coffee

The Best Local Autumn Lattes

October 12, 2019 by Alyssa

This Fall, skip the the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte and drink these local Austin lattes instead!

I always look forward to pumpkin spice season. But it’s not the pumpkin flavor I love. I love the spice flavors of Autumn. Where drinks, baked goods, and even some savory treats are sprinkled with the warm, cozy spices like cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg. If you’re like me, and could pass on the pumpkin spice but still want the cozy flavors of Fall, then give these four local Austin lattes a try.

Stouthaus Mulling Spice Latte

The Stauthaus Mulling Spice Latte has such a unique flavor and is my favorite of the bunch. It stars clove, star anise, cinnamon sticks, orange peel and black peppercorns. The black peppercorns are very subtle and add just the slightest hint of spice. Stouthaus makes the spice blend on a hot plate behind the bar and is the work of barista, Marco who created the seasonal offering. If you’re looking for a more sophisticated pumpkin spice latte, then I highly recommend Stouthaus’ Mulling Spice Latte.

Stouthaus Coffee Pub
4715 S Lamar Blvd
6:30am-10:00pm, Monday-Saturday
7:30am-8:00pm, Sunday
www.stouthauscoffee.com

Greater Goods Tiger Latte

You can grab this latte all year long not just in the Autumn. The Tiger Latte is Greater Goods’ take on the popular golden milk latte featuring turmeric. I find it to be the perfect blend of sweet and spice. My favorite part about this latte is the subtle ginger finish that warms you deep inside. I like to order mine with almond milk.

Great Goods Coffee
2501 E 5th Street
6:30am-7:00pm daily
www.greatergoods.com

Summer Moon Autumn Moon Latte

I’m going out on a limb here and calling this Austin’s original pumpkin spice latte. Summer Moon is known for its Moon Milk and for the Fall season, they jazz up their secret Moon Milk with all the cozy, Autumn spices. This latte is sweeter than the others on this list but it’s consistently the first latte I reach for when September 1st arrives.

Summer Moon Coffee Bar
Multiple Locations
www.woodfiredcoffee.com

Curcuma Golden Mylk Latte

Curcuma’s Golden Mylk Latte is not a seasonal offering but it reminds me so much of Autumn flavors that it had to make my list! Curcuma pairs their signature golden mylk mix with Chameleon Cold Brew to make a magically delicious latte that instantly transports me to upstate New York at the peak of Fall foliage. This latte stars turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, himalayan pink salt, black pepper and is sweetened with dates. I like mine iced but you also have the option to order it hot. And the best part, you can still enjoy this one is the heat of Austin summer when you’re yearning for a bit of Fall.

Curcuma
2207 East Cesar Chavez Street
Tuesday-Friday 9am-4pm
Saturday-Sunday 9am-6pm
www.eatcurcuma.com

Have you tried any of these local Austin lattes? What’s your favorite?

Best Ever Iced Peanut Butter Latte

August 1, 2019 by Alyssa

An Iced Peanut Butter Latte made for the peanut butter lover and packed with 19 grams of protein from a mix of powdered peanut butter, collagen, and cold brew coffee.

Hi, my name’s Alyssa and I have a peanut butter addiction.

Not nut butter. But peanut butter specifically. Peanut butter melted into hot oatmeal is my favorite way to enjoy it but I also put it in smoothies, on top of acai bowls or overnight oats. I’m even known to favor the childhood snack of PB smeared on bananas, celery, or apple slices. Embarrassingly, you can sometimes find me eating it straight from the jar with a spoon if a major peanut butter craving hits.

I just love peanut butter.

But one place I’ve had trouble transitioning the peanut butter flavor is to coffee. Anytime I’ve tried something that’s said to have peanut butter & coffee in it, the result has been disappointing because the peanut butter flavor is never prominent enough for me to say ‘YES! This is peanut butter!’

Until now.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been keeping this iced peanut butter latte recipe in hiding, perfecting it to ensure the most peanut buttery flavor ever. And today, I’m excited to announce that I’m sharing my best ever iced peanut butter latte recipe.

The Best Ever Iced Peanut Butter Latte

This iced peanut butter latte starts with my favorite cold brew, Austin’s own, Chameleon Cold Brew (buy it in bulk at Costco for major $$ saving). I load up my latte with peanut butter flavor and 19 grams of protein from a mixture of PB2 powdered peanut butter, RX peanut butter (that has egg white protein), and a big scoop of Vital Proteins collagen peptides.

Looking for other PB recipes? Check out my peanut butter white chocolate scones, peanut butter lover’s monster cookie recipe, and my grandma’s dilly bar recipe for peanut butter chocolate rice krispie treats.

The nut flavor is further enhanced with almond milk, stevia, and a touch of vanilla extract. The vanilla extract is key in helping the peanut butter flavor shine through while ensuring the nuttiness doesn’t taste ‘burnt’ when mixed into the cold brew.

Shake it real good.

In order for the latte to be mixed properly, you should put it into a protein shaker (or blender, if you’d like) and shake it like hell. Like seriously. Shake your little heart out to mix the powder and peanut butter into the cold brew & almond milk. If you don’t mix it properly when you pour this latte over ice, all the peanut butter will sink to the bottom of your glass.

No bueno. Fail. So really, shake it like hell then promptly pour over ice, serve and enjoy.

If you love peanut butter, I hope you really enjoy this iced peanut butter latte. #PBLoversUnite

Best Ever Iced Peanut Butter Latte

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Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

Best Ever Iced Peanut Butter Latte Author: Alyssa Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 1

Author: Alyssa

Serves: 1

Ingredients

5 ounces Chameleon cold brew concentrate
5 ounces unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons PB2 powdered peanut butter
2 tablespoons Vital Proteins collagen peptides
2 teaspoons RX peanut butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ packets stevia (or sweetener of choice)

Instructions

In a blender or protein shaker, mix together all ingredients.
Shake it vigorously for one minute until the powder is well blended (or blend in a blender for 30 seconds).
Pour over ice and serve immediately.

Double Shot Espresso Brownies

February 1, 2019 by Alyssa

Double Shot Espresso Brownies are ridiculously rich, fudgy, and loaded with decadent dark chocolate espresso flavor. They’re made for the coffee lovers.

Who am I? Posting 3 recipes in 1 week! It’s a little unusual but I hope you’ve enjoyed it the recipes for my Ultimate Party Mezze Platter, Spiced Moroccan Chickpea Stew, and today, these Double Shot Espresso Brownies.

In all honesty, I hadn’t planned on sharing this brownie recipe so soon but then I found out that today, February 1st, is National Dark Chocolate Day and thought these Double Shot Espresso Brownies would be a great way to celebrate such a delicious holiday!

My Double Shot Espresso Brownies are ridiculously rich, fudgy, and loaded with espresso flavor. If you aren’t a fan of dark chocolate or strong coffee, then these aren’t for you. But if you are a caffeine fanatic, then you need to whip up these one bowl brownies ASAP!

I’m calling my brownies Double Shot Espresso Brownies because of their ridiculously strong coffee flavor. This is achieved by taking regular espresso beans, grinding them on the espresso setting, then grinding them a second time into an espresso powder using a .

After all this grinding, you’re left with a super fine, highly intense espresso powder. With a half cup of espresso powder baked into these Double Shot Espresso Brownies, the caffeine in each of the 16 bites is equivalent to that of about one cup of coffee.

The brownie’s espresso flavor is further enhanced by the bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder in the batter. The brownies bake up to be super thick and fudgy, slightly on the edge of under-baked while nudging perfectly chewy!

To even out the espresso flavor and intense dark chocolate, I chose to frost the brownies with a thin layer of chocolate buttercream. My go-to chocolate buttercream recipe adds a subtle amount of sweetness, balancing the bitter chocolate and coffee flavor.

They’re the perfect chocolate, coffee bite. I highly suggest serving these up with a tall glass of milk.

Looking for more brownie recipes? How about Boozy Rumchata Brownies or Warm Salted Caramel Pretzel Brownies?

Double Shot Espresso Brownies

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

50 mins

Author: Alyssa

Serves: 16

Ingredients

10 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1¼ cups granulated sugar
½ cup espresso powder
3 large eggs at room temperature
3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
Chocolate Buttercream

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1¾ cup confectioner’s sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons half and half (or milk of choice)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, for dusting prior to serving, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350*F and line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium-sized saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and bittersweet chocolate, stirring constantly so as not to burn.
Once melted, remove from heat and into the saucepan, whisk in the sugar and espresso powder. Add the eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating the first before adding the next.
Whisk in the cocoa powder, flour, and salt until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
Distribute the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.
While the brownies are baking, make the frosting. In a medium-sized bowl using an electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer, if preferred) cream together the butter, confectioner’s sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Slowly add 1 tablespoon of milk until the buttercream reaches a spreadable consistency. Add more as needed.
Once the brownies are completely cooled, frost them with a thin layer of the chocolate buttercream. Dust with cocoa powder in a small sifter, if desired. Cut into 16 pieces before serving.

Fancy Mornings with Iced Lavender Vanilla Lattes

April 10, 2018 by Alyssa

Looking for a way to escape in the morning before you dive into your day? Try making my Iced Lavender Vanilla Lattes as a fancy morning ritual.

Hi all! I’m checking in quick this week with a way to spruce up your morning coffee habit. I love my morning cold brew but sometimes I want to extend that weekend feel into the work week, especially on those days when I’m not quite ready to head to the office. To keep the relax, weekend vibe alive during the week, I created an easy, iced lavender vanilla latte with a homemade simple syrup which will transport you momentarily into vacation mode!

Lavender is a beautiful flavor on its own but I like the addition of vanilla as it cuts the flowery edge that sometimes comes along with lavender. With the addition of vanilla, you still get the flowery lavender flavor but without that overpowering ‘sucking flower petals’ finish. The vanilla adds a subtle sweet note that mellows the lavender ever so slightly.

Making the syrup takes just 10 minutes, and 8 of those minutes don’t require you to do a thing; just sit and wait while it steeps, which means you can carry on with the rest of your business while the magic happens.

Once the syrup’s made, let it cool and then you’re ready to be your own fabulous barista! My favorite way to enjoy this iced lavender vanilla latte is with Chameleon Cold Brew and coconut milk creamer. I love the nutty flavor the coconut adds and it plays so nicely with the vanilla lavender syrup.

To create the latte, fill your glass with ice and cold brew, add 1-2 tablespoons of lavender vanilla syrup (depending on your preference for sweetness) followed by a splash of creamer. , stir, sip, and enjoy your iced vanilla lavender latte.

I promise, starting your day off with your own Iced Lavender Vanilla Latte will make you feel extra fancy.

Fancy Mornings with Iced Lavender Vanilla Lattes

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Prep time

2 mins

Cook time

2 mins

Total time

4 mins

Author: Alyssa

Serves: 20 ounces

Ingredients

For the syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon dried lavender
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the latte
6 ounces of cold brew
1-2 tablespoons lavender vanilla syrup
1-2 tablespoons creamer of choice

Instructions

Place the water and sugar in a small saucepan
Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved
Remove from heat and stir in lavender
Let steep 5 minutes
After 5 minutes, check the flavor level of the lavender, if you'd like it a bit stronger, let it steep 3 additional minutes. Do not let it steep longer than 8 minutes or it may turn bitter
Strain out the lavender using a fine mesh strainer
Stir in the vanilla extract and let cool completely
Store in the fridge for up to two weeks
For the latte, pour cold brew over ice, add the desired amount of lavender vanilla syrup and creamer. Stir to combine and enjoy.

Merit Coffee: Austin’s new, modern downtown coffee shop

January 3, 2018 by Alyssa

Austin’s new downtown coffee shop, Merit Coffee, is modern and inviting while serving up rich coffee and fresh pastries from San Antonio’s Bakery Lorraine.

It seems like the ‘in’ thing right now is to a hard-core coffee lover. I’m talking about those people who spend a ridiculous amount of money on a bag of beans, wake each morning to grind them fresh, and then patiently wait for a french press to finish brewing just to have their first cup of coffee in the morning.

I am none of those people.

I love me a good K-cup and my favorite coffee comes pre-ground, in bulk at HEB. In fact, sometimes I even brew a pot on Sunday, refrigerate it, then drink it over the course of the next few days as iced coffee or by reheating it in the microwave. (The horror, I know!)

But, with all that said, I do appreciate a good coffee shop.

And the other day, I stopped by the new Merit Coffee located in the Seaholm Center and absolutely loved this new-to-Austin coffee shop!

Merit, previously Local Coffee, is originally from San Antonio where the company has multiple locations. When I walked into Merit during my first visit, I instantly knew this shop would fit right in with the Austin culture.

Merit Coffee is simple, not at all over overwhelming and includes the basics of any great coffee shop. The interior was bright and full of natural light with modern finishes.

It’s an inviting space for anyone who likes to linger over a cup of coffee to chat with a friend or wants to settle in with their laptop to get a little work done. Many people were lounging in the shop and at the multiple outdoor tables around the coffee shop. I definitely see Merit Coffee being a buzzing place for those near Seaholm or visiting the new Austin Central Libray.

The best part in my opinion though, are the baked goods Merit Coffee is serving up from San Antonio’s Bakery Lorraine like beautiful macaroons and toaster pastries (fancy pop-tarts to us laymen)! And obviously, Merit couldn’t come to Austin without adding a local touch! The shop’s also offering TacoDeli breakfast tacos and juice from Juice Society.

On one visit, I snagged a classic cold brew coffee from Merit Coffee and a strawberry toaster pastry from Bakery Lorraine! (Pro-tip, ask the barista to warm up your pastry, you won’t regret it!). Although I’m no coffee expert, I loved the cold brew with a splash of cream — smooth, silky and delicious!

The Bakery Lorraine hand pie was sweet and buttery from the pastry while the frosting was thick with the classic pop-tart shell we all remember from our childhood. This treat was a definite indulgence that was oh, so worth it and much more refined than the classic pastry I grew up eating.

Another day, I grabbed a Hippy Bar and a classic batch coffee. The batch wasn’t anything mindblowing but the Hippy Bar was delicious! It’s hearty with a touch of peanut butter and dried fruits. Though still a treat, it was a bit on the healthier side in comparison to the toaster pastry and something I’m craving more of now!

If you’re in the area, I highly recommend checking out Merit Coffee for a sip and a treat! I know I’ll find myself back at Merit Coffee soon to relax with a cup of coffee and another Bakery Lorraine Hippy Bar!

Merit Coffee
222 West Ave #120
Austin TX, 78701
(512) 906-0266
www.meritcoffee.com

Dirty Chai Cupcakes — Chai Spiced Cake with Espresso Frosting

October 25, 2016 by Alyssa

Dirty Chai Cupcakes combine the best of both worlds with chai latte cakes swirled with creamy, espresso buttercream frosting and topped with a chocolate covered espresso bean!

These Dirty Chai Cupcakes were inspired by a friend who’s a fan the Dirty Chai butter coffee at Picnik — a local, Austin-based food truck (and now brick & mortar) that specializes in food that accommodates all dietary restrictions. Truthfully, these cupcakes don’t have any special dietary accommodations. In fact, they only accommodate those who love coffee and crave cupcakes.

If this sounds like you, read on!

Never heard of a Dirty Chai?

It’s the best of both worlds, combining the dessert like spices of a chai latte with the toasty notes of espresso. Think sweet, creamy & caffeine!

The cake in these Dirty Chai Cupcakes is made with a parade of spices — cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, clove, nutmeg and a dash of black pepper for a hint of spiciness and warmth. This combined with the caramelly, molasses notes of brown sugar bring a subtle, toasted sweetness to the Dirty Chai Cupcakes. A friend who tasted these cupcakes mentioned they’d be great sans the frosting as a chai breakfast muffin!

Bake the Cupcakes!

These Dirty Chai Cupcakes bake up thick and chewy yet moist! The key to these cupcakes is the addition of an apple cider vinegar & baking soda mixture added just before scooping the batter into cups for baking.

Much like in science class, mixing these two ingredients together forms a quick reaction and a mass of bubbles. Adding the bubbling vinegar and baking soda mixture to the batter creates air within the cake when it bakes, allowing the cupcakes to rise up and bake into fluffy, Dirty Chai Cupcake masterpieces!

Whip up the frosting!

Since you can’t have Dirty Chai Cupcakes without some sort of coffee involved, I’ve topped these delicious chai cakes with rich, creamy espresso flavored frosting. To make this frosting, I created a high-concentrated instant coffee mixture that’s drizzled into the buttercream as it’s mixing. The coffee flavor has the rich notes of espresso without any bitterness.

To bring an extra jolt of coffee flavor, these Dirty Chai Cupcakes are topped with a simple chocolate covered espresso beans! This small dark chocolate bean also adds a beautiful contrast to the espresso colored frosting and a hint of class to the Dirty Chai Cupcakes.

Perfect for Fall!

My Dirty Chai cupcakes are the perfect afternoon treat paired with a cup of coffee. Their chai spice flavor is on par for the Autumn season and they’re a bit of a change up from the traditional ol’ Pumpkin Spice hype this time of year!

5.0 from 4 reviews

Dirty Chai Cupcakes -- Chai Spiced Cake with Espresso Frosting

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Prep time

90 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

1 hour 50 mins

Dirty Chai Cupcakes are the best of both worlds, combining the dessert like spices of a chai latte with the toasty notes of espresso.

Serves: 32

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk (1%, 2% or Whole)
3½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons cardamom
2 teaspoons ginger
½ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon clove
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
6-7 cups confectioner's sugar*
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup shortening
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon instant coffee
4 tablespoons warm milk
dark chocolate espresso beans, optional for decorating

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350*F
Line 2 cupcake pans with cupcake liners and set aside
Before making the cake, prepare the coffee for the frosting by whisking together the instant coffee and warm milk. Once mixed, set aside to cool.
To make the cake, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, clove, nutmeg, black pepper and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a stand mixer, add 1 cup softened butter and beat on high for 2-3 minutes
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add both sugars and the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Cream on high for an additional 1-2 minutes
Scrape down the sides and one at a time, add in the eggs, mixing well before each new addition
In separate additions, add the ⅓ of the flour mixture followed by ⅓rd of the milk mixing on medium speed between each new addition
Once fully incorporated scrape down the sides and prepare the baking soda & vinegar mixture
In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda and vinegar, quickly, while it's still bubbling pour the mixture into the batter and mix together on medium speed
Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared cupcake liners (makes ~32 cupcakes total)
Bake for 19-20 minutes
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow cakes to cool completely before frosting
To make the frosting, cream 1 cup softened butter and ½ cup shortening on high for 2-3 minutes
In 1 cup additionals, add in the confectioner's sugar
After 4 cups, add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
With the mixer on low drizzle in the cooled coffee extract
Add in the remaining confectioner's sugar, 1 cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached
To frost the cupcakes, place the frosting in a piping bag with a star tip
Cupcakes will keep 2-3 days, covered at room temperature

Notes

* I used 7 cups as I prefer a stiffer frosting to pipe with

Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake

August 11, 2016 by Alyssa

This Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake is decadent, chocolatey & delicious with an Oreo crust, layers of coffee ice cream, hot fudge & a dollop of whipped topping!

Since it’s still wicked hot here in the South (I’m not complaining, I love it) — I thought I’d continue my trend of no-bake desserts and venture into the coolest of categories with an Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake!

This ice cream cake begins with classic Oreo cookies, layers of coffee ice cream studded with chocolate chips, hot fudge sauce, a light dollop of whipped topping and more Oreos on top. It’s decadent, chocolatey and delicious. Perfect for those 100* days, an upcoming BBQ, or soon-to-be Labor Day picnics!

This Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake recipe is based on a family favorite and it’s a treat I’ve been enjoying since I was a little kid. When I was younger, my favorite part of the ice cream cake was the Oreo cookie crust and in all honesty, it probably still is!

Each summer when my Mom made this cake, usually for my Dad’s birthday, I’d first eat all the whipped cream and fudge sauce off the top of the cake. I’d then carefully work to scrape the ice cream off the Oreo cookie crust, trying to preserve the entire piece of crust, so I could enjoy it like an extra large Oreo cookie. I loved how chocolatey, thick and decadent the crust tasted!

In fact, I was so obsessed with this ice cream cake crust, I remember begging my Mom to make just the crust for dessert one night. Obviously, she laughed and refused to make it, informing me that it was nothing more than crushed Oreos & butter. (Tangent: My Butter Oreo request only strengthens Paula Deen’s argument that butter makes everything better)

Since this recipe is based on my childhood favorite, I kept the Oreo cookie crust as a key ingredient in my ice cream cake but swapped in Coffee Java Chip ice cream to please my grown-up taste buds!

If you’re a fan of mocha flavored anything, I guarantee you’re going to love this Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake. It’s like biting into a Starbucks Frappuccino or the best Coffee Sundae you’ve ever hard. It’s crunchy, sweet, gooey and creamy all in one bite! The perfect combination of flavors and textures.

Although I chose to make this ice cream cake with coffee flavored ice cream, creating an Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake, this recipe can truly be used as a base to create all sorts of flavor combinations by simply swapping your ice cream flavor, sauce, and toppings!

Sticking with the same Oreo cookie base and whipped topping ‘frosting’, here are a few other flavor combinations to try out if coffee ice cream isn’t your jam —

Since summer isn’t over yet, you still have plenty of time to try my Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake recipe and experiment with flavors of your own! Or if you’re searching for more no-bake desserts there’s also my No-Bake Cake Batter Cake Balls or Biscoff Cookie Butter Pie!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake

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This ice cream cake begins with the classic Oreo cookie, layers on coffee ice cream studded with chocolate chips, hot fudge sauce, a light dollop of whipped topping and more Oreos on top. It’s decadent, chocolatey and delicious.

Ingredients

24 Oreo cookies
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 quarts coffee or java chip ice cream, softened at room temperature for 15-30 minutes
1 cup hot fudge sauce, like Mrs. Richardson's
1 8-ounce container of whipped topping, like Cool Whip
Additional Oreos, for topping

Instructions

Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan with a bit of the melted butter and set aside
Place 24 Oreos in a food processor and pulse until you reach a sand-like consistency
Pour in the melted butter and pulse 3-4 more times to combine
Empty the Oreo-butter mixture into the springform pan and press it into the bottom and sides of the pan, to form a bit of a dam or crust around the edges
Place the cookie crust in the freezer to set for 30 minutes
Once set, remove the crust from the freezer and smooth the softened ice cream into the pan, using a spatula to evenly distribute the ice cream across the crust
Place the cake back in the freezer to set for another 30-60 minutes
Once the ice cream has set, heat the hot fudge sauce in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until warm but not bubbling
Pour the warm hot fudge on top of the ice cream, spreading it evenly all the way to the edges of the cake
Return the cake to the freezer to set until serving
Before serving, allow the cake to thaw for 5-10 minutes, which will make cutting the cake a bit easier
to slice the cake. Remove the springform container and top each slice with a dollop of whipped topping and additional Oreos.

Loving this Week 5

March 25, 2016 by Alyssa

We have a new addition to our kitchen this week, a beautiful riddling wine rack displaying air plants! The Pottery Barn catalogue inspired me to create it.

Typically, when I receive a store’s catalogue in the mail, I throw it straight in the recycle bin, as I prefer to shop online. But about a month ago, I received a Pottery Barn catalogue in the mail and although it’s typically a little too country for me, this time, I flipped it open and browsed through it while I ate my lunch.

And of course, this one time I decide to browse a catalogue, I find something I just had to have — a riddling wine rack. Which was decked out in the catalogue with a bunch of air plants, not wine. I know, the horror! A wine rack filled with PLANTS instead of wine?

This oversized plant holder looked gorgeous on the wall in the PB photos but the price point just wasn’t cutting it for me and the wine rack was actually too wide for where I wanted to hang it in our kitchen.

So, I hopped on Etsy (Wood4Decor created the custom rack for me) and had one custom ordered to fit our wall at half the price of PB’s. When it came, I hung it on our wall and a coworker hooked me up with a budget-friendly air plant site and I recreated the Pottery Barn riddling wine rack & plant look in my own kitchen.

I absolutely love how it turned out! I mentioned before that I wanted to add a bit of nature and green to our kitchen and this definitely did the trick. Every time I walk into our kitchen the site of this wine rack and air plants makes me instantly happy. Totally worth the extra DIY effort!

Although the wine rack was the highlight of my week, here’s a few other little things I’m loving —

High Brew Coffee – If you need a quick jolt of espresso, I highly recommend checking out these slim coffee cans. They’re super delicious and they come in a few different flavors including – double espresso, vanilla, caramel and dark chocolate mocha. They’re also low-cal ranging from 20-60 calories a piece. Find them. Love them. Then thank me.

Viniagrette – This is a new salad-centric restaurant in Austin and I absolutely adore it. <3M and I treated ourselves last Saturday afternoon for lunch out on Congress and both of us loved our meals. We enjoyed a few soups, a couple tea-based mocktails and two humongous salads. Although their salads seem a bit expensive, these salads are well worth their price and are much better than the $15 salad I make myself at the Whole Foods’ salad bar.

I enjoyed the Tuan Nicoise Salad and it was loaded with tuna, chopped kalamata olives and artichoke hearts! I loved the saltiness of the salad and it kept me full for hours without feeling weighed down.

Vinaigrette Mocktails | Hibiscus Tea & The Pepino

Vinaigrette | Tuna Nicoise Salad

Vinaigrette is also beautifully decorated. It’s light, airy and earthy with lots of simple decorations. I especially love their patio which is shaded by a huge flowy, green tree. It made for a very relaxed dining experience. I can’t wait to go back later this Spring and Summer to enjoy it again.

Happiness Ted Talk – I truly love Ted Talks. In fact, one of my favorite podcasts is the TEDTalks Health but this video on Happiness, appropriately titled, “Want to be Happier? Stay in the Moment,” is especially inspiring.

I don’t know about all of you, but I often find myself analyzing my past actions or conversations, thinking about how I should have done X or responded with Y. All this ‘reflection’ truly only makes us regret our previous actions. You often hear the saying ‘Stop living in the past!’ and this TEDTalk proves that if you start being more mindful and living in the present, you’ll not only be happier but also MORE productive.

If you’re happier because you’re getting stuff done and no longer have negative self-talk by dwelling on the past then I view that as a win-win in my book! This talk is only 10 minutes long and most definitely life changing.

That wraps my week, hope you all have a fabulous weekend and if you’re looking for something delicious to bring to Easter brunch or dinner on Sunday, may I suggest checking out my recipes for Ginger Spiced Cookies, Lemon Pound Cake, or Biscoff Cookie Butter Pie!