chocolate coconut tart

 

holy snow day!!! my neck of the woods is getting hit with snow all week long which means i am staying in the kitchen where it is warm. today is part two of valentine's week & of course it involves chocolate. when it comes to valentine's day, i am quite traditional in the sense that there has to be chocolate. flowers i can do without, but give me ALL the chocolate desserts i can handle! this chocolate coconut tart is so decadent, it will satisfy every chocolate lovers craving. it is a no bake tart with a ganache style filling. to give it a coconut flavour twist, i incorporated flaked coconut in the graham cracker crust & used lorann oils coconut bakery emulsion in the chocolate filling! it adds the perfect punch of coconut flavour without over powering the richness from the dark chocolate & cream. because the tarts main ingredient is dark chocolate, i reccomend using the highest quality chocolate you can get your hands on!

ingredients

for the crust

  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon lorann oils coconut bakery emulsion

for the filling

  • 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lorann oils coconut bakery emulsion
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold & cubed
  • 200 grams high quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped
  • coconut chips, for topping

directions

for the crust

  • in a large mixing bowl toss together the graham cracker crumbs, coconut, sugar and sea salt.
  • add the butter, vanilla extract & coconut emulsion. stir well.
  • pour mixture into one large or two small tart pans. shape into a firm crust & refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

for the filling

  • in a saucepan over medium heat add the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, coconut emulsion & salt. stir occasionally & bring to a boil.
  • immediately remove pan from heat & add the butter cubes + chopped chocolate. stir vigorously until the mixture is silky & smooth.
  • pour into the pre-baked crust & place in fridge.
  • chill tart for two hours to set. sprinkle with coconut chips before serving.

spicy shrimp summer rolls

 

now that the super bowl is over, it is time to dive head first into valentine's day recipes! i have created a few that i will be sharing over the next week: a breakfast in bed, a dessert & these spicy shrimp summer rolls. because valentine's falls on a week day this year, i think a romantic night in is the perfect way to spend it. i love cooking something new together, something different from what we would normally make at home.

these fresh shrimp rolls are healthy, unique & easy to make. all the ingredients included in this recipe are readily available in the international section of a grocery store, so you won't be scrambling to locate anything unusal. it pairs perfectly with the aroma's of cambria wines benchbreak chardonnay (one of my favourite wines to both drink & cook with). so pour yourself a glass & get cooking together in the kitchen! i know justin is going to love these, especially that spicy dipping sauce.

side note- if you are hosting or attending a galentine's party, these are also a great appetizer to serve! something different from the typical shrimp cocktail.

ingredients

for the spicy peanut dipping sauce

  • 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon spicy sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons creamy natural peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • salt & pepper, to taste

for the shirmp rolls

  • 2 cups vermicelli
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 teaspoon spicy sesame oil
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 8 8-inch round rice paper wrappers
  • 24 cocktail shrimp
  • 1 medium carrot, sliced into matchsticks
  • 1 cucumber, sliced into match sticks
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
  • 2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 bunch fresh mint
  • 1 head boston lettuce, torn
  • spicy peanut dipping sauce (see recipe above), for serving

directions

for the spicy peanut dipping sauce

  • in a small mixing bowl whisk all ingredients together until smooth.
  • set aside until ready to serve.

for the shirmp rolls

  • bring a pot of water to a boil & cook vermicelli noodles according to package directions.
  • transfer to a mixing bowl & toss with lime juice, sesame oil salt & pepper. set aside until ready to use.
  • in a separate bowl fill with water & submerge each rice wrapper in the water for 60 seconds. once softened, place on a damp kitchen towel.
  • begin by layering three shrimp, 1/4 cup vermicelli noodles, 1 tablespoon carrot sticks, 1 tablespoon cucumber sticks, 1 tablespoon bean sprouts, 1 tablespoon red pepper (optional), 1/2 tablespoon scallions & a mound of fresh mint.
  • lastly, top with a generous piece of boston lettuce.
  • fold edge of wrapper over the filling, keeping the filling as tight as possible in the center. tightly fold in the two sides & roll the remaining edge to seal.
  • repeat this process 8 to 10 times, until no more ingredients remain.
  • serve rolls fresh with a side of spicy peanut dipping sauce.

A MODEST ENTRY

 

modest house got a big upgrade... a new front door!!! i have been trying to decide for the last year or so on a front door replacement that will not be a step down from a gorgeous, solid wood, oak century door. the original door to the house was absolutely beautiful, but it was not holding up during the cold canadian winter. the wood was cracked & the bevelled glass windows didn't keep much heat in. we all know century homes can be quite chilly, but a 100 year old door certainly wasn't helping!

i knew with the new door, i wanted to bring in more light as the front entry is rather small & dark. i had my mind set on a 3/4 window wood door with a shaker base, but every door place i went to encouraged me to go with a fiber glass door that did not come in the exact design i wanted. i sat on the decision for months knowing i wouldn't be happy with anything other than the exact door i envisioned. then i came across a local company who specializes in custom wood doors & windows! i can't tell you how excited i was when the owner said he could make the exact door i wanted! we ended up going with a solid white oak door, stained ebony on the exterior & a custom walut stain for the interior.

the hardware set i preordered long before i made the decision on which door to choose as i knew there was no other handle set i wanted! it is the tumalo walnut knob exterior door set from rejuvenation in the oil rubbed bronze finish. it is so minimal & clean looking, with a vintage flair. it couldn't have been a more perfect fit for an equally minimal century farm house style door.

once the door was installed, justin & i (ok, mostly me) decided we wanted to give the entry a refresh for the new year. i even picked a new scent for the entry.."the lions" scented candle by hollow tree. the first thing people will smell when they walk through the door is alpine fir! hollow tree candles are made in canada & this scent reminds me of a snowy winter day in the mountains.

now onto the design! the first thing we added was a door bell. our house did not come with one, just an old (slightly creepy baby angel) door knocker. since the new door didn't have the space for a door knocker, a door bell was a must as i recieve a lot of shipments for work. while the house is full of charm & character, i love bringing in even more character. the mcneil long bell door chime from rejuvenation was perfect. it fit the arts & crafts era of the house & makes for a gorgeous focal point in the entry. it is like jewlery for the wall! just like the hardware set, i had pre ordered the doorbell as well because i wanted it the second it was available to ship!

next up was the entry light fixture. we previously installed a very simple light, as we didn't want to take away from the details of the stairs & door. however, once a much more simple door went it, i wanted something big & bold! if you couldn't tell by now i am a huge fan of cedar & moss, so it only made sense that i fell in love with the mixed globe 3-light mutipendant from rejuvenation. this light features two 8-inch globes & one larger 10-inch globe. i don't think i need to tell you how stunning it is, because you can see in the photos that it is beyond beautiful. i think this chandelier would work in both a tiny entry or a big entry, plus you get to pick the length when ordering to account for ceiling height! to pull from the main light fixture, i also chose the matching cedar & moss table lamp for the console table. i love how it ties the two modern fixtures together.

last but not least, we added some funky solid wood hooks in different shapes & colours. i stuck with walnut & ebony stained hooks to bring in the two tones used throughout the entry. the wooden ball hook & the nehalem single hook are full of character! while we use the entry closet for our own coats, the hooks are the perfect spot for guests to hang their jackets when they enter.

i am inlove with how this entry turned out! the door is what dreams are made of. i joke with justin that if we ever move the door is coming with us (& just about everything else), but we both know i am not joking. everything featured in the front entry is linked below. can't wait for you to see what else is in store for modest house this year!

xo