Nutella Stuffed Gingerbread Brownie Cookie

I'm pretty much obsessed with everything gingerbread. To me, it's the quintessential holiday treat, although I could eat it anytime of the year. With Christmas only a week away, I’ve been craving all things gingerbread, but wanted something different than the usual gingerbread cookies. Enter the Nutella stuffed gingerbread brownie cookie. It really is as glorious as it sounds and is basically a giant gingerbread cookie on crack. Crispy on the outside, ooey gooey on the inside, it's the perfect fudgey brownie delight. Each bite delivers a heavenly medley of cozy gingerbread flavours, with the Nutella and chocolate oozing out to create one big Christmas party in your mouth. This is true indulgence at its finest and my taste buds couldn't be happier.

Nutella Stuffed Gingerbread Brownie Cookie (Serves 7-8):

Modified slightly from a recipe by Cafe Delites

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cup butter
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
•  ¼ cup coconut sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup molasses
• ¾ cup dark chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli’s)
• ½ cup melted Nutella

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 8-inch round cake pan or cast iron skillet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan on medium high until it rises and begins to froth. Reduce heat and let simmer while occasionally stirring until it turns golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool down to room temperature.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk the cooled butter, coconut and brown sugar until smooth and combined. Whisk in the egg and molasses.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing slowly with a wooden spoon until just combined. Using a spatula, fold in ½ cup of the chocolate chips.

6. Spoon half of the brownie dough onto the pan and smooth out on top with the back of a spoon. Pour the melted Nutella over.

7. Add the remaining dough over the Nutella, pressing down gently until the Nutella is completely and evenly covered. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.

8. Place in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out semi-clean. Because the brownie is gooey inside, the toothpick may come out a little dirty.

9. Let cool a little before serving, and if you're feeling extra indulgent, top with a generous scoop of ice cream (I used a candy cane one from President's Choice), or whipped cream.

Happy Holidays!

Krispy Kreme's Day of the Dozens 12.12

I am all about a good deal, especially when it involves sweet, heavenly delights. Last week, I ate my weight in doughnuts because when Krispy Kreme presents you with delicious doughnut after delicious doughnut after delicious doughnut, you really can't say no. Well, you can try, but you’d fail miserably.

This Saturday, December 12^th (12/12), Krispy Kreme is celebrating the Day of the Dozens, where when you purchase a dozen of their Original Glazed doughnuts, you receive a second dozen for free! And who doesn’t love free doughnuts? Although all their doughnuts are incredibly scrumptious, nothing beats their original glazed. When warmed up in the microwave at the perfect 8 seconds, something magical occurs in all its ooey gooey melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

Before you run to your nearest Krispy Kreme on Saturday, don’t forget to present the coupon below. If you’re itching to get other flavours as well, some notable favourites of mine include Red Velvet, Caramel Kreme Crunch, and Chocolate Ice Cream Filled. Because let’s be honest, who can resist when there’s so many options? Day of the Dozens is being celebrated in both the U.S. and Canada, with the Canadian locations listed below.

Ontario locations:

Toronto (downtown) - 164 McCaul St.

Toronto (downtown) - 215 Harbord St.

Mississauga – 5920 Mavis Rd.

Quebec locations:

Montreal (Greenfield Park) – 600 Auguste St.

Quebec City – 1560 LeBourgneuf Blvd.

Don’t forget to use the hashtag #DayoftheDozens when capturing your drool-worthy shots.

Sparkling at Swarovski's Sea of Sparkle Collection SS16

In the midst of World MasterCard Fashion Week last week, Swavorski unveiled their upcoming Spring/Summer 2016 collection appropriately entitled “Sea of Sparkle”. Inspired by the world’s beautiful seas and oceans, the collection sparkled with vibrant shades of turquoise, aquamarine and bold pinks. I was instantly transported to an under-the-sea world, practically belting out the “Under the Sea” song from the Little Mermaid along the way. I just needed a cute mermaid costume and a singing crab. Suffice to say, I was in a fairytale state, mesmerized by all the gorgeous ocean-inspired hues. 

There was even the cutest little crystal figurines consisting of animals, cartoon characters and even characters from Frozen and Alice in Wonderland. Sadly, no Ariel or Sebastian though. Or even Flounder. Clearly, I’m still on this Little Mermaid train. Even so, the Sea of Sparkle collection is truly a stunning one, celebrating the beauty of nature and bringing a pop of colour and sparkle to any occasion.

World MasterCard Fashion Week SS16

Hustle and bustle seemed to be the underlying theme last week. In between World MasterCard Fashion Week, I was running to and from various shows and events happening around the city. WMCFW showcases the best of Canadian fashion and this season’s Spring/Summer 2016 collections left me dreaming of whimsical garden parties, frolicking on a tropical island, floating in a field of flowers, and getting married to Prince Charming. Since none of those things are going to happen anytime soon, I’m left to lust after the photos below and let my imagination run.

A true master of floral appliqués and dainty details, Mikhael Kale channeled an avant-garde garden party (clearly not your grandmother’s tea party).

Preloved radiated cool summer vibes, with bright colours, bold prints, and an overall relaxed, chic style that embodies elements of Canada's natural landscape.

 

Known for their luxury outerwear, Mackage rocked its industrial yet polished collection for spring, ending with a lustful combination of leather and fringe in a gorgeous turquoise number.

Inspired by the delicacy of the flower, Stephan Caras’ dreamy collection boasts watercolour floral silhouettes, luxe lace, and exaggerated slits that all intertwine in the most magical way.

 

As usual, Mikael D closed out Fashion Week with a bang, displaying breathtaking gowns and bridal dresses that left me wanting to get married simply so I could wear one of them. It was the perfect ending to a week filled with such innovative and stunning styles that proves how talented Canadian designers truly are.

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Muffins

Over the Canadian Thanksgiving last weekend, I baked up some muffins with my favourite fall ingredient: pumpkin. Super moist and yummy, these pumpkin muffins have almost a cake like texture and are drizzled with a thick maple glaze. Oh my glaze -- sticky and syrupy sweet, this glaze is what makes the muffins and is quite literally, the icing on the cake. The muffins itself are pretty healthy and nutritious, so I don’t feel bad going a little glaze crazy. To make them even healthier, I used all whole wheat pastry flour, subbed coconut sugar for white, and used coconut oil instead of olive oil. These pumpkin muffins are the perfect little fall treat, as evident by how quickly I gobbled them up.