Where'd the Leprechauns go?

I used to LOVE St. Patty's Day.
It was the BEST.
Leprechauns would trash my room with gold chocolate coins.
I would wake up in the morning with a 4 leaf clover tattoo on my face.
My diet was always entirely green... green eggs, green cookies, green pancakes.

WHAT HAPPENED?! Where'd the Leprechauns go?!

Instead the city turns into a kelly green shit show. People driving like CRAZIES. People frolicking around pretending to be Irish. People DRUNK ALL DAY. Not pretty. Not pretty at all.

On a lighter less negative note, I made some very delicious green inspired macarons with no green dyes. They were Mojito inspired. Key Lime, Mint and Juniper berries were all used and abused to make the most delicious fresh tart macaron.

"Mojito" Macarons

• Key Lime-Juniper Macaron Shells
• Key Lime-mint Curd
• Juniper, Fresh Mint and Lime Buttercream

These macarons were crafted at midnight. It might be when I am most creative.
It's that free flow brain wave length thing. It happens when I am super relaxed and just let these ideas pop into my head. The juniper is unreal in the shells. It is not overpowering at all but it gives it this delicious herbal note that lingers in the background. It also pull that Gin flavor through! I just trusted the classic Mojito flavors and new it would taste good. The buttercream came together with some keylime simple syrup, muddled mint and ground juniper berries. And for the key lime-mint curd, I used a classic lime curd recipe and folded the muddles mint in at the end.


Another groovy recipe I knocked out this morning will knock your socks off.

BROWN BUTTER BREAD PUDDING CUPS WITH APPLES
adapted from Joy the Baker


God they are good.

I don't know what else to say.

Just look and contain your drool...

8 cups bread cubes, cut into bite sized pieces

Fruit:

1 large peeled and cored apple, diced

Custard:

4 large eggs

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted and browned

1 1/2 cups (480 ml) 2 percent milk

1/2 cup Half and Half

1/4 cup (35 grams) all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Place rack in the center of the oven. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Place the bread cubes in a large bowl.

Custard: In an electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the eggs and sugar until thick (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Then stir in the melted and cooled brown butter and milk. Stir the custard into the bread cubes and let stand for five to ten minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Stir the flour mixture into the bread cube mixture and then fold in apple chunks.

Evenly divide the mixture among the 12 muffins cups, using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. Gently press the bread cubes to compact. Place the muffin tin on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.