Cinnamon Sugar Popovers

I don't know why popovers aren't more of a thing? Are they a thing where you live?? All I know is I had never heard of one, much less had one, until a couple years ago via this bloggy-verse I inhabit. And I looove them! They're like...part pastry, part roll, part donut (like, the freshly fried dough kind, not the Dunkin Donuts kind). And how easy are popovers to make? SO. DANG. EASY! Again...why are these not more of a thing??!

I don't know what it is...but there's something about biting into a crunchy coating of butter and cinnamon sugar, and then being greeted by an airy, yet chewy, center that is just...heaven.

I would not be too surprised if I saw a little baby angel fly out of one of these lovelies. True story.

I mean...magic has got to be involved. Somehow a tiny little amount of batter rises up into these gorgeous pillars-like....what's the science involved?? I have absolutely no clue. Sooo....let's just call it magic.

If I was one of those super cool people that I see all the time on Instagram or that I knew back in NYC, I would create a beautiful tablescape (with some stunning flower arrangements-maybe peonies-in a vintage "oh I just had this laying around and it happens to be super artsy" kind of way. Ditto to a bunch of mismatched plates and maybe mason jars as glasses.) and serve brunch to my super cool group of friends, and I would probably have mimosas (using fresh squeezed orange juice), local and organic milk, a bunch of beautiful jams and honeys, European butter, waffles, French toast, and various pastries-INCLUDING these popovers.

Well...even though I am positive I could never in 100 years make the rest of that artsy, hip, lovely brunch happen, at least I've got these cinnamon sugar popovers!

Theoretically you could coat these popovers in anything you want (omigosh I wonder if I tossed them in powdered sugar if they would taste even more donut like??!) but...cinnamon and sugar just scream DELICIOUS BREAKFAST to me! You can also drizzle some honey on there. Or serve with jam. But...again...I liked them just like this.

Don't mess with perfection my friends! 

...Unless you want to, totally do what you want.

Browned Butter Belgian Liege Wafels

I dare you to take a bite of a waffle that is crisp and chewy, with pockets of caramelized sugar, that (according to my brother) "tastes like a cookie", and NOT became a full on addict.

I'm gonna stop you right now: YOU CAN'T!

Just ask Hayley....and...I'll admit it: ME.

I have found that the #1 food related thing I miss from NYC is probably the liege waffles (the "other" Belgian waffle. It's essentially like the long lost, prettier, more talented, and overall better sister of the Belgian waffle we all know and grew up with) from Wafels and Dinges. It makes me sad that it took me so long to discover them...I only had a year with those flavorful little beauties. And I didn't even appreciate them fully (I mean...I did but like...not enough) until I knew I would be leaving them. Before leaving NYC I probably ate 3+ of those waffles that I dubbed "my last"...but then...I'd see another truck...and I had another! #noregrets

Anyway, I had anticipated that I would go through sugary-waffles-from-heaven withdrawal so I bought myself some pearl sugar before I'd even made the move home (I had it shipped to my mom's house).

And then, as fate would have it, I found myself in possession of a jar of Nutella-my dinge (topping) of choice! Obviously it didn't take me long to tackle making my own homemade liege waffles!

To make the liege waffles you make a thick, yeasted dough and fold in big old chunks of pearl sugar. The pearl sugar chunks caramelize in the waffle iron and create those gorgeous sugary bites as well as the crisp exterior, while the yeasted dough gives us a chewy structure. 

...and this recipe called for melted butter, so I decided to brown it. Typical Kayle move.

Did I notice the browned butter? Ermmm...a little. Not a huge difference. Def. not a necessity. 

Did I love 'em? OF COURSE! They're so PRETTY! And they were sooo delicious, especially smothered in nutella with a good dusting of powdered sugar, and when you get a goood bite of caramelized sugar! 

Are they as good as Wafels and Dinges? Not quiiite (but close!) I think the dough might have been a smidge over-yeasted. That's ok, I'll just continue my quest and try more recipes!

Oh noooo....more liege waffles? Gosh darn it. Life is hard.

:P

Something Saturdays (7/26/14)

Recaaaap:

Sunday/Monday I has a slumber party/girl day with my 14 year old cousin Brianna. We made egg-less cookie dough and went shopping and had oodles of fun!

Tuesday I had my first-paid-modeling gig in Ohio-I did a photo shoot for Jay Kossman photography and it was tons of fun! I can't wait to see the shots and show you guys :) PLUS we shot in Chagrin Falls, which is where we took my engagement photos so I had some major deja vu. Plus it meant I got to get myself a treat from Jeni's ice cream again :D This time I tried their chocolate hazelnut ice cream sandwich and ooooh it was SO DANGED GOOD! Amazingly rich and dense chocolate ice cream sandwiched between chewy and nutty hazelnut cookies and then rolled around the edges in chopped hazelnuts (pictured in the instacollage below). Om nom nom!

Wednesday we had our 2nd cake tasting and-while the cake was pretty good and the owner was lovely, we decided that we didn't like the cake as much as our 1st place, and the price was actually higher. So that one was a no. We also went to check out Bocca Grande with some of our parents, as a potential rehearsal dinner location, and I think that is what we're going with! The location is very close to the church, the owners are lovely, the food is good, and the prices are just great. Would I like it if the locale was a smidge fancier? Yes. However, I'm prioritizing money for the actual big day and not worrying too much about the rest of it.

Thursday we had cake tasting #3 and it is definitely in the running! The owner was really nice and the cakes were delicious-great textures all around. The big WOW factor was their buttercream, though: I'm not usually a fan. It's too sugary. But their buttercream was PERFECTION-not too sweet and just so creamy and delicious, I kept going back for more! The price is good too. So #1 and #3 are both in the running (I'd say the cakes from #1 look better more consistently. But the price is better with #3. Hmmm). We have 3 more tastings to go! (this tasting is the one pictured in the instagram collage below.)

Today I'm working a promo job at the Soap Box Derby for the movie Box Trolls! It's going to be a long (10 hour) day but it should be fun :)