strength, comfort and a little bit of wisdom

Before I get into my own deep stuff (this post gets a little personal). I want to take a minute to say thank you. Today is Veteran's Day. A day I feel so proud of my family and friends and complete strangers who have fought for our freedoms. Who have given up so much for all of us. Thank you for your service. Thank you for being braver than I ever could.

Let’s talk about comfort foods. Because Winter. And Elections. And sometimes that little voice in your head that tells you mean things.

I haven’t been posting as much the past 2 years for a few reasons. 1. was just my crazy work schedule which in the last 4 months I’ve found more balance. but reason 2. goes a lot deeper and is an even bigger reason why. 

I’ve been struggling. With my place in this food blogging world, with my high standards for great photography and interesting recipes, with not liking the design of my site, my storytelling/writing abilities and with so many other things. The little voice inside my head tells me that my photos aren’t good enough, that I’m not being healthy enough, that there are so many amazingly talented food bloggers out there and that I don’t even compare. Basically why are you wasting your time?

But here’s something I’ve realized the past few months… While my photos might not be as perfect as I’d like, and I’m by no means a professional recipe developer, I still have this crazy passion for eating and cooking and bringing people together through food. I might not post as frequently as I like. And my content might not be as beautiful as I’d like it to be. But every recipe I share is from my heart and that’s something - I think it is at least. 

So I promise that I’m going to try and keep that little voice inside my head at bay. To share more of my heart with you, even if it’s not perfect. And I’m going to keep striving for better. Better photos, better recipes and bettering myself.

Because I believe in good food. That there’s a time and a place for every kind of food. That means shitty fast food all the way to fancy pre-fix meals. Greasy burgers, a great bowl of pasta AND green smoothies. I love all of it, especially comfort food. It just has this way of making everything feel like it’s going to be all right in the moment. It’s like a hug on a plate or a bowl or straight outta the pan.

And a post like this. A post where I bare my soul and and admit my vulnerability calls for some serious comfort food. I’m talking ooey gooey, deeply chocolatey brownies. 

For me, the perfect brownie isn’t cakey and it isn’t fudgy. If I wanted cake I’d eat cake and same thing with fudge. For me, the perfect brownie is dense, rich, moist, chewy and most importantly, over the top chocolatey. This recipe is exactly that. They're the best brownies you'll ever eat which is a bold, but true statement.

I’m shaking a little bit as I sit here writing this but I believe that vulnerability makes us stronger if we don’t let it consume us. So if you’re ever feeling not _____ enough, know that you’re not alone. And that a batch of these brownies might just make it better. It did for me.

comfort brownies aka a hug on a platter

yields 24 brownies

ingredients:

20 oz dark chocolate chips - 12 oz melted, 8 oz regular

1 ½ c. butter, cubed

6 large eggs

2 ½ c. sugar

½ tsp salt

1 TBSP vanilla extract

1 tsp espresso powder

4 TBSP dark cocoa powder

2 c. + 4 TBSP flour

1 TBSP flaky sea salt (I like Maldon)

Preheat oven to 350º F. 

In a double boiler, melt 12 oz dark chocolate chips with 1 ½ c. cubed butter until smooth and combined, being careful not to scorch the chocolate. If you don't have a double boiler, you can put a glass bowl on top of a sauce pan (just make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl) OR you can just put it in the microwave and do it in 20 - 30 second increments. Just be careful if you do that!!! Nothing worse than burnt chocolate. Once chocolate and butter are melted, set aside and let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl or your stand mixer, mix eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, espresso powder and cocoa powder together until incorporated. Slowly add in the cooled chocolate mixture. If it's not cooled, you'll make scrambled eggs and no one wants that. Once mixture is combined, add in your flour, mixing on the lowest speed to avoid a cloud of flour. Don't over mix, you just want everything to come together. Mix in ½ of the remaining chocolate chips (4 oz) by hand.

Butter a large, 13x9" rectangular pan and line with parchment paper. Pour batter into pan and top with remaining 4 oz chocolate chips. Sprinkle the top with sea salt and bake in the oven for 50 - 60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. You don't want to over bake them because it will dry out your brownies. Check them around 40 minutes. They will be set, your toothpick will have moisture but not wet batter stuck to it.

Let cool to room temperature before you cut and devour the brownies. 

improv style:

these brownies are a perfect base for whatever your comfort foods may be. need a little peanut butter with your chocolate? add in some chocolate pb cups or peanut butter chips and top it with roasted peanuts -whoa.

not a fan of dark chocolate? use milk! or white chocolate chips. or butterscotch chips. or caramel chunks. or candy pieces.

add nuts - almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans… 

get fancy and add cacao nibs or candied ginger or orange peel.

add mint extract, almond extract or your favorite chocolate fruit combo extract would be great. 

i truly believe you can make any recipe brownie better by adding 1 bag of chocolate chips to the mix (yes, even boxed brownies) and some flakey sea salt on top. if you're in a pinch, just do that and you're golden.

use #improvkitchen and tag @improvkitchen so i can see how you make this dish your own. i hope these brownies give you all the comfort and happiness.

a taste of home

I’m starting to reach that point in Winter where I’m constantly seeking comfort. Even though it’s been mild compared to years past, it’s still cold. Call me a baby, I don’t care - winter and I aren’t the best of friends.

This recipe is comforting on so many levels. First, carbs. Especially when I can slather butter onto said carbs and eat my feelings. Anyone who knows me knows that this layer of butter wasn’t for a pretty picture. My three favorite food groups are carbs, butter and cream. I blame my mom for raising me on the good stuff.

Speaking of my mom, this is her recipe. It’s the pumpkin bread I grew up on. Living so far from home, I’m instantly transported to my mom’s kitchen and that’s one of my favorite things about the power of food. Sometimes you just need to feel like your mom is hugging you from a far and this recipe is exactly that for me.

This pumpkin bread is the definition of the dreaded “m” word… MOIST. Ugh. But in this case, It’s a necessary evil. This is the kind of bread that when you pick it up, you know it’s legitimate comfort food because it’s HEAVY. It’s studded with crunchy pecans and while I’m typically team no nuts (did I just type that?!) this is one of those exceptions. It adds a nice texture to the dense yet ultra tender and slightly sticky bread. It’s comfort food but It’s not overly rich or heavy at the same time. You can eat one slice and savor the loaf or do like me and devour a mini loaf all to yourself for breakfast - portion control has never been my strong suit. If you do have that skill, consider making pumpkin bread french toast w/ bourbon salted caramel "syrup".

I hope you enjoy my mom’s recipe as much as I do.

PUMPKIN BREAD

yields 2 large 9”x5” loaves 

or 6 small 6”x3” loaves

ingredients:

3 c. sugar

1 ½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

3 ½ c. flour

2 t. baking soda

1 c. oil

⅔ c. water

15 oz can pumpkin puree

2  tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs

2/3 c. chopped pecans

Preheat your oven to 350º F. 

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (sugar through baking soda listed above). In a medium bowl, combine wet ingredients (oil through eggs listed above).

Gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry until combined. Sprinkle in chopped nuts or any add in you like (see improv suggestions below).

Grease your loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray or a light coating of butter. I like used parchment paper to get perfect pictures of the loaf but the bread will come out of your pan very easily so it’s not necessary. Fill your pans about ⅔ of the way full*.

Bake for about 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

note: 

you might have a little leftover batter but make sure you’re not overfilling the pans. when in doubt, be a little shy with how much you fill them. there’s nothing worse than the mess of cake/bread batter covering the bottom of your oven.

improv style:

this is baking so it’s a little more complicated because you need to keep your wet to dry ratios the same. BUT… you can get creative with add-ins. Not a nut fan? Leave them out or substitute for your favorite nut - walnut, pistachio or even hazelnuts would be fun. 

you could add pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) for a fun play on pumpkin - sprinkle some over the top too so you get that pretty exterior crunch. bonus, this would probably also make the loaf seem healthier because pepitas are totally health food. similarly, you could try adding sesame seeds on the top before baking or even sunflower seeds (shelled of course). i lovingly call those types of ingredients “bird seed” because, well… it looks like it.

you could add chocolate chips, dried cherries, cranberries or raisins. or even better, booze soaked raisins. if you did the boozy raisins I would add in an extra tablespoon or so of flour to the mix to compensate for the added moisture. candied ginger more your speed? or any kind of candied fruit? see where i’m going here… the options are endless!

want to effect the flavah even more? try adding ground cardamom, ginger, nutmeg or all spice to the mix. 

how would you improvise the dish to make it your own?!

MAGICAL apple pie

Have you ever been completely consumed with something? I have quite a few times. Usually over things I’ve eaten and just can’t get out of my head. Almost two years ago I had a pie that blew my mind. I was up at my family’s cabin in Wisconsin. They had purchased a local apple pie from Elegant Farmer to have as dessert one night. Apparently there’s a cult following around these pies and for good reason. WHAT DO THEY PUT IN THESE PIES?! Crack. It has to be crack. Ok, it’s not crack but I’ve seriously never had a pie like this before in my life. 

The way I see it, you’re either team pie or team cake. I’m definitely the former. Sorry cake lovers, give me pie ALL DAY EVERYDAY. And this pie… it has the most unique top crust. It’s what pie dreams are made of. It’s so thick, so crunchy that you literally have to stab it with your fork to break it into bite sized chunks. The first bite fills your mouth with perfectly cooked apples that magically still have all their texture, kissed with caramelized sugar and cinnamon and you bite down on that perfectly crunchy top crust and it’s impossible not to have a moment. A perfect, sublime, apple pie moment. Where your world is changed forever because you never knew apple pie could be like this. It’s a game changer. 

So the next time I made an apple pie, I scoured the inter webs for a copycat recipe. I was pleasantly surprised that not only was there a recipe online, but that Elegant Farmer Apple Pie in a Bag had been on a Throwdown with Bobby Flay. DONE. Made the pie that night. But those sneaky, sneaky buggers didn’t give us all their secrets. Because the pie I made turned out nothing like the pie I ate that chilly fall night in Wisconsin. A few months ago I set out on a mission. I went up to WI for my anniversary and my husband and I brought back an apple pie and I went to town. I did my homework and hit the flour butter game hard. I made over 12 pies, tweaking my filling and top crust until I nailed it. And just to be sure, I made 2 more pies with subtle variations and compared them side by side to the original Elegant Farmer Apple Pie. Yep, we had a 3 pie taste off. We ate so much pie for a few months there. But I was all-in, completely consumed in replicating this pie because I HAD TO HAVE IT. I have to say, I nailed it and even made it slightly better than the original. But that’s just my biased opinion. IT WAS WORTH IT!

Can I be honest with you? Pie crust isn’t something I’ve mastered yet. I can’t wait for the day that I can confidently share with you a fool-proof recipe for pie dough. Until that day though, I have a secret to tell you… this recipe, it doesn’t really matter what type of dough you use for the bottom crust. I used…. shhhhhh, store bought *gasp*. I’ve tried with both frozen and fresh and either work just fine. YOU CANT EVEN TELL. I promise. Because the hero is the top “crust”. Which is more sugar cookie dough than crust, but not as sweet. It’s magic AND easy. So if you, like me haven’t mastered the art of pie dough yet, this pie is for you. Not to mention, it’s the perfect pie for Thanksgiving or any holiday party you’re attending or hosting. I’m not usually one for shortcuts but this bottom crust is the exception. 

Also, don’t be scared but you bake this pie in a brown paper bag. Yes, a brown paper bag at 400º F no less. The first time I made it I stalked the oven because I was sure it would end in me burning down my kitchen. Much to my surprise, it didn’t. The bag makes the texture of the apples magical and somehow the top crust still gets golden and beautifully browned. Don’t question it, just follow the recipe and be pleasantly surprised. If that wasn’t enough, I even went the extra mile and figured out how to make a small apple pie if you, like me can’t be controlled when delicious sweets are around. This recipe scales down to a 7” pie too which feeds 4 people obnoxiously or 6 people sensibly. Or… serves you & your boo dessert 2 nights in a row, that’s how I roll. Just halve the ingredients and that 9” pie becomes a small 7” pie. It doesn’t seem like 2” makes a big difference or that 2” should be half the amount of ingredients but it works. Don’t ask me how, it just does. Kind of like that brown bag thing.

I hope you guys have an amazing Thanksgiving filled with friends, family and all the ones you love. Oh, and this pie. Because it will be your new favorite apple pie, I just know it!

apple pie in a bag

adapted from worldwide ward cookbook
yields 9” pie

ingredients:

9” bottom crust (frozen, store bought or homemade)

top “crust”:

2 c. flour

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. sugar

pinch salt

filling:

4 c. granny smith apples, peeled & sliced (about 4-5 apples)

4 c .honeycrisp apples, peeled & sliced (about 4-5 apples)

½ c. sugar

3 TBSP flour

2 TBSP lemon juice

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch salt

Preheat oven to 400º F. In the meantime, start by assembling your top crust. Combine all ingredients into a mixer with the paddle attachment. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can do this with electric beaters. Give the mixture a few minutes to come together. At first it will look a bit dry but after about 2 minutes in the mixer. 

But it will come together like a soft dough, sort of like a sugar cookie dough. Set aside and begin to prep your filling. 

I like to use an apple slicer peeler corer but if you don’t have one a peeler and knife will work just fine. I like to slice the apples about ¼” thick and halve the slices so you have long, stackable slices. I find it gives the best texture when eating the pie. Cut your apples however you prefer, really it’s all about preference. Once the apples are sliced, add the remaining filling ingredients. Stir to combine and let sit about 5 minutes.

Grab your bottom pie crust. It really doesn’t matter if you use your favorite recipe, a frozen or fresh store bought version. The hero of this pie is the top crust. Pour your apple mixture in the bottom of the pie shell and spread into an even layer. It should be heaping over the top. Grab about half of the top crust mixture and work it with your hands to flatten it out a bit. Place on top of the pie and do the same with the other half of the dough. Spread it around with your hands so that you completely cover the apples and bottom crust. It’s really easy to manipulate the top crust mixture. Just pull it, spread it around. It’s not something you have to be gentle with so don’t be scared. 

Place pie in a large brown paper bag. Fold the opening closed. If you can’t get it to stay down, feel free to staple it shut. I find that just folding it a few times and tucking it in the bottom works just fine. Place on a large baking sheet and put in a 400º F oven for 1 hour 20 minutes. Make sure the bag isn’t touching the sides of the oven. Once the pie is done baking, pull it out of the oven and immediately cut open the top of the bag. Be careful not to burn yourself on the steam as you do this. I usually take a paring knife and cut a circle shape at the top and rip it away from the pie. Let it come to room temperature and then place in the fridge until ready to eat. 

I find this pie is good warm but it’s excellent chilled. By refrigerating the pie, the top crust gets extra hard and crunchy which is what makes this recipe so unique. To make a 7” pie cut the ingredients in half.

improv style:

i call for a combo of granny smith & honeycrisp apples but i’ve made this with a different variety. use what you have on hand or what’s available in your grocery store. stay clear from apples that don’t bake well like red & golden delicious. stick to a firmer, more tart apple.

sometimes i like to add salted bourbon caramel sauce in the filling. i highly recommend trying that sometime too! start with ¼ c. and see how it turns out. you can always drizzle extra over the top. or try adding in 1-2 TBSP bourbon to the apple filling. bourbon just makes everything taste better, amiright?!

deviled tiramisu egg

I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out. Remember yesterday's post about jalapeno popper deviled eggs when I said I was going to make you a little uncomfortable?! Let's talk about sweet deviled eggs. If you think about it, a lot of desserts start with eggs. Custards are made with egg yolks and well, the whites don't really taste like anything. I loved the juxtaposition of doing sweet and savory deviled eggs for an easter menu. It's playful, fun and something that will at least get everyone at the table talking. Be brave, they actually do taste delicious! Even my husband thought I was crazy… until he tried it. 

Tiramisu is one of my all time favorite desserts when it's done right. There are lots of bad ones out there. But a good one, a good one will comfort the soul with creamy, subtly espresso & chocolatey goodness. I worked on my recipe for 6 months after I got back from living in Rome before I got my recipe just riiiiiighhhhttttt. I applied similar thoughts to this deviled egg recipe.

Be bold, try something outside of your comfort zone. Besides, I made the recipe to yield 4 servings so anyone feeling slightly adventurous could try it without too much commitment.

tiramisu deviled eggs

yields 4 servings

ingredients:

2 hardboiled eggs

2 TBSP mascarpone cheese, room temperature

½ tsp espresso powder

2 tsp honey

3 TBSP heavy whipping cream (then whip it into whipped cream)

1 tsp heavy whipping cream (this one stays liquid)

2 tsp dark rum

1 tsp cocoa powder, garnish

1 lady finger, crumbled (optional garnish)

Cut your eggs in half and scoop out the yolks into a small bowl. Mash them up good with a fork until they're fluffy and in tiny crumbs. Add in the mascarpone, espresso powder, honey, rum, and heavy whipping cream (the liquid one). In a medium shaped bowl whip up the 3 TBSP heavy whipping cream until it's light and fluffy. Gently fold half of the whipped cream mixture into your small bowl. Once incorporated, fold the remaining whipping cream. This helps give it a nice texture and consistency. 

Give your egg whites a light dusting with the cocoa powder and pipe or spoon your filling into the whites. Top with lady finger crumbs for a nice little crunch and texture variation. I didn't do this but after taste testing realized that would have been the perfect addition. Leave this step off until right before serving.

improv style:

there are so many ways to switch this up! serving to kiddos and want to leave out the rum? No problem, substitute with heavy whipping cream. 

don't want to buy a pack of lady fingers just to garnish? use any type of vanilla cookie (think vanilla wafer) or even gram cracker crumbs for the same affect. Amaretti cookies would be great too if you have them!

you can substitute the rum for light rum, kahula, or amaretto instead. 

no espresso powder? you could play with using super fine coffee grounds or even liquid espresso. just be careful if you're using liquid. it could make the mixture runny. 

i like a thicker filling for deviled eggs. they make prettier presentation but i also really like the consistency. if you're on team runny, add more liquid to the mix! 

don't let a distaste for tiramisu stop you from making sweet deviled eggs. think of the possibilities! you could do my raspberry lemon tiramisu with limoncello and raspberry chunks instead of coffee & chocolate. or, ooh, oooh! strawberry cheesecake anyone?!

holiday leftovers part 2

Stop everything you're doing and make this recipe, like NOW. It's that good.

One can never have enough bread, right?! Until you have too much bread and it goes stale. This happens to me all the time. In my family we live by one motto… NEVER, and I mean never leave people wanting more. I get this from my mamma who doesn't know how to cook for anything less than what she calls an army. This usually means that we have tons of leftovers and yes, tons of leftover bread which gets stale quickly. I just so happen to know the best way to put that stale bread to good use and I'm not talking about being wasteful and throwing it in the trash…

Bread pudding has a special place in my heart. My sister and I usually go on a date to a local brewery to catch up every now and then. It started when I was in college and she missed me and has continued through the years now that I live in another state. When she met my now husband for the first time, my family took him to that restaurant. She raved to him about how great the bread pudding was (which it is). She ordered one for herself and when he asked to share it with her, she said no way, get your own! Hahaha, love my family and our healthy appetites. Long story short, the bread pudding easily leaves 4 adults happy and satisfied. She'll never live it down! 

In my family, we LOVE bread pudding. So much so that when I got married in September, we served bread pudding instead of cake at our wedding. When I bought 1 too many loaves of bread for a holiday get together I knew exactly what I was going to do with that leftover loaf - re-create the bread pudding we served at our wedding. You know the saying that food tastes better when it's cooked with love?! This is by far THE BEST bread pudding I've ever had or made. I'll stop talking now and let you get into it...

The Apple State Meets the Big Apple Bread Pudding with Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce

adapted from the gilded fork
yields 10 - 12 healthy servings

ingredients for the bread pudding:

4 honey crisp apples, peeled cored & diced

¼ c. butter

1 vanilla bean

1 tsp salt

⅓ c. brown sugar

1 loaf bread (brioche, challah or country white), in 1" cubes ~8 c. 

1½ c. whole milk

1½ c. heavy cream

1 tsp almond extract

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 c. sugar

½ c. brown sugar

4 eggs + 3 egg yolks

1 c. almond slices

recipe: Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce

caramel can be made up to a week in advance. Otherwise, make it while the bread pudding bakes!

To make the bread pudding: 

Preheat oven to 350º F. Cut bread into 1" cubes and lay out on a baking sheet. Slightly toast the bread in the oven if it's not stale already. This will help it absorb the custard better. Pull out and let them cool while you do the rest…

In a medium sized skillet, cook apples, butter, vanilla bean split length wise with the seeds scraped into the pot, salt and the brown sugar. You want the sugar to dissolve and the apple juices to get nice and thick. This will take about 15 - 20 min.

While the apples cook, heat the milk & heavy cream in a medium sized sauce pan. You want to bring it to a soft boil and then shut the heat off. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, salt & extract together. Slowly ladle a small amount of the cream into the egg mixture to temper it. You want to incorporate the hot cream into the egg mixture so that the eggs thicken but don't cook. Slowly while whisking, drizzle in the remaining cream. Add in ½ c. of the almond slicess and your slightly toasted bread cubes to the bowl. Give it a good, aggressive stir for about 2 - 3 minutes. You want all of the cubes coated in the custard mixture and you want to break up some of the cubes. I've found this is what gives you the good bread pudding texture. Let mixture sit for 30 - 60 minutes until it fully absorbs the custard into the bread.

Butter or non-stick spray a 9x9 baking dish. Dump bread pudding mixture into dish, smushing (totally an official word) the mixture into the pan so it all fits. If you don't have a 9x9, you can use a smaller pan and put the extra mixture into individual ramekins or bake it in two smaller dishes. Sprinkle the top with the remaining ½ c. almond slices. Bake for about 45 minutes until it's slightly puffed and golden brown on top.

Serve warm with caramel sauce on top OR, chill in the refrigerator 4 hours and serve cold with caramel sauce. It's good both ways. So, so good. 

improv style:

bread pudding is essentially a blank canvas. the only things you need are the custard & bread. all the extras (i.e. spices, apples, nuts…) are just the flavor components. i did almond apple but you could do apple + pecan with a bit of rum. OR you could do dried fruits rehydrated in liquor or juice. pick your favorites… pear with some orange zest and walnuts or maybe dried cherries and chocolate chunks is more your fancy. any way you role, just make sure you keep the ratios for the liquid and dry fairly similar to this base. egg nog instead of the whole milk would be a really fun and festive interpretation. ooh, ooh... do that with rum! hello holiday leftovers being put to REALLY good use!

if you want to keep the same flavors but don't have almond extract, you could do amaretto in it's place. any kind of baking apple will work, granny smith, braeburn, gala fuji or empire. play with spices and zests... there's so many ways to completely change the flavor! lemon, orange or grapefruit zest is a great place to start. cinnamon is standard but what about star anise or cardamom for an indian inspired flavor?! steeping your cream with tea would be another way to infuse a different flavor into the bread pudding. the options are endless!!

have a bunch of leftover dinner rolls? as long as they're not savory in the sense of garlic or have weird toppings baked into it, you can use the bread! If it's a crustier bread you might need more of the custard base to soften it up. 

you can serve it with a caramel sauce, maybe add rum instead of bourbon? or maybe a creme anglaise is more your fancy? either way, there's so many things you can top it with... like ice cream or whipped cream!

a match made in heaven

When I dreamed up the perfect Valentine's day dessert for Matt and I a few years back, it of course had to have something creamy in it. I took one of my favorites, pumpkin and combined it with one of Matt's favorites, bourbon. Then I took one of his favorite desserts, bread pudding and made it brioche (lord knows I love me some buttery, rich egg bread). Throw on some bourbon salted caramel sauce and bourbon vanilla creme anglaise and you've got one crazy good dessert. It might sound like a bit of overkill to have two different bourbon sauces but I'm telling you, it works. One is subtle and the other is a bit more punchy - the two combined makes layers of bourbon goodness without feeling like you just took a shot. If making two sauces AND bread pudding scares you, don't worry. There's improv suggestions below on how to simplify the recipe. Seriously, just trust me, you need some of this in your life and it's a lot easier to make than it sounds. 

80% of the time I will pick chocolate over non-chocolate but this dish makes that 20% decision even harder. This dessert is comforting, creamy and filled with warm spices. Pumpkin and bourbon are the perfect valentines for each other. If you're not into super literal lovey-dovey heart shaped, red food for valentines day, I highly recommend you try this recipe for your boo. If chocolate pulls your heart strings, you can't go wrong with quick molten chocolate cakes or flourless chocolate cake. If you're without a valentine this year, that's cool too… who says you can't celebrate your love for yourself with a tasty dessert?! It just means more for you! Sharing is totally overrated. 

pumpkin brioche bread pudding

w/bourbon salted caramel sauce + bourbon vanilla bean creme anglaise 

yields 6 generous servings

for the bread pudding:

ingredients:

1 - 11oz brioche loaf (about 8 c. cubed)

2 c. half and half

2 c. whole milk

3 eggs

1 - 15 oz can pumpkin puree

1 TBSP vanilla extract

1 tsp nutmeg

1 TBSP cinnamon

¾ c. packed brown sugar

pinch of salt

3 TBSP butter (to grease the pan)

recipes for the sauces:

bourbon vanilla bean salted caramel sauce

bourbon vanilla bean creme anglaise sauce

Preheat your oven to 350º F. Cut your brioche into about 1 inch cubes and set aside. You can do this a day in advance so that your bread stales up. If you don't have that kind of time, just place them in the oven for about 5 minutes until they dry out but don't start to brown.

Combine the spices, eggs, cream, milk, salt, vanilla, and pumpkin puree in a large bowl.  Whisk to combine. Add the brioche cubes and stir to combine. Lightly grease a 7x11 or 3 quart pan and pour your mixture into the dish. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, 60 minutes if you have the time - until the mixture is absorbed by the bread. Bake at 350º F for about 60 minutes. The bread pudding will have puffed slightly and have a light, golden brown top. 

To serve, cut a large square and top with caramel and creme anglaise. 

improv style:

what goes better with pumpkin and bourbon than pecans?! don't know why i didn't think to add some nuts in before i started writing this out. definitely trying that next time! if you don't have whole milk, you can use whatever milk you have on hand. no half and half? use heavy cream instead. big into warm spices? add more cinnamon, all spice, star anise or even ground cloves. don't have brown sugar? you can use white sugar instead. you can also use your favorite type of bread… challah would be an equivalent substitute but you can use french, italian or even country loaf. i've never tried it with regular sandwich bread but i would be interested to know if you try that how it turns out! 

do you HAVE to make the two sauces? no, but i HIGHLY recommend. if two is asking too much, make the one that sounds the best to you. not down with either? maybe consider a little drizzle of maple syrup or a dollop of maple whipped cream? ice cream is always good in a pinch.

bourbon vanilla bean creme anglaise

It's a saucy week here on IMPROV kitchen. The other day I shared my absolute favorite bourbon vanilla bean salted caramel. It's a mouthful to say but man is it a killer sauce! This sauce is it's milder counterpart. It's a bourbon vanilla bean creme anglaise (vanilla sauce). On the creamy vs. non creamy team, I'm a die hard fan of creamy. 100% of the time I will pick a cream sauce, creamy dessert, creamy ANYTHING over another option. Since Matt loves bourbon, I try to incorporate it in places where it's not overpowering. I'm not the biggest fan of any type of whiskey but this sauce is a perfect balance of creamy, rich vanilla with a subtle kick of sharp bourbon. 

It's great used on lots of desserts which is why I decided to give it it's own post. I've put it on pecan pie, bread pudding, chocolate soufflés and in moments of weakness I've eaten it by the spoonful. This is a judge free zone!

bourbon vanilla bean crème anglaise

adapted from godiva

ingredients:

1 c. heavy cream

1 c. whole milk

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out

½ c. sugar

5 egg yolks

4 TBSP bourbon 

pinch of sea salt

In a medium saucepan, bring cream, milk and vanilla bean to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. Cook for 5 - 6 minutes and then pull off the heat and set aside. 

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar until they turn slightly pale yellow and the sugar starts to dissolve. Discard the vanilla pod and slowly add in a splash of the cream mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Slowly add more and more of the cream mixture into the egg mixture. You want to gradually increase the temperature of the eggs so that they cook without scrambling. 

Return the cream/egg mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. You'll know it's done when you slide your finger down the back of the spoon and the line holds. Pour in the bourbon and remove the mixture from the heat and pour through a fine mesh sieve. This will make sure if you didn't properly temper the eggs that you keep any scrambled bits out. Pour into a container and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. The sauce can be made 2 - 3 days in advance. 

When you're ready to serve it, you can heat it up on the stove or in a microwave. It's good cold too. Depending on the type of dessert you're making. 

improv style:

you can use whatever type of milk you have on hand. if the sauce is too thick for your taste, you can thin it out with a bit more cream. not a fan of bourbon? substitute for your favorite liquor. You can leave the booze out too. If you don't have vanilla beans, you can substitute for vanilla extract. you can easily switch up the flavor profile by adding in almond, raspberry, or even lemon extract.

bourbon caramel sauce

I LOVE this sauce. Over the years I've tried a few different versions and I keep coming back to this recipe, Martha really nailed it. The only thing I've done is add some salt - come on, who doesn't love salted caramel sauce?! Since I frequently make desserts & sometimes even brunch with caramel sauce, I thought doing a post of just the sauce would be much easier than typing the recipe over and over again. 

It's the perfect balance of sweet, creamy, boozy and deliciously caramelized sugar. When the caramel is warm, it flows like thick lava. Refrigerated, it's thick and chewy. Speckled with black vanilla beans it really catches your eye and feels like something special. This is heart warming food here. It's filled with tons of love. 

bourbon caramel sauce

slightly adapted from martha stewart

ingredients:

2 c. sugar

½ c. water

1 c. heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon bourbon

2 TSP sea salt (more to taste)

You can make this a day in advance or a week in advance. I wish I could somehow tweak this recipe to make it better but martha NAILED it. This sauce is good by itself and great on everything, mmmmmmm...

Start by combining the sugar and ½ cup water in a saucepan on medium heat. Without stirring (don't even think about giving it a little help, let it do it's thing). Let the sugar and water bubble until it turns a dark amber color. This will take about 20 minutes, no joke - just have patience.

When the mixture is a deep amber color, reduce the heat to low. Slowly add cream, stirring with a wooden spoon. Don't get scared if it turns into a hard ball. Give it a minute and keep stirring. It will slowly melt into a rich caramel. Next, scrape the vanilla seeds into the pan and add the bean too. Add lemon juice, salt, butter, and bourbon. Stir to combine. Your heavenly sauce is now ready to be devoured. You can let it cool and put it in a jar or tupperware container and into the fridge. To reheat, place in the microwave for about 2 minutes stirring every 30 seconds.

improv style:

this caramel is legit, but if you don't have vanilla beans on hand, you can substitute for vanilla extract (1 TBSP). vanilla beans are incredible and i highly recommend getting some to stock your kitchen with. you can buy them in bulk for way cheaper than the grocery store. i get mine here or here depending on how many i need.

not down with the hootch? that's ok… you can leave it out. booze fan but not a bourbon fan? rum would be a fantastic alt. you could even play around with some liquors like kaluah or frangelicos - but really, bourbon or rum will be your best bet. don't even mess with tequila or vodka - bleb!

only have salted butter? no problem, just use that - i do. no sea salt?! you gotta get on that! but it's cool… you can use whatever kind of salt you have on hand. also, if you're not down with salt, you can just leave it out. no big deal. 

the lemon is key to balancing out the flavor. your caramel won't be ruined if you leave it out, but it will be 100x's better if you put it in. the only MUSTS are cream, sugar, and butter. 

want a little thinner sauce? add a bit more heavy cream… same goes for thicker, less cream is needed. if your sugar starts to turn into a weird crystal powder, turn the heat up a little bit. it should melt down in a few minutes if you crank the heat up. i don't know why it does this sometimes. it's always a little scary but the good news is if you totally mess it up, you can start over and you've only wasted a little bit of sugar.