Croissant

Hi Everyone! I just wanted to stop by and wish you all a great weekend and share this bread pudding recipe with you! This isn’t just plain old bread pudding though, it’s a Croissant Bread Pudding that’s out of this world delicious! Ever since I had some really good bread pudding in Alexandria, I’ve been wanting to make some at home, but using croissants. This is by no means a low-calorie dessert, in fact it is filled with buttery croissants that have baking in a mixture of cream, eggs and sugar. But every spoonful is so worth it. This cozy indulgent sweet treat is perfect for a chilly fall night, it’ll warm you up instantly!

4 – 5 croissants

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Optional: golden raisins

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, half-and-half, sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Butter your baking dish (I used a 9-inch pie dish) and tear the croissants into big pieces and place them into your baking dish. Pour the egg mixture over them, then using your hand press them down a little bit for every piece to absorb the liquid. Let sit for 5 minutes and preheat your oven to 300 deg F. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake covered for about 30 minutes, then for another 20 – 30 minutes, or until the croissants have absorbed all the liquid and the top is golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean (it may take longer depending on how deep your baking dish is, so make sure you keep checking it!)

Hello Everybody! As promised, here is the second part of our Roman Holiday (you can catch up on Part 1 HERE) and it is all about the food! Because food this delicious definitely deserves a post of its own. And because much of it was consumed on this trip, and I want to share it with you all! From the pizza, the pasta and the prosciutto to the desserts and the gelato, it’s hard not to fall in love with Italy at first bite. Italian dining is quite a grand affair, and the taste, quality and pace of the meal reflects that in every way. The Italians not only know how to cook the food, they know how to eat it. At a leisurely pace, in several courses throughout the meal. Traditionally, there is an antipasto course (which is the appetizer), then the first course which is a pasta dish, the second course is a meat course which could either be chicken, some kind of red meat, or fish, and lastly, dessert. The dolce. Eating isn’t rushed, and it isn’t just for survival. It’s a pleasure. An occasion. And it’s a grand one. Food is to be enjoyed and to be savored. And really, ingredients this fresh and food prepared this well deserve the time and love!

First, there’s the pizza.

The thin crust, the melted cheese, the huge variety of toppings… there’s nothing like it! (And as a side note: it’s really not a good idea to be counting carbs when you’re in Italy. Wait until you get back home.)

One afternoon, we stumbled upon a small family run pizza shop on a little street corner after one of our very long walks. The shop had about twenty-five different kinds of pizza toppings, ranging from prosciutto (which was amazing!), shredded potato, mushroom, various grilled vegetables, and this. Zucchini blossoms and anchovies. It was so good. I later saw zucchini blossoms incorporated into a lot of different dishes since they are in season in the summer, a popular one also being stuffed and fried zucchini blossoms served as an appetizer.

More pizza. Fresh tomato & tuna.

And then there’s the pasta…

Oh my goodness, the pasta. A seafood pasta on the left, and a mushroom & bacon pasta on the right. I have no words. Pure deliciousness.

My favorite lunch stop. Cheese & Salami Focaccia sandwich.

And then, there’s the gelato.

Ever since I knew we were going to Rome, I couldn’t wait for the gelato. I had heard about this cafe, or ice-cream parlor, called Giolitti which is the oldest one in Rome and really wanted to go there. So on our way back from the Vatican, we stopped there. It’s a busy place, with people lining up to first get a ticket with what size ice-cream they want, then crowding around the large counter filled with more ice-cream flavors than you can imagine!

More Nutella. I’m pretty sure this wasn’t even Nutella flavored gelato, just straight up Nutella. And hazelnut gelato (can you tell I love hazelnuts?!)

The interior of the ice-cream parlor.

Just a couple of the flavors to chose from!

There was something else that was uniquely Italian: coffee bars. Essentially a place filled with only coffee, where you walk up to the bar, order your coffee, drink it right there, and leave. Like a brief caffeine refill during a busy day.

The funny part is, I don’t drink coffee. But I’m pretty sure my husband had enough for both of us! We had breakfast at a little cafe near our hotel every morning, and when he asked for his coffee, they automatically assumed I wanted one too. Instead (and to their horror), I asked for my usual English Breakfast Tea. To my surprise, it was served in a little coffee cup! The smallest (and probably strongest!) little cup of tea I’ve ever had!

Another Italian favorite? Nutella. In everything. Like this Nutella filled croissant. This is my kind of place.

Delicious pastries and cookies.

Like these. (More Nutella on the right)

Or this.

Lots of restaurants displayed the seasonal ingredients they were cooking with out front (like the picture on the left). They had big baskets of huge lemons, fresh vegetables and lots of different kinds of mushrooms. And on the right, these little stalls with roasted chestnuts were all over the city!

More deliciousness.

Another street cafe on Piazza Navona.

Cafe seating.

Olive trees. And more coffee.

This trip was quite a culinary adventure, and I came back with lots of ideas that I can’t wait to try out in my kitchen (as soon as I get over this jet lag!) Every time I go to Italy, I fall in love with it all over again. There’s just something about those little streets and piazzas, the way of life, and the amazing food, you can’t help but be enchanted by it! You most certainly should make the journey out to Italy yourself one day. I won’t deny, it can be quite the costly trip but one well worth the cost. If you need to bolster your funds in order to stretch your budget to get out there, you might want to check out lending options over on the Lending Expert website. One day I will have a summer home in Italy. Hopefully around the corner from a little trattoria. I have lots of “one days” on my list, but this one is pretty high up on there 🙂 I hope you’ve enjoyed coming along on this trip (if you want to read Part 1 which is all about the city of Rome, you can find it HERE), and that you are having a wonderful week! Thanks for stopping by today, and come back soon for some new recipes and projects!

Hi Everyone! Even though we are still experiencing a nasty heat wave with hot and humid weather here in Maryland, I’m determined to ignore it and continue on with my fall-inspired baking, hoping that fall will get the message and arrive already! Pastries are one of my absolute favorite things, whether they are fruit filled turnovers, buttery croissants or generously glazed danishes. And if you don’t have the time to stop at the bakery to pick some up or just want to have some homemade ones, these Mini Apple Turnovers are a great choice! They are so easy to make because of the puff pastry shortcut and only take about 30 minutes from start to finish! You could of course make these the standard size, but these little mini turnovers are the perfect little size for a snack or little sweet treat!

1 sheet puff pastry

2 apples

1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp cornstarch

1 egg

1 – 2 tbs granulated sugar plus extra for sprinkling

(Or use canned apple pie filling for a shortcut)

1. First thaw out your puff pastry (you will need one sheet). Peel and core the apples, then chop them into small pieces. Add them to a small pot, then add in the water, ground cinnamon, lemon juice and sugar (adjust the sugar/lemon juice/cinnamon seasoning to your taste). Let the mixture simmer for a couple of minutes, until the apples have softened (you may need to add more water while they cook if it cooks out). Once the apples have softened and let out some liquid, add in the cornstarch and stir for a couple of seconds, until the “sauce” has thickened. Pour the mixture into a small bowl, and set aside and let cool. (If you want to skip this whole process, just use canned apple pie filling instead).

2. Preheat your oven to 400 deg F and line your baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into a 12×12 inch square, then cut it into 9 equal squares (4 inches in size each). Prepare your egg wash by whisking together 1 egg with 1 tbs of water. Spoon 1 tbs of your apple filling in the middle of each puff pastry square, brush the sides with some of the egg wash, fold the sides over to make a triangle and secure them using a fork. Brush the tops with more of the egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Let sit for 5 minutes before eating.

1 cup raisins

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp instant dried yeast

1/4 warm water

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup milk

1/6 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tbs unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup milk

3 large egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1/6 cup cornstarch

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 tbs unsalted butter, diced

1 egg

2 tbs milk

1. First, prepare your raisins. In a small bowl, cover them with boiling water and let them sit for a couple of minutes, until they are plump. Once they are plump, drain them and set them aside. In a little dish, mix together the sugar and cinnamon and set it aside.

2. Next, start working on the dough. In your electric mixer bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water for about 5 minutes. Once dissolved, add flour, milk, sugar, salt and melted butter, and mix for a couple minutes, until a solid dough begins to form. If it’s still too sticky, add a little more flour. Using your hands, form it into a ball, then cover and let it rest for half an hour.

3. After the half hour is up, roll the dough into a 10×15 inch rectangle, then cover it and let it sit for another half hour. Now spread the 1/2 cup of softened butter over the rectangle evenly (you can brush it on top or just use your hand) and fold the dough into thirds, like you would a letter. Once you have the folded “letter”, roll it out into a 10×15 inch rectangle again. Once again, fold it into thirds like a letter, then wrap it in plastic wrap and then refrigerate it for an hour.

4. Repeat this process ONE MORE TIME now! So roll it out again, fold it into thirds, roll it out again, fold it into thirds, then wrap it up in plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge overnight! Yes, this is a very time consuming and repetitive baking process, but this will ensure that your pastry is wonderfully buttery and flaky once it’s baked!

5. The next morning, when you are prepared to continue the baking, prepare your pastry cream. In a small pot, bring the milk to boil. In another pot, whisk together egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch until they you get a thick, smooth mixture. Pour in half of the milk WHILE WHISKING vigorously (very important!! Otherwise your eggs will curdle!!!) Still whisking, slowly pour in the rest of the milk. Turn the heat on medium at this point and bring it to a boil, while whisking constantly, and let it boil for about a minute or until it thickens (this will happen VERY quickly, and you need to whisk constantly!), then remove it from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and let it sit, then a couple of minutes later, stir in the diced butter. Pour the cream into a bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap (cover it directly on its surface so it doesn’t form a skin), and refrigerate it until it’s cool.

5. Roll the dough into a 10×20 inch rectangle (if you want nice smooth edges, trim the rectangle with a knife), and spread your pastry cream on evenly, leaving an inch bare on one of the long sides. Scatter the raisins on top and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Roll the dough up jelly roll style, starting with the long side nearest to you. Make sure you roll it tightly and evenly.

6. Prepare your baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Then, slice the roll into 1 inch wheels, and place the slices onto your baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between each piece. Cover the pastry lined baking sheets with a kitchen towel and let the pastries rise until they are doubled in size (about an hour).

7. Preheat the oven to 375 deg F, and brush the pastries with the egg wash. Bake the pastries for 14 – 16 minutes, until they are golden brown! Then transfer them to a cooling rack and let cool for a couple of minutes!

Now, after all that work you just did, sit down in your favorite armchair with one of these Pain au Raisin pastries, a nice cup of tea and your favorite book or magazine and relax!!! Since my newest Vogue just arrived, that’s what I’ll be reading today!