pudding Archives - Wood & Spoon

Creamy Rice Pudding & My Spring Break Must-Haves

1 Comment / Confections and Candies, Uncategorized

Creamy Rice Pudding by Wood and Spoon blog. Check out this copycat recipe for homemade rice pudding. This is a simple stovetop recipe requiring no bake time. The pudding is sweet cream flavored and can easily be made vanilla or cinnamon as well. Learn how to make easy homemade rice pudding on thewoodandspoon.com

You know what doesn’t typically go hand-in-hand? Creamy rice pudding and spring break. Absolutely nothing about rice pudding makes me want to throw on a bathing suit, but with that special week just around the corner and my recent rice pudding obsession well underway, there was no avoiding the inevitable. Today, I’m going to share all my favorite things I’ve been picking out for the change of seasons as well as this simple stovetop rice pudding that I cannot stop making. Who says we can’t have it all, anyways?!

Let’s start with the spring break must-haves. Now, don’t confuse me for someone who is still trying to pass for a Daytona-bound college student; I’m well beyond my twenties. But every year, come March, I’m reminded of those fun weeks away with friends and suddenly get the itch to ready my wardrobe for the coming season. Today, I have a few of my [slightly more grown-up] faves to share with you. Here they are:

Spring Break Must-Haves

Blow Dry Brush For quick-drying those salty locks, look no further than this round brush!
Bucket Hat Protect your hair color (& skin!) with this throwback look.
Net Bags If you’re traveling with kiddos, be sure to pack some mesh bags for shaking sand out of toys!
Full-Coverage Bikini There are few things as challenging as shopping for a full coverage bikini in 2022, but this one from J. Crew hits all the marks!
Sun Bunny Bronzer For faking a spring break glow, this bronzer is my absolute fave.
Warby Parker Sunglasses Colorful sunglasses you can try on from the comfort of home? Yes, please!
Vintage Tees These soft tees from Madewell are great for covering up with or wearing out.
Supergoop Makeup Resetting Spray with SPF Protect your skin and your makeup with this SPF makeup setting spray.
St. Tropez Self-Tanning Mousse No more tanning oils- get your tan before you even leave for vacay with my favorite mousse from St. Tropez.
Montce Sarong These simple sarongs make for a great daytime coverup.
Woven Sandals Whether you’re headed for the beach or out to lunch, these sandals are a great summery option.
Tinted Lip Treatment with SPF This SPF lipstick glides on smooth and adds just a hint of color.

Rice Pudding

And now for the weirdest blog post transition of my life, let’s talk about rice pudding. (LOL)

I have long been a fan of store-bought creamy rice pudding, and when I took the topic to my social media, it seems a whole bunch of you feel the same. Don’t get me wrong- I’m not under the misconception that rice pudding is as beloved as chocolate chip cookies, apple pie, or even other pudding varieties, but it is 100% one of those cult favorite foods that some people absolutely LOVE. So if you happen to fall into the “LOVE” category wherever rice pudding is concerned, you are absolutely going to adore today’s recipe.

My goal for this creamy rice pudding was a sweet cream-flavored pudding reminiscent of the store-bought favorite. I opted for arborio rice for loads of texture and quite a bit less heavy cream that many other internet recipes recommended. No vanilla and no cinnamon in this rice pudding means that the creamy milk flavor rings true, and honestly, nothing could be more delightful. Plus, it’s so easy! With just a few ingredients and a whole lot of stirring, you’ll have homemade stovetop rice pudding in less than an hour. Voila!

To make this rice pudding, simply combine the rice, sugar, milk, cream, and butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat, simmering and stirring for about 45 minutes or until the rice has plumped to an al dente. Add the eggs, stir to combine, and then place covered in the fridge to thicken and set. I like to serve this rice pudding as is, but my friends on Instagram tell me it tastes great with fresh fruit, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or even a handful of chocolate chips. Who knows- we love what we love!

So whether you’re going away for spring break or staying home to make loads of creamy rice pudding, I hope you’ve found something perfectly, randomly yours here today. Happy Thursday to you and Happy Baking!

If you like this creamy rice pudding you should try:

Chocolate Budino
Chocolate Pudding Pie
Classic Tiramisu
Caramelized Banana Pudding
Southern Coconut Cream Pie

Creamy Rice Pudding

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This creamy rice pudding is a simple stovetop rendition of the store-bought favorite!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 12 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

7 cups reduced fat or whole milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup medium-grain or arborio rice
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
Optional: 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or ¾ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the milk, cream, rice, sugar, butter, and salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, and then decrease the heat to low to simmer. Stirring about every 8 minutes or so, continue to cook the mixture on low heat until the rice is tender but not falling apart, about 45 minutes. Once tender, remove from heat and whisk the two eggs together in a bowl. While whisking, slowly and carefully add in 1 cup of the hot milk mixture to temper the eggs, and then add all of the egg mixture into the saucepan containing the rice. If desired, stir in the vanilla or cinnamon (I prefer plain!) Stir together to combine and then pour the pudding into a heat-safe container. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding so it doesn’t form a thickened layer on the top. Allow to cool in the fridge about 4-6 hours or until cold. Stir and serve!

Caramelized Banana Pudding

8 Comments / Confections and Candies

Hold the phone, it’s banana pudding. Caramelized banana pudding, to be precise. The recipe is as delicious and comforting as it sounds, and it’s being served up with a few Friday favorites to put your mind on weekend mode. If you need some mindless reading and a seriously killer Southern dessert recipe, you’re in the right spot!

Peanut Butter and… Mayonnaise??

Okay, you know I’m all for Southern food, even the classic cult favorites that feel a little odd or out of place in my kitchen. But a peanut butter & mayonnaise sandwich? We may have taken it too far. I love the polarizing food debates (Coke or Pepsi? Dressing or Stuffing? Is Spam really a food?) , but IMO this one just needs no debate. Decide for yourself with a look at this article from Food52.

Shoes for Your Sister and Grandma

I traveled to Orlando last weekend for my sister’s high school graduation. In a comical turn of events, we discovered that my Mimi was wearing shoes to the grad party almost identical to my sister’s. Could it be that there is a sandal that knows no generational borders? In case you’re interested, I found some similar cute ones here and a loftier, more-refined option here. Oh, and by the way, it turns out my Pops has the same New Balance sneakers as my husband… this was less funny and altogether terrifying to me.

Kolaches for All

I’ve been seeing various forms of kolaches (the classic Czech pastry) popping up all over the internet. Turns out I’m not the only one. The humans at Bon Appetit spent a couple of days driving nearly 300 miles to try 20 varieties of this European treat, and I’m more than thrilled to pick up a few recipe ideas here. Anyone want to see some kolaches on this site?

My Post-Baby Bounce-back Inspiration

I’m in no rush to get this baby out, but I am more than eager to get my hands on some non-maternity wear. At some point in time during this pregnancy, my favorite stores started selling clothes that might as well have been made for my body type. Like all of the wide-leg, loose-fitting pants we’re seeing everywhere? I’m here for it. Check out my favorites from Madewell here… I especially have my eye on that little tie-waist striped number.

Homemade Rocket Pops

Food & Wine broke down the ins and outs of the store-bought summertime favorite popsicles. Their recipe uses whole fruit and can be adapted to include different herbs and unique produce. This recipe may be the one dessert that Moms and kids will rally behind this summer.

My New Skincare Curiosity

A few months ago, I told you about my slow tiptoe into better-for-you skincare products. In an effort to nail down something that was accessible and reasonably priced, I decided to try out a few new products from Supergoop! A few of my girlfriends have been ranting about them for months, so I figured they couldn’t be terrible. Most intriguing? A dry shampoo with SPF that you can sprinkle in your hairline before a day in the sun, a mineral face powder with SPF that bronzes as it protects, and vitamin-containing serum chock-full of sun guard. Give a peek and let me know if you’ve had luck with any of their other products!

Caramelized Banana Pudding

My friends at Kitchn asked me to work on the ultimate Southern banana pudding recipe for their site. As a fairly new transplant to the South, I hardly felt qualified to be the judge of this kind of thing, but I was happy to take a stab at it anyways. Along the way, I learned more about banana pudding than I thought I needed to know and was excited to make an attempt at a recipe I’ve wanted to formulate for some time: caramelized banana pudding.

There’s an excellent BBQ restaurant close to our home that serves caramelized banana pudding. Unlike my husband, I’m not really a pudding kind of gal, but THIS banana pudding is really worth every calorie. After trying their rendition of caramelized banana pudding, I decided to attempt a homemade version, and the outcome of that attempt is what I’m so excited to share with you today.

Making the Pudding

The pudding itself is pretty classic in nature. This is an egg and flour thickened pudding that is cooked over the stove until thick and creamy. Layered in between are vanilla wafer cookie crumbs and bananas that have been cooked barely in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. There’s literally no wrong way to make this caramelized banana pudding. With ingredients so decadent, it’s bound to be a homerun.

I like to serve this dessert in individual mason or weck jars, but you can also layer it in a 2-quart baking dish. Either way, the recipe will yield about 8 servings. You can expect a cool and creamy treat with bits of crunch throughout and loads of warm flavors that you normally don’t get in a classic banana pudding. This is definitely the highbrow treat your summer Southern dinners have been looking for, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Happy Friday to you all and happy baking!

If you like this caramelized banana pudding you should check out:

Poached Pear Trifles

Banana Cream Pie Cake

Banana Coconut Chocolate Cream Pie
Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse

Banana Cream Pie with Oatmeal Cookie Crust

Caramelized Banana Pudding

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This caramelized banana pudding is a take on the classic southern recipe. It features a custard-based pudding, whipped cream, and cinnamon-spiced caramelized banana!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 10
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 8
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the pudding:

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 3/4 cups whole milk
4 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
48 vanilla wafers (about 6 ounces), coarsely crumbled (2 2/3 cups), plus more for garnish
Whipped cream

For the caramelized bananas:

½ cup (113 gm) unsalted butter
½ cup (100 gm) brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
5 bananas sliced into ¼” slices

Instructions

To prepare the pudding:

Whisk the sugar, flour, and salt together in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in the milk until combined, then place the pan over medium heat. Heat the milk mixture, stirring regularly, until thickened to a creamy salad dressing consistency and gently bubbling, 8 to 12 minutes. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes more. Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl. While whisking the yolks vigorously, slowly drizzle in the milk mixture. Once combined, pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place back over medium heat. It will be pale yellow, and just barely thicker than heavy cream consistency. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla and butter until melted and combined. At this point, the mixture will be back to that creamy salad dressing consistency (think: runny ranch) and just a bit more saturated yellow in color.
Sprinkle half of the crumbled vanilla wafers into a 1 1/2- or 2-quart baking dish, or the bottom of 8 (6-ounce) jars. Place half of the banana mixture over the crumbled wafers. Dollop half of the warm pudding over the bananas, or fill each jar to its halfway mark with half of the pudding.
Repeat layering. Repeat the layering process once more with the remaining wafers, bananas, and pudding. Cover the baking dish or each jar with a sheet of plastic wrap (press it directly onto the pudding if you don’t want a skin to form). Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. Top with whipped cream or meringue, and more crumbled cookies, if desired.
To prepare the caramelized bananas:
Combine the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a frying pan over medium heat to melt and combine. Once melted, add the sliced bananas in a single layer in the pan and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook on each side for 1 minute and then remove the pan from heat. Allow to cool slightly before layering in with the pudding.

Chicago

Where We Stayed

We stayed downtown at the Loews Hotel and spent pretty much every waking moment eating and navigating the city. Although the shopping and tourist attractions were all pretty stellar, the hands-down highlight was the architecture tour along the river. Taking in the city from a boat on a sunny day was a treat I won’t soon forget.

And Friends Came, Too!

Another day was spent with my dearest friend, Trisha, and her husband who drove from Indianapolis to surprise me for my b-day! This girl has a brand new baby boy at home and still made the trek to hug my neck and celebrate- isn’t that golden? We had a few meals, shopped, and experienced the view from the 96th floor of the John Hancock building during our time together. Let’s raise a glass to the besties that love us well.

In the evenings, we hung out with my brother, Blake, who lives in downtown Chicago. While together, we visited some of my very favorite restaurants in the city and spared no calorie to make sure that we enjoyed the full culinary experience. My brother is a super adventurous eater and really appreciates good food, so it was next-level amazing to have him join our dining squad.

On our last day in Chicago, we had brunch at one of my favorite restaurants, Little Goat Diner, and went to see the Broadway musical Hamilton. If theatre or American history or hip-hop or ridiculous musical talent is your thing, THIS SHOW IS FOR YOU. I laughed, I cried, I danced in my seat- this show literally blew my mind and I’m dying to go again. If you have the opportunity to see this show, DOOOO IT.

Be sure to check out my list of Chicago faves below. In a city with a thousand wonderful things to do, I hope you’ll make time for at least one or two of these on your next trip.

Chocolate Budino

While in Chicago, we ate dinner at Monteverde, a 2017 James Beard Award winning chef’s restaurant. We ordered things like pesto gnocchi and pumpkin ravioli, but the winner for me was the butterscotch budino. If you’re not familiar, budino is basically a rich Italian take on pudding, sometimes smooth and creamy like a custard, other times light and eggy like a souffle. Always wanting to appease my pudding-loving husband, I started tinkering with a chocolate budino recipe a few months ago, and I am thrilled to share the outcome with you today.

This chocolate budino is not your average Snack Pack. There’s no artificial chocolate powder flavor here; this thing doesn’t taste like a Yoo-Hoo. This version of chocolate budino tastes like CHOCOLATE- rich and buttery with the perfect amount of sweetness, but otherwise decidedly chocolate in flavor. Making chocolate budino is quite similar to making a homemade pudding, and once you know the base recipe there are three different topping variations that you can try. Seriously, I see this coming to an intimate dinner party near you.

Making the Budino

To make the chocolate budino, we start at the stove. Gently heat some whole milk and cream while you mix together the dry ingredients- cocoa powder, cornstarch, and sugar. A few egg yolks are whisked into the dry ingredients before the steaming dairy is added to the mix. We add the hot liquids in a slow and careful stream, whisking vigorously the whole time to ensure that we don’t scramble our egg yolks in the process. Once the milk and cream have been added, we pour the whole lot of it back into the saucepan on the stove and cook, continuing to whisk, until the mixture has thickened slightly to the consistency of a thick and creamy salad dressing.

Next, we lower the heat and add the remaining ingredients of chocolate, salt, vanilla, and butter, stirring to combine. Immediately divvy the pudding into small heat-safe containers and rest a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of each one to make sure that the pudding doesn’t form a skin (yuck).

Serving the Budino

This chocolate budino can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge just until the time of serving. I like to let mine warm up on the counter for a few minutes prior to serving so that you can realllllly taste the chocolate. While they sit out, you can begin assembling the toppings for these treats! Fresh whipped cream is a must, but from there you have some choices to make. I’ve included instructions for a berry topping, a chocolate crumble (adapted from this cake!), and hazelnut praline. All options are terrific, so pick how you want your chocolate budino and get to work! You won’t be disappointed.

Thanks for always letting me jabber on about desserts and traveling. If you have any must-see spots in Chicago, PLEASE, tell me about them! And if there’s another city you think I need to eat my way through, please inform me so that I can begin negotiations with Brett. Ha! Enjoy these chocolate budinos and cheers to you!

Where We Ate in Chicago:

Fun/ Casual Bites:

Little Goat Diner
My favorite dish (This Little Piggy Went To China) is from here!
Girl and the Goat
Global food served in a family-style setting.
Au Cheval
The best burger and garlic fries in Chicago.
Fat Rice
A mix of Asian, African, and Indian cuisine served in the COOLEST atmosphere.
Pequod’s
Perfect Chicago deep-dish pizza. We called ahead and ordered carry-out to avoid a wait!
The Purple Pig
Highly acclaimed Chicago favorite serving New American cuisine in a shared-plate atmosphere.
Duck Duck Goat
Stephanie Izzard’s take on Chinese food. It’s RIDICULOUS GOOD.
Rooh
A seasonal Indian menu in a chic setting.

Nicer Vibes:

Monteverde
Italian cuisine with house-made pasta and loads of global influence.
Avec
Rustic Mediterranean small plates and home of the best Chorizo-stuffed dates.
Bavette’s
A classic steakhouse with French flair.
Nico Osteria
A daily-changed menu serving housemade pasta and Italian seafood.
RL Restaurant
American food served in a unique club atmosphere.
RPM Italian
Modern Italian cuisine in a sassy atmosphere.
Gilt Bar
Contemporary American cuisine and small plates in a dark dining setting.

Dining Experiences:

Alinea
Consistently ranked among the best restaurants in the WORLD, Alinea is a fine dining experience that is equally parts meal and show. Expect modern American cuisine, impeccable service, and a bunch of surprises throughout the evening.

Sweet Bites:

Sweet Mandy B’s
Buy as many cookies as you can fit in your carry-on.
Floriole
A fantastic bakery with some of the flakiest, most buttery pasties I’ve ever had.

Where We Drank in Chicago:

Three Dots and A Dash
The coolest tiki lounge in The Loop!
The Signature Lounge
Cocktails from the 96th floor of the John Hancock Building!
Velvet Hour
A moody bar with a speak-easy vibe.
Cindy’s Rooftop
My favorite spot for day drinking in Chicago.
Intelligentsia Coffee
A Chicago-born coffee company with a terrific brew.
Lost Lake
A tiki bar with and island aesthetic.
The Fox Bar at Soho House
A cheeky late-night spot to grab a drink.

Things We Did in Chicago:

Millenium Park to check out The Bean!
Shopping on Michigan Ave.
River architecture tour
Hamilton– the best broadway show I’ve ever seen.
Shopping on Armitage
Took in the view from the top of the John Hancock Building

Places I’m Dying to Try Next Time in Chicago:

Three Arts Club Cafe
Bohemian House
Velvet Taco
Big Star Tacos
Publican Quality Meats
Milk Room

For more posts like this, check out:

Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse
Banana Coconut Chocolate Cream Pie
Chocolate Coffee Almond Scones and Our Time in Portland
BBC Popsicles and Our Time in St. Barth’s

Chocolate Budino: Three Ways

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Chocolate budino, a rich pudding-like dessert, can be prepared in three ways- with a chocolate crumble, with a berry topping, or with a hazelnut praline!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 90
Yield: 4

Ingredients

For the budino:

1–1/4 cup (300 mL) whole milk
1/3 cup (80 mL) heavy cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup (30 gm) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (50 gm) sugar
2 large egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the whipped cream:

¾ cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar

For the chocolate crumble topping:

¼ cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, room temperature
2–1/2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons (60 gm) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 tablespoon water

For the berry topping:

1 cup mixed berries (I prefer blackberries and raspberries)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

For the hazelnut praline:

¼ cup (40 gm) chopped hazelnuts
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons butter, melted

Instructions

To prepare the budino:

Combine one cup of the whole milk and the heavy cream in a 6-quart saucepan on the stove. Turn the heat to medium-low while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, cocoa powder and sugar. Add the egg yolks and the remaining milk, whisking to combine.
Once the milk and cream on the stovetop are warmed and barely steaming, carefully remove one cup of the mixture and add it to the cornstarch mixture, whisking quickly all the while. Once combined, add the cornstarch and milk mixture back to the saucepan on the stove, whisking together constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. You’ll want the mixture to become a viscous consistency, similar to the texture of a creamy salad dressing.
Turn the heat to low and add in the salt, chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Whisk quickly to combine and melt the chocolate and then remove from the heat immediately. Pour into four heat-safe containers and place a small sheet of plastic wrap on top so that a skin does not form on the top of the pudding.

To prepare the whipped cream:

Place the cold cream in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat at medium speed until slightly thickened and frothy, then add the sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat just until medium stiff peaks form. Keep in the fridge until you plan to serve the budino.

To prepare the chocolate crumble topping:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Beat the butter and sugar on medium low speed until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and beat on low until large crumbs begin to form. Chill the crumbs in the freezer for about 5 minutes to set the crumbs.
Spread the crumbs out onto a quarter sheet pan and bake in the oven, tossing occasionally for about 15-20 minutes, or until crumbs are baked and set. All to cool completely.

To prepare the berry topping:

Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Mash larger berries to release juices and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and is bubbling. Remove from heat and cool completely.

To prepare the hazelnut praline:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all three ingredients and spread out on a small sheet pan.
Bake for about 5 minutes, then stir and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes. The nuts should be fragrant and crunchy with melted sugar. Allow to cool completely.

Notes

If desired, add 1/4 cup Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread) to the pudding.
As an alternative to the hazelnut praline, consider making cookies to top the pudding! Check out my recipe for butter pecan cookies. Substitute hazelnuts for pecans and crumble baked and cooled cookies over top of the pudding.
Switch out these toppings for some of your favorites. Salted caramel, pretzels, shortbread cookies, toffee sauce and bananas, and any other number of items would taste delicious here! Change according to your preferences.

Recipe for the budino adapted from Nigella Lawson

Chocolate Budino// Guide to Chicago

15 Comments / Confections and Candies

Where We Stayed

And Friends Came, Too!

Be sure to check out my list of Chicago faves below. In a city with a thousand wonderful things to do, I hope you’ll make time for at least one or two of these on your next trip.

Chocolate Budino

Making the Budino

Serving the Budino

Where We Ate in Chicago:

Little Goat Diner

My favorite dish (This Little Piggy Went To China) is from here!

Monteverde

Italian cuisine with house-made pasta and loads of global influence.

Girl and the Goat

Global food served in a family-style setting.

Au Cheval

The best burger and garlic fries in Chicago.

Avec

Rustic Mediterranean small plates and home of the best Chorizo-stuffed dates.

Bavette’s

A classic steakhouse with French flair.

Nico Osteria

A daily-changed menu serving housemade pasta and Italian seafood.

Fat Rice

A mix of Asian, African, and Indian cuisine served in the COOLEST atmosphere.

Pequod’s

Perfect Chicago deep-dish pizza. We called ahead and ordered carry-out to avoid a wait!

The Purple Pig

Highly acclaimed Chicago favorite serving New American cuisine in a shared-plate atmosphere.

RL Restaurant

American food served in a unique club atmosphere.

Sweet Mandy B’s

Buy as many cookies as you can fit in your carry-on.

Floriole

A fantastic bakery with some of the flakiest, most buttery pasties I’ve ever had.

Where We Drank in Chicago:

Three Dots and A Dash

The coolest tiki lounge in The Loop!

The Signature Lounge

Cocktails from the 96th floor of the John Hancock Building!

Velvet Hour

A moody bar with a speak-easy vibe.

Cindy’s Rooftop

My favorite spot for day drinking in Chicago.

Intelligentsia Coffee

A Chicago-born coffee company with a terrific brew.

Lost Lake

A tiki bar with and island aesthetic.

Things We Did in Chicago:

Millenium Park to check out The Bean!

Shopping on Michigan Ave.

River architecture tour

Hamilton– the best broadway show I’ve ever seen.

Shopping on Armitage

Took in the view from the top of the John Hancock Building

Places I’m Dying to Try Next Time in Chicago:

Three Arts Club Cafe

Bohemian House

Velvet Taco

Big Star Tacos

Publican Quality Meats

Milk Room

For more posts like this, check out:

Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse

Banana Coconut Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate Coffee Almond Scones and Our Time in Portland

BBC Popsicles and Our Time in St. Barth’s

Chocolate Budino: Three Ways

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Chocolate budino, a rich pudding-like dessert, can be prepared in three ways- with a chocolate crumble, with a berry topping, or with a hazelnut praline!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 90
Yield: 4

Ingredients

For the budino:

1–1/4 cup (300 mL) whole milk
1/3 cup (80 mL) heavy cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup (30 gm) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (50 gm) sugar
2 large egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the whipped cream:

¾ cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar

For the chocolate crumble topping:

¼ cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, room temperature
2–1/2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons (60 gm) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 tablespoon water

For the berry topping:

1 cup mixed berries (I prefer blackberries and raspberries)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

For the hazelnut praline:

¼ cup (40 gm) chopped hazelnuts
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons butter, melted

Instructions

To prepare the budino:

Combine one cup of the whole milk and the heavy cream in a 6-quart saucepan on the stove. Turn the heat to medium-low while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, cocoa powder and sugar. Add the egg yolks and the remaining milk, whisking to combine.
Once the milk and cream on the stovetop are warmed and barely steaming, carefully remove one cup of the mixture and add it to the cornstarch mixture, whisking quickly all the while. Once combined, add the cornstarch and milk mixture back to the saucepan on the stove, whisking together constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. You’ll want the mixture to become a viscous consistency, similar to the texture of a creamy salad dressing.
Turn the heat to low and add in the salt, chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Whisk quickly to combine and melt the chocolate and then remove from the heat immediately. Pour into four heat-safe containers and place a small sheet of plastic wrap on top so that a skin does not form on the top of the pudding.

To prepare the whipped cream:

Place the cold cream in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat at medium speed until slightly thickened and frothy, then add the sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat just until medium stiff peaks form. Keep in the fridge until you plan to serve the budino.

To prepare the chocolate crumble topping:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Beat the butter and sugar on medium low speed until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and beat on low until large crumbs begin to form. Chill the crumbs in the freezer for about 5 minutes to set the crumbs.
Spread the crumbs out onto a quarter sheet pan and bake in the oven, tossing occasionally for about 15-20 minutes, or until crumbs are baked and set. All to cool completely.

To prepare the berry topping:

Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Mash larger berries to release juices and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and is bubbling. Remove from heat and cool completely.

To prepare the hazelnut praline:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all three ingredients and spread out on a small sheet pan.
Bake for about 5 minutes, then stir and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes. The nuts should be fragrant and crunchy with melted sugar. Allow to cool completely.

Notes

If desired, add 1/4 cup Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread) to the pudding.
As an alternative to the hazelnut praline, consider making cookies to top the pudding! Check out my recipe for butter pecan cookies. Substitute hazelnuts for pecans and crumble baked and cooled cookies over top of the pudding.
Switch out these toppings for some of your favorites. Salted caramel, pretzels, shortbread cookies, toffee sauce and bananas, and any other number of items would taste delicious here! Change according to your preferences.

Recipe for the budino adapted from Nigella Lawson

Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse

12 Comments / Confections and Candies, Pies and Tarts

We stress ourselves out, don’t we? We plan too much, do too much, squeeze too much in at the last minute. We run and push and accept a few jobs that we have no business taking. But this is Christmas. These few weeks of the year are precious and valuable and not meant to be squandered away on to-do lists and stressful tasks. The hours of these days should be spent on laughter and hugs and gratitude. So if you’re in over your head this Christmas, today’s recipe, cookie butter pretzel mousse, is for you. This recipe will give you something delightful to share with your loved ones and spare you from burning the midnight oil in the kitchen. Interested yet? Well then let’s get to it!

Cookie butter pretzel mousse is a sweet and salty dessert made up of a cream cheese and cookie butter whip, topped with buttery, brown sugar pretzel crumbs and whipped cream. We start by preparing the pretzel crumbs by combining crushed pretzels, melted butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Once the mixture is fully combined, we set the crumbles aside to cool. Meanwhile, the cookie butter gets whipped with a bit of sugar and cream cheese. Once creamy and smooth, whipped cream is folded in to create a fluffy, cloudlike mousse that it out of this world. Once thoroughly folded in, you can begin to assemble your little mousse cups! I prepared mine in individual jars, but if you don’t have small Weck or Ball jars at home you could easily assemble these in low ball glasses, champagne coupes (hello, NYE!), or even small plastic cups.

Start to finish, these cookie butter pretzel mousse cups take less than 30 minutes to make, and the outcome is a stunning dessert that will blow each and every one of your holiday guests away. So chill out, love someone this weekend, and spend a little less time in the kitchen by sharing this delicious cookie butter pretzel mousse at your upcoming celebrations. I’ll also be sharing a recipe for sparkly champagne cupcakes that will make your New Year’s Eve bash extra boozy and fancy so check back for that in a few days as well. Cheers to you and have a merry week!

Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse

Print Recipe

Cookie butter pretzel mouse is a creamy, sweet and salty mousse topped with buttery, brown sugar pretzel crumbs and fluffy whipped cream.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6

Ingredients

For the pretzel crumbs

4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup rough crushes pretzels

For the mousse

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup cookie butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cream

For the whipped cream topping

1 cup cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

To prepare the pretzel crumbs

Stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Stir in the pretzel crumbs and set aside while you prepare the mousse and cream topping.

To prepare the mousse

Beat together the cream cheese and cookie butter on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure it becomes well combined. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whip together the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold half of the cream into the cookie butter mixture. Once combined, fold the remaining whipped cream in. Set aside while you prepare the whipped cream topping.

To prepare the whipped cream topping

Beat the cream on medium low speed until it begins to froth slightly. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and then continue beating just until stiff peaks form.

To assemble the cookie butter mousse cups

Using a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, pipe the mousse mixture into 6- 6 ounce glass jars. You will add approximately 1/3-1/2 cup of the mixture to each jar. Alternatively, you can just scoop the mixture in to a bowl or the jars if you don’t have a piping bag, or use a plastic bag with the end clipped off to pipe it in. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the pretzel crumbs over top of the mousse and then top with a large dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle with any remaining pretzel crumbs and then serve!

Notes

These can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3 days but are best eaten right away as the pretzel crumbs will lose their crunch over time.
Do no use low fat or unsalted pretzels. Also avoid use large pretzel rods or nuggets.

Banana Cream Pie with Oatmeal Cookie Crust

12 Comments / Pies and Tarts

A few weekends back, I traveled to Orlando for a belated 10 year high school reunion. Being the product of the late 80’s/ early 90’s that I am, the words “high school reunion” bring me mental pictures of Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino dancing to Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” in their Easter egg-toned lamé outfits just before they fly off via helicopter into the sunset. I’m completely unashamed to report that “High School Musical” also comes to mind, and I seriously (and not so secretly) wish that Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens would reunite down the road for their own musically-inspired version of a reunion. At what age is it inappropriate for me to admit things like that?

From what I’ve gathered from movies, television, and limited personal experience (all legit sources, right?), reuniting with friends from your past can be terrifying for a lot of people, and understandably so, given that the teenage years are often flooded with a crap-shoot of drama, hormones, bullies, and insecurities. So naturally, leading up to this weekend, I thought a lot about the past, listened to a bunch of old burned CD’s, and even looked through a few photo albums from my pre-college years, trying to prepare myself for whatever the night may entail. Even on my way to the reunion, I half expected fear to rear its ugly head along with a million and one of my petty insecurities.

I’m happy to report that the evening was splendid. I’ll attribute a majority of the painlessness to the fact that I had a truly enjoyable and relatively easy high school experience, marked by loads of fun memories and only a smattering of truly heartbreaking and cringe-worthy ones. Only a handful of people showed up to the dinner gathering, but that kept an element of intimacy, relaxedness, and fun that a larger party of people perhaps would have squashed. It definitely helped that I had my high school and current best friend, Jesse, there as the ultimate wingman/sidekick, but the rest of that lack of anxiety, I have decided, can be attributed to newer attempts I’ve made to genuinely be OK with the person I am right now. This has been one of my goals for 2016: Being OK with me.

I want to be truly content with my life. I want to be proud of who I am. I want to be confident in what I can offer.

I want to walk through life free from shame of who I’ve been or fear that I don’t measure up.

I want to be excited about my life and feel free to relish in the million things I have to be joyful about.

I want to see my present life as something worth sharing with people I haven’t seen in 10+ years, and I want to do so without any hint of sadness at “what could have been.”

I want to know and believe that who I am and what I have is enough, this year and for another ten years.

That’s the person I want to be.

Admittedly, I have a long way to go. But that’s why it’s a goal and not something I’ve already checked off my list. It’s something worth striving after.

Another something worth striving after? Perfect banana cream pie.

Have you ever made a cream pie from scratch, only to have it fail to set up and turn into a sloppy tin of pudding? Well, I have. That’s just about every cream pie I’ve ever made. That is, until recently. I ran across this recipe in Cook’s Illustrated and decided to try a variation of it. This recipe uses less liquid than others I’d tried in the past, so I was pretty optimistic that this could be the makings of a winner. It did not disappoint. And because I was feeling extra jazzy, I added an additional layer of bananas AND a cookie crumble crust. Mercy.

I’m planning to attempt converting this to a coconut cream and chocolate cream pie recipe in the near future, so cross your fingers, legs, and whatever else in hopes that they are as successful as this bad boy was. And if your sweet tooth is calling your name this week, you should make this pie. You should also probably rent “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion” and cry laugh while you eat it with someone awesome… bonus points if you’ve been friends since high school.

Banana Cream Pie with Oatmeal Cookie Crust

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

A traditional banana cream pie made special with an oatmeal cookie crust.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 10

Ingredients

For the cookie crust

6 ounces of crunchy oatmeal cookie crumbs (I used GMommas Buddascotch Oatmeal, but another crunchy oatmeal cookie could be substituted)
1/4–1/2 teaspoon salt (depending on salt preference)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted

For the filling

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1 cup of heavy cream
5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk (2% or whole)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter
2 large bananas

For the topping

1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

To prepare the cookie crust

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor or by hand, finely chop cookies/crumbs into a coarse consistency, adding the remaining crust ingredients towards the end. Mix to combine. The mixture should resemble wet, coarse sand.
Press the crust in to a standard 9″ pie plate. (There will not be enough crumbs to coat a deep dish plate)
Bake until the crust begins to firm up, about 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool.

To prepare the filling

Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium saucepan.
Whisk in the egg yolks, followed by the heavy cream and milk, until the mixture is smooth.
Over medium-low heat, bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking constantly. The mixture will slowly thicken to a loose pudding consistency. Be sure to whisk constantly while mixture thickens, otherwise you will have clumpy pudding as opposed to a uniformly smooth pudding.
Remove the pan from heat and stir the pudding through a fine mesh strainer to remove any clumps.
Return the mixture back to the pan, but off the heat, and gently stir in the butter and vanilla.
Allow mixture to cool slightly, stirring once or twice a minute, for about five minutes.

To assemble the pie

Thinly slice (about 1/8th”) a layer of bananas over the bottom of the pie crust. I used about 3/4 of a banana for this.
Spoon half of the pudding mixture on top of the banana layer.
Repeat the layering of banana slices once more, topping with the remaining pudding.
Smooth the top and place a piece of Saran wrap directly on top of the pudding. Allow to cool in the refrigerator at least for 4-5 hours, but preferably overnight.
When ready to serve, whip the remaining heavy cream with a hand or stand mixer, starting on low speed and increasing to high.
Add sugar along the way and turn the mixer off when stiff peaks have formed.
On low, stir in the vanilla until combined.
Keep pie refrigerated until ready to serve and garnish with extra banana if desired!

Notes

Cooking your filling enough is really important. You’re looking for a consistency similar to a loose pudding. It will thicken slightly as it cools, but you don’t want to quit the cooking process while the filling is still soupy.
Try to avoid over-stirring the filling after it has been cooked. This can cause it to loosen up.
Before decorating, I sliced the remaining banana slices and put them in a bath of one cup of water and the juice of half of a lemon. This will slow the browning process and allow you to decorate with bananas a little ahead of time. Note that bananas will still brown slightly given enough time.

Recipe Adapted From: Cook’s Illustrated

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Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse

Ingredients

For the pretzel crumbs

For the mousse

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For the cookie crust

For the filling

For the topping

Instructions

To prepare the cookie crust

To prepare the filling

To assemble the pie

Notes

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