brooklyn
:: love :: /
this past weekend was a special one. not only did frank and i celebrate our 3 year anniversary, but we celebrated a year of being engaged. 3 years ago this past sunday we had our second date. that was a special date for both of us. by the end of it we had both realized we had a connection far deeper than a physical attraction. the date started off at the lincoln square cinema to see a movie. afterwards frank suggested we walk through central park. we walked from the west side to the east side, pausing for a moment to look at wollman rink (if you've ever seen the movie serendipity then you know which one i'm talking about). as we exited the park frank kissed me. a kiss that, as i told my friends the next day, solidified my feelings that this was a man i never wanted to let go of. we continued our walk out of the park and were right by the plaza hotel, when to my surprise frank playfully threw a snowball at my back. it was a very silly and innocent moment that i will never forget. we stopped briefly at the restaurant, serendipity for coffee and dessert. we found ourselves walking and talking for over 30 blocks until we stopped at a restaurant for some drinks.
2 years later we celebrated our anniversary by re-doing our second date. we took our stroll through the park, and stopped at wollman rink. i turned around and frank was on one knee asking me to marry him. this year we celebrated our 3 year anniversary by doing the same thing(minus the proposal of course). it has been one of the best years of my life, one marked by immense happiness and a love i never thought was possible. i can't wait for more strolls, discussions, movie-watching, hand-holding, picture-taking, disagreements, kisses, and everything else that we share with one another..
♥ whoopie pies! /
i have been meaning to make these whoopie pies for a while now and thought valentine's day was a perfect excuse to do so. we live across the street from Baked, a bakery known for all things sweet and indulgent. occasionally frank will get one of their whoopie pies, and even though i cannot eat them, i always find myself taking a bite (and then regretting it). the cake is light, moist, and not too sweet. while the cream is smooth and buttery, and also not too sweet. after tasting some other whoopie pies in and around brooklyn, frank and i both believe that Baked has mastered the art of the whoopie pie! why might you ask i try to remake something that is already perfect? i'm not attempting to outdo the Baked whoopie, i am merely trying to make a whoopie pie that i can eat without feeling ill. some might be scared that these pies are grain-free, and gluten-free (these can easily be vegan if you replace the eggs with ground flaxseed),and that the cream is completely vegan. but fear not, frank (the man has no dietary restrictions whatsoever) has tested the whoopie pies (3 of them, in one sitting!) and he has given them his solid stamp of approval ✓
adapted from Health-Bent
:: makes 16 cookies and 8 whoopie pies ::
pre heat oven to 350°
line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
**just a note on the coconut milk. do not shake the can. the top half of the can is where the "full fat" coconut milk resides. i usually get 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk out of a single can. you will notice a watery looking liquid when the full fat is gone.
:: directions ::
2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup natural cocoa powder (non-dutched)
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon powder
1/2 cup full fat, canned coconut milk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
whisk all the dry ingredients until combined
then add the coconut milk, eggs, and vanilla - mix
using a cookie scoop (i didn't have one so i used a tablespoon), scoop even amounts of the batter onto the lined baking sheets. make sure you leave at least 2 inches between each cookie
bake for 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through
:: vanilla bean cream ::
3/4 cup palm shortening
3 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons raw honey (you can also use powdered sugar, or agave)
1 vanilla bean, scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
in a bowl, beat the shortening, coconut oil, vanilla bean/extract, and honey with an electric mixer. beat for 2-3 minutes or until ingredients are combined and creamy
**let the cookies cool completely before assembling with cream
put as much or as little cream between the cookies, i put about 1/4 inch of cream - i may use more next time
i stored my whoopie pies in the fridge and took them out 15-20 minutes before serving
:: enjoy ::