Recipes
Skip to Recipe
Here it is! The continuation of the strawberry cream cake! So, you should already have your pastry cream made from the previous post. Now, we are going to bake and assemble the cake.
The base of the cake is essentially a sponge cake. The recipe comes from an old Cuban cookbook that I inherited from my mother. This particular cake is also the base that I use for tres leches cake, on the rare occasions that I actually make it.
When most people think of strawberry shortcake, they think of a white sponge cake layered with strawberries and whipped cream. And, if we lived in Japan, they would be correct. However, a true “strawberry shortcake” actually uses a crumbly, biscuit-like cake as the base. Still, most grocery stores will mass-produce sponge cakes with strawberries and whipped cream and still call them strawberry shortcakes.
I’m better than that, though. So, this recipe is not for a strawberry shortcake. It is a recipe for a strawberry CREAM cake. That is, a sponge cake that is layered with cream and strawberries. And, since it’s not a shortcake, I can also take the liberty of filling the center with pastry cream, rather than the traditional whipped cream. If you prefer the whipped cream, then have at it. I suggest you try it at least once with the pastry cream, though. I’ve broken the recipe up into two posts, since it’s a bit long.
Skip to Recipe
Arepas are savory flatbreads made of corn flour and griddled, fried, or baked. They are are widely consumed in Colombian and Venezuelan cuisine, so it’s only natural that I have eaten my fair share of arepas in my lifetime. Colombians generally serve them as a side to go with a protein (steak, chicharrones, sausage). My mother and aunt usually served them spread with melted butter or a slice of queso blanco melted on top. Simple, but delicious. I was able to coax the recipe out of my aunt several years ago, and have been sitting on it ever since. They just seemed like a lot of work, or I just never got around to it.
Then, I started dating a Venezuelan guy. We had a few debates on which of our home countries was better at arepas. Venezuelans, he argued, stuffed their arepas with meats and other sorts of fillings that made them far better than the plain cheese ones found in Colombia. Cheese, I would say, is all you really need. That is, until he took me to a little Venezuelan spot in Doral and introduced me to the classic Venezuelan “arepa sandwich.” I had to concede that the Venezuelans were doing it right, and finally decided to give arepa-making a shot – with a Venezuelan twist. And, while the Venezuelan gentleman is no longer in the picture, he at least left behind the knowledge that such deliciousness exists out there. On that merit alone, I have no regrets. Now, I get to spend more time with my one, TRUE love: food.
Skip to Recipe
I love cake, but I hate soggy cakes. Let’s just get that out in the open right now. Living in South Florida, I’ve had my share of unappetizingly soggy birthday/wedding/baby shower/quince cakes. This is the main reason why, for a very long time, I paid no mind to anyone that told me that I should learn to make rum cake. A pound cake soaked in rum syrup? I don’t even DRINK rum. So, yeah. No thanks.
To be honest, I don’t even remember what possessed me to finally give it a shot. All I know is that, one day, I began scouring the web for recipes. Much to my dismay, most recipes started off with a box of cake mix. Shame on them! I will not defile my kitchen with such blasphemy. Eventually, I came across this recipe. After some tweaks, it was a keeper. In the 2-3 years that I have been making rum cakes, this is one of the most-requested cakes in my repertoire. It also holds the distinction of being one of the very few “soaked” cakes that I have a stomach for. (more…)
Skip to Recipe
About a year and a half ago, I was introduced to Peruvian-style pollo a la brasa (rotisserie chicken), and have been hooked ever since. Even now, I crave it at least once a week. It’s really not a taste that can be put into words if you are accustomed to store-bought or fast-food rotisserie chickens. The skin is usually kind of wet and sticky, instead of dry and crispy. You just have to try it for yourself.
So, when I finally decided that I wanted to try making it on my own, I tasked a Peruvian friend of mine with getting me a recipe. She nabbed the recipe from The Daring Gourmet and told me that it sounded fairly close. So, it was time to experiment! I made a few modifications to her recipe. (more…)
Skip to Recipe
First off, I must apologize to everyone that has been asking me for this recipe. I have nothing to blame except for myself, my laziness, and the fact that I am easily distracted.
I first started attempting homemade caramel when I was obsessed with caramel apples. While I still haven’t quite mastered covering an apple, I managed to find a recipe that makes a caramel that is amazing on its own. These have become a holiday tradition for me, and I easily make and wrap several hundred caramels during the holiday season. There are people who look forward to these throughout the year. So, for them, I pass the recipe along.
Skip to Recipe
With the holiday season upon us, it’s prime time for potlucks. So, when the Thanksgiving luncheon at work rolled around, I decided to make these little morsels. Think pecan pie, but in bite-size form. They were very well-received. In fact, a few coworkers insisted that I post the recipe. So, here it is! You’re welcome. (more…)
Skip to Recipe
Cheesecake is delicious. And, while it is made of pretty basic ingredients, it is surprisingly easy to screw up. If you’ve ever had a bad slice of cheesecake, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Fear not, though! I’ve got your back. (more…)
As some of you may already know, I am not a big fan of vanilla. So, vanilla or white cakes are not something I dabble with very often. Still, sometimes chocolate needs a break, or you’re making something for someone that is not a fan of chocolate (seriously, what’s wrong with those people!?). So, I had been searching for a while for a recipe for vanilla cupcakes that wasn’t totally bland or dry. Easier said than done! (more…)
I think most of us can relate to the pure and untainted joy that comes with eating chocolate chip cookies. As a kid, even packaged cookies were a treat. As an adult, I think homemade is the way to go. (more…)