Creme Brulee with Mango

I always wanted to try to make a creme brulee. And so I did :) I added some mango to bring more flavor. 

Ingredients

• 2 1/3 cups heave cream
• 1 Tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 Tsp brown sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Place the cream, vanilla into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Stir always. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. 

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and the egg yolks until well blended. Blend carefully. 

4. Add half of cream to the egg yolks and sugar and mix it together. Add the rest of cream and gently combine. 

5. Cut mango and put it into 7 to 8-ounce ramekins. 

6. Pour the liquid into small ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the oven. 

7. Sprinkle the top of creme brulee with brown sugar and put it back in the oven for 10 minutes or so until sugar gets melted. Afterwards, refrigerate creme brulee for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. 

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies for High Altitude areas... like Utah ;)

My husband LOVES cookies! He even got me that fancy Cookies Dough Disher Spoon and a Mixer to make my life easier. Baking in Utah is a little bit different due to high altitude. You need to know a few tricks, like to add more eggs or bake on a higher temperature for a longer time. This recipe already includes all those tricks. Just follow it. And you will get tender and delicious banana chocolate chip cookies!  

Ingredients

This recipe make 5 dozens of cookies

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed banana
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.

2) In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and mashed banana. Mix in the dry ingredients until just blended, then fold in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.

3) Bake for 11 to 13 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Best Brownies Ever

Surprisingly, I only discovered brownies when I was 20 years old. One of my friend asked me if I ever had had brownie. She was really surprised when I told her that I haven't tried brownies yet. Brownie is a traditional american dessert. Try it and you will love it! 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.

2) In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.

3) Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.

4) To Make Frosting: Combine 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Frost brownies while they are still warm.

Enjoy this delicious brownie! 

Corniest Corn Muffins

These muffins are perfect with hot chile. Add some butter if you like. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3 tablespoons corn oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 cup corn kernels (add up to 1/3 cup more if you'd like) - fresh, frozen or canned (in which case, they should be drained and patted dry)

Directions

1) Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups.  Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups.  Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg, if you're using it.  In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, oil, egg and yolk together until well blended.  Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, glently but quickly stir to blend.  Don't worry about being thorough  -  the batter will be lumpy, and that's just the way it should be.  Stir in the corn kernels.  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

3) Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

Playing Around:  Corniest Corn and Herb Muffins.  You can add a slightly savory touch to these sweet muffins by incorporating 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme or rosemary into the batter.  Either stir in the herbs when you mix in the corn kernels or, for a fuller flavor, rub the herbs into the sugar with your fingertips until the sugar is aromatic, then stir the sugar into the bowl with the rest of the dry ingredients.