Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to meet chef Daniel Boulud at the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) Conference in Washington D.C. He was at the conference for Jacques Pepin’s 80th Birthday Celebration and was wandering around mingling with guests during the party. With Daniel Boulud in Washington DC When I realized his
Tips for Better Baking: Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda (#40)
Knowing your ingredients is key to becoming a better baker. In this edition of Tips for Better Baking, let’s go over the difference between baking powder and baking soda. Both baking powder and baking soda are chemical leavening agents that cause baked goods to rise. While similar in purpose, they are very different in composition. According
Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie
Every time I travel abroad for extended periods of time, I find myself craving certain foods that are mainstays of my diet back home. When I spent a summer in Asia, I craved Chipotle, fresh salads, and Cracker Barrel (my guilty pleasure). When studying in France, I craved Asian and spicy foods and, yet again,
Tips for Better Baking: Keep an Ice Bath Nearby when Making Caramel (#39)
The biggest challenge when making caramel is knowing the fine line between the desired deep amber color and a bitter burnt mess. When I teach my caramel classes, I always tell students this trick: Tip for Better Baking: When making caramel, keep an ice bath nearby. If your caramel is about to burn, simply dip
Banana Coconut Paletas
This recipe is funny to me. I’ve combined two things that I only marginally like to create a recipe I love. Well, that may not be the most inciting introduction to a recipe I am hoping you will actually make, so let me explain… My relationship with bananas is complicated. I do not like eating bananas whole
Tips for Better Baking: Always Sift Cocoa Powder (#38)
Cocoa powder is notoriously clumpy. If you add it straight to a recipe, it can be nearly impossible to break up the clumps and you’ll end up with dry spots in your finished product. In order to avoid this frustration, I always sift cocoa powder (at least once, sometimes twice!) before using it in a
Tips for Better Baking: Rescuing Over-Whipped Cream (#37)
I’ve made this mistake many times. I’m making whipped cream on a stand mixer and all is going well. The cream is still loose and far from the stiff peaks I desire so I step away and start something else. Of course, I get distracted and when I go back to my whipped cream, it’s
Cups to Grams Baking Conversion Chart (Tips for Better Baking #36)
The number one way to improve your baking is to start weighing your ingredients. Weighing ingredients is more accurate than measuring by volume — a cup of flour can vary up to 30% but the weight is always the weight. The increased accuracy provides a predictable result, and with it more success. Weighing ingredients is easy
Chili Lime Kettle Corn
I’m not the best at grocery shopping and I don’t like to keep a lot of snack foods in my apartment because I have no self-control. But there are times when I need a snack and an apple or hummus just isn’t going to cut it. That’s when I turn to popcorn to satisfy my snack
Iced Coffee & Tea Drinks From Around the World
The past month has been a blur. Between teaching baking classes, traveling, and moving I’ve been drinking my fair share of coffee to stay energized. Luckily it’s been amazing coffee from some of the best roasters and coffee shops in the country — Intelligentsia in Chicago, The Flying Joe in Perrysburg, Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor,