Dark Chocolate Bark

 

I've recently been on this chocolate crave. Within the past week, I've adopted at least five different brands of dark chocolate (now that school is over, all I do is eat and sleep) into my home. As I've cut refined sugars out of my life as much as possible, the darkest chocolates have slowly become sweet. Most days, I'll be perfectly content with solely dark cocoa powder in my oatmeal -- no sweeteners.

So let me now introduce you to my new favorite chocolate bark. Spicy mama, meet my lovely reader. When I took my first nibble of the bark, my taste buds were pleasantly surprised. 

Chili and bittersweet chocolate is a relatively new concept in the western world, albeit it is well-known to many South American cultures. To many people, bittersweet and dark chocolate is too...bitter (for lack of a better word). With the delightful heat however, the chocolate becomes somewhat intriguing. 

My favorite part about the bark is that the chili is undetectable while you're indulging and then BAM!  It reveals itself after you go nomnomnom.

 Anyways, enjoy!


Recipe: serves 6
6 oz bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup pistachios
7 apricots, chopped into 4ths
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Combine pistachios, apricots, chili powder, and cinnamon in a bowl.
2. With a double boiler, melt the chocolate (or melt in the microwave with 30 second increments, stirring between each increment). Stir in the pistachio mixture.
3. Pour the pistachio-chocolate mixture onto the lined baking pan. Use a spatula to even out. Sprinkle with salt and refrigerate until hard, and then break into pieces.
   

Notes:
- My entire batch was about 250g
- Store in an airtight container
- If you are feeling ballsy, up the chili powder to 1/2 tsp cinnamon

With love,
Grace

Also, I just created a Facebook page (here) and would really, really love it if you could go like it! Thanks!

Vanilla Coconut Rice Pudding

Summer's quickly approaching and graduation is in only 19 days. I've begun thinking about how I'll keep blogging and cooking/baking in college. Perhaps I'll befriend a bunch of upperclassmen and use their kitchens....I really don't know. Any suggestions?

Vanilla bean and coconut combos have always been able to cozy up a warm and fuzzy feeling. Before I could even help myself to another serving two days later, I found out that my mom had eaten the other portions. Sigh..

What I love about this particular rice pudding is that it's not too sweet or rich.You need to make this!

Coconut Vanilla Bean Rice Pudding adapted from here
Recipe: serves 6 - 8
1 1/2 cups of water
3/4 cup basmati rice
1/4 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise with seeds scraped out.

Directions:
1. Boil the water, salt, and rice in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the water has been absorbed. 
2. Add the both the regular and coconut milk, sugar, and vanilla bean and seeds to the pan. Increase the heat and and stir continuously to avoid burning. Stir for about 35 minutes until the rice is tender and the mixture is thick and creamy. 
3. Remove the pudding from the heat and divide evenly into bowls. The pudding can be served warm or chilled. 

Notes:
- This can be made 2 days ahead of serving time
- Add toppings if you wish. Dried berries are very good with it!
- Instead of discarding the bean after you've cooked with it, wash it off and store it in sugar to make vanilla-infused sugar

With Love, 
Grace

The Raw Brownie

 Sarah from My New Roots said she'd change my life with this brownie, and now it's my turn to change your life.

Reading about raw brownies had me double-taking the title. What could be better than a dark chocolate brownie that's good for you, yet ridiculously simple to make? I am truly grateful that I found this recipe. While a gooey, hot out-of-the-oven brownie is still enjoyable, this one is a life saviour in the sense that it allows for the daily splurge whilst acting as a saving grace for your health and diet. Although the ingredients for this brownie are potentially expensive, I can genuinely say that it has become my go-to recipe. Oh right, you like no-bakes right?

Cranberry Grilled Cheese Sandwich

 

 

 

It was one of those days. It was the kind of day where I just want to have an endless supply of food from Panera Bread. Too bad for me, I won't be getting any Panera until summertime...unless my dad wants to get me a plane ticket just for that :)

I'm fairly content though, because I have recently discovered my new favorite bread from this cute little Japanese Bakery, Ichido. Mmmm, Cranberry Walnut bread. Hope you enjoy the recipe!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Larabars

Have you had Larabars before? Well I haven't. I have read a lot of blogs that have hyped about them though. After stalling for a many weeks, I finally had enough of everyone's mushy gushy talk and decided to make copycat ones. If you're like me and have never had them, you are missing out. Whether these even taste like the real things, they are a new go-to snack.

My favorite part about these is the slight tartness of them. I only had unsweetened golden raisins, so I opted for these. No regrets!

The best part is eating them straight out of the fridge as an after-school snack. Actually no, I'm about to tell you the best part. They're packed with nutrition and superfoods: walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, and oatmeal.

If you're wondering about the texture, they're a bit like a a chewy granola bar, but with a cookie dough texture. In fact, I would probably choose these over cookie dough.

Now that it's finally spring break, I'll be able to catch up on sleep and cook a whole lot of food. I'll also be waiting in anticipation as I hear back from colleges. 

24 Karat Cake