Oh, Summer.

Just some gorgeous Greenmarket photos because I want summer back. These make me so happy. 

Pumpkin Pot de Creme with Dark Chocolate Bats

  

photo by Mel Barlow

                                                                              
                                                                                                                                               
The custard part...

1 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
7 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
Special equipment: 10 (2- to 3-oz) custard cups or ramekins

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Whisk together cream, milk, syrup, and pumpkin in a heavy saucepan and bring just to a simmer over moderate heat.

Whisk together yolks, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl.

Add hot pumpkin mixture to yolks in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup, then divide among custard cups (you may have some custard left over, depending on size of cups). Bake custards in a hot water bath, pan covered tightly with foil, in middle of oven until a knife inserted in center of a custard comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer custards to a rack to cool completely. Chill, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours.

The cookie part...

• 
  Cookie
  
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 
  Filling
  
  • 4 ounces dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cacao), finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Make the cookies: Whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture, beating to combine. Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Using a bat shaped cutter, cut out cookies. (Return dough to freezer if it softens.) Space bats 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Brush off excess flour.

Bake cookies, rotating sheets once, until edges are firm, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer cookies, on parchment, to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve. Pour over chocolate. Let stand for 10 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. Let stand until firm enough to spread, about 15 minutes

Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons filling on half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies. (Assembled cookies can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

I love my job!

A week ago, my cousin asked me to help her design a small wedding in Brewster, New York. A friend of hers was putting together a shotgun wedding because she was afraid her sweet grandfather wouldn't be around much longer. Once I heard that I was in. We had a teeny-weeny budget and 1 day to get it together as I couldn't make it up there until Friday night but we rocked it with all hands on deck. My cousins had never designed or worked events before but now they're hooked and want to start a business. Making things pretty is addicting.

Super simple. We re-potted mums in a few different sizes, bought a couple of bushels of apples at a farm stand, and took a quick walk in the woods for the bitterweet.

There was only one arrangement in the bar area so I wanted it to look super lush. I loved this. Didn't want to leave.

Pretty, pretty pretty. They got married down by the water.

I think I want to change careers!!

Oh my gorgeous!

I was walking through the Union Square Farmer's Market the other day and I just had to take some photos of these beauties. Just amazing. I love the market.

Sunday Suppers

I'm working on a new project with the very talented Karen Mordechai and we just launched our new blog - go check it out ! Still lives, Food setups & a great group of people getting together to cook and hang out. For a full explanation, photos & recipes go to sunday-suppers.blogspot.com 

we will be hosting a series of different classes all summer long at our place in williamsburg, if you'd like to participate in a class, send me a note !

Lunch With Mel

We went to Mel Barlow's last week and had a lunch date/ photo shoot. Take a look. She makes our food look perfect!

www.melbarlow.blogspot.com

Lovely Karen

Last summer we catered a wedding shower brunch for Karen Mordechai, a lovely lady and an incredibly talented photographer. It was a casual get together with friends and we wanted the food to taste like an easy summer day. 

corn, grape tomato and asparagus salad

truffled chicken salad sandwiches on brioche buttons with heirloom tomatoes and baby arugula

mixed berry trifle with angel food cake and vanilla bean whipped cream

All Photos by Mel Barlow

www.melbarlow.com