It’s time, y’all! The granola is going on the Market. I’m still working on some last bits of business planning, but my Cottage Food Home Business – Unfolding Lovely Eats – is official!
The first thing I’ll be selling is the artisan granola I’ve worked hard to master over the last several years. A friend told me yesterday that this last batch was, “the best she’d ever eaten!” and I’m so happy! It’s the right time, and we’re just gonna go for it!
I have a few varieties I’ll be selling to start and I’ll also have the ability to custom make orders for people! I’ll be selling 10 oz packages, beginning at $10. The “Ultimate Granola” will be $14 for a 12 oz bag.
I feel incredibly lucky to make delicious things for people! I hope this is just the beginning!
Until I have a business bank account, I’ll be accepting payment through CashApp or Venmo to start. But once that business account is open and I can figure out how to set up a shop online, it’s gonna happen! 😉
I’ve never made bread pudding. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever eaten bread pudding. I had things in my kitchen that needed to be used, though, so I made some. I looked at so many recipes trying to understand the ins and outs of it, to soak overnight or not, what kind of bread was best, etc. It really just boiled down to me using what I had on hand.
What you’ll need: 8-9 thick slices of brioche, cubed 2 1/3 cups heavy cream 1 cup milk (I used 2%) 1 Tbs salted butter 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 2/3 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup 4 large eggs 4 egg yolks 2 apples, grated 4 oz dark bakers chocolate, chopped
What to do: A few hours before you get started, pull out your bread and cut it in cubes. Set it aside and leave it to dry out for a few hours. I don’t know if this is necessary, but we really want it to soak up the custard and that seems easier with drier bread.
Preheat oven to 350. Butter a deep 8×8 casserole dish, and then use about 1/4 cup of the sugar and sugar the pan (I honestly don’t know how to say that differently… do you know what I mean?? :p You want a layer of sugar to cover all the buttered surface area of the dish). Using a box grater, grate two apples, I used a fuji and a honeycrisp, and I imagine you could use other varieties, too. I would stick with crisp apples that don’t have mealy flesh. Set aside.
In a saucepan, add the heavy cream, milk, and 2/3 cup of sugar. Heat through over medium-high heat until the sugar is melted and the cream is warmed. Be careful not to let it scald. Remove from heat.
While the cream is cooking, add whole eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla to a mixing bowl and whisk together. Slowly mix the warm cream into the eggs. Start with a very small amount to temper the eggs – we don’t want the warm cream to scramble the eggs, but we do want it to warm them slowly. Continue to whisk until all the cream and egg mixture is incorporated – and now it’s custard!
Add the cubed bread to the custard mix and turn to make sure all the bread pieces are coated. Add the shredded apple, mix. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and add the dark chocolate throughout, using a spoon to push it under the surface a bit. Sprinkle about a 1/4 cup sugar over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, remove foil, and bake for another 20. If the top hasn’t browned nicely, feel free to place it under the broiler for a minute or two. I didn’t need to do that step, but all ovens are different. 😉
unfolding lovely eats 