Sweet Almond Cream Pudding

Sweet Almond Pudding

The other day I had this unusual hankering to have Crème brûlée. You know that incredibly thick and smooth vanilla custard topped with the crackling scorched sugar shell? Well I just wanted it.

However, it was 1.30 in the night and there was nothing I could do. So I improvised. I had to figure out a way to satisfy my sweet tooth and also make me not regret not owning a kitchen blowtorch (an essential equipment for making the French bad-babies). 

And so I made my incredibly think, incredibly smooth and wonderfully rich sweet almond cream pudding. 

The Joys of Tres Leches Cake

Tres Leches Cake in the Pan

I had a Mexican wave going through recently and more than the tacos and the guacamole my heart yearned for something really sweet. So I figured, what better stage than this to debut my Tres Leches Cake. 

Now for those not in the know, Tres Leches means three milks. Now before you scratch your head and pull out your hair for no reason, let me ask you to stop. Explanations are right round the corner and you needn't flinch while making this delicious yet simple cake. 

Its yummilicious and a must have in your repertoire. Dress it up and its fit for a party (like tonight). Just throw it together and it is still a slice of heaven.

So without much ado, here's my adapted recipe for an easy to use and sure to deliver cake.

The Punching Peppers

The Unripe Pepper [Courtesy: Wikipedia]

So you know that I am an Indian and therefore, I have an above average tolerance for hot and spicy food. I absolutely love my spice for that matter. However, when a horticulturist friend of mine from Assam sent me the infamous Naga Marich peppers I was in for the ride of my life. Initially painful but eventually once tamed, very worthwhile. 

Now for those of you who don't know, Bhut Jolokia or Naga Marich (perhaps more popular with the misnomer Ghost Pepper outside the Indian subcontinent) is the world's hottest chilli. A Scoville Score of 855,000 units is no joke. It is in fact so hot, that a small bite from this chilli would make your eyes water and give you a runny nose for no less than 5 hours. Need I elaborate the pain your mouth would be suffering from?

Anyway, getting on with it. I had a dozen dried bhut jolokia with me and I couldn't wait to try them out. Glove in hand (as directed and warned vehemently by her) I decided to try to make my spicy masala chicken curry. I often douse that home-y chicken with an insane amount of spice. It tastes brilliant no matter which rendition is being used. So I figured why not try it there.

Buttermilk Cupcakes With Pistachio Frosting

The Finished Goods

I have always loved buttermilk cupcakes. They come out rich yet subtle tasting. Quite unlike a regular vanilla cupcake. So today when I decided to make my go to recipe for the good old buttermilk cupcakes, I thought I would improvise on the pistachio buttercream frosting available at Epicurious and give it my little spin. After all no gathering of friends is complete without baked goods.


The result was a wonderfully moist cupcake with a sinfully delectable frosting. A must whip up since it takes so little time to make.
Recipe and prep photos after the jump.