All things with a sense of style

It's difficult to find a better moment to share a recipe for classic Italian dessert Tiramisu than while snacking on Parmiagiano Reggiano! :) I adopted the recipe from a famous Italian Chef Antonio Carluccio - it's super quick and easy to make, and won't take more than 20 minutes of your time!

I don't think anyone needs a reasoning to make tiramisu - it's a wonderful dessert that speaks for itself: from Italian "tiramisu" can be translated as "cheer me up" or "lift me up". So whenever you feel like you need an extra kick of endorphins, clouds of creamy mascarpone on a airy pillows of savoiardi will help you get there.



A couple of little notes before you start preparing your dessert.

- Use only fresh organic eggs. 
I used to make tiramisu without eggs at all (substituting them with whipped cream and leaving the cake for the night in the fridge to stabilize) when I didn't have access to those - but traditional version really needs that yolk.

- Make your coffee in advance and let it cool down. 
Yes, I know that some people suggest using hot coffee claiming that it helps savoiardi to melt faster - I tried both methods, and honestly, it's much better to work with cold coffee because a) it doesn't burn your fingers and b) you have less chance to "overdip" your savoiardi this way!



- Use liquor in your coffee-dipping mixture
Seriously, just do it :)

- Don't over-dust with chocolate / cocoa powder
When I was craving tiramisu and went to Eataly they put so much cocoa powder that I almost choked because powders tend to overwhelm your mouth receptors.



Ingredients and directions for Classic Easy Tiramisu (makes two portions): 

Ingredients: 
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp sugar (for cream)
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g mascarpone
splash of milk
1 pot of coffee (~2 cups)
2 tbsp of sugar (for coffee mix)
1/2 pack of savoiardi / lady fingers
1 tsp liqueur (Marsala/Kalua/Dark Rum/ or Kirsch for slight cherry flavour)

Directions:
*Make coffee and let it cool down (if you have not read my notes before:)) 
1) Mix egg yolk with 2tbsp of sugar with a whisk.
2) Add mascarpone (apparently, better if it's a little bit sour) and a splash of milk to the mixture, and mix it until the consistency is smooth. Set aside.
2) Dissolve 1-2tbsp of sugar in the coffee, and start briefly dipping saoiardi one by one in there and quickly putting them in your serving bowl.
3) After every layer of coffee-dipped savoiardi put the mascarpone cream. Repeat till you have no more savoiardi or cream :)
4) Lightly dust with cocoa powder.

This wonderful dessert can be enjoyed right away but I prefer to keep it in the frige ~4hours for a more intense flavour. Best of all paired with espresso!

Armani Ecstasy Shine in #100 (left) and #400 (right) in daylight (2 layers)

Armani Ecstasy Shine in #100 (left) and #400 (right) in artificial light (2 layers)

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Hello lovelies! I’m really excited because I finally got some time to work on the beauty section of the blog, and new reviews and tips are coming up your way!

Today, I’m going to talk about Nügg Deep Hydration Moisture Boost Face Mask.

Brand: Let me start by saying couple of words about the brand. I was really excited to learn that nugg is a women owned and run company (#girlscandoanything), that not only cares about the quality of their products but also have a consistent CSR program (about which you can read more on their nugg). I feel that right now having so many options on the market we often take the final decision whether to make a purchase or not based on a personal connection to the brand and its mission, and I really support what nugg stands for. Their products are made without mineral oils, parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances and colors; formulated with over 90% natural ingredients and cruelty free.

Packaging: When I first laid my eyes on a nugg mask at Target, I thought that it was ridiculously cute. It comes in a 10ml pot with a minimalist design, that you can easily take with you during travels even to your carry-ons (bonus point!). Although it is branded as an individual single use mask, I personally find that the amount of product is too much for one applications, so I just close my pot with a clean film and keep it in the fringe - great way to be more financially conscious, besides smaller amount of product gives totally the same effect!

Price: 3.99$ on the official website or Target

Product: Among main ingredients are: aloe juice, glycerin, dimethicone, olive oil, camellia-seed oil, and spirulina extract (moisturize). The translucent milky gel-like consistency spreads well onto the skin, leaving a clean film that doesn’t dry out too much or leave the feeling of a mask. In texture and general feeling on the skin nugg Deep Hydration mask reminds me of Kiehl’s Overnight Hydrating Mask. It gives you a feeling of freshness when you put it on, then your skin gradually absorbs the product, and finally you’re left with a bit tacky thin layer that you can either wipe out or wash off with warm water.

Result: I left the mask for about 20-30 minutes, even though the instruction said 5-15 (don’t think you can over-hydrate your skin haha!) - and the results were amazing! My skin felt more hydrated, fresh, soft, and also firm! It kinda of gives you a SPA-like effect - when you just look as rested as you just slept 10 hours at your Bali cabin and about to have a fancy breakfast with tropical fruits and berries :) Also, dimethicone, that creates a protective layer on a skin, helps lock moisture from natural oils, so your skin feels hydrated for longer. Only after one use of this mask my skin looked dewy and plumped up for 2-3 days, so I’m hooked!

PS. If you're unsure about trying this mask - now it's THE TIME! During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, $2 of each Hydrating 5-Pack sale (which nugg will match) will go to benefit Cancer and Careers!

Imagine the soft sponge that melts in your mouth, the creaminess of the mascarpone mixed with an intense caramel flavour, and tiny crumbles that add a little bit of complexity to the texture. It’s rich, sweet, and indulgent. Meet an updated version of the traditional Russian sweet treat - The Honey Cake.

First of all, I should be honest and confess that I DON’T like honey :) I mean I can still eat it when the circumstances are right. For example, there is a cheese plate with honey, grapes and nuts in front of me at the wine bar. Or I’m sick, and I drink hot black tea with honey, apples and cinnamon to boost my immune system. But I won’t probably crave a spoon of honey by itself. However, this cake is so good that even people like fell in love with it.

There is a beautiful legend that explains why the honey cake has become a staple in the Russian cuisine. In the beginning of the XIX century, Russian Empress Elizabeth, the wife of the Emperor Alexander I, hated honey so much that she prohibited royal cooks to use it in any dishes. All chefs were obedient and followed the order not to fall into disgrace. Once, when cooks had to come up with a new dessert for the royal family, a young cook who didn’t know about Elizabeth’s taste, prepared a honey cake.

Delicate layers of the sponge and classic custard cream were absolutely mouthwatering, and the Empress loved this dessert most of all. When she asked what the cake was made from, the young cook could not lie to the Empress and confessed that he used honey for his recipe. Elizabeth laughed and send an order to reward the young chef for his reckless bravery and for the delicious cake he created for her. Since then the honey cake has become the favourite sweet treat for Elizabeth and was cooked for every feast at the palace.

I’d like to offer a modern twist of the famous honey cake - made with mascarpone based cream instead of the custard or sour cream that are often used in Russia. I hope that whether you like honey or not, you’ll enjoy this decadent sweet treat.

The Honey Cake "Medovik": The recipe and directions 

INGREDIENTS (for one ~9-inch 6 layer cake):
Dough:
2 large eggs
¾ cup (150g) sugar
⅓ cup (120g) honey
90g salted butter (cut in small pieces)
1 heaped tsp baking soda
3 cups (~400g) cake flour
Cream:
~500g mascarpone cheese
380g dulce de leche (1 can)
2 tbs creme fraiche (or sour cream)
1 box of blackberries (for decoration)

DIRECTIONS:

Sponge:

1. Place a wide pot with 2-3 cups of water, over high heat until steaming-hot, then adjust temperature to maintain a gentle simmer.
2. Put eggs, sugar, honey, and butter in a bowl and set it over steaming water, constantly stirring with a whisk, until sugar dissolves completely for ~2-3min.
3. Add baking soda, quickly stir, and remove from the heat.
4. Add flour, and mix until combined. 
5. Preheat the oven to 360F (180C) and in the meantime put the dough in the fridge to cool down for ~10 min. The dough will thicken and won’t be as sticky as before.
6. Divide the dough into 6 parts/balls and roll each piece in between 2 sheets of wax paper - you should have a thin round-shaped piece of dough. Remove the top sheet, prick the dough with a fork; put your rolled-out dough on a wax paper onto the baking tray and bake for about 4-5 minutes until lightly golden.
7. Repeat step 6 five more times :)
8. While you wait for the layers to bake, cut uneven edges of the baked sponge using a 9-inch cake ring or a knife and a baking form as a stencil. 
9. Make little crumbs of those sponge leftovers and save for later. (You can use your hands, knife or put the pieces in between wax paper and crush them with your rolling pin)

Cream:

1. Mix mascarpone, dulce de leche and creme fraiche in a large bowl and whisk until well combined.

Assembly:

1. Put ~2tbs of cream in between each layer of the sponge, as well as on the top layer and sides of the cake. 
2. Cover the cake all over with crumbs that you saved and decorate with berries of your choice.