, and lemon juice until just combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until you have a brilliant stark white, beautifully smooth frosting, about 4 minutes (it should look just like it came out of a plastic tub at the grocery store!).

Frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

For the assembly
Place a piece of parchment paper on a counter. Invert cake onto it, then peel off the parchment paper (the one which was in the pan and is still stuck to the cake). Use cake ring to punch out two 6" rounds from cake (or, using a springform pan as a guide, cut out 2 rounds using a paring knife). These are your top 2 cake layers. Use the remaining cake scraps to cut out two semicircles, which will form the bottom layer of the cake.


Cut 2 strips of acetate – each should be 3 inches wide and 20 inches long.

Line a (small) sheet pan with a clean piece of parchment. Clean cake ring and place it in center of the pan. Use 1 acetate strip to line inside of cake ring. Place cake scraps inside ring and use the back of your hand to press scraps together into a flat, even layer (you never see this layer, so it’s okay that it’s messy, but since it’s the base of the cake, it needs to be flat).

Combine milk and remaining 1 tsp. vanilla in a small bowl. Dunk a pastry brush in milk mixture and use half of it to generously moisten the base layer.

Use the back of a spoon to spread about 3 Tbsp. frosting evenly over cake (I used a bit more). Sprinkle ⅔ cup birthday crumbs evenly over frosting (I recommend saving the larger, more aesthetically pleasing pieces for the top of the cake). Use the back of your hand to press them in place. Use the back of a spoon to spread another 3 Tbsp. frosting as evenly as possible over crumbs (honestly, I found it hard to do this without being a bit messy and using up a bit more frosting than 3 Tbsp. just to try to get a cleaner finish).


With your index finger, gently tuck second acetate strip between cake ring and the top ¼" of the first acetate strip, so that you have a clear ring of acetate 5–6" tall—high enough to support the height of the finished cake. Top with a cake round (if 1 of your 2 cake rounds is less pretty than the other, use it for the middle layer and save the most perfect one for the top). Brush layer with remaining milk mixture. Repeat frosting-crumb layering process.

Nestle remaining cake round into frosting. Cover top of cake with remaining frosting. Use an offset spatula to form decorative swirls (this hard to do with the acetate and it’s what I don’t like about the aesthetics of my finished cake), or do as they do at Milk Bar and shape it into a perfectly flat top. Top with remaining birthday crumbs.


Transfer cake to freezer and freeze at least 3 hours to set cake and filling.

At least 3 hours before serving the cake, pull sheet pan out of freezer and, using your fingers and thumbs, pop cake out of cake ring. Gently peel off acetate and transfer cake to a platter or cake stand. Defrost in fridge at least 3 hours. (Properly wrapped in plastic, the cake will keep up to 2 weeks in the freezer, or up to 5 days in the fridge.)

Batch of links

- I read this great article about Nanaimo bars last week, so of course I just had to make Nanaimo bars this week with the ubiquitous tub of Bird’s custard powder.

- Related: how to fix melted chocolate that has seized.

- How to prevent hot milk from sticking to the pan (I would not have guessed that just water makes a difference).

- How to prevent beets from staining your cutting board (same basic principle).

- The difference between fudgy, chewy and cakey brownies – I’m camp chewy myself.

- I am adding pink celery to my imaginary garden!

- Next time I see chickpea butter, I’ll have to buy some to try it out – it might be especially good for school lunches!

- An elementary school in Indiana is turning leftover cafeteria food into meals for kids in need (and by “leftover”, I mean prepared-but-not-served). Awesome initiative that limits waste while also doing good!

- Café Ohlone, in Berkley, is serving only indigenous foods.

- The bitter truth about taste buds, genes and flavor.

- Ever notice how when women follow a weird diet, they have an eating disorder, but when men do it, it’s “biohacking”?

- And an essay by chef Amanda Cohen (of Dirt Candy) on how female chefs are expected to stay thin while male chefs are expected to let loose and enjoy the food.

Lemon Pudding Cake

I felt like making a good lemon pudding cake a while back, so I tried Cook’s Illustrated’s version, but I was underwhelmed – and I think no one else really liked it. Same thing happened with this lemon-soufflé pudding cake. So eventually, for old time’s sake, I made Daisy Goodwill’s lemon pudding (from The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields), but it wasn’t as I remembered. I gave up for a while, but eventually the urge to get this right became quite strong, and I ended up googling a good recipe. I settled on this one right here, which was just what I was looking for. It only makes 4 (big) servings, though, so it won’t last long… The kids didn’t really like it, but the Engineer and I gobbled it up!

3 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup lactose-free butter or vegan margarine, softened
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup lactose-free milk
powdered sugar, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 °F.

Beat egg whites in bowl at high speed until foamy. Continue beating, gradually adding ¼ cup sugar, until glossy and stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Combine remaining ¾ cup sugar and butter in another bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add egg yolks, lemon juice and lemon zest; continue beating until well mixed. Add flour and salt. Beat at low speed until well mixed. Stir in milk. Gently stir in beaten egg whites.

Pour mixture into ungreased 1 ½-quart casserole dish. Place casserole into 13x9-inch baking pan. Place baking pan on oven rack; pour boiling water into baking pan to ½-inch depth. Bake 45-55 minutes or until golden brown (I left mine an extra 10 minutes because it was still too wobbly). Remove casserole dish from water; cool 10 minutes (longer, in my case; the Engineer prefers his served cold). Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

World Peace Cookies, now with Mallow Bits

I made a few unfancy desserts that didn’t quite pan out like I wanted. There was a banana cake with penuche frosting, where the frosting never quite “took” (and it wasn’t as good as this banana cake). Black-bottom cupcakes were surprisingly underwhelming. Apricot handpies from the Minimalist Baker cookbook were bland. Loaded Oatmeal Cookies were just okay.

As I was giving my pantry a quick once-over to figure out what ingredient I should use up next, I realized that my leftover Mallow Bits (from making the lackluster hot cocoa cookies) were going stale. So I decided to make world peace cookies – it’s a recipe by Dorie Greenspan and it also goes by the name Korova cookies. And I added Mallow Bits to half the batch, just to see if I’d like that cookie better than the hot cocoa one. (Spoiler: I totally did.)

For me, the yield was about 2 dozen cookies, and I can attest that they are better when sliced on the thick side. When comparing the plain (original) version to the one with Mallow Bits, the latter won hands down for all household members; that being said, I think that the original version would benefit from a pinch of salt on top of each cookie before baking. The chocolate flavor is intense here, which is very satisfying! We all loved these.

1 ¼ cups (165 g) all-purpose flour (I used white whole wheat)
1/3 cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking soda
11 Tbsp. (155 g or 5.5 oz.) lactose-free butter or vegan margarine, at room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) (125 g) light brown sugar
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
½ tsp. fleur de sel or ¼ tsp. fine sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 oz. (140 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or a generous ¾ cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
½ cup or so of Mallow Bits (NOT miniature marshmallows) (optional)
fleur de sel, for garnish (optional)

Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.

Turn off the mixer. Pour in the flour mixture, drape a kitchen towel over the stand mixer to protect yourself and your kitchen from flying flour and pulse the mixer at low speed about 5 times, a second or two each time. Take a peek — if there is still a lot of flour on the surface of the dough, pulse a couple of times more; if not, remove the towel. Continuing at low speed, mix for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough — for the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added, and don’t be concerned if the dough looks a little crumbly. Toss in the chocolate pieces (and Mallow Bits, if using) and mix only to incorporate.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it together and divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1 ½ inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. The dough can be baked right from the freezer; just add 1 minute to the baking time. I prefer baking a batch of cookies at a time and keeping the rest of the dough in the fridge for a few days.)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 °F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Working with a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are ½ inch thick. (The rounds are likely to crack as you’re cutting them — don’t be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each cookie.) Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about one inch between them. Sprinkle with fleur de sel, if using.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes — they won’t look done, nor will they be firm, but that’s just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can serve them or let them reach room temperature.

Liens de la semaine

- J’ai lu À la ferme comme à la ville dans La Presse + et j’ai été complètement séduite. Le concept : des maisons à la campagne avec un espace communautaire dont personne n’a à assurer l’entretien individuellement. Les résidents ont accès à un jardin, à un ruisseau, à des espaces verts, mais sans la charge de travail qui vient avec le tout (l’entretien est payé grâce à des frais de copropriétaires). Ils ont aussi une vie communautaire, avec des enfants qui peuvent jouer ensemble dehors et des activités comme un atelier de confection de bouquets de fleurs ou un cours de yoga, par exemple.

- Si vous avez le temps, je vous suggère une série de quatre podcasts sur les menstruations (environ 1 heure par épisode). Il s’agit de l’un des nombreux thèmes abordés par LSD (la série documentaire) sur France Culture. Voici les liens pour les épisodes : 1, 2, 3 et 4. On y parle du caractère tabou des règles (alors que la moitié de la population est directement affectée), de la manière d’aborder les menstruations pour les sans-abris ou les prostituées, de la ménopause, de l’art menstruel… Vraiment très intéressant!

- Dans le numéro d’octobre 2018 de Coup de Pouce, il y avait une demi-page (en haut de la page 71) qui citait des données d’une étude réalisée auprès d’un millier de Canadiennes la même année (malheureusement, je ne trouve pas la référence sur leur site et je ne peux pas vous en dire plus sur l’étude en question). Mais voici quelques données intéressantes : 53 % des femmes se sont déjà absentées du travail en raison de douleurs menstruelles; 90 % ont déjà saigné au travers de leurs vêtements (je suis surprise que ce ne soit pas 100 %!), et plus de 75 % évitent de porter des vêtements clairs pendant leurs menstruations en cas de fuites embarrassantes; plus de 80 % ont déjà souillé leur literie (encore une fois, seulement ça?) et plus de 40 % ont dormi sur des serviettes pour éviter de tacher leurs draps.

- Notre prénom influence-t-il notre vie?, un article très intéressant dans La Presse +.

- Je n’en avais pas encore parlé, mais voici un article sur le nouveau guide alimentaire canadien.

- Vous voulez une épicerie zéro-déchet (par exemple, pour réduire votre consommation de plastique), mais il n’y en a pas près de chez vous? Commandez en ligne chez Zest pour vous simplifier la vie!

- Ma mère m’a fait parvenir un lien vers un article sur les commentaires laissés sur les recettes en ligne. J’ai beaucoup aimé, et ensuite il a absolument fallut que j’aille lire les commentaires sur la recette d’avocats à la crème sure maison de Ricardo – hilarants! (Pis le groupe Facebook pour les réponses passives-agressives sur Ricardo, tant qu’à y être – moi, c’est sûr que je répondrai dans ce genre-là aux questions niaiseuses!)

- Enfin, aviez-vous entendu parler de Floramama? Pour les gens du Grand Montréal et de la Rive-Sud, c’est comme un abonnement à un programme d’agriculture soutenue par la communauté, mais avec des fleurs. J’aime tellement le concept!

Sheet Pan Greek Chicken and Vegetables

I’m not sure where I came across this recipe – was it Instagram? Pinterest? In any event, it looked good to me and I put it on the menu the following week. And I loved it! It’s easy to prepare, looks good, tastes great, and is very adaptable to what you have on hand (or prefer). I served it with rice, but it would be good in pita pockets, too, or consider Greek-style potatoes.

For the chicken and vegetables
4 (four) 5-oz. chicken breasts, cut into small cubes (or use however much chicken your family will eat)
2 cups bell peppers, any colors, cut into squares or slices
1 medium red onion, cut into squares or slices
1 cup of zucchini broccoli, mushrooms, sweet potatoes or plum tomatoes, sliced or diced
rice or pita, for serving

For the marinade
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil or thyme
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. black pepper

For the tzatziki sauce
1 cup plain lactose-free yogurt
¼ cup cucumber with peel, grated or minced
1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill or basil
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground pepper

Preheat oven to 450 °F.

Arrange chicken and veggies on a large sheet pan to create a rainbow pattern.

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the marinade. Brush mixture onto chicken and veggies or toss chicken and veggies in mixture.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until veggies are charred and chicken is tender. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Whisk all the ingredients for the tzatziki in a small bowl.

Serve chicken and vegetables with tzatziki sauce alongside rice or pita.

Charcoal Banana Bread

I saw this recipe for charcoal banana bread, from Black Girl Baking by Jerrelle Guy (the book was just nominated for a James Beard award), and I just had to make it! So I bought some activated charcoal and got to it.

To be honest, I’m not sure that the charcoal here does anything other than give the bread a cool color (I couldn’t resist taking a picture of it next to the Fox’s wooden rainbow because it was just so grey!), but I enjoyed the experience. You certainly can’t taste it in such a small quantity, so I wonder if I should just use it again in other banana bread recipes, or perhaps in a chocolate cake that I want to make a bit darker. This also means that you could omit the charcoal and still end up with a truly delicious vegan banana bread!

I changed the order of the ingredients to make it easier.

2 cups white whole wheat flour (or spelt flour, but I didn’t try it)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. activated food-grade charcoal powder, for color (optional)
1 cup sugar
½ cup melted coconut oil
1 cup nut or grain milk (or lactose-free milk if you don’t need it to be vegan)
3 very ripe bananas, mashed well
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup cocoa nibs, plus more for sprinkling (optional)

Set the oven at 400 °F. Position a rack in the upper middle of the oven. Spray a 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line it horizontally with a 4-inch-wide strip of parchment paper, allowing a 2-inch overhang on each side (I left the overhang on the long side instead because it’s easier).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and charcoal powder. Set aside.


In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, milk, bananas, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and the cocoa nibs into the wet ingredients and fold until just combined, being careful not to overmix.


Scoop the mixture into the loaf pan and gently smooth the top. Sprinkle with more cacao nibs and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.


Let bread cool for at least 20 minutes before removing from the pan. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for another 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

Batch of links

So there I was, thinking I hadn’t published one of these in a while (which is true), when I realized that I actually started this post in November and it has sat there, waiting patiently for me to finish it, ever since. So the first two links mention decluttering, and then we get back to more up-to-date things.

- I was decluttering some papers and came across a piece cut out from a magazine (probably an old Cosmopolitan) stating that marquise diamond wearers have the highest divorce rates. I googled it and this came up, even though there are no references. I’d love to have more info!

- Still decluttering, I came across a quote attributed to Lillian Gish: “You know, when I first went into the movies, Lionel Barrymore played my grandfather. Later, he played my father, and finally, he played my husband. If he had lived, I’m sure I would have played his mother.” Her IMDb page gives a very similar quote and ends it with “That’s the way it is in Hollywood. The men get younger and the women got older.” I looked it up, and the three movies are Judith of Bethulia (1914), Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925), and Duel in the Sun (1946). Of course this reminded me of Sally Field and how she was Tom Hanks’s love interest in Punchline, but played his mother a mere six years later in Forrest Gump (tidbit courtesy of this gem of a skit by Amy Schumer).

And while I was looking up Lillian Gish’s IMDb page, I read the following, which made me like her even more: “She was taught how to shoot by notorious western outlaw Al J. Jennings, who was in one of her early films (after having served a long term in prison for train robbery). When John Huston and Burt Lancaster took her to the desert to teach her how to shoot for The Unforgiven (1960), they were astounded to discover she could shoot more accurately and faster than they did. She found that she liked shooting, and over the years had developed into an expert shot.”

- Speaking of actresses, I really liked Emilia Clarke’s article in The New Yorker.

- Great article by David McMillan of Joe Beef on his sobriety.

- And great article about Buc-ee’s, THE best rest stop in Texas – and beyond!

- Bon Appétit just had a good article on Samin Nosrat, the author of the wonderful Salt, Acid, Fat, Heat (I talked about it here and here). I really have to find the time to watch her Netflix series! I’m only halfway into Marie Kondo’s show as it is…

- American cheese on the decline as millennials shun processed food. Or, they could just admit that it’s because American cheese sucks.

- And yet, sliced ketchup is the condiment you never asked for. You can say that again!

- There’s an edible games cookbook. Frankly, the game presented in the free chapter seems to elaborate for me, but there might be some cool stuff in there.

- Apparently, blood tests for food sensitivities are widely misused.

- I loved this article called The deadly truth about a world built for men – from stab vests to car crashes.

- Finally, I had to share this: a local university student *may* have found a cure for gastric cancer!

Burgers de dindon aux oignons caramélisés

C’est dur de prendre de bonnes photos d’un hamburger, quand on n’est pas un professionnel. C’est pourquoi je n’ai pas partagé ces burgers de poulet avec salsa et sauce avocat-coriandre. Ils étaient excellents, mais pas photogéniques. (Pour tout dire, les boulettes de poulet étaient vraiment tendres, grâce à l’ajout de yogourt grec; moi, je les trouvais excellentes sur pain toasté, mais l’Ingénieur trouvait que sur un pain mou, c’était trop tendre!)

Quand même, c’est que c’est le printemps, ici, et on se met à penser à manger dehors, peut-être à faire cuire quelque chose sur le grill, et ces burgers de dindon aux oignons caramélisés me trottent dans la tête. Je pense qu’il va falloir que je les refasse. Tant pis pour la photo moche – ils sont excellents! La recette ci-dessous donne 4 portions; n’hésitez pas à la doubler.

Pour les oignons caramélisés
3 c. à soupe de beurre non salé
2 gros oignons doux, coupés en tranches fines (environ 9 tasses)
sel

Dans un grand poêlon, faire fondre le beurre à feu moyen-vif. Ajouter les oignons. Saler et cuire, en remuant souvent, pendant 10 minutes ou jusqu’à ce que les oignons soient dorés. Réduire à feu moyen. Poursuivre la cuisson, en brassant de temps à autre, pendant 10 minutes ou jusqu’à ce que les oignons soient caramélisés (selon moi, c’est donc plus 20 minutes que 10). Au besoin, ajouter de l’eau, 1 c. à soupe à la fois, si la préparation colle au poêlon

Pour les burgers
oignons caramélisés (voir plus haut)
5 c. à soupe de mayonnaise
2 c. à soupe de moutarde à l’ancienne
1 gousse d’ail, hachée finement
1 lb. de dindon haché
¾ tasse de chapelure panko
4 tranches de fromage cheddar sans lactose
4 pains à hamburgers grillés
2 tasses de roquette
1 avocat, tranché
4 tranches de bacon cuites
sel

Hacher grossièrement ½ tasse des oignons caramélisés. Dans un bol, mélanger les oignons hachés, 3 c. à soupe de la mayonnaise, la moutarde et l’ail. Saler. Ajouter le dindon haché et la chapelure, puis mélanger délicatement jusqu’à ce que la préparation soit homogène, sans plus. Avec les mains mouillées, façonner la préparation en 4 galettes.

Régler le grill à puissance moyenne-élevée. Mettre les galettes sur la grille huilée, fermer le couvercle et cuire 10 minutes ou jusqu’à qu’elles aient perdu leur teinte rosée à l’intérieur (les retourner à la mi-cuisson). Couvrir chaque galette d’une tranche de fromage, fermer le couvercle et poursuivre la cuisson 1 minute ou jusqu’à ce que le fromage ait fondu.

Garnir les pains du reste de la mayonnaise, de la roquette, des galettes, du reste des oignons caramélisés, de l’avocat et du bacon.

Crispy Chicken Cutlets with Kumquats and Cranberries

This recipe is from Melissa Clark’s cookbook Dinner: Changing the Game – my copy has a bunch of post-it tabs sticking out of it already! I really liked the roasted vegetables with herbed buttermilk dressing, for example. (And while I’m at it, here’s an interview with Melissa Clark in The Cut which I enjoyed.) This recipe, crispy chicken cutlets with kumquats and cranberries, seemed perfect in late winter, before the kumquats were gone. I omitted the jalapeño from the chutney (which isn’t actually chutney, as there’s no vinegar!), and in hindsight, I think that the dressing is optional and I wouldn’t bother with it next time (though I used it on a salad later in the week and enjoyed it).

This was really good, because what’s not to love about fried chicken? Not to mention the delicious sweet-tart flavors of the kumquat-cranberry sauce, which were great! I served it with parmesan-roasted cauliflower, but I’m now thinking rice would have been better, especially drizzled with the citrus dressing.


For the cranberry-kumquat chutney
4 oz. fresh or frozen cranberries
4 oz. kumquats, thinly sliced and seeded (1/2 cup)

For the citrus dressing
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 orange
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

For the chicken
1 ½ lbs. thinly sliced chicken cutlets
½ cup flour
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
¾ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 large eggs, beaten
1 ½ cup panko crumbs
1 tsp. ground cumin

For the chutney
In a medium pot, combine the cranberries, kumquats, and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar has dissolved and the cranberries have begun to pop, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

For the citrus dressing
Heat a small skillet over medium heat and toast the cumin seeds in it until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer them to a medium bowl. Holding a microplane over the bowl, grate the zest of half the orange into the bowl. (My microplane is the type best suited for garlic, ginger and parmesan, not citrus zest, so I did this with my zester. And I prefer a clean jam jar to a bowl.) Then juice the orange and add the juice as well. Grate in the line zest and squeeze in the juice. Add the ground cumin, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Set aside.

For the chicken
Pat the chicken cutlets dry. Place the flour in a wide shallow bowl and season it with ¼ tsp. each of the salt and pepper. Place the eggs in another wide shallow bowl and season them with ¼ tsp. each of the salt and pepper. Place the panko in a third wide shallow bowl and season it with the ground cumin, remaining ½ tsp. salt and remaining ¼ tsp. pepper.

Season the chicken cutlets lightly with salt and pepper. Dip each cutlet first in the flour, then in the eggs, and then in the panko, turning them in each mixture to make sure they are well coated.

Heat about ¼” oil in your largest skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken cutlets (in batches, if necessary) and fry until they are deep golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes, turning once. Transfer the cutlets to paper-towel-lined plates to drain; season them lightly with salt while they are still hot. Serve the cutlets topped with the chutney and drizzled with the citrus dressing.

Bagels

I miss bagels. Obviously, being from Montreal, I’m used to good bagels, but I feel like even there, it was possible to get decent bagels from the grocery store bakery. Here, it’s just not happening (and where a bagel from Fairmount is still something like CAN$0.70, at our HEB they go for a whopping US$1.40 a piece – and they’re not even good!). So I decided to try my hand at making some. I used a recipe from Dolcetto Confections because it was fast: it calls for instant yeast instead of active yeast, so you can make the whole thing in one go without rising time. I topped half of them with sesame seeds and the other half with “everything”. In the end, while they were good, I found them to be too salty as well as too tough and chewy on the bottom as they aged, which happened *very* quickly. Really, they don’t keep – I’d recommend you slice them and freeze them as soon as they are cool enough to handle after baking. I think next time, I’ll try the Serious Eats recipe. So I’m glad I have an alternative to storebought bagels, but I’m still not very happy with this recipe. My recent batches of spinach muffins were more satisfying.

For the dough
4 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
3 Tbsp. sugar plus 1 Tbsp. for poaching
3 tsp. table salt (I think this is too much)
2½ tsp. instant yeast
13 ounces water, warmed to 100-110 °F

For the “everything” topping
a combination of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coarse salt, dried minced garlic, and dried minced onion

Preheat oven to 425 °F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Start the mixer on a slow speed and begin to stream in the water. Increase speed to medium-high and knead until dough begins to come together.

Turn out dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand until a smooth, barely tacky dough develops, adding additional flour as needed. Form into a ball, cover with the mixing bowl, and allow to rise for 10 minutes.

While the dough is rising, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tablespoon sugar.

After 10 minutes, divide the dough into 8 pieces (if you are using a kitchen scale, each piece should be about 4.3 ounces). Roll each piece into a log, about 10-12 inches long. Wrap log around the palm of your hand and lightly moisten one end with a dab of water. Squeeze ends together, roll lightly on counter to secure ends, and release from hand. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Drop bagels into the boiling water, up to three at a time. Carefully run a slotted spoon under bagels to release from bottom, if necessary. When bagels rise to the top of the pot, remove and place on prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with topping.

Bake until the bagels are well-risen and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Southern Sweet Potato Pie

I decided to give you two pie recipes on Pi(e) Day! You see, not too long ago, I was in the baking aisle at my grocery store and saw that Carnation now makes… lactose-free evaporated milk! Obviously I threw some in my cart, even though I didn’t have any recipe in mind. It’s been a long, long time since I used the stuff, you know? So I ended up googling recipes and decided to make this Southern sweet potato pie.

I reduced the amount of sugar slightly (the amount below is mine, and I’d consider reducing it further if it didn’t affect the texture – I’ll have to test it, I guess). This pie was superb! I’d never made one with quite that texture before, probably because I couldn’t use evaporated milk! The Engineer gave it 5 stars, and I’m definitely going to have to make it again, and not exclusively for Thanksgiving. Enjoy!

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 pinch salt
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
2 large eggs
¼ cup light corn syrup
½ cup lactose-free butter or margarine, softened
¾ cup lactose-free evaporated milk
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches), homemade or storebought, placed in a pie plate
CocoWhip, to top (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Place the rack in the lower third of oven.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, nutmeg and salt.

In a large bowl, beat the potatoes, eggs, corn syrup, butter and sugar mixture. Gradually stir in milk. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined. Pour into pastry shell.

Bake for 55-60 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. (Refrigerate leftovers.)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Pie

It’s Pi(e) Day, so I’m sharing this chocolate peanut butter mousse pie from Minimalist Baker. It was a big hit! We all love those flavors, and the fact that it’s dairy-free and not overly sweet is just a bonus.

For the crust, I started out with 5 tablespoons of melted vegan butter, but I felt like the graham cracker crumbs weren’t sticking together enough, so I added 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil. In the end, since the pie is kept in the fridge, the crust ended up being a bit too hard for my liking, so next time I would either stick to the amounts in the recipe and hope it doesn’t crumble, or I’d use only vegan butter instead of any coconut oil. As for the coconut cream, I could swear I’ve seen it before in smaller cans (which would be more convenient because it would avoid leftovers), but I couldn’t find any in stores this time. For the record, I got a total of about 1 ½ cups of coconut cream from the top of 1 ½ cans (I froze the rest, we’ll see if I can use it for something else – I should have made coconut whipped cream with it to top the pie, but I already had CocoWhip on hand at that point).

To make the date paste, soak 1 cup of pitted dates in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain and process into a paste.

For the crust
7 oz. graham crackers (7 oz. yield ~1 2/3 cups crumbs)
¼ tsp. sea salt
5 Tbsp. vegan butter, melted (see note above)

For the filling
1 ½ 14-oz. cans coconut cream (chilled overnight or for at least 6 hours)
½ cup date paste
1 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup salted natural peanut butter (creamy or crunchy both work)

For the toppings (optional)
coconut whipped cream or CocoWhip
crushed salted roasted peanuts
dairy-free dark chocolate shavings

Preheat oven to 350 °F and place a large mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.

In a separate small mixing bowl, melt chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool slightly.

For the crust, add graham crackers to a food processor (or a bag and use a rolling pin to crush) and mix into a fine meal. Add salt and melted butter and pulse to combine.

Press firmly into a standard 9 or 9.5 inch pie dish and use your fingers to press it up the sides. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until fragrant and lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

To prepare the filling, scoop out chilled coconut cream, leaving behind any liquid in the bottom of the can, and place in your pre-chilled large mixing bowl. Use a mixer to beat until creamy.

Next, add date paste and mix again. Add slightly cooled melted chocolate and mix once more to combine. Lastly, add peanut butter and mix again.

Transfer filling to cooled crust and loosely cover with plastic wrap to set in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours, ideally overnight.

To serve, slice and gently plate. Top with coconut whipped cream, additional peanut butter, crushed roasted peanuts and/or dairy-free chocolate shavings (optional).

One-Pan Honey-Mustard Chicken with Vegetables

The original recipe called for bone-in chicken thighs, but experience has shown that in our family, we’re more boneless, skinless chicken breasts kind of people, so that’s what I went with. This was really good! I made the dish with small red potatoes and green beans, but I think broccolini would be a good choice too.

4-5 chicken thighs bone in, skin on or off (I used 4 chicken breasts and cut them in half)
salt and pepper to season
1 ½ Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
¼ cup honey
3 Tbsp. wholegrain mustard
2 Tbsp. smooth Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. water
1 lb. (500 g.) baby red potatoes, quartered
8 oz. (250 g.) green beans, trimmed and halved
1-2 sprigs rosemary

Preheat oven to 400 °F. Generously season chicken thighs with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Heat olive oil in a large, oven-proof non-stick pan (or a well-seasoned cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs for 3 minutes each side, until the skin becomes golden and crisp. Leave 2 tablespoons of chicken juices in the pan for added flavor, and drain any excess.

Fry the garlic in the same pan around the chicken for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the honey, both mustards, and water to the pan, mixing well, and combine all around the chicken.

Add in the potatoes; mix them through the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste. Allow the honey mustard sauce to simmer for two minutes, then transfer to the hot oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, add in the green beans (mixing them through the sauce), and return to the oven to bake for a further 15 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, and the potatoes are fork tender.

Gâteau coco-citron-cardamome

Cela fait de nombreuses années que j’achète des épices chez Épices de Cru (j’y retourne chaque été maintenant), mais je ne pense que très peu à utiliser leur site web pour y trouver des recettes. Celle-ci était excellente! Il s’agit d’un gâteau moelleux, pas trop sucré, un peu tropical, parfait comme dessert léger ou collation.

Pour le gâteau
4 œufs, séparés
1 pincée de sel
2/3 tasse de beurre sans lactose ou de margarine, ramolli(e)
½ tasse de sucre
½ tasse de lait sans lactose
1 ½ tasse de farine
4 c. à thé de poudre à pâte
1 ½ tasse de noix de coco râpée non sucrée
4-5 c. à soupe de noix de coco râpée non sucrée, pour garnir

Pour le sirop
1 tasse d’eau
1 tasse de sucre
1 citron, zeste et jus
3 gousses de cardamome verte
1 ½ à soupe d’extrait de vanille

Mettre tous les ingrédients du sirop dans une casserole et porter à ébullition. Laisser réduire 7 à 8 minutes, retirer du feu et réserver.

Préchauffer le four à 340 °F. Beurrer légèrement et fariner un moule à cheminée.

Battre les blancs d’œufs en neige avec le sel jusqu’à la formation de pics fermes.

Dans un autre bol, battre les jaunes d’œuf avec le beurre et le sucre. Ajouter le lait et bien mélanger. Incorporer la farine et la poudre à pâte, puis la noix de coco.

Ajouter les blancs d’œufs et incorporer délicatement, en pliant, à l’appareil.

Transférer la pâte dans le moule et cuire au four 40-45 minutes, jusqu’à ce que le gâteau soit bien doré.

Verser immédiatement le sirop sur le gâteau et attendre 5 minutes avant de démouler.

Garnir de noix de coco râpée.

Boulettes de bœuf au gingembre avec nouilles et pois mange-tout

Il s’agit ici d’une recette de Coup de Pouce. Pour la faire, j’ai doublé les quantités pour les boulettes et j’ai utilisé des nouilles ramen, parce que c’est ce que j’avais dans mon garde-manger. C’était délicieux! Vraiment, tout le monde a aimé ça. Les quantités ci-dessous sont les miennes. J’ai fait cuire les boulettes d’avance et je les ai fait réchauffer avant de servir.

Pour les boulettes de bœuf au gingembre
2 lb. de bœuf haché extra-maigre
2 œufs battus
2/3 tasse de chapelure panko
2 c. à soupe + ¼ tasse de sauce soya à teneur réduite en sel
2 gousses d’ail hachées finement
4 c. à soupe de coriandre fraîche hachée
2 oignons verts hachés
2 c. à thé de zeste de lime râpé
2 c. à thé + 1 c. à thé de gingembre frais haché finement
½ tasse d’eau froide
1 c. à soupe de fécule de maïs
2 c. à soupe de sirop d’érable
1 ½ c. à soupe de vinaigre de riz
1 c. à thé d’huile de sésame

Pour les nouilles aux pois mange-tout
¼ tasse d’huile végétale
1 c. à soupe d’huile de sésame
2 c. à soupe de sauce soya à teneur réduite en sel
1 c. à soupe de sirop d’érable
1 c. à thé de zeste de lime
¼ tasse de jus de lime
1 gousse d’ail
1 c. à thé de gingembre frais râpé
10 oz de nouilles soba (j’ai utilisé des nouilles ramen)
4 tasses de pois mange-tout parés
4 oignons verts coupés en tranches fines

Pour les boulettes
Préchauffer le four à 400 °F. Recouvrir une plaque de cuisson de papier parchemin et l’enduire d’un peu d’huile.

Dans un bol, mélanger le bœuf haché, l’œuf, la chapelure, 2 c. à soupe de la sauce soya, l’ail, la coriandre, l’oignon vert, le zeste de lime et 2 c. à thé du gingembre.

Avec les mains mouillées, façonner la préparation en boulettes, environ 2 c. à soupe à la fois (j’en ai obtenu 53 en tout). Déposer les boulettes sur la plaque de cuisson préparée. Cuire au four pendant 15 minutes ou jusqu’à ce qu’elles aient perdu leur teinte rosée à l’intérieur (j’ai vérifié la cuisson au thermomètre).

Dans un petit bol, à l’aide d’un fouet, mélanger l’eau et la fécule. Dans un poêlon, mélanger le reste de la sauce soya et du gingembre, le sirop d’érable et le vinaigre. Porter à ébullition en brassant sans arrêt. Réduire à feu moyen. Incorporer le mélange de fécule en fouettant et poursuivre la cuisson pendant 1 minute, ou jusqu’à ce que la glace ait épaissi. Retirer du feu et incorporer l’huile de sésame.

Dans le poêlon, déposer les boulettes de bœuf cuites et mélanger délicatement pour bien les enrober de la sauce chaude. Réserver.

Pour les nouilles aux pois mange-tout
Entre-temps, dans un petit bol, à l’aide d’un fouet, mélanger l’huile végétale, l’huile de sésame, la sauce soya, le sirop d’érable, le zeste et le jus de lime, l’ail et le gingembre. Réserver.

Dans une casserole d’eau bouillante salée, cuire les nouilles pendant 2 minutes. Ajouter les pois mange-tout et poursuivre la cuisson pendant 2 minutes. Égoutter et rincer sous l’eau froide. Égoutter de nouveau.

Remettre les nouilles dans la casserole. Ajouter la sauce réservée, les trois quarts des oignons verts et la coriandre, et mélanger délicatement. Répartir les nouilles dans des bols et garnir des boulettes de bœuf réservées. Parsemer du reste des oignons verts et des tranches de piment, si désiré.