2 for 1: Sunken Soufflé Cake and the Best Brownies Ever

     Soufflé is one of my favorite things. Even though making it the right way isn't as hard as most people expect, sometimes the fact that it leaves little room for error can be frustrating. Hoping that it doesn't sink before you serve it can be nerve wracking. But what if we didn't have to worry about it sinking? What if that was actually the point? When soufflé sinks, it gets dense and chewy in the best way, taking on a similar consistency to a flourless chocolate cake. Plus, it's really hard to mess it up. So after some thought, I made this cake one way, which turned out great, and as I was eating it, it dawned on me. What other popular dessert is dense, chewy, and chocolaty? That's right, with a few tweaks, this recipe could turn into the best brownies in the world.
     Now because I always like to add a twist to things, I included a secret ingredient. Everyone knows about my unconditional love of basil. I'll use it in pretty much anything. I've used it in a few desserts before, but never with chocolate, and just out of curiosity, I wanted to know if it would work. I really loved the sublet little hint of freshness that it added, but I honestly don't know what others would think. So then I got another interesting idea. For a more familiar flavor, switch out the basil for fresh mint. In fact, mint would probably be better if you're making this into brownies. Of you could just skip the herbs and make it pure chocolate.

INGREDIENTS: (makes a 9-inch round cake or 8x8 square batch of brownies)
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 sticks of butter, cut into cubes
3/4 cup sugar
Optional: 1/2 cup fresh basil or mint (use mint for brownies)
1/4 cup flour
pinch of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
5 eggs, separated and at room temperature

For ganache:
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease and flour a 9 inch springform pan or 8x8 square one.
2. If you're choosing to use basil or mint, it needs to be infused with the sugar. You can do this by chopping it and then rubbing it into the sugar for a few minutes by hand, or preferably by pulsing it in a food processor. Then, cover it and let it sit for 1 hour. If you did it by hand, you'll then need to sift out the large pieces of the leaves before continuing. The food processor version looks like this and smells wonderful!

3. Melt the chocolate chips with the butter in the microwave or over a double boiler. Let cool slightly, then whisk in the vanilla, salt, sugar, egg yolks, and finally the flour.
4. In a chilled metal bowl, whip the egg whites on high until the form stiff peaks (firmer than the constancy of whipped cream).
5. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate batter. It's okay if it doesn't look completely smooth, just don't overwork it.

6. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Try to avoid opening the oven in the first 30 minutes. First, the cake will fluff up, and within minutes after removing it from the oven, it'll start to sink. Let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then run a knife along the sides, and invert it onto a serving plate. The edges may get crumbly as it sinks, so treat it gently. Chill the cake (or brownies) in the fridge before frosting, so it gets really dense.

7. To make the ganache, melt the chocolate chips wight he heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Let it cool until it thickens just enough to spread with a spoon. Then pour/spread it on the cake and store it in the fridge. It's actually even better a day later.

Enjoy! This one's really a favorite!

Molten Lava Cake

      This decadent dessert was one of my childhood favorites. I remember several chain restaurants that had versions of it, and how I would purposely not finish my dinner in order to save room for it later.  My younger self was fascinated and perplexed by how exactly they got the lava inside the cake. I thought it was magic. Now it's almost funny to know how simple it really can be. You just don't bake it all the way. There are other ways to do it, but this is definitely the simplest. This recipe only makes two servings because I made it for just my dad and I as a Father's Day present.

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
a pinch of salt
3 tablespoons flour
powdered sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 and grease 2 individual ramekins (or oven-safe mugs).
2. Melt the butter and chocolate chips in the microwave, then cool slightly.
3. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the brown sugar and salt. Next, mix in the butter and chocolate. Finally, add in the flour.

4. Fill the ramekins and bake them. You can adjust the baking time according to just how molten you want them to be. When done, a toothpick halfway to the center should come out clean, but the middle should still be runny. Start with at least 15 minutes, then just cook them to your liking.

5. Dust with powdered sugar on top and enjoy!

Come back tomorrow for the next installment in one of my favorite series!

Chocolate Brownie Pear Tart

      This recipe happened by accident, but sometimes the best ones do. One day I asked my dad to get peaches at the store just to snack on. Well, he came back with pears. I don't usually like to eat fresh pears because they generally seem like a less cool version of apples, but as I discovered with this delicious cheesecake, pears are actually pretty good when transformed into a dessert. The cheesecake is still my favorite, but this chocolaty creation is great too. It has a lot going on--a cookie crust, fruit, and a gooey brownie-like filling, but somehow it works really well.

INGREDIENTS: (for a 9inch tart pan)
Crust:
1 1/3 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick of cold butter, cubed
4 tablespoons cold water

Filling:
2 pears, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
6 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease and flour the tart pan.
2. Make the crust in a food processor or by hand. Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until you get a pebbly consistency. It should stick together when you pinch it, but it will seem rather dry. Add the water in last.

3. Pour the loose crust mixture into the tart pan and form the crust by pressing it along the bottom and up the sides. No rolling needed for this one. Bake the crust by itself at 350 for 10 minutes.
4. Prepare the pear slices and place them in an even layer over the baked crust.

5. You can make the filling either on the stove or in the microwave. Melt the butter with the chocolate chips, let it cool, then beat in the sugar, flour, vanilla, and egg.
6. Pour the filling evenly over the pears.

7. Bake at 350 for about 30-35 minutes or until the top is set. The middle will stay gooey because of the fruit. Chill and serve.

It's like a pie and a brownie, but it has fruit in it so it's good for you. Right?

Brookies

     I'm really excited today because I finally found a recipe for chewy chocolate chip cookies that I actually like! But I didn't stop there. I asked myself what could be better than a warm chewy chocolate chip cookie and the clear answer was a warm chewy chocolate chip cookie attached to a warm chewy brownie, also known as the brookie. It's a double whammy of American dessert classics. I think each of the two doughs that make up the brookies would be great on its own too. In fact, the chocolate chip portion will be my new go-to.

INGREDIENTS: (makes 18 brookies, plus a couple extra chocolate chips)

Brownie dough:
2/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate chip dough:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
1. Spray or line cookie sheets and preheat oven to 350.
2. Make the brownie dough first. Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Then, melt the butter with the chocolate chips in the microwave. Let that cool, then stir in the egg and vanilla. Finally, stir in the dry ingredients. Set aside.
3. Now make the chocolate chip dough. In one bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, beat the butter with both sugars until fluffy.  Next, add the vanilla and egg to the butter and sugar.   Gradually stir in the flour mixture. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Before assembling the brookies, it may help to chill both doughs in the fridge for a few minutes. Start with the brownie dough, and use a small scoop or a spoon to form little dough balls. Place them on a cookie sheet with plenty of room.
5. After you use all the brownie batter, clean the scoop, and do the same thing with the chocolate chip dough. Place these dough balls right next to the brownie ones, making sure they are the same size, even if you have dough left over.

5. Gently push/pinch the two doughs together, and then roll each cookie in your hands to make sure the  two halves are stuck.

6. Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes.

Enjoy these with a cold glass of milk, and come back tomorrow for a creative dinner idea!

Lemon and Basil Sherbet

     I think it's a safe assumption that ice cream is one of many people's favorite parts of summer. Going out and buying it is great, but if you're feeling particularly adventurous, getting an ice cream maker can give you endless freedom to invent flavors that you can't find anywhere else, like mango or blackberry. I understand that the majority of my readers don't have ice cream makers at home or may think it's pointless to get one, but for me, in the summer, it's very necessary, and it's like my favorite toy. Making a batch is an all day project, but depending on the recipe, it can be really simple. I used to love the really rich egg and cream based varieties, and while I still do, this year, I want to challenge myself to come up with some healthier versions. I've tried recipes with nondairy milk bases, and they were ok, but texturally not the best. Eventually, I want to get to the point where sorbet is enough for me, but for now, I'm trying sherbet as a stepping stone to that. Lemon sherbet is a classic. It's light, refreshing, and everybody likes it. But add a little hint of basil, and it's perfection. Initially, I was concerned that some people wouldn't get this combination because maybe not everyone shares my love of basil, but after tasting the finished product, I'm convinced that it will be a hit. The basil flavor is very mild. It's just a hint, but it's the perfect complement. It just tastes like summer.

INGREDIENTS:
about 1 cup of loosely packed fresh basil
1 cup sugar
3 large lemons (1/2 cup of juice and zest of 2)
2 3/4 cup whole milk

DIRECTIONS:
1. Tear the basil leaves, and in a medium bowl, rub them with the sugar for about 5 minutes to really infuse their flavor.

2. Squeeze 1/2 cup of lemon juice, stir it into the bowl, cover it, and let it sit out for an hour. This recipe takes even more time than most ice creams just because the basil needs time to marinate with all the ingredients.

3. Now stir the milk into the lemon juice. Grab another bowl, and run it through a fine strainer to remove the basil leaves and any stray lemon seeds. You will have to work it through the strainer with a spoon and be patient until all of the milk runs through. Finally, stir in the lemon zest, and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

4. After the first chill, run the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions (about 20 minutes). Then transfer it to an airtight container and freeze for at least 3-4 hours before serving.

Enjoy, and be sure to check this page regularly for the insane amount of new recipes I'll be posting this summer!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramelized Bacon

     Today's recipe is rich, decadent, and not healthy at all. Its title may sound strange at first, but the use of bacon in desserts is becoming a culinary trend. Bacon chocolate chip cookies and maple bacon milkshakes come to mind. To be honest, I'm not usually a huge fan of American bacon, but there are few things I enjoy more than coming up with ways to turn foods people hate into foods they love. And in my experience, adding sugar is a very effective way to accomplish that. In this case, the result is oddly delicious, and would make a perfect party treat. But why add more calories to an already indulgent cupcake? Because 'Merica, that's why! So in a way, it's a celebration of my homecoming.

INGREDIENTS (makes 12 cupcakes)
6-8 slices of bacon
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup cold black coffee
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
brown sugar for caramelizing the garnish bacon

for chocolate buttercream frosting:
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
2 sticks of butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
about 2 cups powdered sugar
a splash of milk

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 and line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. Take 4-5 slices of the bacon, thoroughly cook them in a pan, drain, and crumble them into tiny pieces. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients for the cupcake batter.

4. Once thoroughly combined, make a well in the middle, and add the egg, coffee, buttermilk, and oil. Mix just until combined. Then, stir in the bacon bits, and spoon the batter evenly into cupcake tins, about 3/4 full.

5. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, Then cool them in the pans on a wire rack while you prepare the frosting. Lower the oven temperature to 325.
6. To caramelize the remaining slices of bacon, put them in a small bowl and coat them with brown sugar. Then lay them flat on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Bake them until the look caramelized and crispy. For me, this took about 20 minutes, but you have to keep an eye on it because it can burn quickly. When it's done, let it cool completely.

7. To make the frosting, beat the butter with an electric mixer for a few minutes until fluffy, then add the vanilla and melted chocolate. Continue to mix and gradually add powdered sugar until you get the desired taste and consistency.
8. Frost the cupcakes using whatever method is easiest for you. For me, that means piping it on with a pastry bag. It's an extra step, but it gives people like me who lack fine motor skills a lot more control and a pretty result.

9. Finally, carefully break or cut the slices of caramelized bacon into 2-inch sections and stick on into the frosting on top of each cupcake.

Enjoy, and come back tomorrow for this summer's first inventive ice cream flavor!

The Best Things I Ate: The European Tour

     It's time for the last installment of "The best things I ate."  Check out parts 1 and 2 if you haven't yet. This time, instead of dishes from Germany, I've collected all of my favorite meals from various countries I visited over spring break. Since this post required extensive research, it will be rather long, but I have to share these things because they are such an important part of why I love travel, and they are what inspire me to create new recipes of my own. Whether I'm at home or halfway around the world, I try to branch out and try new things, as well as authentic classics, and here, you'll see a good mix of both, organized by city.

Prague:

This was the first dinner I had in the first city of break, and it was a great way to kick it all off! It was roast pork with horseradish mashed potatoes and a gorgeous gravy. It was classic Czech food with a little added elegance. Another reason to love Prague is that even fancy restaurants are ridiculously cheap because of the exchange rate!

This little treat is something I grew up eating at home. Kolacky are little Bohemian cookies filled with jelly or cream cheese that come in all shapes and sizes. I saw these at a bakery stand at a local festival and just had to have a real one!

Budapest:

For even cheaper fancy food, this is the place for you! This was my birthday dinner, chicken with beetroot risotto. I'm not really a fan of beets, but I am a huge fan of risotto, so I decided to take a risk and order it. And not only does it look beautiful, it tasted perfect too!

Vienna:

A long time ago, I did an entire post about my favorite foods in Vienna, but one thing I regretted missing out on the first time was some real Wiener Schnitzel. So this time, I found a restaurant that was really popular with the locals and finally had some. Some of my friends got the giant version that was bigger than the plate, but I opted for this one to get the sides. That way, it didn't look entirely like a heart attack on a plate. At least there was some lettuce.

Venice:

Unlike Prague and Budapest, food in Venice can get pretty expensive. But one thing that's always a deal is pizza. Honestly, my favorite pizza in the world is still Chicago style deep-dish, but for authenticity's sake, this one was pretty good too. But it was a struggle to eat with a knife and fork.

Rome:

It was here that I first learned how to eat like an Italian. Apparently, the giant bowl of pasta is only the first course, and you're supposed to have room for a meat course after that. I usually just picked one or the other, but this pesto was my favorite pasta course, mostly because I believe you can never have too much basil.

Cinque Terre: 

As a general rule, whenever I'm lucky enough to go to a restaurant where I can see the ocean from my table, I order fish. And that's almost the only time I order fish. This was the first time that I ever got one with the head still attached, but after respectfully laying a piece of lettuce over the face, I thoroughly enjoyed this meal.
     So far, I haven't mentioned any restaurants by name, but I feel compelled to for this next one. Based on rave reviews from Rick Steves and Tripadvisor, I had to try Il Pirata in the tiny town of Vernazza. I'm sure all their food is great, but I specifically wanted to go for breakfast.

First, there's this little cup of wonderful. The owner gave us a little free sample, describing the mix of fresh strawberry slush and whipped cream as "the Italian yoghurt." That little taste was not enough. And just the fact that this is considered just like yoghurt here is just another reason why I love this country.

Finally, yes, I did order a cannoli for breakfast. I had to do it, and it was the best one I've ever had. And now I know better than to order a pre-filled one. These are filled only after you order them so that they stay delightfully fresh and crunchy.

     So that's how I ate my way across Europe. Next week, I'll write my last Reutlingen post as I prepare to go home for the summer. And by the way, this is the 150th post on Spoonful of Zucker. This blog has become exactly what I envisioned, a perfect mix of fabulous food and fabulous places. Thank you all for coming along for the ride this year. I can't wait to see where it will take us in the next one!

The Best Things I Ate This Month: Part 2

     As you are probably well aware, one of my favorite things about living in Europe is eating in Europe. Since my last "Best of" food post was so much fun to write (and research) I have, in fact, decided to make it a series. For each of the four months of my travels, I will post the very best things I ate. While the first post was dedicated to German favorites, this one also includes culinary pleasures from Austria and Paris. Since I only spend 36 hours in Paris, there's no way I could possibly do its incredible cuisine justice, but rest assured, I'm going back for more on Thursday. I have many, many things to share this month, so this is going to be mostly pictures (in chronological order) with short commentary.

First, the Thüringer Wurst, my first experience with street food. Surprisingly good for just 1 euro!

Next, there's Spaghetti-Eis. It looks like spaghetti, but it's ice cream. And it's terrific!

I had this meal in a very old Austrian restaurant in Salzburg. It's pork roast with the best gravy and a giant Knödel. That's a dumpling, but I just like the word Knödel.

This was my meal at the Hofbräuhaus in Munich. This establishment isn't exactly known for the food, so the schnitzel cordon bleu was just okay. 

The apple strudel, however, was perfect. Fresh and not too sweet.

On a day trip to Ulm, we stopped at a little café for cake and coffee. This is a slice of blueberry goodness.

And now, on to Paris! The first thing I ate there (besides the free breakfast at the hostel) was a Nutella crêpe. They don't skimp on the Nutella!

While in Paris, we decided to have one splurge dinner at a real brasserie. The steak-frites was great!

And the crème brûlée was even better! That crunch of the sugar on top is the sound of perfection!

     So those were the highlights. Over the next month, I'll continue to be that tourist, taking pictures of all my food, living that food blogger thug life, so I can share it all with you!

German Pear Cake

     Recently, I took a day trip from Stuttgart to Ulm, on the border of Bavaria. Aside from the Ulmer Münster, one of the main attractions in Ulm, at least for me, is the bread museum. Yes, you read that correctly, they have a whole museum devoted to the history of bread. It may sound random, but keep in mind that bread has been humanity's main food source throughout  most of history. It really is an interesting museum, but it would be a lot better if they had actual bread there for sampling or purchase. They do, however, have cookbooks, so you can go make your own bread. And you know how excited I get when anyone encourages people to make their own bread. So I decided that I deserve a souvenir for myself too, and I picked out a cookbook full of Swabian baked goods, entitled Schwäbisch Backen. One of my projects over the next year or so is to translate, convert, and share each and every one of the recipes in this book, and there's a lot. It's no small undertaking, and I hope it doesn't qualify as plagiarism. I'm just genuinely really excited to try all of these things and share them with an audience who probably would otherwise never hear of these delicious treats. Plus, making German recipes while I'm in Germany solves my problem of never finding all my usual ingredients.
     For my first project, I chose a pear cake. I initially chose this because I never know what to do with pears. If I try to eat them raw, I don't think they taste like anything. However, in this recipe, they're incredibly juicy and sweet. Then in the middle of making it, I realized that this is very similar to my favorite thing ever, German cheesecake. It's a little different, but it has Quark, the magic ingredient. If you look hard, you can find that in the US, so I refuse to provide a substitution for it. The crust dough for this is also really good. I think I'm going to experiment with using it in some American recipes, because it's so much less finicky than pie crust. So basically, this cake/cheesecake is amazing, second only to the original German cheesecake.

INGREDIENTS:
Shortcrust:
1/2 cup sugar
1 3/4 sticks butter, softened
1 egg
pitch of salt
pitch of baking powder
2 1/2 cups flour

Cake:
4 pears, at least quartered
juice of 1 lemon
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
pitch of salt
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup quark
1 cup crème fraîche

DIRECTIONS:
1. It's best to prepare the crust dough a few hours early, chill it in the fridge, then take it out 30 minutes before use. To make it, beat the butter, sugar, egg, and salt until fluffy. then gradually add the dry ingredients. Mix it with a machine or by hand, but it does need a little bit of hand kneading at the end. It should come together nicely.

2. Preheat the oven to 400. Butter and flour a 12-inch springform pan. Peal and cut the pears, coating them with lemon juice to keep them looking fresh.

3. Roll out the crust dough and press it into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Unfortunately, I don't have a rolling pin here, so that's why there are thumbprints in mine. Gotta do what you gotta do.
Then, place the pear pieces to cover the bottom of the crust. Think of it as a pear upside-down cheesecake with a crust. That's really the best way I can describe it.

4. Carefully separate the eggs. Beat the yolks with the sugar, salt, vanilla, sour cream, quark, and crème fraîche until perfectly smooth.

5. In a chilled, metal bowl, beat the egg whites with a little lemon juice until you get soft peaks. I will never again attempt to do this by hand. Next time, I'll walk next door and borrow a mixer. I dot them about 80% there before my arm died and I just called it a day, but it worked.

Fun fact: The German word for whipped egg whites is "Eischnee" or "egg snow." Cute, and logical!

6. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Then pour it all over the pears into the crust and bake for about 35 minutes. I still haven't gotten the hang of my German oven, that has a bunch of weird settings with funny symbols, so the the very top of my cake got a little dark, but it was cooked perfectly. Don't be alarmed when pear juice stars oozing out when you cut it. Or if you're really patient, cool it in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

Enjoy, and stay tuned for more German specialties!

One Month of Yummy German Food

     This post is not exactly a recipe. Okay, it's not a recipe at all, but rather a collection of the best things I've eaten throughout my first month in Germany. German cuisine isn't exactly world-renowned, but I've always had a special place in my heart for it. After all, I named my blog after it. Besides the fact that it's delicious, I love it because it's associated with some of the best memories I have of travel, new friends, and a general adventurous spirit. It's the discovery of all these yummy things that I never knew existed before, yet now can't stand to live without. What was my life before I discovered German cheesecake and Milka chocolate and Käsespätzle? I don't even know anymore. And that's why I feel so compelled to share all my international favorites with you. Because you deserve to get to know and love these things too.

Let's start with Maultaschen:
Maultaschen are a Swabian (regional) specialty. They're like giant ravioli filled with all kings of goodness. I actually don't know what all is in the filling, but I know part of it is meat because Maultaschen were originally invented as a way for Catholics to conceal the fact that they were eating meat during Lent. This was my first real meal in Reutlingen. Served with salad and potatoes, with a glass of Apfelschorle, it was a perfect, authentic welcome.

And now the Berlin mega-platter :
When we were in Berlin for a class trip, our professor took us all out to dinner at a restaurant known for Berlin specialties. There, you can order the same sampler platter for however many people in your party. We had 10 people, so we got 2 of these massive plates. Once again, I don't even know what all of it was. I just know that it was terrific. The pièce de résistance was that beautiful pork shoulder in the middle. We ate probably six times the amount that we should have that night, but hey, no regrets. Man lebt nur einmal.

Now, the best Jägerschnitzel I've ever had in my life and probably ever will:

Jägerschnitzel, or Hunter's Schnitzel in English is like Wiener Schnitzel, but with with a rich mushroom and wine sauce on top. The sauce really takes it to the next level, and I don't just say that because of my unconditional love for wine sauces. There was just something about this particular one at this off-the-beaten-path restaurant in Cologne that set it apart from the rest.

And now for some sweet treats:

Milka is my favorite chocolate on the planet. Sure, Ritter Sport is more famous globally, and Swiss and Belgian chocolates are generally considered the top tier, but Milka is the chocolate of the people here. It's cheap, unpretentious, and still a thousand times better than a Hershey bar. I haven't eaten a Hershey bar in the three years since I converted to Milka and I never will again. Luckily for me, Milka is getting easier to find in the US. You can usually find it at Target if you look really hard. This butter cookie kind is my favorite so far:

And surprisingly, they have an oreo version even though oreos aren't popular here. It's almost as good as a Hershey's cookies & creme. Okay I lied before, I do still love Hershey's cookies & creme only.

 And the best for last, my beloved German cheesecake:
One day in Stuttgart we had lunch at the greatest place on Earth, Vapiano, and I could barely contain my excitement when I saw this cheesecake in the dessert case. So there I was, eating my favorite food in the world in my favorite place in the world (all on my university's dime, by the way) and thinking this is the life.

I was so excited, I couldn't wait to take the picture before digging in. Later that week, I get inspired to make my version of this, and even with limited ingredients, iffy metric conversions, and only a pyrex casserole dish instead of a springform, the result tasted just how it should.

    Those are my favorite meals and snacks so far. Maybe I'll make this a monthly series, because I'll always be that tourist who inappropriately pulls out a camera in a restaurant. But I feel compelled to do it because there's just so much left to discover and share.