new favorite: (coconut-based) super fluffy star bread

This star-shaped bread is so fluffy I'm gonna die.

I first spotted this nutella star bread on a YouTube video trending on Facebook. But the guy who was making it (@DaveHax) used pre-made frozen pizza dough as the base. While that's a quick and convenient option, I didn't have pre-made dough on hand. Plus, it was almost midnight after a long week of classes, and I was looking forward to unwinding with one solid dough-kneading workout session. It really takes a lot of tension out of you, you know?

Star bread is a traditional Christmas pull-apart bread with layers of nutella sandwiched between layers of dough, which are carefully cut and folded into a lovely star shape. Or flower shape. Or snowflake shape. Or, as in this case, a starburst?

Although nutella is traditionally used as the filling, I chose to spread peanut butter because I didn't have nutella (and also because I'm a peanut butter addict). I can imagine a plethora of sweet and savory filling ideas, though. Cookie butter or cinnamon sugar, maybe? Or garlic butter? The possibilities are endless.

Mmmmm. Bread.

Maybe it was the recipe I used or the way I kneaded it - but the bread layers puffed up, so the star turned into a starburst/blossom shape. And the bread inside was magically soft and springy. I lightly sprinkled the surface of the bread with white sugar while it was cooling, but this bread is sweet, so that's not a necessary step. I also think the richness and saltiness of the peanut butter complemented the sweetness of the bread well. It was hard to resist eating this whole thing fresh out of the oven!

peanut butter star bread [df] (adapted from Handimania)

approx. 2 1/2 all purpose flour
2 Tbs coconut oil
1/2 Tbs vegetable oil
1/4 cup + 1 Tbs white granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
3/4 cup coconut milk, warmed
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 eggs, separated and at room temperature

1. Microwave the coconut milk until warmed. In a small bowl, combine the yeast, 1 Tbs sugar and warmed coconut milk. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups of flour, salt and 1/4 cup of sugar.
3. In the dry ingredients, add the egg yolks, coconut and vegetable oils as well as the yeast mixture.
4. Mix and combine into dough, kneading until the dough comes together. Slowly add in the remaining 1/2 cup of flour, if necessary, until the dough is smoother. The dough might appear to be "layered", but that's okay.
5. Place the dough ball in a greased, covered bowl, and let it rise in a warm place for 40 min. to 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
6. Knead the dough for a few minutes. Divide into 4 equal pieces.
7. Roll out each piece of dough into round sheets about a few millimeters thin.
8. Check out Handimania's great tutorial on how to layer and cut the dough. Trace a round plate (or something similar) onto each sheet. Smooth peanut butter within the traced lines of 3 of the sheets, layering them on top of one another. Place the final, peanut butter-free sheet on top.
9. Check out Handimania's great tutorial for a visual guide on how to cut and twist the dough into the star design. Place a glass cup (or something similar) or lid in the center of the dough layers. Make 16 equidistant cuts around the cup, being careful to not cut into the center. Twist 8 pairs of cut pieces away from one another.
10. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, and leave the bread in the oven for another 5-7 minutes. This bread is best served fresh out of the oven. :)

Star bread, I knead you in my life.

new favorite: chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies by Wanna Come With?

While I was never a fan of spicy - a couple shakes of black pepper sends me reaching for water - I've gradually come to appreciate the fiery evils of capsaicin through eating, of all things, chocolate.

Confession: I generally loathe spicy food, but I love spicy chocolate. Whether its chili powder or a strong dose of cinnamon, spicy chocolate has such an awesome, unexpected flavor. It's almost thrilling.

That's why these Chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies by Laurel are amazing. They are chewy and gooey, spicy and aromatic. They're like eating a spiced, fudgy gingerbread brownie. The combination of ground ginger with freshly grated ginger creates a satisfying kick that may even leave the slightest bit of heat lingering in your mouth. Yay.

These are the (minor) adjustments I made to Laurel's recipe. Aside from these tweaks, I followed her recipe as written, and the cookies turned out fantastic. I urge you to try these.

• I increased the cocoa powder from 1 Tbs to 2 1/2 Tbs.
• I used white sugar instead of brown sugar because that's all I had on hand, although apparently you can "make" brown sugar by combining 1 cup white sugar with 1-2 Tbs molasses, which I (unintentionally) did in this recipe.
• I used both semisweet dark and white chocolate chips.

"Eat me! If you still trust my food. (I swear these are brussel sprout-free)."

The Worst Food Hybrids In Existence

Food hybrids have been "all the craze". There have been amazing successes - cronuts, cruffins, the ramen burger - and then there has been the ramnut. Yes, the ramen donut. Usually I do not make concluding judgments about foods until I have tasted them, but sometimes...you just know.

The concept of the ramnut is almost as nauseating as this video showing you how to make them.

Just because something can be deep-fried and covered in icing sugar shouldn't make it a thing. Which brings me to the wonut. Yes, another donut-related hybrid, because folks are really creative running out of ideas. This actually sounds like it would taste fine, but seriously, it's probably the most snooze-worthy of food hybrids. I'm pretty sure that deep fried waffles have always been a thing at country fairs - and that's where they belong.

Let's be honest. These are basically donuts shaped like waffles. 

For the grand finale, I present the pizza cake. There is not much explaining to do for this one; a picture is worth a thousands words. I'll just let you soak that in...

I can't look at this too long without my stomach churning...

pizza making

Dinner time!

dough recipe from here
sauce recipe from me
toppings: garlic hummus, red bell pepper, onions, spinach, egg, sausage

rosemary, thyme & garlic focaccia

The other day, I revisited the discounted produce rack in my local grocery store. Last time, I discovered some summer squash, which turned into these summer squash muffins. This time, I found a big box of fresh(ish) rosemary, thyme and parsley.

Aside from some yellowing parsley, the discounted herbs still had plenty of life in them.

The smell of rosemary always transports me back to sophomore year of high school when me and my mother took a trip to California to visit universities. Somewhere along the trip, we were on a mad rush to our next destination (what's new?). My memory gets foggy here, but I recall walking through a bus?/train? station before being lured into a bakery on the sidelines by the powerful smell of rosemary. I ended up buying a large rustic hunk of herb bread and eating the entire thing. Yes, the carb addiction started a long, long time ago.

Yum, pools of olive oil. Just how I like my olive oil.

 I used the "easy focaccia bread with herbs" recipe by Joanne and Adam Gallagher on Inspired Taste. They have clear instructions with photos, so I highly recommend checking them out here if you want to try this recipe (which you should).

I only had a 10x15 pan instead of the 9x13, so my focaccia came out thinner, and its baking time was reduced to around 13-15 minutes, max. I know this because I baked it for 16 minutes, and it came out a bit toastier than intended. Still, the bread was delicious, and the amazing herbs left my dorm kitchen smelling like a warm, savory heaven. Noms.

world's best truffles (april fools)

Have you ever been pranked on April Fool's Day? Even though it's supposed to be the day for pranking, so far - and much to my inner child's chagrin - I have not been the subject of any pranks. Considering how I love messing with people on a regular basis, I'm surprised no one ever has retaliated. People are too kind to me.

Well, this year's April 1st was set to pass no differently than others - quietly and uneventfully. I couldn't let a golden opportunity slide by like this, though. Thankfully, it was a Wednesday, which is my least busy day of the week, so I was able to spend the afternoon orchestrating my master plan, melting chocolate to make some delicious*, festive truffles.

Sweet deception...

*deliciousness is highly subjective

Yup. It's a brussel sprout. America's favorite vegetable.

Step 1: Steam frozen brussel sprouts, and pat them dry.
Step 2: Melt your chocolate (I used generic chocolate chips.) Cue slow groovy music.

Step 3: Smother the brussel sprout in melted chocolate until there's not a wee green leaf in sight.

Step 4: Let the truffles set in the fridge. Clean excess edges with a knife if you have to. When ready. serve to your unsuspecting loved ones and watch their excited faces transform into grimaces of confusion as they bite into the healthiest chocolate truffle, ever.

Everyone knows Judy can never turn down chocolate.
That's why she made the perfect first victim.

My victims' friends' reactions ranged from disgust and spittakes to nonchalance and even exclamations that, "It isn't that bad!" I unknowingly served Maryanne her first brussel sprout. Hey, how many people in the world can say their first brussel sprout was covered in chocolate? Probably just one.

But wait - it doesn't end here. Because once you've lost your friends' trust, you need to regain it  lose it, permanently. And this is how: Round 2: Chocolate "Roulette".

Sriracha surprise.

(top row, left to right) Lemon curd, Rice krispies, Lime curd, Almond

(middle row, left to right) Peanut butter, Rice krispies, Cap'n Crunch, Peanut butter

(bottom row, left to right) Lime curd, Oyster sauce, Sriracha, Garlic puree

Tip: Don't forget to tap the air bubbles out of your chocolate molds...

Lime curd. Nom nom.

My friend Betty kindly informed me that "There's like an evil inside of you. There's like...a darkness." My father called it the healthiest prank, ever. Plus, everything tastes better covered with chocolate, right? So says my friend Joy, who got really lucky with the garlic puree-filled chocolate. (I mean, it was totally random that she ended up with the garlic chocolate. Totally. I swear.)

All in all, it was a pretty fun April Fools. I succeeded in losing any trust my friends had in me, but at least I have the next 364 days to gain it back.

March food adventures: Dumpling House, Santouka Hokkaido Ramen, Border Cafe

Happy April! Here's a summary of food adventures in Harvard Square. We hit up a variety of cuisines at Dumpling House (Chinese/Taiwanese), Santouka Hokkaido ramen (Japanese) and Border Cafe (Tex-Mex/Cajun). Both Dumpling House and Border Cafe are popular staples in the square. Santouka only recently opened, replacing a Dunkin Donuts.

Dumpling House 
Where: 950 Mass Ave, Harvard Square
With: Maryanne
Why: multiple recommendations

We came here on a whim upon a friend's recommendation. It was past 8PM on a chilly 20 degree night, and we were both eager to fill our bellies with something warm. Dumpling House turned out to be located on a bit of the outskirts of Harvard Square, past a seemingly random row of furniture stores. This is the sister restaurant to the Dumpling House in Chinatown.

Even past 8PM, the place was bustling and we ended up waiting about 10 minutes before we were seated - much to our momentary confusion and amusement - right around the very back corner, next to the kitchen and beside where the restaurant staff sat to take breaks and eat their dinner. There was even a wall separating us from what felt like the "main" part of the restaurant. But whatever; we came here to feast.

Our waiter was a jovial guy probably not much older than us. We soon discovered he could speak both Cantonese and Mandarin, and a 3-way multilingual conversation ensued (I speak Mandarin, my friend speaks Cantonese). He recommend that we get the Sauteed rice cakes ($7.50) or the Sauteed flat noodles with beef ($7.95). We also got Mini soup dumplings with pork a.k.a. xiao long bao ($7.25), one of Maryanne's favorites. I took a ridiculously long time to order and was impressed by the waiter's patience. When I ordered the flat noodles and told him I didn't eat beef, he immediately darted into the kitchen and asked if they could replace my dish with pork instead, which they could.

The food arrived in a fair amount of time. The portions were large, and my only gripe is that my dish was sauce-heavy, which really hit me in the stomach half-way through. The xiao long bao were moderately-sized and juicy. Maryanne's rice cakes were cooked well; my flat noodles were cut shorter than usual and probably could have stood to cook for a shorter bit of time. I appreciated that they could accommodate my beef-to-pork request.  We finished dinner, or what we could of it, at almost 10PM, and we were never rushed. The funny thing is, there were actually still people sitting in the waiting room by the time we left!

Attention college students: You can definitely get a filling dinner here for $10 or less, tax and tip included. The food was authentic and yummy, the service was hands-off (which I like), and I most certainly over-ate. I will come back.

Santouka Hokkaido Ramen
Where: 1 Bow Street, Harvard Square
With: Judy
Why: curiosity and our avid search for the best ramen house in this area

We arrived at this newly opened Santouka at around 7, but were told there would be an hour-long wait. They texted us a link to a waiting room system, which told us how many people were ahead of us and how long it had been since we joined the waitlist. After roughly 45 minutes of poking around the nearby CVS and spending too much time giggling over the smutty novel shelf, we received a text notifying us that we were ready to be seated. At long last - it was ramen time.

Santouka isn't your Sapporo or Yume wo Karate. The decor is modern chic and the ramen is served in pretty bowls on sleek circular trays. It was only less than 10 minutes after ordering that our impressively cheery waitress returned with Judy's spicy Tonkotsu kara miso ramen ($11.75) and my Tonkotsu shio ramen (salt ramen) ($11.25). Judy had intended on getting the ramen combo, but given that the restaurant was still in its "soft opening" phase, they were only offering limited menus with a mere four options to choose from. I chose the shio ramen after being enticed by the pickled plum umeboshi on top, which reminded me of a cherry topper.

At Santouka, it seems the Tonkotsu bone broth is the star of the show. The pork doesn't melt in your mouth the way YWK pork does. The noodles are good, but not memorable. But the bone broth, which their website says is produced by simmering pork bones for 20 hours, is rich without being heavy, mild without being watery and flavorful without being too salty (ahem, YWK). I don't think I've ever come this close to finishing my ramen broth. I also did notice a window into a kitchen area, revealing rows of metal pipes dripping liquid into metal tanks - possibly showing the Tonkotsu broth in progress?

All in all, the ramen was delicious, albeit pricey for college students, especially after tax and tip. Expect to shell out around $15 for your regular-sized ramen dinner and even more more a Large ramen, additional toppings and combo options. We had a positive experience - but it's not likely I will come back soon, given that I can head elsewhere for delicious ramen more forgiving on my wallet.

Border Cafe
Where: 32 Church Street, Harvard Square
With: Maryanne
Why: Yelp

I asked Maryanne what I should say about Border Cafe. Her very matter-of-fact response: "Say it was delish." The truth is, Border Cafe is more than delish. It is colorful and spicy and smokey, both in food and ambiance.

Border Cafe is not obnoxious, as long as you can stomach the kitschy painted walls and rainbow lights, crowded tables occupied by friends chatting over margaritas in an amiable din. Somehow it still feels intimate, even when you are straining to hear your friend, who's sitting beside you, yell a story into your ear. The name Border Cafe hardly applies here; it is more of a restaurant and bar, and it's quite the dinnertime hubbub.

We arrived a little past 6PM and were told to wait for 20 minutes. We waited about 10 minutes before our buzzer blinked red and we were finally seated. Maryanne and I both ordered the swordfish tacos veracruz ($11.96), which consisted of three soft tacos with some salad and a mesquite grilled avocado on the side. I am someone with a markedly low spicyness tolerance, but if the food is sufficiently delicious, I will power through it (in between gulps of ice water and melodramatic cries of anguish: "Why must you be so delicious? Why must you hurt me this way? sob..."). The swordfish tacos veracruz reached beyond this threshold of delicious, with lots of different flavors in each bite - smokiness, pepperyness, sweetness from mango, tartness from limes... Ugh. So, so good.

Just one taco was intensely spicy for me, but hey, there was a salad, grilled avocado and unlimited chips n' salsa to distract my tastebuds. The avocado was delicious, although a bit of challenge to eat with just a fork; it was a great flavor and texture neutralizer to the tacos. The house-made chips arrived plain warm (they keep them warmed), and the salsa was mild. All tables offer tall bottles of sea salt, pepper and chili sauce if you want to add some pizzazz.

Despite the higher price - set aside $15 for dinner - I believe it's worth coming back. The portions are large and filling, the food is great and did I mention there's unlimited chips n' salsa? Border Cafe showcases a vibrant, social environment (which I'm sure all those margaritas help along with) and seems like a great place to dine with a big group of friends - as long as you're all prepared to yell a little bit.