• Classic Banoffee Pie
    Pies and Crumbles

    Classic Banoffee Pie

    Banoffee Pie is a classic British dessert, first invented at a pub in East Sussex in 1971. Even so, I always think of it around St. Patty’s Day (probably because the first time I tried Banoffee was while visiting Northern Ireland). So even though it isn’t technically Irish, I still think it makes the most delightful St. Patty’s Day treat. Plus, Pi day happens a few days before St. Patty’s Day (3.14, get it?), so this pie can pull double duty. If you’re not familiar with Banoffee Pie, it’s made with layers of bananas, dulce de leche, and whipped cream, all inside a buttery graham cracker crust. In other words,…

  • Salted Caramel Brownies
    Chocolate and Candy,  Cookies and Bars

    Salted Caramel Brownies

    It is insanely cold in Duluth right now. As I write this, it’s -20°F outside (yep, you read that right, 20 degrees BELOW zero). And that’s the actual air temperature, not including wind chill. It’s the kind of cold where you get an instant ice cream headache just from walking outside. It is awfully pretty though. There’s something in me that loves this kind of cold. Partly because of how beautiful it is, partly because just going to the grocery store feels like an adventure, and partly because it’s a great excuse to stay home and enjoy some of my favorite indoor activities. It’s supposed to stay this cold for…

  • Dulce de leche
    Chocolate and Candy,  Condiments and Sauces

    Homemade Dulce de Leche

    I’m a big caramel fan. I love it all – caramel lattes, caramel apples, caramel corn, even fake caramel-flavored coffee (though I’m embarrassed to admit that!). But my absolute, hands-down favorite is the thick, creamy, completely addicting caramel sauce known as Dulce de Leche (Spanish for “candy of milk”). This treat is made by slowly cooking sweetened milk until it caramelizes and thickens, resulting in one of the most delicious things ever. This recipe is the simplest way I’ve seen to make Dulce de Leche. You boil UNOPENED (yes, really) cans of sweetened condensed milk in a water bath for a few hours, and BAM! Just like magic, you have…