Vanilla Sablés

Oh my god. I actually think I have ADHD. I've been 'writing my essay' since about noon today, but I keep finding myself doing anything but. I've checked my horoscope on at least three different websites. I've taken a number of online quizzes- in case you were wondering my patronus would be a fox, I'm most like Charlotte York from Sex and the City, and I'm going to die October 31, 2013. Who knew, right? I've even made a few wildly entertaining (well I think they're funny, anyway) photos on Face in Hole.

 Basically, I'm procrastinating. As thrilling as Fabergé eggs are, I'm just not sure I can take another second of them tonight. I feel like I've watched every episode of every t.v. show ever made. I've sent some pretty artful snapchats. Ok, ok. You get it. I'm bored. 

Whenever I get bored or restless, I generally venture into the kitchen. I'll set my iTunes on shuffle, preheat the oven, and get going. Though I'm avoiding the things I really should be doing, at least I feel like I'm doing something productive when something tangible results from my dilly-dallying. So if any of you, like me, have caught a serious case of ennui, I leave you with this recipe for Vanilla Sablés. They'll keep you occupied, and they'll keep you full- a winning combination, if you ask me. I'm off to my own kitchen to make something tasty.

  Vanilla Sablés
Adapted from Serious Eats
Makes about 3 dozen

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer cream butter until light and fluffy. Add both sugars and beat until smooth and fully incorporated. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time until combined. Beat in vanilla extract. Divide dough in half. Place each half onto a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into logs. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer for 30 minutes, until firm. Once firm, slice logs into 1/4-inch slices and place on baking sheets. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until firm to touch and just beginning to brown at edges. Let cool on a wire rack.

  More Sablés
Intensely Chocolate Sablés
Matcha Sablés
Citrus Sablés

Easy Lemon Curd Ice Cream

Scotland can be sort of a funny place. Men wear skirts (though they'll surely tell you that it's a kilt), they're adamant that there's still a sea monster living in Loch Ness (I'm looking at you, Nessie), and, as soon as the weather creeps above 40 degrees and the sun peeks through the clouds, everyone, and I mean everyone, is outside.

And they're not just out strolling the streets, walking on the beach, bundled, but happy. Sweaters come off, shorts come out, and suddenly, it's summer? I told you they were crazy. And the strangest part about this premature "summer" is their fascination with ice cream. I don't know about you, but the last thing I want on what I'd call chilly, they'd call balmy, day is a cold, icy scoop of mint chocolate chip.

But hey. The heart wants what the heart wants, right? So, in the spirit of assimilation, I have a delicious- and shockingly easy- recipe for you. This ice cream is for those of you who, like me, don't have an ice cream maker tucked away in your cupboards. If I were home, I could've given you a much more complicated, much fancier recipe, but this is something I could work with. It's a cheat's ice cream, if you will. And it's super tasty.

  Easy Lemon Curd Ice Cream
Makes about 1 quart

For the lemon curd:
2 whole eggs, and 2 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter
Zest and juice of 2 lemons

For the ice cream:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups heavy cream

To make the lemon curd: In a saucepan, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until smooth. Place over low heat and add butter, zest, and juice and whisk continuously until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Strain lemon curd through a sieve into a sterilized jar and set aside. Though you only need 1 cup lemon curd to make ice cream, it will keep for two weeks in the fridge.

To make the ice cream: Pour sweetened condensed milk into a large bowl. In another large bowl, whisk the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Carefully fold whipped cream into sweetened condensed milk. Put 1/4 of the cream mixture into a loaf pan. Dollop lemon curd on top and swirl into cream mixture with a knife. Repeat with cream mixture and lemon curd until you have used all of it. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight. Allow to sit out for 5-10 minutes before serving.

  More Ice Cream Recipes
Salted Caramel and Candied Bacon Ice Cream
Cereal Milk Ice Cream
Crumbled Cookie Ice Cream with Espresso Caramel

Peanut Butter Blossoms

I suddenly realized that summer is almost here. I was sitting in my garden last night at seven, and it hit me. It was still light outside. What??? I swear that only a few days ago the sun was dipping under the horizon in the late afternoon and would refuse to rise until well into the morning. Getting out of bed was pretty difficult.

Now, my favorite pastime, napping, is looking a little less appealing. Forget the fact that the sun is pretty unforgiving in shining through my window, leaving my room awfully bright. I'm just so excited to be outside. Don't get me wrong, it's not warm here yet. But mark my words- if the temperature rises even a few more degrees, we'll all have a hard time dragging ourselves back inside.

So, I say make some cookies, pack a picnic, and enjoy the sun.

  Peanut Butter Blossoms
Makes about 20 cookies

1 cup peanut butter
1 egg at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Granulated sugar, for rolling
Chocolate, for pressing into cookies

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, beat together peanut butter and egg. Add brown sugar, baking powder, and vanilla extract and mix until thoroughly combined. Roll dough into walnut-sized balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on baking sheet and press fork into each ball of dough to create a cross-hatch pattern. Press one piece of chocolate into each cookie. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden and firm to touch. Let cool on a wire rack.

  More Peanut Butter Recipes
Banana Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Muffins
Peanut Butter Banana Bread
Layered Peanut Butter Brittle Ice Cream Pops