Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

Note: I was sent a bottle of Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

It seems like everyone has really taken to home baking while staying-at-home during this pandemic. I’ve been impressed with everyone’s sourdoughs, banana breads, and other baked goods! So why not add another awesome option to your repertoire: Cinnamon Rolls, or more specifically, Brioche Cinnamon Rolls!

Nielsen-Massey recently published a new video showing how to Knead Dough by Hand, which comes in handy while making this recipe.

This recipe for Brioche Cinnamon Rolls is based off a recipe from the Nielsen-Massey website as well.

Ingredients:

Dough:

  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 2/3 cups flour, divided
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large whole eggs, divided
  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cubed

Cinnamon Roll Filling:

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Almond Extract

Vanilla Icing:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract

Continue reading Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

Pumpkin Blue Cheese Burger

Philly a is a food town. I joke that when people come to visit, all I want to do is show off our restaurants and bars (although our museums, parks, and history are not too shabby either.) I love all of the different food events that happen in Philly as well – festivals, “weeks,” and of course, competitions. The region’s largest food competition is nearly here – the Philly Burger Brawl.

Philly Burger Brawl, now in it’s 9th year, is switching things up a bit this year with a new date in the fall and an all new, even larger, location at the Navy Yard. This year, over 60 Philadelphia region restaurants will fire up the grills and battle for Burger Brawl presented by Jim Beam. The grills come out and the gloves come off on Sunday, September 15, 2019, with VIP gates opening at 1:00pm and general admission opening at 2:00pm. Attendees are invited to enjoy all-you-can-eat samples of the very best burger in Philadelphia and then vote for their favorite. Food critics, writers and celebrity judges will also name one winning burger, “Judge’s Choice.”

source: phillyburgerbrawl.com

Tickets are on sale now at phillyburgerbrawl.com for $45 for advance general admission (or $50 at the door) which includes samples and one free cocktail. VIP tickets are also on sale for $100 with perks like early entry, a VIP lounge and unlimited drinks. Children under 10 are free, no ticket required. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Twenty-one with identification to drink. Parking is free. Event is rain or shine.

source: phillyburgerbrawl.com

This event is one of my favorites because of its philanthropic side – all proceeds go to The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia to support hardware needs to implement math and reading literacy programs in underserved elementary schools. Specifically, event proceeds support hardware needs to implement math and reading literacy programs in underserved elementary schools. Past proceeds have helped fund the purchase of Chromebooks and associated equipment in many Philadelphia Schools. The hardware has enabled schools to implement curriculum plans where the hardware requirements were otherwise unfunded.

Here’s a list of all attendees:

  • Bainbridge Street Barrel House
  • Barbuzzo
  • Bernie’s University City
  • Black Cat Tavern
  • Brick & Brew
  • Brickwall Tavern
  • BurgerFi
  • Chic-a-delphia
  • Craftsman Row
  • Culture on the Circle
  • Del Frisco’s Steak House
  • Elevation Burger
  • Flannel
  • Frankie and Jimmy D’s
  • Greenhouse, New Hope
  • Hanks Place
  • Hard Rock Café
  • Harper’s Garden
  • Hip City Veg & Bombon Bar
  • JT Brewskis Pub
  • Lucky’s Last Chance
  • m2o Burger
  • Milk Boy
  • Misconduct Tavern
  • Moonshine Philly
  • New Wave Cafe
  • Outlaw’s Burger Barn & Creamery
  • Pineville Tavern
  • PJ Clarke’s
  • Profeta Farms
  • Prohibition Tap Room
  • Ripplewood Whiskey & Craft
  • Rouge
  • Sabrina’s Cafe
  • Second District Brewing
  • Shrimpy’s BBQ
  • Steam Pub
  • Stove and Tap
  • Taproom on 19th
  • The Bercy
  • The Common
  • The Red Owl Tavern
  • Three Monkey’s Café
  • Tradesman PHL
  • Tredici Enoteca
  • Twenty Manning
  • Twisted Tail
  • Village Whiskey
  • Vintage Wine Bar & Bistro
  • Yards Brewing Company

So how did the Philly Burger Brawl come to be? In 2011, Maggie and Rob Wasserman created a culinary competition on the playground of The William M Meredith Elementary School. They invited several of their restauranteur friends to duke-it-out with their best burger – The Philadelphia Burger Brawl was born! The Burger Brawl team partnered with The Fund for the Philadelphia School District to provide financial management and direction.  Together they engaged leadership in the Philadelphia School District to help identify literacy programs that required funds to be launched. Since 2011, the Philadelphia Burger Brawl has raised over $283,000.00 (and counting!) to fuel much-needed programs.

source: phillyburgerbrawl.com

To highlight the event, I wanted to share a take on my personal vote for best burger in Philly. My favorite burger I’ve ever had in Philly was about two years ago. Yes. It was that good that I still think about this burger ALL the time. One of my favorite bars, Watkins Drinkery, has a rotating seasonal menu that always includes awesome burgers (and other food. Seriously, their menu rocks). But their Fall 2017 menu had the BEST burger – “signature beef blend, shaved pumpkin, whipped bleu, pistachio, brioche.” So this little burger is my ode to that fantastic-ly awesome burger.

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 sugar pumpkin or squash of your choice (I used 1/2 Kabocha Squash, a couple of Delicata Squash would be great too)
  • 4 oz whipped cream cheese
  • 4 oz blue cheese
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I used a blend of 80% lean and Wagyu ground beef)
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons roasted pistachios, roughly chopped
  • 4 brioche buns
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Pumpkin Blue Cheese Burger

Bread Pudding with Peanut Butter-ROOT Sauce and Sliced Bananas

I have wanted to make bread pudding for a long time. But I’ve been too lazy to actually search for inspiration. So when the “How to Cook Like A Top Chef” cookbook literally showed up on my door step containing a recipe for Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bread Pudding, I knew it was time for me to finally make the delicious treat. I actually made this for a really decadent breakfast over the weekend, a little treat for making it through a long week.
Ingredients: (serves 2)
(adapted from Ash & Ashley’s Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bread Pudding)
3 eggs
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 brioche knots, cut into cubes (I got 9 cubes per knot)
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 oz ROOT liqueur
1 banana, sliced

Begin by whisking together the eggs and honey vigorously until combined and fluffy.
 
In a pot, add 1 cup heavy cream over medium heat until it begins to bubble lightly. Reduce the heat to low.  Add a little bit of the warm cream to the egg/honey mixture, whisking vigorously so that the eggs don’t curdle. (This is called tempering). Add the egg mixture to the pot with the remaining cream, whisking constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Prepare the brioche rolls, cutting into cubes.  I bought the rolls at Trader Joe’s, they are the perfect size for individual servings of bread pudding.
Add the bread cubes and the custard to a large bowl, stirring lightly to coat.  Add the chocolate chips.  Allow to sit for at least a half hour at room temperature. If planning ahead, you can do up to this step the night ahead of time and allow the bread to soak overnight.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Add the bread mixture to a loaf pan.  Place the loaf pan into a cookie sheet with sizes. Add hot water into the cookie sheet so that the entire bottom is covered.
Cook for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
While the pudding is cooking, make the sauce.  Add 1/2 cup cream and the condensed milk to a pot over medium heat.
When it bubbles, reduce to low and whisk in the peanut butter, ROOT, and vanilla extract.  ROOT is a flavored liqueur that slightly resembles the taste of root beer. I made an awesome chocolate cake with it before so I thought it would work great in a sauce for bread pudding. You can read my post and more information on ROOT here. (If you’re making this for kids, feel free to just omit the ROOT.)
Whisk until smooth. If you want it a bit thinner, add more cream.
Spoon the sauce over the bread pudding while still warm. Top with banana slices.
What an absolutely delicious bread pudding. I can’t believe I ate this for breakfast, but I’m not ashamed either, it was amazing! I’m glad I only made a serving each for my boyfriend and I, or I’d eat this all day!
I had some of the sauce left over, which I plan on saving for ice cream!
The flavors work really well together in this dish (and how could they not??): chocolate, peanut butter, banana, with a hint of root beer at the end.
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