Dessert Obsessed

I am vacationing out of the country this summer, without access to the internet or an oven or vanilla extract, so this blog is temporarily on hiatus.

It’s summer.  Which means dry, hot, heavy, lazy, humid, hot, HOT, HOT, days here in Southern California.  Which means NO BAKING.  Why turn on a furnace inside a furnace?!  Temperatures outside reach the mid-90s everyday, and turning on the oven just means summer weather indoors, too.  So what’s a Dessert Obsessee to do?

Start obsessing over cold desserts!  Such as this one - Strawberry Popsicles.  Abundant, ripe, summer fruit - frozen.  The coolest way to eat it.

And its healthy!  I’ve been using these as an excuse to fulfill (or exceed) my daily fruit intake!

Fresh Strawberry Popsicles

2 1/2 c fresh strawberries, chopped

6 oz. strawberry yogurt

4 paper cups

4 popsicle sticks

Puree strawberries and yogurt in blender until thick and chunky.  Pour into paper cups (3/4 c full to get 4 popsicles).  Freeze for 1.5 hours, then stick a popsicle stick into each cup.  Freeze for 4 more hours, or until frozen solid.  To remove from cups, let thaw at room temperature for 5 minutes. 

Enjoy and stay cool!

Stan’s Donuts, in Westwood, California (also home to UCLA and meee!) has been the local corner donut shop since 1965.  This is not your typical donut shop.  They have all the usual classical donuts, but specialize in incredibly creative upgraded versions of the classics.  According to Stan, they make the “world’s most gourmet donuts“.  And I have to agree.

Stan’s Donuts are famous for their uniquely delicious flavor combinations, such as the Blueberry Cinnamon Roll, the huge Cinnamon and Peanut Pretzel-Shaped Donut, or their Buttermilk Bars, as well as all the classics.  They have over 75 varieties available on their website, but not the in-store selection varies daily.  One of the staples at Stan’s, and my personal favorite, are the Peanut Butter Pockets (SO DELICIOUS!!!).  They come in Reese’s Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter and Fresh Banana with Chocolate, and Peanut Butter and Jelly flavors.  The Peanut Butter and Fresh Banana Donut tastes like a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich covered in a smooth glaze and betterified with a sprinkling of chocolate chips.  Their Chocolate Cinnamon Cheese Danishes and Apple Fritters are also extremely popular.

Check out the inside of the Peanut Butter and Fresh Banana Donut:

Here is the Blueberry Cinnamon Roll:

Stan’s Donuts were even declared America’s Best Donuts in the world by Forbes!

By the way, Stan’s Donuts just opened their second location in Thousand Oaks, California.  You can also order donuts over the Internet, and Stan will deliver them via FexEx Overnight!  And Stan does actually make them himself.  He goes in most mornings at an unmentionable hour and personally makes all the donuts.

Inspired by the comfort of banana split sundaes but with the chew of brownies.  Needed for the goodness of summer on one of those oddly sunny cold June days in Southern California.

These brownies are reminiscent of ice-cream cold, but pudding-esque if enjoyed warm.  Best eaten with a fork.  Paired with a nice scoop of vanilla ice-cream.  And beyond perfection with a generous drizzle of hot fudge.

Banana Split Brownies

1 pckg brownie mix (8×8 pan style)
1 egg
1/4 c water
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/2 large banana, mashed (i had to use the other half for a peanut butter sandwich)

For the topping:

1 large banana, mashed
1/8 c soymilk
1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the brownie mix, egg, water, oil, and banana in a large bowl until mostly smooth.  Combine all the ingredients for the brownie topping in a small bowl until well combined.  Pour the brownie mix into a greased 8×8 pan.  Pour the banana mixture over the brownie mix, being careful to avoid the edges (or else you’ll end up with a big gooey mess).  Bake for about 40 minutes.  Well be slightly pudding-y.

These are easily veganized by replacing the egg with 1 mashed banana and using a vegan brownie mix (I think most Duncan Hines mixes are vegan).
 

I wish I was Korean.  For those of you who are unfortunate enough to know only the virtual me, I heart everything Korean, even though I’m not Korean.  I LOVE Korean food, Korean dramas, Korean music, Korean cartoons, Korean plastic surgery, Korean boys…

and of course, Korean desserts.  Koreans are not big on sweet food, but the sugary goodies they do have more than make up for the lack of sugar in their culture.  For example, Hoddeok.  Hoddeok is a type of Korean pancake. Most Korean pancakes are of the salty variety, stuffed with anything from kimchee to scallions or even oysters.  But not Hoddeok!  Hoddeok is stuffed full of delicious brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon and then pan-fried to perfection. Such a simple combination that brings such pure delight.

I wish I had better pictures to show for them, but I was too busy eating to snap pictures.

You can find a nice recipe and tutorial on Hoddeok here and make your own.

OK, I’m done procrastinating and now I must go back to the worst week of my life, which involves 2 papers, 1 presentation, 1 lab, and one midterm all by Wednesday.  I need some Hoddeok.