Well, this recipe almost killed me. When I embarked on this journey, I thought this little classic cake would be a walk in the park but I was totally and completely wrong. I overthought this until I forgot my own name. I felt very unsure of every choice I made along the way and my freezer is full of failure cakes. But in the end, I emerged victorious with this beauty in tow. These are the best Chocolate Lava Cakes I’ve ever had and I’m not going to shy away from tooting my own horn over this one because, man, I fought for this. So without further ado, let’s dig into these sweet treats.
The winter is here in full force and I don’t have much to say about it because, well, I don’t want to start a new year of recipes off with negativity in my heart. So instead, I will highlight my favorite winter activity – refining my comfort food skills. When my world turns into a frozen tundra, I fall back on my favorites. Classic dishes that tickle my nostalgia and warm my toes. That’s why it’s lucky that we’re starting 2022 with another installment in my Overthinking Classics series. Today, we’re tackling what I think is the most January-friendly dish of all time – French Onion Soup.
With Hanukkah in the rearview mirror, this dual holiday household is ready to turn its attention to the Christmas of it all. And what better place to start than on a sweet note? And it’s an Overthinking Classics episode, which is too perfect for a season full of food-related traditions. Although today’s subject, Sticky Toffee Pudding, pledges no allegiance to any particular holiday, to me it tastes like Christmas. Sure, I’ve had it at other times of the year. It’s particularly consoling in mid-February. But there’s something about this delightful sponge that just seems festive. Perhaps it’s the dates or the toffee or that fact that it pairs well with scotch, but Sticky Toffee Pudding is excellent at staving off the cold and cultivating an atmosphere of warmth and general coziness. What could be more Christmassy than that? So let’s dive right in.
People often ask me about my favorite foods and restaurants. The moment they find out what I do, I am immediately asked what my favorite pie, Italian restaurant, and/or cocktail is. And my answers are always halting, vague, and laced with caveats. I can’t help it. For me, my favorite anything has so much to do with context. Are we talking lunch or dinner? Upscale or guilty pleasure? What neighborhood am I in? How tired am I? Who am I with? All of these are factors when I decide what I want to eat and drink and where I want to do it. But when it comes to the inevitable pasta question, I always have my answer at the ready because that answer never changes. My favorite pasta is Pasta Alle Vongole. So naturally, it’s the subject of the latest installment of my ongoing series Overthinking Classics.
