pink salt + dark chocolate shortbread

 

i have been making a lot of cookies lately. most cookies though, you never get to see because justin & i devour them before i even think to take out my camera. go figure, my favourite treat to eat is my least favourite thing to photograph! but i can't not share the shortbread chocolate cookies i have been making non-stop for the last six months. plus, this farmhouse pottery cheese stone makes for the prettiest cookie stone too. you can serve just about anything on it & it is oven safe!

shortbread was my absolute favourite cookie growing up. now that i have turned them into a cross between shortbread & chocolate chunk cookies, it really doesn't get much better then this. for this particular recipe i used a large semi-sweet chocolate chips, but if you want to kick it up a notch try swapping out the chocolate chips for equal parts mars bars or rolo chunks. it is pure heaven. i am constantly running to the corner store to get more candy bars to make another batch..

i bake the cookies in the smart oven™ air by breville. because i prefer to portion, freeze & bake the cookies fresh each night, the smart oven is the perfect small batch alternative. it works just as good as my full sized oven as it features a super convection setting. this means it has a two speed fan (regular/super) for more controlled cooking and baking. everything comes out perfectly baked, everytime! i am excited to try out the air frying setting next, as my mom got one over christmas & has become obsessed with it. check out all the details on the the smart oven™ air by breville here & the recipe below!

ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 tablespoon coarse pink salt

directions

  • in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat butter & sugar until combined. add in vanilla extract.
  • sift in the flour & sea salt. beat until dough comes together.
  • if dough is dry and crumbly, add a touch of water one tablespoon at a time until it presses together.
  • fold in chocolate chips.
  • scoop dough onto lined cookie sheet, approximately one tablespoon sized potions. sprinkle with a pinch of coarse pink salt & let chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  • bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or until the edges JUST begin to brown. let cool to room temperature before serving.

this post was created in partnership with breville! 

like what you see? get it here. toaster oven | cheese stone | wood spoon | measuring cups | kettle 

fig, honey & almond dutch baby

 

okay, before i get started talking about this dutch baby.. can we talk about how beautiful fresh figs are? i get excited everytime i get to photograph them, which isn't as often as it should be. should i make 2018 the year of fresh figs? i think there will be a fig decorated cake in the near future...

now this fig, honey & almond dutch baby! you know by now how much i love making a dutch baby dish for breakfast. it is like a puffed pancake topped with fresh fruit, powdered sugar & whipped cream. this one is a little different then usual though. i incorporated equal parts bob's red mill super fine almond flour & bob's red mill organic all purpose flour in the batter. i also sweetened it with a touch of honey. the consistency of bob's red mill's super fine almond flour is perfect for baking as it produces a smooth final dish.

i also drizzled the cooked dutch baby with honey opposed to my usual maple syrup because honey pairs so well with fresh figs. i don't think there is a single person who wouldn't want to wake up on a sunday morning to this dish! while you can use any type of oven safe frying pan, i highly recommend sticking to a cast iron skillet. it really helps crisp and brown the edges & crust.

ingredients

directions

  • in a blender add the eggs, whole milk, all purpose flour, almond flour, vanilla, 2 teaspoons honey and sea salt. blend until smooth. let mixture rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.
  • while mixture rests, place the cast iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.
  • once oven is heated, remove skillet from oven (be careful it is very hot) and add the butter to the pan. swirl the butter around the pan until it is fully melted.
  • immediately pour in the batter and place it back in oven.
  • bake for 20 minutes, until it puffs and the edges are golden brown. do not open the oven door while the dutch baby is baking!
  • top with powdered sugar, figs and drizzle with remaining honey.
  • slice and serve with a dallop of fresh whipped cream.

this post was created in partnership with bob's red mill! thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog. xo

matcha waffles (breakfast in bed)

 

with valentine's right around the corner, i thought creating the dreamiest breakfast in bed would be a perfect way to celebrate! justin & i are not huge on valentine's day, but i do love making us both a fancy breakfast in bed so we can enjoy a relaxing morning together. this recipe is a classic belgium waffle with a matcha twist. i used aiya matcha's cooking grade blend so the matcha flavour doesn't get lost with the other ingredients. whipping the egg whites separately produces a fluffier waffle, i highly reccomend that you don't skip this step! lastly, because i prefer a little sweetener in my waffle batter i used both maple syrup & raw sugar. plus, a heavy drizzle of maple syrup before eating of course!

p.s. the backdrop to this beautiful blush bedroom is wallpapered in farrow & ball's blostma print. we had it installed just before christmas (i blogged all the details here) & i absolutely love the detail & softness of the design. i am always looking for new walls to hang wallpaper on in the house because i can't get enough of it.

happy valentine's! check out my last two blog post for more valentine's day inspiration. xo

ingredients

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 egg, separated
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup, plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons raw sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons aiya's cooking grade matcha
  • 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • whipped cream, for serving
  • fresh berries, for serving

directions

  • in a large mixing bowl whisk together the butter, egg yolk, honey, sugar & vanilla extract.
  • add milk. stir until smooth.
  • in a separate mixing bowl sift together the flour, baking powder & salt.
  • add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients & stir until a lumpy batter is formed.
  • whisk the remaining egg white to stiff peaks. gently fold egg white into the batter, ensuring not to deflate the whites.
  • heat and grease waffle iron. cook waffles according to your waffle makers instructions.
  • serve with fresh whipped cream, berries & maple syrup.