I made a new baking discovery last weekend. As I sat inside, cozy and warm, watching the snow fall (finally!), I had the urge to whip up something delicious.  Looking through my rather bare cabinets, I briefly lamented that the season would not lend itself to a pretty tart brimming with fresh strawberries or blueberries, but I also knew that type of summery dessert would not serve to satisfy my snow day cravings.

Nope, I needed something a bit heartier, and I found the answer: bread pudding, made with bananas and a heavy splash of bourbon. And with that, I think I might have found the perfect mid-winter dessert.

If this recipe looks a bit familiar, it’s because I used the same basic framework from my Blueberry Bread Pudding last summer. As I said then, I thought it would be a great base for future seasonal interpretations, suggesting that it would be fantastic with apples and warming spices in the fall, which I completely forgot to do. (I will NOT make the same mistake next October!) Happily, this winter version popped into my head, and I have been enjoying the fruits of my labor all week long.

Rich, smooth, and studded with banana, this simple dessert was a very welcome treat on a cold and snowy day. I wasn’t the only one who thought so—every time I went to sneak a slice, it was clear that others had been there first.

Did I mention that the recipe includes bourbon?

Try topping it with vanilla ice cream, a bourbon caramel sauce (there I go again), warm maple syrup (a breakfast treat?), or drizzled with hot fudge. Enjoy!

Bourbon Banana Bread Pudding

Yields 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of brioche or challah bread, torn into pieces (about 4-5 cups)
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups cream
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons Bourbon
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 bananas, sliced
• 1 tablespoon butter, to coat the dish

Topping Ingredients:

• ¼ cup raw (turbinado) sugar*
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Gently heat the cream, milk, sugar and salt in a heavy bottomed pot until it is just about to boil. Remove from heat.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the eggs, vanilla, bourbon and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. Slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture, stirring constantly so that the eggs don’t scramble. Add the torn bread pieces and the banana slices to the custard and toss together well.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and butter a large baking dish (mine was about 9 ½ inches round with tall 2 inch sides)**
5. Pour the bread pudding mixture into the dish. Sprinkle the pudding with the cinnamon and raw sugar mixture. Cover the pudding with foil and bake for 45 minutes, until the center is set.
6. Remove the foil and cook for another 25-30 minutes, or until the pudding is set in the center. At the very end, put the pudding under the broiler for another 1-2 minutes to crisp up the top. Let the pudding sit for at least a half hour before serving.

* If you only have regular white sugar, that’s fine. The raw sugar creates a better crunchy crust, but it is not a big enough difference to deter you from making this recipe!

** The pudding puffed up a great deal while baking, I would recommend using a large baking dish, and putting a baking sheet underneath to catch any wayward pudding.

All photos styled and taken by Shelby Larsson.

Eat Boutique is a site + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local and comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send a gift box of handmade food today.

In a lifetime of reading, I’ve found that the best books often act as time machines transports to another place and time, willing to take you there whenever and wherever you open their pages.  Samuel Chamberlain’s “Clementine in the Kitchen,” is a book that has been doing this time-travel magic for its readers for over 50 years.  It’s the kind of book that anytime you read it, you are overcome with a warm feeling and, perhaps, a hint of jealously.

Chamberlain and his wife were writers for Gourmet Magazine; so, they certainly knew a good soufflé when they saw one.  And when a cook from Burgundy named Clementine showed up on the steps of their rented French home, this American family knew that they had found someone special.  Clementine came bearing a set of worn and battered notebooks, containing all sorts of secrets passed down from cook-to-cook.  From these well-thumbed books, she creates a series of dishes that never fails to impress the Chamberlains and their dinner guests.

Chamberlain lovingly describes the sounds and smell of one of Clementine’s classics, L’estouffat Lamande’ the following way: “This symphonic dish used to gurgle gently in our oven from noon until seven, making a soft sound like the bubbling of a spring.  When the casserole came to the table and the crust was broken for the first time, the aroma that escaped perfumed the house for hours.”  Practically every page of this book contains a scene like this and you’ll be hard pressed to get through the whole thing without letting your mind wander, imagining the food on the plate, what it would smell like and how it would taste.  (Such are the hardships of reading good books about food.)

Things get complicated when it becomes apparent that in Europe war is inevitable, the Chamberlains returned to the US, with Clementine in tow.  They settled in Marblehead, Massachusetts, and introduced Clementine to the world of supermarkets, butchers who don’t do weird cuts of meat and pre-made mixes for cakes.  The whole family is continually delighted with Clementine’s reactions to these culinary insults.  However, she isn’t fazed by the American oddities, and continues to cook her way.  None of the Chamberlains, (and, as the book progresses, their hard-to-impress Marblehead neighbors,) have any reason to complain.  The food is just too good.

The second half of “Clementine,” is made up of highlights from her notebooks, a wonderful introduction to French cuisine.  More recent editions of the book have Americanized the measurements and tried to remove the dishes that are best admired from afar, focusing on the French classics.

While it’s tried and true, here’s Clementine’s recipe for crepes:

Traditional French Crepes

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of flour
• 1 teaspoon oil
• pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Beat eggs, milk, then add flour, oil and salt.  Beat well until batter is smooth.  (Clementine uses a rotary beater, but allows readers to use an electric beater.)  Let batter rest for 1 hour before using.
2. Heat a 6-inch frying pan, grease it with a few drops of oil and a dot of butter.  Pour in 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons of batter.  Cook over moderate heat until the bottom is lightly browned and the top is dry.  Turn and brown the other side.  Add a little more butter and oil if needed.
3. It is recommended that these crepes are best eaten with ham, Parmesan and béchamel sauce.  (Clementine used to let the children have a few warm crepes for dessert on the nights they weren’t eating dinner with the grown-ups.)

The love that has been professed for this book seemingly knows no bounds.   No less an authority than M.F.K. Fisher called the book, “a minor masterpiece… I wish the book to stay with us forever.”  And it almost has.  “Clementine,” was in print for 42 years, from 1943 to 1985 and then re-published in 2001 by the Modern Library as part of their collection of food books, chosen by Ruth Reichl.

This is the perfect time machine book, one that will whisk you away to rural France in the 1930s. This magic act makes “Clementine” the perfect book to read in the evening as the day is slowing down.  The chapters are short, allowing you to savor the anecdotes and stretch out the reading over days and weeks, though you could probably plow through the 150 pages of stories pretty quickly if you were so inclined.  But that is not the point of this book, or of Clementine’s cooking- things must happen in their own time.  Nothing is worth rushing.  Much like the recipes in this book, “Clementine is the Kitchen” is something to treasure.

All text by Luke Poling. All photos styled and photographed by Somerby Jones. Somerby Jones has been focused on photography since a young age and recently left full time employment  to pursue that passion as a career. She loves the art of making things, especially anything in the kitchen, making food the perfect subject for much of her photography. To see her other work and ever evolving portfolio, please visit somerbyjones.com.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send a gift box of handmade food today.

It is early Christmas morning…… The snow is softly falling and covering the last remains of the reindeer’s paw prints, as I walk up the pathway to your home.  I can smell fresh roasted coffee brewing, as I reach for the front door.  I give a gentle tap-tap-tap, and you greet me with a warm smile and a Merry Christmas.

In my hands, gently wrapped, and still slightly warm, are fresh baked scones and a jar of tangy bergamot vanilla bean marmalade. The warm, sweet aroma is enticing, and I can tell by the smile that is beginning to take over, that you are excited to see what is in the package. Eager with anticipation, you unwrap the package to find fresh baked Christmas Scones.

Ah, the scone.  Buttery, warm, and flaky. Perfect with a cup of coffee, tea or on their own. Cranberry scones are one of my favorite breakfast treats to make. I take advantage of cranberry season by using fresh cranberries in this recipe. I love how they burst when baked, creating little puddles of warm fruit. I did change my traditional cranberry scone recipe a bit for this special Christmas morning treat. Instead of citrus zest, I used lots of candied ginger. I love the combination of tart cranberries with spicy ginger;  it is so warm and inviting.

If you do not have access to fresh cranberries, please use frozen. Be sure to thaw the fruit, as well as drain it very well. And you will want to cut the amount of cream by a couple tablespoons; otherwise, the dough will be too moist.

If I was on the receiving end, I would be more than thrilled to receive a bundle such as this, and am sure you will put a smile on someone’s face by presenting them with this lovely hostess package!  Happy Holidays!

Cranberry Ginger Scones

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 oz Irish butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/4 cup candied ginger, minced
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.  Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.

1. In a food processor combine all of the dry ingredients, give a whirl to mix.  With the food processor running, add pieces of butter, a couple at a time, and pulse until pea sized.  Continue adding the butter until you use all of it.  Add the heavy cream.  Pulse until the dough comes together.   Add the ginger and cranberries, and give a quick pulse.
2. Remove the dough from the food processor, and knead on a lightly floured counter top.   Pat into a circle, about 3/4 inch thick.  Cut into triangles, I made 8 but you can make them a bit smaller or larger.  Place onto a baking sheet, with space between each one.
3. Make an egg wash with the egg and a tablespoon of water.  Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash, and sprinkle a little sugar on each top.
4. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until the scones are golden brown on the tops.  Remove from the oven.  Let cool for 5 minutes.
5. Serve.  Eat.

All photos styled and photographed by Denise Woodward.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send a gift box of handmade food today.

I delight in AJ’s lovely blog Handjobs for the Home, and we’ve been chit-chatting about working together for a while. Lucky for us, AJ has a family toffee recipe that should be on your cookie swap rotation. Please give a warm welcome to AJ! -Maggie

The cold weather is rushing into New York like a big ol’ tornado. One day it’s 60 degrees and the next it barely reaches 40. I pulled my pea coat out of the closet yesterday and welcomed the cold weather with warm scarves and mittens. Yup, it’s true. It’s officially winter.

I always hear my fellow North Easterners complaining about how much they loath the cold weather, but I cherish it. That is when there isn’t feet upon feet of snow on the ground–though that can be charming in its own way too.  As long as you’re snowed in with someone you like, and have a bounty of treats for noshing.

The winter is great for many reasons. For me it means enjoying all the hard sweaty work I put into preserves over the summer, drinking illegal amounts of hot chocolate, and eating bowl after bowl of warm soups and stews. I like to think of it as human hibernation. But the part I like most is that laid back, cozy feeling that’s always floating around the house. The weekends move slower, and some days I never managed to get out of my hooded sweatshirt and slippers. It’s weekends like these that I find myself craving a good foodie project.

I’ve never been a huge fan of gummy chewy candies. I’m more of a savory person in general. However chocolate is a totally other beast. If you don’t like chocolate, I really don’t think we can be friends. Yup, I said it. Now that that’s cleared up, we’re going to talk toffee. It’s one of those comforting sweet treats that I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of. My aunt makes it every year and gives it as gifts, so this year I decided it was my turn to give it a try.

The biggest piece of advice I will give to you novice candy makers out there is that weather is everything. For some strange reason you absolutely, positively, cannot make any kind of candy when it’s raining, snowing, or humid outside. It just doesn’t turn out right. Don’t ask me why, because I’ll respond, “just ‘cause.” So if you’re planning on making candy this year for gifts, check the weather station before you start boiling sugar. Another important part of candy making is temperature. You’re going to need one of those pesky candy thermometers for sure. Without the right temperature your candy will turn into a hot mess, literally. For toffee, it’s 290 degrees F. It allows the candy to make a clean crack-snap as opposed to chewy and stringy.

So now that cliff notes on candy making go check the weather channel and let’s get to work.

Homemade English Toffee

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. butter
• 2 ½ cups granular sugar
• 1 cup water
• 4 Tbs. Karo syrup
• 2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
• 2, 16 oz bags of dark chocolate chips (1 bag melted)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Spread 1 lb. melted chocolate in the bottom of a cookie sheet with sides.
2. In stainless steel pot mix butter, sugar, water, syrup, and nuts over medium high heat stirring constantly (I’m serious, do not step away from this pot for even a minute).
3. Boil until it reaches 290 degrees F on a candy thermometer. This will take about 45 minutes.
4. When the toffee is cooked, pour on top of the chocolate and spread evenly. Sprinkle the second bag of chocolate chips over top the hot toffee mixture. Allow the chips to sit for a minute or two until they are glossy and spread evenly with a spatula.
5. Sprinkle additional ½ cup of walnuts on top of the chocolate.
6. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours.
7. Break apart and enjoy!

Note: Toffee freezes incredibly well. If you want, you can make a batch, break it up and then store it in an airtight container in the freezer for some winter munching, or give it away as a perfect gift for the holidays!

All photos styled and taken by AJ Simone.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send a gift box of handmade food today.

The holidays are a time for caring as well as sharing.  At Eat Boutique, I feel that each of us takes that extra step when sharing.  This holiday season we are sharing a virtual “sweet” exchange with all of you.  I tossed around the idea of cookies, but, then decided to make something I really enjoy surprising loved ones with.  Homemade marshmallows.

Marshmallows are one of my favorite sweets to make.  I remember the first time I decided to make them.  Lenny thought I had lost my mind.  He waited in the kitchen to “observe” the entire process.  Little did he know, he would be become so intrigued with the process, that we would end up making three different flavors that night.  He couldn’t stop with the idea, and soon homemade marshmallows were tagging along on every camping trip.

This recipe is so ridiculously easy, that you are going to question why you never started making them sooner.  What I love about making my own marshmallows is the control that I have over the quality of the ingredients.  After all, they are basically made with sugar.  I have changed my recipe over the past couple years, and now I use agave nectar instead of corn syrup.  It just makes me feel a little better about eating not one but two, or three.  As well I use unrefined sugar, and cage-free eggs.  The fun part about making your own marshmallows is how creative you can be with the flavorings.

For our holiday exchange I decided to make Hot Chocolate Dippers out of my marshmallows.  I wanted something a little more special, so I made a batch of salted caramel marshmallows which I dipped  into deep, dark chocolate.  Yes, they are as sinful as they sound.

I cannot think of a better way to warm up after a cold day then to wrap my hands around a mug of Ancho Chili Hot Chocolate, with salted caramel marshmallow dippers.  To make your marshmallows dippers into a special gift, wrap small bundles of marshmallows in cello-wrap, tie with a ribbon, and nestle into a mug;  makes a very special gift for someone you love.

Salted Caramel Marshmallow Dippers

Ingredients:

• 4 egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• 2 packets of gelatin
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon grey salt
• 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted
• large box of cornstarch
• lollypop sticks
• parchment paper
• candy thermometer

Directions:

1. Line a square 8” x 8” baking pan with parchment paper, and then heavily coat with cornstarch, all over the bottom, and the sides.
2. In a saucepan, over medium heat, add the all of the sugar less 2 tablespoons, 1/2 cup of water, and the agave nectar;  let cook until it reaches a temperature of 265 on a candy thermometer.  As well it should be golden brown.  Try not to stir the mixture until it turns golden, otherwise when the splatters from stirring touch the sides of the hot pan, they tend to smoke.  Be sure the mixture does not burn or smoke.
3. In a small bowl add the gelatin and the 1/4 cup of water;  set aside.
4. While your sugar mixture is cooking, beat the egg whites, and cream of tarter in a very clean mixing bowl, until medium peaks form.  Add the 2 tablespoons of sugar, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.  With the mixer running on the lowest speed, slowly drizzle in the hot sugar mixture;  continue to beat at a medium high speed, about a 6 on my mixer.
5. Heat the gelatin mixture, over medium heat, in the same saucepan that the sugar just came out of, until it melts.  It will only take a couple seconds.  Remove from the heat, and drizzle into the egg white mixture. Add in the grey salt.  Continue beating at a medium speed for 7 minutes.
6. Pour the mixture into the baking pan, and smooth.  Gently tap the pan on your counter, to release any air bubbles.  Using a sieve, sprinkle the top of the mixture, heavily with more corn starch.  Do not be afraid to use a lot;  this will help set your marshmallows.  Let set at room temperature for 48 hours.
7. Before serving, remove the marshmallows from the baking pan, and set on a cutting board.  Cut into squares.  I put a few marshmallows at a time in a sieve, and shake gently over the sink, to remove all of the corn starch.  Repeat in batches.
8. Melt the chocolate.  Stick a lollypop stick or straw into one side of the marshmallow.
9. Dip one side of a marshmallow into the chocolate, and set on wax paper to dry.  Once the chocolate is dry, wrap the dippers, to give as gifts, or make a cup of hot chocolate, and enjoy.

All photos styled and taken by Denise Woodward.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send a gift box of handmade food today.

Holiday baking season has officially begun and we’re excited to share so many handmade food gifts over the next several weeks. The Eat Boutique team has put together a lovely line up of blog posts, including several great cocktails we’ll share later in the month. First up, these ginger bars are a delicious and different additional to your upcoming cookie swap. Jill even shared packaging ideas below. -Maggie

It was at a cookie exchange years ago that I was a lucky recipient of a box of these ginger bars. It was love at first bite, and I have been making them ever since. It isn’t fancied up with chocolate dip or sparkles of sugar or sprinkles. It’s just plain and simple but the wonderful combination of molasses and honey is what makes this a stand out in both taste and texture. The moment you take a bite, you will want more. Even my kids prefer this over a chocolate-dipped cookie any day.

Though it’s a very easy recipe, I still managed to do a few things out of order, like not cream my sugar with the butter or add the eggs at the wrong time. After all, it’s been a year since I made these.

But no matter, the machine kept mixing and it still turned out brilliantly.

This batter is the most delicious thing. The texture is dry but sticky, almost like taffy.

Scrape the batter into a buttered baking pan and spread to the edges.

Bake until the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick inserted comes out almost clean. Let it cool, then cut into squares. I did 3 rows by 4 rows, then cut diagonal triangles from that. This combination yields 24 pieces. You could cut it smaller if you wish.

Dust with powdered sugar, and enjoy. Or package in tins or cello bags to give away as gifts or cookie swap.

Paper doilies were added between bars to keep from sticking.

Ginger Bars
Adapted from Cookies, Brownies, Bars & More, from Fine Cooking

Ingredients:

Shelby’s assignment was tough: Make a glorious recipe from Judy Rosenberg’s new cookbook and share it with us. It’s a tough job but she did it well. And we’re offering a giveaway of this very book down below, so read further for details. Thanks! -Maggie

When you think of holiday baking, your mind likely veers towards pretty sugar cookies, cut into fun shapes and decorated with beautiful frosting or colored sugar. While these Christmas cookies are very nice to look at and I enjoy eating one or two during the holiday season… they just aren’t chocolate, now are they?

I confess, if I am going to eat something sweet, more often than not it must be chocolate. Happily for me, a new cookbook just arrived in my life, promising to contain some very chocolate-y recipes. As I flipped through The Rosie’s Bakery All-Butter, Cream-Filled, Sugar-Packed Baking Book last week, I came across Judy Rosenberg’s brownie recipe, the one that truly put Rosie’s Bakery on the map here in Greater Boston, and I just knew I had to try it for myself.  I think I was really sold when I read that Judy had perfected this recipe once she realized that she didn’t want to “go through life without a really good brownie recipe.” Makes sense to me!

As the name of the book might indicate, these brownies do not cleverly contain whole grains or the addition of secret vegetables. They are filled with things like butter, chocolate, and sugar. They are also AMAZING.  Dense, fudge-like, and very, very chocolate-y, I understand why this brownie gets a great deal of attention. As a cook that often cuts out sugar or otherwise tries to figure out ways to lighten a recipe, it was a bit difficult for me at first to make the recipe as stated, but in the end, I appreciate the pure indulgence of this and the other recipes in the book. If you are baking delectable treats, why not just go for it? After all, sometimes the butter and the sugar are just worth it. This is one of those times.

What’s more, I really just loved this cookbook.  Reading about Judy Rosenberg’s adventures in baking during those early years in Boston and Cambridge made for a humorous and inspiring read, and the book is full of tips and advice for novice and experienced bakers. Her “common sense baking” approach aligns nicely with the way I like to be in the kitchen, and as Judy points out: “the worst that can happen is that you make a mistake—and one of the joys of baking is that the majority of our mistakes are edible.”

So what are you waiting for? Stock up on your butter, your chocolate, your butter and your cream. Get baking this holiday season!

Be charmed by Judy Rosenberg at the Eat Boutique Holiday Local Market on December 10 at Made in Fort Point, where she will be signing and selling her fantastic new cookbook, The Rosie’s Bakery All-Butter, Cream-Filled, Sugar-Packed Baking Book. I think the cookbook—along with a batch of these ridiculously chocolate-y brownies, might just be the perfect Christmas gift.

***** This giveaway is now closed. *****

For those of you who want to get a jump start on baking, we’re giving away a copy of Judy’s book right now!

Just leave a comment below sharing the answer to this question: “What sweet treat do you bake up each December to usher in the holiday season?” Entries open through Wednesday, December 7, 11:59pm EST. We’ll randomly select one winner and personally ship the prize directly to you!

Want extra entries? Increase your odds of winning by leaving a separate comment for each bonus entry, in addition to the main comment entry.

1. Follow @eatboutique on Twitter and tweet the following:
   I love handmade food + just entered to win Judy Rosenberg’s new cookbook from @eatboutique! Enter here: http://tinyurl.com/7fbf2eg
2. Like Eat Boutique on Facebook. If you’re already a fan, just leave a comment here saying so!

Be sure you enter a valid email address, because if your name is drawn and we can’t get a hold of you within 48 hours, we will choose an alternate winner. Happy commenting and good luck!

Now onto the recipe…

Rosie’s Award-Winning Brownies

From The Rosie’s Bakery All-Butter, Cream-Filled, Sugar-Packed Baking Book by Judy Rosenberg

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil or butter for greasing the pan
• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350˚F. Lighting grease an 8-inch square pan with vegetable oil or butter, or line the bottom with parchment butter.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler placed over simmering water. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.
3. Place the sugar in a medium-size mixing bowl and pour in the chocolate mixture. Using an electric on medium speed, mix until blended, about 25 seconds. Scrap the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. Add the vanilla. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the eggs one at a time, blending after each addition until the yolk is broken and dispersed, about 10 seconds. Scrape the bowl after the last egg is added and blend until velvety, about 15 seconds. Then scrape the bowl again.
5. Add the flour on low speed and mix for 20 seconds, stopping once to scrape the bowl. Finish by mixing by hand, being certain to mix in any flour at the bottom of the bowl. Stir in the nuts, if using.
6. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake just until the center rises to the level of the sides and a tester comes out with moist crumbs, 30 to 35 minutes.
7. Let the brownies cool in the pan on a rack for 1 hour before cutting and serving them. And don’t forget the tall glass of milk.

All photos styled and photographed by Shelby Larsson.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send a gift box of handmade food today.

Did you know we’re hosting our Holiday Local Market on December 10, 2011 in Boston? Meet, taste and shop for holiday gifts!

Pot de Creme is simply a little pot of creme that is served in a lidded cup.  Or as we like to call it, a little pot of heaven.  This recipe is so delicious, that we made it two weekends in a row.  Pretty self-indulgent, but worth every creamy bite.

We picked up two sugar pie pumpkins during our weekend excursions recently, and had all intentions of making savory soups and roasted side dishes to serve with some meat heavy dishes.  Fortunately for you, these little fall gems never made it that far.

Instead of simply steaming the pumpkins, we like to roast them.  Roasting pumpkin will add a great depth to savory dishes as well as desserts, that call for pumpkin puree.  A little added time to prepare, but well worth it.  We started with the smallest sugar pie which only gave us a small amount of puree, so we decided it would be best as a sweet dessert.  We tossed around ideas of muffins, breads, flans and cookies.  After spying some gorgeous brown eggs and heavy cream in the fridge, we knew what we had to make:  petite Pots de Creme.  We have not had a decent Pot de Creme since we were in France, and mischievous smiles quickly crept across our faces.

While Lenny gently warmed some heavy cream and milk, I went about whisking eggs, sugar, and pumpkin puree in the food processor.  Once the mixture was light in color, and the milky mixture was warm, I poured creamy ribbons into the food processor, while it was running to create a thick custard.  We decided to bake the pot de cremes in little yogurt jars that we brought back from France.  Small baking dishes are perfect, as this dessert is rich, and you only need a couple bites to satisfy your hunger.

This recipe may seem simple to you;  but, it is easy to mess it up.  The key to making the perfect Pot de Creme is the baking and waiting time.  The center of the custard should be a bit loose, at the end of baking.  Do not over bake the custard, or it will become rubbery.  The delicious aroma will have you diving for a spoon, immediately after removing from the oven, but don’t.  You do need to let the pot de cremes sit for 24 hours in the fridge.  The wait will be well worth it.

Pot de Creme

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin puree or you can use canned

Directions:

1. Heat the oven 300.
2. In a heavy saucepan gently heat the cream and milk;  do not bring to a boil.
3. In a food processor add the yolks, sugar, pumpkin puree, and vanilla;  mix until light in color and well combined, about 1 minute.  With the food processor running, slowly add the milk mixture, and then mix for another minute.
4. Pour the mixture into 6 small baking ramekins.  Place the ramekins in a large glass baking dish, fill the baking dish with boiling water.  Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until the middles are still jiggly.  The actual time will depend on how big your ramekins are.
5. Cool 1 hour on the counter then in the fridge 24 hours.

Maple Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Directions:

1. Whip cream in a mixer until soft peaks form.  Add the syrup, and gently whip until stiff peaks form.  Do not over whip or you will have butter.  Making whipped cream only takes a couple minutes.

All photos styled and photographed by Denise Woodward.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Order a gift box of food today.

Oh my, when did Fall show up? Believe me, I love Fall more than a big bowl of spaghetti carbonara from Sportello Boston (which is suddenly off the menu, what’s up with that?!) but one day it was 85 degrees and today it’s cold and rainy and crimson leaves dot the path to the garden. With the arrival of Fall comes the launch of our new Eat Boutique gift boxes. We’ve been tasting syrups and cookies and brownies all summer… and have curated some of our favorites of the season in two new gift boxes. And, this time around, shipping is free!

Our Fall box is pictured above. It features crispy sugar-dusted chocolate gingersnaps from Brooklyn, sweet maple syrup from the Berkshires, 100% whole wheat oat cookies with cranberries and bittersweet chocolate from Massachusetts, pumpkin-laced chocolate brownies from Portland, Oregon and a bottle of powerfully delicious ginger syrup, also from Brooklyn, for your Fall cocktails. This box is $59.95 and shipping is free. Order a Fall Gift Box now.

Our New England box is equally special, also featuring the oat cookies (with cranberries and bittersweet chocolate) and the maple syrup, both from Massachusetts. It also hosts a cherry-wood smoked sea salt from Massachusetts, a tangy goat’s milk caramel from Vermont and one of our favorite granola mixes, which may soon become our signature flavor sold exclusively on Eat Boutique, from Massachusetts. This box is also $59.95 and shipping is free. Order a New England Gift Box now.

I got together with a new photographer friend, Heidi Murphy of White Loft Studio, to style and photograph the food in these boxes (photos below!) and we really had a wonderful time. (She also took the photo featured on the Eat Boutique Local Market flyer.) She was snapping photos of everything, each little moment she noticed in my kitchen. I am in my kitchen all the time and don’t notice those little stories anymore, but she was so sweet to open my eyes to each nook and cranny.

Heidi and I will be shooting photographs for our holiday gift boxes soon, after all, Thanksgiving is only 6 weeks away, people! Until then, I hope you enjoy sending these gift boxes to your friends, family and colleagues. Happy Fall!

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send food that hugs you back today.