Lemon Sabayon Tart

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I’ve been on a lemon kick of late, especially since I discovered the deliciousness that is lemon curd. I made it at home to see how it was done, and then tried the one from Trader Joe’s and it was equally delicious, although more expensive overall.

In the summer, I often crave something fruity and even slightly sour or tangy. Limes always hit the spot for me, more than lemons, but ever since this lemon curd, I’d been craving lemon tarts of some sort. Lemon meringue pies are the popular choice but I wanted to make it a little fancier and more interesting than that.

I chose a recipe from Thomas Keller’s famous Bouchon bakery for a lemon sabayon tart, and used the classic tart base from my favorite French cookbook, Laduree.

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

This post was originally on Honest Cooking, a new International cooking website, where I am a proud contributor! This is my post on Gooey Butter Cake, but be sure to check out the other great recipes and articles on food at HonestCooking!

I’ve been living in St Louis for a while now, and when people find out I bake, they often ask me if I’ve made the classic St Louis butter cake yet, which can be found in every StL bakery and local grocery store. I had never heard of it before moving here. I planned to try it out someday but I really wasn’t in any hurry. I often skip recipes that require butter, or I cut the content in half… that would be difficult to do when butter is included in the name of this famous cake!

I worked through my fear of butter and made this cake even though I was convinced it was going to be too sweet, too buttery, just too much. I’m happy to report that I ended up rather enjoying it. Although sweet and buttery, it simply hits the spot. The recipe is meant to be a coffee cake and not a dessert cake; tea or coffee is the ideal complement to its sweetness.

I would say a little goes a long way, but I know a few people who may or may not have polished off half the pan within 12 hours of its existence…

Pistachio Cream Puffs

I was never a huge fan of cream puffs, but my family and friends would buy a big box of frozen ones from Costco or Sam's and devour them. They were never sweet enough for me, and no one had the patience to let it thaw before eating so I always felt like it just tasted cold.


Let me make something clear, since I was confused about it before as well:
Cream puffs, creme puffs, profiteroles and choux a la creme are all the same thing.
They are choux pastry balls filled with pastry cream or whipped cream, and often dusted with sugar or chocolate.
And when they're piped out long? They're eclairs! 

Raspberry White Chocolate Yogurt Muffins

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I've been obsessed with raspberries this summer. It all started with a trip to Sam's with my friend Hao... we came across the raspberries and they looked so amazing. She immediately stacked up four boxes to take home, while I grabbed one as usual. But she was so much more excited, and I did look weak in comparison, so I grabbed a second box (seriously wondering what I was going to do with all of them). 

A French Toast-y Sunday w/ Buttermilk Syrup

I have to give credit to my friend, HLi on this one. I had never really tasted french toast until he visited us in St Louis earlier this year. I had only ever eaten waffles (the Eggo ones) at that point, and pancakes. I've never seen people eat French toast in India... hm. Or maybe it was just my family?


I had made brioche when he visited and it had been sitting out a couple of days when HLi suggested French toast with it. Brioche is French bread that has a lot of eggs and is more pastry-like, ideal for French Toast (or rather, Brioche toast). I paid attention to the way HLi made it so I could replicate it someday. And today was that day. (Thanks, HLi!)

Rose-Lychee Macarons

*I wrote this post for Sauce Magazine's online blog a short while back.*
Sauce Magazine is a Saint Louis based magazine that focuses on the culinary/restaurant scene in the area!
It's free at many restaurants and cafes and it's a great way to discover new places in the city.
I will be posting there every other week, along with other contributors... there's always something new to read each day and the online blog posts many new recipes so check it out!

Rose and lychee are two flavors that permeated throughout my childhood. Growing up in India, lychees were plentiful and juicy. They are small with a tough, inedible skin, hiding a white-ish pulp inside. There’s also a seed in there, so beware. They have the consistency of a grape but smell far more intoxicating and fresh. They’re available here in the States mostly in canned form. The perfume-y scent is lost through canning but the taste is still quite delicious.