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riddleblack246 · 4 years

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For @scoobydean and @destielsecretsanta2020

“This could be nice for Jack.”

“’My First Christmas’. Cas, this is meant for babies.”

“It’s still his first Christmas with us.”

“That mean we should get one for you too?”

“If you’d like.”

Read below for some Team Free Will 3.0 holiday head canons~!

After everything goes down with Jack makes use of his new abilities, Sam and Dean are much more willing to fight to keep him with them. He initially wonders if it is because he’s “useful” to them now. The brothers promptly inform him that no, it’s because this is the first time where they can all feel safe enough to take a breath. Sure, they’re still hunters. But after everything they’ve been through, they all deserve a chance to enjoy life without constantly looking over their shoulders. And so Jack stays.

As promised, he brought back those that were loved and lost. Obviously everyone is relieved and thankful, but that is most clearly seen in the return of Eileen and Castiel. Sam and Eileen are quick to pick up where they left off. Castiel, however, is a bit more hesitant. He didn’t expect to ever see Dean again. He truly thought he wouldn’t have to know Dean’s feelings and when he confessed, he felt he could live with that. But now he’s suddenly back in this world, aware of his existence and the knowledge that he told the man he’d been in love with for over a decade how he felt. But Dean doesn’t allow him to panic for long. Enveloping Cas in his arms, he’s squeezing the angel’s vessel so tightly that he can barely get out the words. Nonetheless, he does and finally returns the sentiment that Castiel never expected to hear.

“I love you too, Cas.”

And now to dig into holiday centric joys!

By the time Christmas rolls around, the bunker’s primary couples have developed a sense of routine. Eileen has finally moved in and Dean and Castiel have eased into a comfortable romantic domesticity. And for the first time in a while, there are no hunts to investigate or major threats to take on, and the Winchesters found themselves able to celebrate the holidays in a way that they hadn’t had a chance to in some time (save for the Mrs. Butters stint).

On the first of December, Dean sits down in the library and begins to make a list, trying to figure out exactly what was expected of a traditional Christmas. When Sam catches him, he expects scoffs of disagreement or just bored indifference. Instead, he supplies the idea of inviting some people to the bunker.

“What, Sammy? You want to throw a Christmas rager?” (The statement does earn him an eye roll)

“No. I just thought it might be nice. See everyone together.”

Neither of them explicitly say why it would be nice, but they know the relief that would come with seeing each person they never expected to see again. Dean tasks his brother with making a guest list and sending out an e-mail to those on it (because Dean draws the line at trying to make actual invitations).

The response is overwhelmingly positive and soon enough, they’re fielding constant texts from Garth, asking if it would be okay to bring his kids, and e-mails from Donna, offering to bake a multitude of requested holiday treats.

Amidst holiday planning, the group allows themselves to give into expectations of the season. Jack and Castiel are largely in the dark of what is or isn’t part of the holidays and while Dean, Sam, and Eileen aren’t the most immersed, they do have an idea of what is to be done and are admittedly eager to dive in.

One of the first things on Dean’s list is to decorate a tree. He even insists on cutting one down himself, as aside from various times he had to cut and sharpen his own stakes, it’s something he’s never had a chance to do. Sam, reluctant to join him, tells his brother to have fun. In the spirit of “giving”, Dean bring Cas and Jack along, assuring Sam and Eileen that they’ll “be a while ;)”. They return some hours later with a tree that rivals the Rockefeller Center and relief in the fact that they have two celestial beings to transport something of that size. Decorating it is another story.

After digging through the bunker and finding that, no, the Men of Letters did not hoard Christmas ornaments or wreaths or any such things among their piles of artifacts and cursed objects, the groups decides to get a little shopping done. They initially hit a big box store for a bunch of basics - lights, tinsel, various colored balls (Dean makes several jokes about this), but as the month goes on, all of them are guilty of picking up random items to decorate with while out.

Eileen delightedly shows her boys a Christmas pyramid she bought and is quick to tell Jack that he can’t light it whenever he wants, as forgetting about it could result in burning down the bunker.

Sam buys all of them advent calendars, each dedicated specifically to every member of the bunker. Dean doesn’t comment on Sam’s shift toward the holiday spirit, not only because he’s happy that his brother has allowed himself to be more joyfully invested in things, but also because every day for the month he gets to appreciate a new and weird specialty bottle of hot sauce. Sam’s own contains different types of tea, Eileen’s has jam, Jack’s has little LEGO figures, and Castiel’s has coffee.

Jack nearly gives Dean a heart attack one morning when the man wakes up to find a nutcracker as tall as he is in the crow’s nest. Jack tells him all about finding it in a shop he and Castiel passed when getting supplies and insisting that it was a perfect thing to have for the bunker. Dean looks to Castiel and knows the angel would have been too soft to say no. Then again, he knows he would have been just as guilty.

Castiel begins buying ornaments for people in the bunker. Even with Dean teasing him about it, he does buy a “my first Christmas” ornament and puts a photo of Jack inside that Eileen helped him print out. He finds that he is particularly fond of ornaments that contain photos and begins to buy ones for that explicit purpose.

Dean doesn’t necessarily have a type of decoration that he finds himself buying outside of what they have, but he is fond of the lights. He usually insists they stay on as long as allotted, urging whoever is the last to go to bed to turn them off (though it’s usually himself).

When it does snow, Dean is eventually irritable about it with Sam and Eileen in a similar boat, though to a lesser degree. Shoveling snow out of the way of the bunker’s entrance is a pain in the ass and none of them love the chore of getting treads on their respective tires. But seeing Jack’s fascination with it - and realizing that it’s his first time encountering snow, they find themselves softening.

After getting help in clearing access to the bunker, the group spends much of the day outside. There is an unspoken agreement that they want Jack to experience all the great enjoyments of snow and it honestly brings out the kid in them too. They build a mediocre snowman (Sam takes the heat for his poor artistic skills), make snow angels (the jokes about Castiel doing so get old within five minutes), have a snowball fight (Eileen is fucking ruthless and not above putting snow down jackets), and creating makeshift sleds to race. The sledding is what ultimately makes them go back inside. Garbage can lids are hard to steer and after Dean eats it by running into a tree and loosing a tooth, even Cas fixing it doesn’t resolve the choice to go in. Nonetheless, the accident doesn’t stall the mood, as Dean insists on introducing Jack to one more awesome component of the Traditional Snow Day - the hot chocolate at the end. Said hot cocoa almost results in a fight when, after Dean makes enough for all of them, Castiel reluctantly admits that he doesn’t care for it, and Dean and Jack nearly come to childish blows over who gets his mug. Later that evening, Castiel makes sure to thank Dean privately for allowing Jack to have it. ;)

Now, when it comes to cooking, Dean likes to consider himself pretty well-versed. Baking is another story. The preciseness that’s required is what gets him. Sure, he can be meticulous, but he’s always been more of a “little of this, a bunch of that” kind of guy over exact measurements, which leaves a lot more room for error when it comes to baking. But after going on a “Gilmore Girls” binge with Castiel (the couple constantly debates the superior show of the former and “Dr. Sexy, M.D.”), he can’t help imagining a scene of tenderly showing Cas how to roll out dough and mussing some flour in his hair and watching the angel lick the spoon in a way that borders on pornographic. The day after watching, he’s searching for cookie recipes and telling Castiel to dig out some aprons.

As is the Winchester way, this expectation does not come to fruition. Cas, as he thought, didn’t know a thing about cooking or baking. But Dean pictured being able to guide him, to do all the romantic shit you see in Hallmark movies. Instead, the angel is complaining about not being able to just will the baked goods into existence, standing in the way when Dean needs to get any kind of ingredient, and getting flour on every fucking surface in the kitchen. Things reach a boiling point when Cas pulls the cookies out of the oven, sans oven mitts, and for a brief moment, Dean’s brain operates on a panic reflex and snatches the tray from his hands. The result is their hours of baking scattered all over the floor, a dented baking sheet, and second-degree burns on the hunter’s hands. He’s huffing and cursing and he fully expects Cas to scold him and point out the obvious fact that he’s an angel and such temperatures have no effect on him. But instead, he watched Castiel pulled his hands from the faucet (having immediately shoved them under there after he burned himself) and tenderly brushes his finger tips over the wounds. Dean feels the familiar sensation of healing flesh, something he hasn’t felt in a bit and he’s silent as Cas brings the newly healed skin to his lips and presses a kiss to his palms. The irritability baking had brought them is gone. Dean lets Cas wave the kitchen clean and they decide to just go out and buy Christmas cookies instead. Later that evening, Cas’ lips taste like ginger and Dean finds that the reality is way better than the fantasy.

They ultimately end up hosting the party that started their shift into the Christmas spirit a few days before the actual holiday. After all, they know most of their friends prefer flying over driving and it might be a lot to ask them to come out on the actual holiday. But their concerns of traffic and irritated guests soon fly out the window in the face of so many familiar… well, faces. Hugs never stop coming and despite everyone’s claim that gifts would not be necessary, everyone knows that’s bullshit and a pile beneath their ridiculous tree grows with every teasing comment and expression of happy holidays.

Speaking of the tree, Castiel is quite pleased with his holiday crafting and the other members of the bunker share that sentiment. Since the angel discovered the photo-insert ornaments, he had taken it upon himself to spend random periods during the month finding photographs of each important person in their lives that he could and putting them into such items. Everyone takes joy in searching for their own picture. Claire comments that he picked a terrible one of her, but Cas hears her quietly asking Dean if she could take it home with her, as it features her and Kaia pressed close in a hug. Charlie adores her’s and insists that she wants to make the same craft, but only if they do it together. Everyone quietly appreciates the ones made for those that aren’t present to appreciate them. Jack ensures that Mary’s ornament has prime placement. Eileen hugs Sam when she catches him looking at Kevin’s for a while. Dean makes a point to kiss Castiel privately after finding Bobby’s nestled among some tinsel. Everyone agrees that their the best decorations in the place.

Hunters and those that know them have never been known to operate on a normal schedule, so it is nearly three in the morning before the bunker clears out. Some have elected to drive home if the trip was relatively easy. Others have settled into the many spare rooms that the bunker holds. Once all the gifts have been opened, the eggnog’s been drunk, and everyone has eaten their weight in treats, only Dean and Cas remain in the quiet bunker. They sit together in the library, positioned on one of the many extended seats they’d brought out to fit their guests. The lights of the enormous tree are still on at Dean’s request and Castiel can’t help staring at the way the different colors still look so beautiful on him. He glances up at the other decorations strewn about. The bows, the poinsettias (Garth had brought something like ten of them), the holly, the- He spots a familiar item of decor. He’d seen Sam and Eileen equally position themselves under it in wait of their partner, always stopping them with the insistence that a kiss must be administered before they continue on their way about the bunker. Lazily, he nudges Dean and points to the archways between the crow’s nest and the hall that leads to the bedrooms.

“Is standing beneath that a requirement for kissing?”

Dean follows his finger and huff out a laugh. Even though they hadn’t been dating long, they’d been together for so many years that he knows the angel is teasing. He turns to meet his eyes, smiling at the way the lights almost change them from blue to a rainbow of color.

“What, you want to kiss under the mistletoe? Now?”

For a moment, it seems as if he’s considering the offer. But instead, he shakes his head and reaches a hand up to cup Dean’s cheek. He knows that he could have kiss Dean under there the same way Eileen and Sam do. But he knows they’re different. Dean is a lot of thing and as much as he would deny it, one of those things is private. Their relationship is simultaneously new and so so ingrained into their life. Affection was always something there, just beneath the surface. And while he had the thing he desired for so long, that doesn’t mean he feels the need to push Dean into a realm of affection that just isn’t fitting of who they are together. Leaning forward, he captures Dean’s lips in a kiss. He tastes like eggnog and candy cane.

Castiel understands all the more that happiness is in the being. And he no longer fears his joy. Because he can’t imagine being happier than holding Dean beneath these lights and knowing that they still have tomorrow and so many days to come. There is no better present than that.

#destielsecretsanta2020 #scoobydean #supernatural #Destiel #saileen #saleen #jack kline #my posts

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amphipodgirl · 3 years

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Birthday Brownies for CSCB

Happy birthday to my dear friend @carryonsimoncarryonbaz! You were my first friend in the Carry On fandom and your friendship means a lot to me. You’ve been so kind and supportive to me and to so many others in the fandom -- you are a true Fandom Parent. You are a wonderful beta reader — the ending of Mi Chamocha in particular owes so much to you! I love your fics and also your baking side blog.

Here’s my special treat for your birthday (I wish we could share them in person). In tribute to @cookingmywaythroughcarryon , here is an alternative recipe for Penny Bunce Brownies. I love brown butter in baked goods, and brown butter sage pasta sauce, so I took that as my starting point. I figured some orange would help cut the medicinal flavor of the sage and help marry it with the chocolate.

Fair warning: I really love this frosting, but I am the only person in my house who will even eat it. (More for me!)

Fudgy Brownies with Sage-Orange Frosting

Icing

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

5 leaves fresh sage

1/8 teaspoon grated orange zest

2 cups confectioner's sugar, divided

2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Brown the butter. Melt over medium heat in a small saucepan then continue cooking until the milk solids turn golden brown. There will be foaming and possibly spitting.

Brown the sage. Make sure the leaves are dry. When the butter is pale brown, add the sage leaves and cook in the hot butter until they are crispy but not burnt. Remove from the heat.

Add the orange zest and break the sage up a bit with a fork. Add the first cup of confectioner's sugar and stir well; this will break the sage into smaller pieces.

Add the remaining sugar and stir until combined as well as possible. This will be imperfect, as it's less butter than would be needed to moisten all of the sugar.

Stir in the first tablespoon of juice, then the second. Continue adding more, a little bit at a time, until you get a spreading consistency that you're happy with.

Brownies

2/3 cup cocoa powder (I used Valrhona, which is rich and mellow)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons water

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350º.

Line an 8x8” or 9x9” square pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick spray. (Tip: it's easier to line a pan with foil without tearing it if you first mold it gently around the outside of the pan, then move it to the inside.) (Also, you can skip the foil if you want. It just makes them easier to get out for frosting and cutting.)

Combine the dry ingredients and whisk together. Stir in chips.

Combine wet ingredients and mix well (I like my immersion blender for this, but a fork is fine too).

Stir wet into dry.

Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 30-35 minutes for a 9” pan or 35-45 minutes for an 8” pan. Check by poking with a table knife — you don't want it to be still liquid, but it should still be moist.

Cool on a rack, then frost.

The frosting recipe is a modification of one from a 1941 Better Homes and Gardens cookbook; the brownie recipe is a modification of the Deep-Dark Fudgy Brownie recipe on the King Arthur Flour site.

#recipes #food #brownies #birthday #carryonsimoncarryonbaz #a special friend #happy birthday #i hope you have a wonderful year #simon snow series #carry on #penny bunce #penny bunce brownies

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harvest-moon-cookbook · 5 years

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CHOCOLATE CAKE

(From BtN)

https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/best-chocolate-cake/

Ingredients:

CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 cups (260g) flour

2 cups (414g) sugar

3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 cup (240ml) buttermilk

1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup (240ml) hot water

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 1/4 cups (280g) butter

1 1/4 cups (237g) shortening

9 cups (1035g) powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup (114g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder

4–5 tbsp (60-75ml) water/milk

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

6 oz (1 cup | 169g) semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Sprinkles

Directions:

Prepare three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom, and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C).

Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together.

Add eggs, buttermilk and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients and mix well.

Add vanilla to boiling water and add to mixture. Mix well.

Divide batter evenly between cakes pans and bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.

Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

Make frosting while cakes cool. Beat together butter and shortening until smooth.

Slowly add 4 cups (460g) of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Add vanilla and half of the water or milk and mix until smooth.

Add another 5 cups (575g) of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Add cocoa and mix until smooth.

Add remaining water or milk until the frosting is the right consistency.

Once cakes are cool, remove cake domes from top with a large serrated knife.

Place first layer of cake on cake plate. Spread about 1 cup of frosting on top in an even layer.

Add second layer of cake and add another cup of frosting on top in an even layer.

Add final layer of cake on top and frost the outside of the cake.

To make the chocolate ganache, add the chocolate chips to a medium sized bowl

Heat the heavy whipping cream just until it begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate chips. Allow it to sit for 2-3 minutes, then whisk until smooth.

Drizzle the chocolate ganache around the edge of the cake, then pour the remainder of the ganache on top of the cake and spread evenly.

Allow the ganache to firm up a bit, then pipe the remainder of the frosting around the top edge of the cake and pipe a border around the bottom.

Add a few sprinkles to the cake, if desired, then serve. Cake is best when well covered for 3-4 days.

#food #dessert #cake #chocolate #chocolate cake #recipe #recipes #harvest moon #hm #story of seasons #sos #hm cookbook #harvest moon cookbook

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merrybrides · 5 years

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Red Velvet Cheesecake Recipe

Print Recipe Here

Red Velvet Cheesecake Recipe

INGREDIENTS

VANILLA CHEESECAKE

24 oz (678g) cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup (207g) sugar

3 tbsp (24g) all purpose flour

1 cup (230g) sour cream

1 tbsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs, room temperature

RED VELVET CAKE LAYERS

2 1/2 cups (325g) all purpose flour

2 cups (414g) sugar

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

4 tsp (9g) natural unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp salt

1 cup (240ml) buttermilk

1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 tsp white vinegar

4 tsp red food coloring

1 cup (240ml) hot water

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

16 oz (452g) cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/4 cups (280g) butter, room temperature

12 cups (1380g) powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

6 oz white chocolate chips

RED GANACHE

6 oz red Wilton candy melts

3 tbsp heavy whipping cream

Sprinkles

INSTRUCTIONS

TO MAKE THE CHEESECAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C). Line the entire inside of a 9-inch (23cm) cake pan with aluminum foil. Press it into the pan to get it as flat as you can. You’ll use the aluminum foil to lift the cheesecake out of the pan when it’s baked and cooled.

2. In a large mixer bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar and flour together until combined. Use low speed to keep less air from getting into the batter, which can cause cracks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

3. Add the sour cream, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until well combined.

4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition.

5. Pour the cheesecake batter into the lined cake pan.

6. Place the cake pan inside another larger pan. I use a larger cake pan, but you can use a roasting pan or any other larger baking pan. Fill the outside pan with enough warm water to go about halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake for 1 hour.

7. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door closed for 30 minutes. Do not open the door or you’ll release the heat.

8. Crack oven door and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 30 minutes. This cooling process helps the cheesecake cool slowly to prevent cracks.

9. Remove cheesecake from oven and chill until firm, 5-6 hours.

TO MAKE THE CAKE LAYERS:

10. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line the bottoms of two 9-inch (23cm) cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides.

11. Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa and salt to a large mixer bowl and combine. Set aside.

12. Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, eggs, vinegar and red food coloring to a medium sized bowl and combine.

13. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined.

14. Slowly add the hot water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.

15. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 23-26 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

16. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING:

17. When you’re ready to build the cake, make the frosting. Add the cream cheese and butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.

18. Slowly add about half of the powdered sugar and beat until well combined and smooth.

19. Add the vanilla extract and mix until well combined.

20. Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar and beat until well combined and smooth.

TO BUILD THE CAKE:

21. Use a large serrated knife to remove the domes from the top of the red velvet cakes.

22. Place the first layer of cake on a serving plate or a cardboard cake round. Spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly on top of the cake layer.

23. Use the aluminum foil to lift the cheesecake out of the cake pan, remove the foil and place the cheesecake on top of the cake.

24. Spread another cup of frosting evenly on top of the cheesecake, then add the second layer of cake on top. If the sides of the cake don’t line up, use a serrated knife to trim off the excess cake or cheesecake.

25. Frost the outside of the cake.

TO DECORATE THE CAKE:

26. Press white chocolate chips into the bottom of the cake, around the bottom edge. Refrigerate cake for about 20 minutes.

27. To make the red ganache, place the red candy melts in a small bowl

28. Heat the heavy whipping cream just until it begins to boil, then pour over the candy melts. Allow it to sit for about a minute, the whisk to melt. If it isn’t completely melted (and it probably won’t be), heat it for another 20-30 seconds, the whisk until smooth.

29. Allow the ganache to cool until it thickens up a good bit, but is still pourable, then transfer to a squeeze bottle.

30. Drizzle the ganache around the edge of the cake.

31. Heat the remaining ganache (you can leave it in the bottle) for about 10 seconds to soften it up again, then pour it onto the top of the cake and quickly spread to the edges.

32. Allow the ganache to cool and firm, then pipe swirls of the frosting around the top edge of the cake. I used the Ateco 844 icing tip. Add sprinkles, if desired.

33. Store the cake (in an airtight container, if possible) in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Cake is best for 2-3 days.

Photo & Recipe Credits: Life Love & Sugar

#red velvet cheesecake #red velvet cake #red velvet recipe #cheesecake #cheesecake recipe #red velvet cheesecake recipe

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angel-scythe · 6 years

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Chloe : Chapter 19

People! HAPPY NEW YEAR

Thank you so much to have been there. It was so important for me. Writing in english truly helped me and having support in my english stuff was awesome.

I wish you the very best and a great 2019!

Push my door for the last time of 2018 (or maybe the first of 2019?) or keep reading to read this chapter?

| °|

Chapter 19: Interrogations

7th December, 06:39

Yawning, Elizabeth woke up in her bed. She rubbed her eyes, not sure if she was moved all along the night. She has her brown hair with honey reflect all tousled. She pushed a little bit her stuffed animals and then her covers. She got up and yawned again. The youngie went to the living room where her father was asleep in the sofa. The covers slid from his body. Did he sleep since a long moment?

She hesitated few seconds. She had an idea but she must be sure she won’t be scolded by her papa.

Finally, she went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator and the shelves. With knife and few ingredients, she started to make a good breakfast.

7th December, 06:57

“Papa! Papa!”

The man groaned and passed his hand on the face.

“What? Something’s wrong, my Queen?” he mumbled.

In fact, it was pretty hard to understand what he said since he was almost asleep but the youngie was sued to it. She kissed his stingy cheek and climbed the sofa to hug him tightly.

“I made you the breakfast!”

“You did what?!”

She moaned as the scream touched her ears.

“Look!” She jumped on the ground and went quickly to the kitchen. He got up to see his daughter came back with two dishes. Two toasts were on each, one with strawberry marmalade, the other with chocolate.

“I add butter! I wanted to make coffee too but… I can’t use the fire so…”

“Yeah, I prefer. I’ll make the coffee. Do you want a hot cocoa?”

“Yes, pleeease!”

The man kissed her forehead and got up. He let her put the dishes on the coffee table and went to the kitchen to prepare the drinks.

“How were your dreams?”

“Strange. I dreamt I was in a train and he won’t stop moving. I dreamt I was in a lot of place, traveling the world and it felt weird when I woke up because I was at home. In my bed.”

“In fact…” Gavin took two mugs, one with an owl for his daughter and the #1 papa’s one. “I needed to go at the precinct in the middle of the night. Daddy wasn’t available immediately and I took you at the station.”

“Ooooh.” The little girl moved on her butt, looking uneasy.

“What?” her papa asked, seeing her.

“Why Connor didn’t come?”

“I know you want to see him but he was busy. At Hank’s… But… when you were at the precinct, he went to take care of you. Not long time but still… And you’re daddy said to you that he loves you.”

“I love him too!”

Gavin went to put her mug on the coffee table.

“Careful, my Queen, it’s hot.”

“Okay. Does Connor will come tonight? Please, please, please?”

“I’ll ask him but I don’t know. He’s fine with Hank, you know? He’s his papa, after all.”

“Yes. And papas are good!” The young girl thought. “Maybe, I can do one week here with you, one week with daddy and one week with Connor at Hank’s!”

“What?” Gavin sighed. “What are you talking about?” He took a sip then a bite in the toast.

It was too buttery, too charged with marmalade, even if some could say it was impossible to be ‘too charged’ but since it was his daughter who made this…

“I want to have time with Connor!”

“Why? Why do you love him? I mean… like.”

Elizabeth put back her mug.

“At first, it was so nice to meet an Android and to have one as friend!”

“And then?”

“Then, he makes you happy. And I love it when you’re happy.”

“He…” Gavin frowned.

“Yes, papa?” She smiled widely.

“What do you want to say by “he makes you happy”?”

“You seem happy when he’s here. So I love him more and more!”

“You’re sweet.”

The man caressed her hairs softly.

“I’ll ask him.”

The girl went against him and hugged him. She wanted to be happy with him and Connor.

7th December, 07:59

A gum in a mouth, Gavin chewed as he pushed the main door. He didn’t say hello to the hostess, because he didn’t want and because she was a bot then he passed the security doors. When he came in the room, he searched for Connor and only saw Felix. This one got up as soon as he passed through the security. What kind of monster was that?

The RK900 came toward him, straight, mannered. His head was up and the tiny smirk giving to him an awful look. Gavin wanted to punch him in the face. But he’d wanted to punch him anyway…

“Hello, Detective Reed, did you have a good night? And how is the young Elizabeth, Connor would be glad to know it.”

“Where is Connor?”

“At home. His home.”

“It’s eight a.m.,” Gavin replied.

“Yes, but… Wait a second, Detective Reed, please.” Felix closed his eyes.

Gavin sighed and went to his desk where he sat down.

“You plastic prick, bring me a coffee when you’ve finish!”

Felix opened his lids.

“I am not your coffee machine, Detective Reed. And I have connected with Connor. He is at Hank’s home, as I said. Hank is really asleep so he does not know when he can come.”

“You’re saying to me that this fucking Lieutenant is destroying this fucking other plastic prick?”

“What do you want to say with “destroying” please, Detective Reed.”

“Connor used to be punctual.”

Felix came to him and bent over before smiling widely.

“Do not worry, Detective Reed. Connor can work from Hank’s place and he already does it. Our precious Connor will not change.”

“Our…” the man replied.

He bit his lips.

“Now, you know that we have a case. THE ST200’s one. I have the list of every person that used to know her in the High School time. And even the Middle School and before. I just supposed you did not need it.”

“Uh… yeah. But I’m not sure it’s useful.”

“To search in the classmates?”

“To search so far away,” Gavin sighed. “Go get my coffee!”

“I said no, sorry. I make a list about the people we must see. Some are in the area. I took their schedule and formed the best one for us. It is when you want.”

Felix gave him few pages print so they could bring that with them without taking any risk. Gavin could see the age, the occupation, the number of children, if they were married, widow or else and everything the Android could find. If it was on the internet, the RK900 found it and put it in the paper.

The Detective was amazed. He won’t show it, of course.

“The beer can is really asleep?”

“The Lieutenant Anderson did not drink last night. But he will not come before a moment. He likes to sleep longtime in the morning and he has a case with Connor so I am not sure he will come in the commissionership. I can ask Connor if you want to?”

“Tss.”

Gavin wanted a coffee and he sighed before got up. With the files the Android had made, it was easy to know where he needed to start. There was a lady whom still leaved at Detroit. In fact, it was the only one who dared to stay live in Detroit. If you put Kamski apart. Well, if you thought it was at Detroit he lives since he had his house somewhere in Michigan Lake so away the place seemed to belong to nobody.

The Human went to the breakroom and prepared a coffee.

“Okay, let’s go. Then we are going to Kamski’s?” Gavin asked. “Don’t you need an appointment with this fucker?”

“Yes, you do. I took one but you will be happy…”

“He said ‘no’, of course.” Gavin took a sip in his freshly made coffee. Strong and just a little sugared, it was perfect.

The coffee here at works was so much better that the crap he could afford.

“No. Connor asked for coming with you. He thinks it is better if he is the one coming with you. Since he has already met our creator.”

“And Fowler doesn’t want to say “no” and fuck everything up?” Gavin mocked.

“We did not have asked him yet. We have talked about that last night.”

“When? Oh… Fuck. You fucking Androids. That’s so fucking stupid to be a fucking Android.”

“Excuse me? I think you did not say “fucking” enough time,” Felix smiled.

“Don’t fuck with me.”

“It is not in my plans,” the RK900 swore. “Anyway, we will ask Fowler and we will arrange to have the appointment when Connor will be available. He has an important case with the Lieutenant Anderson for now so it’s a bit difficult for him but it will come soon enough. We still can work on the case in our side and, if I may, after Lady Merry, we should go at Holland to see Miss Lambert and Mister Gourrier.”

“And Lauren…” Gavin said as he looked the files.

Lauren Huckleberry who was his classmates married Ted, becoming a Gourrier. That made five classmates who were pretty near of there. Who were able to have killed all those ST200. In fact, in term of proximity it was Coburn Loïs, the one still living in Detroit, who looked the more capable to have commit the murder.

But you know?

It could be Edmund Kali from Los Angeles if he had enough time to lose or a good way to accomplish those demeanors.

“Let’s go. I don’t have time to lose.”

Gavin counted. If he had chance, which he did not, he will be back at sixteen. He took his phone to warn David. In fact, he was used to don’t go take Elizabeth up at school and another parent would do it and let her at the precinct, it was on they way, but still. If David could pick her up, it would be better.

With the RK900, he went to his car outside. He opened for him and installed the GPS while Felix came beside him. The coffee was on the little circle made for it.

“If you want I…”

“I want you to shut the fuck up. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Fuck.”

Gavin finished to encoded the address then got started his car and drove away.

7th December, 8:23

Coburn Loïs, like Gavin, has thirty-sixth years. She used to work in a supermarket and had an Android to do everything she needed to have done in her house. Caring for the four kids, keeping the garden beautiful, cleaning the house. But when the Android were freed? She couldn’t afford the refund of the bill, for the Android, and give a salary to the Android. So she fired it and now she was overflowed. That’s exactly the reason why, when she saw a car park before her alley, she was really pissed off. More again when she saw it… the police’s plate…

She adjusted her uniform and even her hair to look better.

The four kids followed and were ready to get in the car.

At this hour? Come on! Even he, he wasn’t a such bad parents.

“Ma’am. I’m the Detective Reed and there is the…”

“Android Detective?” Felix offered.

“Here’s Felix from the DPD. We need to ask you few questions.”

“What was about? I’m busy and very late.”

“Well, when you’ll say the cops come to your house they’ll understand. Or shit they pants so leave you alone.”

“Detective…” Felix started.

“Shut up,” Gavin replied to him. “Can we enter or we stay there in the snow? Not sure it would be a good thing for the report,” he smiled.

“God… Emmerick!” Loïs talked to her eldest son, five years old. “Bring your sister and brothers at the school.”

“Okay,” he said.

Loïs didn’t look happy at all but went back to her home to open it to the policemen. She wanted to say to them to hurry up but know it was only a bad idea…

“Do you want some coffee?” she offered.

“Yes,” Gavin replied.

He was always up for coffee.

“If we can make it short, we will make it short,” Felix swore.

“Thank you.”

Loïs went in her kitchen to take what it rested of coffee from the breakfast. Since she saw the LED and the blue triangle on Felix, she only prepared one cup and the put it on her kitchen table. The two cops had followed her and she smiled with difficulties.

“Madam Coburn, we are here because of a case who seems to be connected with Chloe Kamski.”

“Chloe Kamski? Thought she’d come back when his brother became very rich.” She sighed.

“What’s happening?” Gavin asked with a smile.

“Just though it was a shame he didn’t want to be with me anymore when he becomes rich. But… you won’t keep that against me? Right?”

“I’ll certainly do. Right now I’m asking myself if you had killed her after torturing her just to have what you want from Elijah Kamski. I could put you in jail.”

Gavin smile grew wider as he said that. He took a sip, seeing the woman very afraid.

“Please, Detective. That poor girl is fine and somewhere, certainly.”

“She’s dead,” Gavin replied.

“Detective Reed,” Felix said firmly.

“Dead?” the woman gasped. “How?”

“We do not know. We are even sure she is dead.”

“Well…”

“Shut up, Detective Reed. I will take care of that. Lady Coburn, we are on a case connected to Chloe Kamski. Since eight years, someone attacks and also killed ST200, it is that model looking like Chloe Kamski.” Felix reached and showed his hand with the picture of few ST200 on it, Kleio, Judith and even Jenny.

“I… I’ve already seen ST200 if it’s the question but I don’t understand what you meant? You think I’ve killed Chloe or those replica? I don’t!”

“You must proof it,” Gavin replied. “Why not tell what you felt about her? How she punched your jaw and you hated her for that.”

“How did you know that?” she said, surprise.

“Excuse me, I did not say his name. He is Gavin Reed.”

The woman looked concerned.

“He used to be in your class.”

“Sorry, I don’t remember. You can’t remember anybody, right?” she smiled. “And yes. Chloe punched me. Several time, in fact. One time, she even cracked my jaw… and she cracked her hand in the same time. Her brother liked me and I always said no. Quite harshly but, younger, he was really weird.”

“Just remembering you it’s a good reason for me. You hated her, you wanted to kill everything that looked like her. And since Androids are not Human…”

“I swear to god, I never killed someone. I can’t kill a fly! I always ask Emmerick to do it for me. It’s weird but… If you were at school with me, you know it!” the woman said to him.

“Don’t know,” Gavin replied.

“Just ask me what I was doing each time a Chloe’s were attacked, I’ll have an alibi, you’ll see!”

She tried to smile but it was difficult.

“A chance for your, I have in mind each hour and day,” Felix said.

“But you, will you remember?” Gavin asked with a dry smile.

He sipped more dark liquid which was pretty good. That didn’t help to calm Loïs’ fear but she replied to each question of Felix and seemed to don’t be available at any crime. And has even some proof and witness to assure that she wasn’t there at the moment of fact.

#It's on ao3 #DBH #Detroit:become human #Gavin reed #Convin #Gavin reed x rk800 #Gavin reed x Connor #Connor #rk800 x reader #fluff #romance

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alanls2-blog · 6 years

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Ultimate Chocolate Cheesecake

prep 30 mins

cook 1 hour, 10 mins

inactive 6 hours

total7 hours, 40 mins

author ashley manila

yield 9" cheesecake

Rich, creamy, and supremely flavorful, this is the ultimate chocolate cheesecake!

Ingredients

For the Crust:

1 and 1/2 cups (180g/6.3 ounces) Chocolate Wafer Crumbs

1/4 cup (57g/2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

For the Ultimate Chocolate Cheesecake:

2 cups (340g/12 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 and 1/2 pounds (680g/24 ounces) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup (198g/7 ounces) granulated sugar

1/4 cup (53g/1 and 7/8 ounces) light brown sugar, packed

3 Tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder

4 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks, at room temperature

3/4 cup (170g/6 ounces) heavy cream, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Ganache:

1 and 1/3 cups (226g/8 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 and 1/4 cups (12 ounces) heavy cream

1/4 cup (57g/2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes

Instructions

For the Crust:

Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside of the pan in layers of heavy duty aluminum foil. You’ll be placing this pan in a water bath, so be sure the pan has been wrapped from every angle.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chocolate wafer crumbs and melted butter. Pat the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and cool the crust completely. Leave the oven on.

For the Ultimate Chocolate Cheesecake:

Fill a medium pot one-third full with water and bring it to a low simmer over medium heat.

Place a heatproof bowl that will fit on top of the pan snugly, but will not touch the simmering water, on top of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped chocolate into the bowl over the pot. Heat until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring occasionally with a silicon spatula. Remove the pot from the heat, leaving the bowl of chocolate over the hot water. Set aside until needed.

In the bowl of a food processor (or high-powered blender), pulse the cream cheese until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 2 minutes. Add in both sugars and cocoa powder and beat smooth. Add in the eggs, egg yolks, and heavy cream and mix until just combined, about 20 seconds. Fold in the chocolate. Finally add in the vanilla and pulse for another 20 seconds.

Remove the bowl from the food processor and, using a rubber spatula, stir the filling several times to ensure it’s evenly blended.

Scrape the filling over the partially baked crust in the prepared pan.

Place the springform pan in a roasting pan or large baking pan. Place the roasting pan in the preheated oven and pour enough hot water into the pan to come 1-inch up the sides of the springform pan.

Bake the cheesecake in the water bath for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the center of the cake is set but still slightly jiggly. The cake will set completely as it cools.

Remove the cake from the water bath and place the pan on a wire rack. Carefully loosen the foil, then immediately run the tip of a knife around the sides of the pan, to prevent the top from cracking. Cool completely (in the pan), then transfer cheesecake to the refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours before removing from the pan and slicing.

For the Chocolate Ganache:

Add chopped chocolate to a medium bowl; set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium-heat, bring the cream to a low simmer. Pour half of the cream on top of the chocolate pieces and set aside for 1 minute. With a whisk, begin to incorporate the melted chocolate into the cream. Slowly add the remaining cream and continue carefully whisking until smooth and glossy.

Add in the butter and use a spatula to stir until the butter is completely melted. The mixture will be dark and glossy. Set aside, at room temperature, until needed.

Pour ganache over cooled cheesecake. Set aside until ganache is set, about 1 hour.

To serve, slice the cheesecake with a thin-bladed sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between each cut.

Store, loosely covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.

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bimscannibalcookbook · 6 years

Text

Recipe 1: Six-Layer Chocolate Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Filling

Hi guys! Since this is a cookbook, I’ll be sharing a recipe or two every now and again! I hope you enjoy the six-layer cake!

For the cake:

2½ cups 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

3 cups granulated sugar

1 cup 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 tablespoon baking soda

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons salt

3 eggs, at room temperature

1½ cups buttermilk, at room temperature

1½ cups strong black coffee, hot

¾ cup vegetable oil

4½ teaspoons vanilla extract

For the toasted marshmallow filling:

16 large marshmallows

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (7½-ounce) jar Marshmallow Fluff

For the malted chocolate frosting:

2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar

¾ cup Ovaltine Classic

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

8 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate, melted and cooled

½ cup heavy cream

Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper, grease the parchment, then flour the insides of the pans, tapping out excess; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer (or large mixing bowl if you’re using a hand mixer), sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for an additional 20 seconds (the batter will be very thin).

Divide the batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake for 20 minutes and rotate the pans in the oven. Continue to bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs), about 12 more minutes. Cool the cakes (in the pans) on wire racks for 20 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto cooling racks to cool completely.

Make the Toasted Marshmallow Filling: Place the marshmallows on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place on the lowest rack of oven, and broil marshmallows until nice and brown on top, keeping an eye on them the entire time so they don’t burn. Remove pan from oven and gently turn the marshmallows over, and broil until the other side is golden brown.

Beat the butter and powdered sugar on low speed until blended together, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract and increase the speed to medium-high; beat for 3 minutes. Stop the mixer, add the Marshmallow Fluff and toasted marshmallows, and mix on the lowest speed for about 1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Make the Malted Chocolate Frosting: Beat the butter and powdered sugar on low speed until blended together, about 1 minute. Add the Ovaltine, vanilla and salt, and continue to beat on low until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream and beat on medium-high speed for another minute.

Assemble the Cake: Slice each cake layer in half horizontally so you have six cake layers. Place your first layer face-up on a cake plate and cover with one-third of the Toasted Marshmallow Frosting. Place another cake layer face-up and cover with about ¾ to 1 cup of Malted Chocolate Frosting. Repeat, alternating marshmallow and chocolate filling layers, until you come to your cake final layer, which you will place face-down. Frost the entire outside of cake with the remaining Malted Chocolate Frosting.

Notes:

Cake is best served the same day it is made, but leftovers can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator, well-wrapped, for up to 3 days.

You can substitute marshmallow creme for the Marshmallow Fluff.

For the cleanest cake slices, refrigerate the cake for about 30 minutes before cutting. Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water (and wiped dry) between each cut.

(Credit to: Browneyedbaker. Original recipe found here)

#bims cookbook #recipes

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hookedonapirate · 7 years

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A Birthday Surprise

Summary: It’s bad enough Emma was goaded into helping her college roommate throw a surprise birthday party for her boyfriend who Emma hasn’t gotten along with since they’d met. It’s even worse when he accidentally walks in on her in the shower thinking she’s said roommate. Talk about a birthday surprise he’ll never forget…

A/N: This was meant to be a birthday gift for my dear friend @rouhn and it’s way early, but I decided to post the first half to cheer her up. I hope it at least makes you smile, and I hope you can find inspiration to finish your story, Lydia!

Thank you @resident-of-storybrooke and @teamhook for taking a look at it and for all of your help!

Starts with Millian, but definitely ends with Captain Swan.

Rated: Explicit

Also available on: AO3 FF.N

Part 1/3

“Crap! We’re out of milk.”

Emma casually shrugs in the entryway sipping her mug of cocoa and cinnamon, indulging in the sugary hot liquid as she watches her roommate frantically run around the kitchen making pancakes. Milah’s trying to at least.

“How can we be out of milk?!”

There’s butter smudged on the countertop, there’s white flour dusted all over everything, including her angry friend and a spot on the floor where Emma can assume Milah tried to clean up a broken egg based on the smeared yolk, glop of egg white and remnants of egg shells.

“Do you need any help?”

“No, I told you I can do this on my own!” Milah shrieks in vexation. “I don't need any help. It's Killian’s birthday and I'm perfectly capable of making him chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast on my own, without your assistance,” she insists, adding some ingredients in the bowl, her pale features twisted in disapproval at her unfinished concoction. “I just need to get some milk.”

Emma responds with an eye roll, because how could someone forget an important, yet basic ingredient such as milk? Okay and there may be several other reasons to be annoyed.

For weeks, Milah’s been droning on and on about doing something special for the guy she's been seeing for four months now. And although Emma's been helping her plan his birthday party, adding her input with every last detail—the decorations, the food (not to mention the pirate ship cake she picked out), the invites and even what gift to get him (she unfortunately knows the man better than his own girlfriend does)—Milah won't let Emma help make him breakfast. Don't ask her why because she has yet to fathom a reason.

Milah can't even cook a box of macaroni and cheese, which is why the task of making most of the meals is always left to Emma. But Milah wants this day to be special, and absolutely insisted on making pancakes by herself. So, Emma just leans back and watches her roommate make a complete fool out of herself.

“You know, you could've just made pancakes from a box. They probably would've turned out better anyways,” Emma teases waggishly.

Milah flashes a scowl and sets the mixing spoon down to pick up a rag and wipe off her mess from the counter. “I'm going to the store to get some milk. Killian’s supposed to be here in twenty minutes, but if he does arrive before I do, I'm sure you could occupy him until I get back?” Milah drops the rag and approaches Emma, clasping her hands together, her lips forming a pout. “You two can get along for two seconds, right?”

Emma emits an exasperated sigh as she turns around, making her way out of the kitchen. “Consider him occupied,” she assures her roommate, and at the same time, she's anxious to hop in the shower because she really doesn't want to be seen by him in her current state. She may hate the man's guts but the thought of him looking all gorgeous and cleaned up while she’s in her bathrobe with no makeup and her hair a disheveled disaster—well, she just can't give him that kind of satisfaction.

“Oh, and can I take your car? Mine’s on empty.”

“Go for it. The keys are in my purse,” Emma replies dimly and proceeds down the hallway, wishing this day would fly be as quickly and painlessly as possible.

“Thank you, Em! I'll be right back!” Milah calls out, and with the jangling of Emma’s keys and the door flying shut behind her, Emma is left to her own devices and traipses into the bathroom, turning on the shower.

Seriously though, is the guy worth all of this trouble? He's just a man Milah will probably grow sick of after a few more months anyway. During the year she and Emma have been roommates, Milah has gone through five short-lived relationships that ended badly (on his end at least). Milah is always way less involved in the relationship than the guy is, so when she cuts him loose, she wipes her hands of him and literally has another man in her sheets the very next night. So really, Emma doesn't know why her roommate is going to all this trouble for this one guy. And if Emma is being honest, she feels sorry for Killian even though she cannot stand him. He's smug and cocky and overall a huge pain in the ass. He hangs around the apartment way too much and she can't understand why they don't go to his place more often. And the reasons she hates him has nothing to do with the fact that Emma had met him before Milah did. No, she had reasoned a while ago that she hated him the moment she’d met him.

• • • •

It’s a Monday morning during her second semester of junior year at the University of Camelot as Emma hurries across the campus with her bag of textbooks slinging over her shoulder. It had rained overnight, so the grass is slippery and wet, and there are puddles scattered among the parking lots in front of the various buildings. In retrospect, she should've rethought her outfit as soon as she walked outside and stepped onto the wet concrete, considering she’s wearing her favorite sweater—a white Camille that her mother had gifted her for Emma’s nineteenth birthday—but she takes her chances and plunges through it, her long, golden curls bouncing behind her. The boots she’s wearing are receiving the rough end of it anyway, collecting mud around the edges, but they’re old and tattered so she’s not too concerned.

She’s crossing a small parking lot in front of Cricket Hall, the psychology building, when she's nearly run over by a motorcycle, dodging and falling in a puddle and dropping her bag in the process.

Emma curses, utterly humiliated as she struggles to get up, but the sound of the motorcycle cuts off and there's suddenly a hand being extended to her and bright blue eyes looking down at her. All of the air leaves her lungs and she can't do anything but take in the black leather, dark unruly hair and rough scruff on the sharply shaped jaw of the man who has almost run her down with his stupid bike.

“My apologies, love. I didn't see you.” His sultry British accent and kind words tear Emma from the trance she's fallen into and she shakes it off, not accepting his help as she tries to push herself up. But she's all wet and the ground is too slick, so she falls again splashing in the mud and huffs in frustration. This time, she reluctantly accepts his assistance because, well to be blunt, her dignity’s already been thrown out the window, and she's covered in mud so there's really no way to amend the situation at this point. She takes the offered hand, and the contact sends a bolt of electricity through her body.

He pulls her up as she grumbles under her breath, and when she's finally standing, she quickly releases his hand and peers down at herself to assess the damage. Her favorite sweater is completely ruined. “Shit! Look what you did! I'm covered in mud, my bag and the sweater my mother gave me are ruined and I was supposed to be in class two minutes ago! How am I supposed to show up late, or at all for that matter, looking like this?!”

Emma's expecting another heartfelt apology or for him to at least sound like he's sorry for ruining her clothes or her bag (Shit! Her books are probably ruined too!), but to her chagrin, he only picks up her bag, a scowl settled in his handsome features as he holds it out for her to take. “Like I said, I didn't see you.”

“Yeah, well maybe you would've if you were watching where the hell you were going.” Emma snags the bag from his hand and unzips it peeking inside and pulling out a book that is now drenched from the mud puddle.

The guy only shrugs and replies with, “Yeah well maybe you should watch where you’re going,” before he leaves her fuming with anger.

“You owe me two new school books!” she shouts after him, but he keeps walking away, “and a new sweater!”

“I’ll get right on that, love!” he calls back, increasing the distance between them.

Emma is furious as she watches him casually sashay across the lawn, as if he didn’t just almost run her over with his damn motorcycle.

“I’m not your love!”

He whips around and lifts a flirty brow, throwing a wink and that big stupid grin as though to argue with her statement before turning and proceeding his trek.

• • • •

Stupid bastard.

He never did replace her books, Emma thinks resentfully. Untying her robe, she lets the satin fabric fall from her naked body and hangs it up on the hook before stepping into the shower. It’s hot and steamy, but it feels soothing on her skin as she dips her head back to get her hair wet, running her hands through the golden tresses.

Flashbacks of her early encounters with Killian flicker through her mind as she appreciates the peaceful shower time that doesn’t involve annoying roommates barging in to steal her hairbrush or blow dryer and then using the items in the bathroom while Emma’s still showering. Needless to say, Emma appreciates the quiet moments.

The campus is not even that big, considering the small college town, but Emma had managed to run into Killian several times after he’d almost taken her down with his bike—the library, the cafeteria, the student center—and neither of them were any more pleasant.

“Oh look; it’s the douchebag who hit me with his motorcycle,” she would remark, and he’d always respond with a sardonic grin and make the comment, “Oh look; it’s the lass who couldn’t watch where she was going. I better steer clear and make way for the enchanting princess,” he always teased, whirling his hands around in a worshipping gesture to which she reacted with an exaggerated eye roll.

For the better part of the previous semester, Killian was like a moth to a flame or one of those annoying gnats buzzing around in her ear that wouldn’t go away, but somehow he’d managed to grow on her. Not that she would ever admit it to his face. She guesses it all started when she’d helped him get rid of a girl he wasn’t interested in by pretending to be his girlfriend for a whole five minutes at a party.

• • • •

“Well, well, love; I guess you are good for some things after all,” he taunts sarcastically as Emma removes her hand from his and pushes him away, while cursing under her breath. She really needs some alcohol right now. To think, she could've had the luxury of being in her own home, studying for finals, but instead she went to this party in hopes of forgetting about her upcoming exams on a Friday night before being holed up in her apartment, studying all weekend.

Heading for the beer keg, Killian is hot on her heels, following behind her like a lost puppy dog begging for a bone. She accepts a red solo cup filled with beer that she’d watched one of the guys pour for her and takes a big swig, wiping her lips as she leans back against the wall.

“You owe me,” she mumbles, and he flashes one of those heart-stopping smiles that she absolutely hates.

“Aye, love. I really do.” His eyes are bright and full of warmth, and it’s the most sincere she’s ever seen him, and maybe it’s the alcohol in her system talking, but she kind of likes him like this. “I am truly sorry for ruining your sweater,” his voice is soft, every word laced with apology, and she loses a sharp breath when he steps closer. Their eyes are locked, and Emma gulps, feeling the heat between them as he licks his lips. She definitely does not feel the loss when he takes the cup from her hand, and leaves shortly, bringing her back another beer. “Almost running you over and ruining your things without making it up to you was very bad form on my part.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Emma brushes his words off with the flick of her hand before taking the drink, their fingers brushing in the process. Her heart flutters (just a bit). Raising the beer to her lips, she downs the bitter liquid in one graceful gulp before releasing a not-so-graceful burp. When she lowers the cup, Killian’s eyes are on her, and he appears to be genuinely impressed and rather amused.

“You may look like an angel, but you drink like a pirate,” he chuckles.

Yep, his intense, stormy blue eyes definitely require the liquid courage she just doesn’t possess in order to engage in any sort of civil conversation with this guy.

And it’s working.

Emma’s actually having a decent time, which she didn’t even think was possible when she was dragged to this place by her roommate, Milah, even though Emma insisted they both had to study. But of course, Milah talked her out of spending a Friday evening working on “boring school shit" only to ditch her for some guy the second they walked through the door, like she did pretty much every week since they’d moved in together

It was nine months prior, the start of junior year, when Emma had offered her small, two-bedroom apartment to the raven-haired coed; they had met in Visual and Cultural Communication class (if Emma told someone she knew what that meant, she'd be straight-up lying) where they sat next to each other complaining about their looney professor. Emma had been low on funds at the time, and was desperate for a roommate to alleviate the financial pressures of college life. The building she’s staying in is located in the heart of the area’s collegiate life, but it’s far more expensive than it’s worth. Plus, she was lacking a female companion before Milah moved in, so it was much more lonesome being on her own than dorm life was during freshman and sophomore years.

“Em, there you are!” Milah’s words sound in her ear as she strides over, swinging her arm around Emma’s shoulder.

Emma can tell her roommate had indulged in a couple drinks as a lazy smile curves her lips, eyes dull and glossy. “I've been looking everywhere for—” Milah cuts herself off when she looks in front of her, seeing Killian standing there with a charming grin on his face. Her mouth gapes open, hazel eyes dancing with intrigue as she stares at Killian like he’s a fucking Greek God or something.

Emma can’t comprehend the effect he has on the female population. Okay, she kind of gets it. The guy is smokin’ hot and makes even the popular, attractive college boys look like a disgrace to the male species.

Killian's hair is artfully disheveled and he has those blue bedroom eyes that definitely do not have a swooning effect. And what is with all the leather he wears?—she has no clue, but if he’s going with the cliché biker look, he’s succeeded and she may or may not have told him that a couple of times when she had to see his stupid handsome face around campus. He certainly wears the leather well, with his sinfully tight pants and his black jacket with a skull and crossbones on the back, which completes the outfit.

“Em, aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” Milah asks, towing Emma from her thoughts, and she blinks a few times, gesturing between them.

“Milah, this is Killian—the guy who almost ran me down with his bike—and Killian, this is my roommate, Milah.”

“Ah, so my reputation precedes me.” His smile widens as he chuckles and takes Milah’s hand, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand, his eyes connecting with hers.

And Emma does not feel the smallest pang of jealousy in her gut. Certainly not.

Milah’s breath is stolen, and she tries to gather words, never taking her eyes off of the British man. Milah’s doing her best to stay calm and collected, but it’s clear to Emma that it’s an internal battle, which is quite strange because normally Milah is very confident with the college boys. She normally runs the show, so to speak, when it comes to the opposite sex. “I—Umm—Em here has mentioned you,” she finally musters.

Emma watches them intently, glancing between the two of them, and she can see that there’s a bit of interest buzzing in his eyes, but he’s also torn as he averts his gaze, staring at Emma and gulping thickly.

She watches as her roommate flirts with Killian, Milah’s cheeks flushing as she laughs at his attempt to make jokes.

Deciding two glasses of beer is just not enough, Emma disappears briefly, but not before Milah hands Emma her empty cup and throws her a wink.

“Thanks, Em. You’re the best.”

Emma grumbles under her breath as she returns to the keg to acquire some more beer.

Killian shares a few drinks with them, along with some laughs and playful banter, but neither he nor Milah drink as half as much as Emma does.

She doesn’t know exactly why, but she’s pretty sure she drank her body weight in beer—she doesn't even like beer. She can barely stand, and is starting to get tipsy when she foolishly attempts to climb on a table to dance, but instead she starts to fall before she's even up on the surface, landing safely in a pair of strong, warm arms with an “oomph” flying from her mouth.

Grabbing his shirt and clutching onto him like he's a life source, she looks up seeing Killian peering down at her. A lazy smile pulls at her lips. “Thank you for catching me,” she manages, her words breathy and slurred.

He flashes an adorable grin in return. “Thanks for being a great catch,” he quips, his words making her heart stutter.

She’s vaguely aware of her roommate or anyone else in the room as they stare into each other’s eyes. His strong, spicy cologne is fogging her already inebriated senses as she presses her palm to his chest, feeling the soft hair tickle her skin, her thumb brushing over the opening of his buttoned shirt.

“You smell very nice,” she mumbles, her smile never fading, eyes never leaving his.

Killian chuckles. “And you’re being awfully nice. I think you’ve had a wee bit too much to drink, love. Why don’t we get you home?”

Emma doesn’t argue; everything around her starts to spin, so she wraps her hands around the back of his neck, tucking her face into his chest. Even though his body is firm and tone, he’s surprisingly soft as she snuggles her cheek into the fabric of his shirt, luxuriating in the warmth radiating from his body and the unsteady heartbeat buried underneath.

Milah covers Emma with her jacket so she doesn't catch a chill in the coolness of the night, and Killian effortlessly carries Emma back to their apartment.

He delicately deposits Emma into her bed when they reach her room, and she immediately curls into a ball, trying to stave off the urge to vomit as she's draped in a sea of blankets.

“I’ll get her some water,” Milah states before leaving the room.

Emma feels the bed dip and the press of Killian’s warm lips on her already heated forehead, but his kiss somehow manages to send a pleasant chill down her spine. “Get some rest, love. You’ll feel better in the morning.” His words are soft and sweet, causing Emma's breath to catch in her throat as she idly ganders up at him.

He’s still hovered over her, so she takes the opportunity to raise her hand to his chest, and the room is dark but the moonlight is draping into the room and she can see Killian’s mouth as she keeps her gaze there, contemplating how those lips would feel on hers. He cups her cheek in his hand, and his touch warms her belly as he smiles down at her. “I think I like you this way, Swan. I should get you drunk more often,” he teases, caressing his thumb over her the apple of her cheek.

Emma’s consumed in his gaze—his touch—and she almost thinks he might kiss her (if he did, she might let him).

“Here you go, Em.”

Suddenly, Killian is pulling away from her, and Milah is offering a glass of water, so she gulps it down, trying to forget the fact she really wants to kiss him.

It’s definitely the alcohol speaking.

Killian stands from the bed, and Emma watches as Milah places her hand on his bicep. “Thank you so much for helping me bring her back. This is the first time I've ever seen her drink so much.”

“It’s not a problem, love.” Killian flashes a smile, and Emma feels the pang of jealousy in her gut, but she doesn’t know why.

“Maybe we can hang out again soon?” her roommate suggests in a flirty tone, fluttering her lashes at him, her eyes full of hope.

To Emma’s dismay, he offers a soft nod. “Aye, definitely. I look forward to it.”

Milah bites her bottom lip, attempting to contain her excitement as she grabs a pen from her purse and takes Killian’s hand, scribbling down what Emma assumes is her phone number. By the time she’s finished, Killian is blushing as Milah kisses him on the cheek. “Great. I can’t wait.”

Suddenly, all of the blood has completely drained from Emma’s face, and she quickly gathers the strength to yank the covers away and removes herself from the bed, feeling the urge to vomit. “I'm gonna be sick.” Emma stumbles and starts to fall, but Milah rushes over, helping her up.

“Emma, let me help you to the bathroom.” She pulls her arms around Emma, holding her up.

“Do you need my assistance?” Killian asks, his voice full of concern.

“No, that’s okay. I can take it from here,” Milah replies and they say goodnight before Killian leaves the apartment.

Emma doesn’t make it to the bathroom and pukes all over Milah’s shoes.

The next morning, Emma is groaning as she slowly drags herself out of bed. Thankfully Milah had closed the curtains so Emma couldn't be blinded when she woke up, but still, her head is pounding and it feels like someone is continuously pounding her brain with a hammer.

She carefully makes her way to the kitchen and slides into a chair at the table where Milah is quickly attentive, and gives her some water and aspirin.

“Morning sunshine.” Milah’s voice is bright and cheery, and it sounds like nails on a chalkboard.

Emma vaguely remembers what had happened last night and how Milah took care of her, but she’d been hoping it was a dream. “Did I really vomit on your shoes?” Emma mumbles as she takes the aspirin and glass of water.

“You did,” Milah replies casually, taking the seat across from her, “but luckily I was borrowing yours.”

“Oh good,” Emma mutters, and is very grateful at the moment, practically throwing the pills in her mouth and guzzling down the cool liquid.

“Emma, can I ask you something?”

Oh, fuck.

Judging by the tone in Milah’s voice and the way she’s staring at Emma with her bright hazel eyes, she knows she’s in trouble. She swallows the water down her parched throat and sets the glass on the table, placing the pads of her fingertips to her temples, trying to dull the ache of her throbbing head. “The room has finally stopped spinning, so you can ask away, I suppose.”

Milah draws in a deep breath and stretches her arms over the table, grabbing Emma’s hands and take them into hers. “Look, I’ve been thinking a lot since last night… and I just wanted to make sure it was okay if…” Milah pauses, eyeing her with uncertainty, and more memories of last night flash through Emma’s mind, so she has an idea of what her roommate is about to ask her. “I gave Killian my number last night, but then after he left, it hit me… you always complain about him whenever you see him, but when I joined the two of you at the party, you both seemed… pretty chummy…”

Emma arches a brow, glancing at Milah in confusion.

“It occurred to me that you might actually like Killian, and I don’t want to intervene or steal him away if you have feelings for him.”

Emma would have laughed if she didn’t feel so nauseous. “Are you kidding me? The guy’s a huge pain in my ass. Of course I don't like him. I was only being nice to him because I had alcohol in my system,” Emma makes sure to express adamantly. “I mean, you know I never drink, but I had to in order to put up with him. So of course I don't mind you going out with him. You should.” Emma regrets the words as soon as they fall from her lips. “You’re both single and I could see you were both getting along pretty well.”

A slow smile takes over Milah’s face, excitement lighting up her eyes, and Emma’s throat grows dry again. “Really? You don’t mind?”

Emma shakes her head. “Of course not. You should definitely go for it.” She doesn’t know who she’s trying to fool—Milah, or herself. “Besides, you don’t need my permission. You can date whoever you want.”

“Come on, we are friends; at least I’d like to think so, and I don’t wish to step on your turf or do anything to make you upset.”

“You are right—we are friends—but I promise; you won’t be stepping on any toes,” Emma assures, offering a forced smile.

Milah stands up and hurries over, pulling her into a suffocating hug. “Thank you, Em.”

Regret is coursing through Emma as she lets her eyelids fall shut, sighing deeply in Milah’s hold. She realizes in that moment that she has to stow away any or whatever feelings she holds for Killian. It’s simple. Emma was being honest when she agreed and acknowledged that Milah was correct—a friendship really has blossomed between them, and that is something rare for Emma, so she doesn't want to let her friend down. She wants Milah to be happy. Besides, with her friend’s reputation, Emma figures she’ll be dating Killian for a week before letting him loose like she’s done thus far with other guys she’s dated.

• • • •

Emma could have kicked herself every day since then. She still despises him, but every now and then they're still able to engage in decent conversation like normal human beings, and she is constantly reminded what a huge mistake she’d made every time Emma's breath catches in her throat when he's around. Her pulse speeds up and she wonders what would have happened if Milah had never prevented that potential kiss from happening. Emma's confident that if her roommate would’ve seen them kissing, she never would've given Killian her number or asked Emma if it was okay that she went out with him. Emma muses she would have had more time to realize her feelings for Killian, and more time to accept them. Now it's too late.

Emma sighs exasperatedly as she lathers soap all over her body with a loofah, thinking about what she has to do today. She needs to make sure everything goes as planned for Killian’s surprise party. His friend, Victor, was taking him out for drinks after class to buy Emma and Milah some time to make the final preparations for the party. Then Victor would bring Killian to their apartment so they could surprise him with all of his friends and family.

~*~

When Killian pulls into the parking lot of the student apartments and takes off his helmet, he's a bit confused when he sees that Emma's car is gone—he was under the impression that she’d be there—but he's not complaining. He's looking forward to having some alone time with his girlfriend on his birthday. He's a tad earlier than she had told him to be there, but he figures she won't mind.

Using the key Milah had given him a few weeks ago, he unlocks the door to the ladies’ apartment and enters, shutting the door behind him. He goes into the kitchen, seeing the mess on the floor and the countertop, and peeks inside the bowl. He guesses Emma had been making pancakes and left to get milk, so he doesn't think much more about it. Emerging from the kitchen, he looks around the empty apartment and makes his way towards Milah’s bedroom when he hears the shower running.

A small smirk is tugging his lips as he quietly walks over to the bathroom door, gently cracking it open and hoping to surprise her.

The air is thick with steam as he shuts the door with a soft click, locking it just in case. He unbuttons his shirt and starts peeling away his clothes, trying to be as quick as he can. Normally shower sex was not an option for them because her roommate was always there when he was over, and he always tried to respect the fact that she lived there as well. He and Emma may have gotten off to a rocky start, but he likes to think of them as friends. She can put up a mean front on occasion, but she seems to always be there when he needs her. Milah is great but she is always too distracted doing everything she can to enjoy college life before it's over.

He has a lot of fun with her, but he doesn't see her as the type of lass he'd like to marry. And Milah is certainly not the type of lass to be held down.

Fully naked, Killian grabs the end of the shower curtain, and his heart is racing; he hopes he doesn't piss her off too much by scaring her, but he's hoping to make it up to her. Taking a deep breath, he braces himself before quickly pulling back the curtain and jumping in, stepping behind her and grabbing her hips.

“Morning, sexy.” The sinful, throaty words barely leave his mouth when she whirls around and screams for dear life, and he sees green eyes and wet blonde hair, realizing the woman in the shower is not Milah.

It's Emma.

"What the hell are you doing in here?!” She shrieks furiously, her face white and eyes blown with shock. Killian is stunned in his spot, but before he can move, Emma’s flailing her arms around, frantically trying to push him out of the shower. He stumbles in the process and grabs the slippery shower curtain, pulling it off the hooks and taking it down with him… along with Emma.

They both groan as he lands on the tub floor with a thud, protectively wrapping his arms around Emma's very wet and very naked body. Pain is shooting through him, and the water from the shower head is beating down on them as she struggles to push herself up, almost kneeing him in the groin in the process.

“Careful, love.”

This only pisses her off further and she sinks into him, hitting him in the chest out of frustration. “You stupid bastard! Why the hell would you think it would be okay to join me in the shower?!”

“Swan, it was an accident,” he tries to assure as he gently takes her hands in his, trying to calm her while playfully wagging his brow. “Not that I don't enjoy being on my back, attacked by a gorgeous naked blonde,” (more specifically by Emma, because bloody hell he does) Killian razzes, earning a deadly scowl. “I saw Milah’s car parked out front and I thought you were—” Before he can finish, Emma snags her hand away, pressing her index finger to his lips to shush him. Losing a breath, he's pretty sure his heart actually skips a beat as she looks down at him. He’s quickly pulled in, getting lost in her steely gaze; he finds himself drowning in it. And as she removes her finger and runs her hand down his jaw and his neck and then his chest, slowly sifting her fingers through his matted hair, there's no longer anger in her depths, but still a fierceness hidden underneath the emerald surface. A fierceness that he’s enjoyed since the first moment they’d met. He can also detect the vulnerability and honesty lingering there.

There are no words, only the sound of the water cascading over them, hitting the porcelain tub, and the sounds of their heartbeats and wobbly breathing. He’s vaguely reminded that they are both naked when she shifts ever so slightly and his body is quickly reacting to hers as his hands find her hips, giving her a gentle squeeze. Emma gasps and her mouth is parting softly as they get caught up in a challenging stare, both of them trying to see who’s bold enough to make the first move.

Swallowing thickly, he wonders what it would be like to kiss those soft, wet lips; he's often dreamt of this with no intention of acting on his desires. He licks his lips, and before he can even act, Emma’s cupping his jaw in her hands, crushing his mouth with hers and pressing her body into him. A rough groan rips from his throat as he finally feels her soft wet lips; she tastes more decadent than he'd imagined. And she smells like strawberries and cream and tastes like cinnamon and chocolate. Her tongue sweeps across the seam of his lips demanding entrance that's he's more than willing to give her. He wraps his arms around her, parting his mouth invitingly and letting her tongue dance wildly with his.

He knows this is completely wicked and wrong, and he's going to hell—she is not Milah after all—but he's high on all of the sensations and feelings and emotions coursing through him. Everything he's harbored inside for this woman has suddenly bubbled to the surface, and the unspoken desire that has sizzled between them for many months has popped and is now speaking volumes.

Her naked breasts are pressed to his chest, pink nipples erect against his hair as they devour one another, completely consumed. Emma's tongue is insistent, greedily exploring his mouth, her hands clutching onto him as she writhes in his arms, ignoring the water hitting her back.

Killian playfully nips on her bottom lip and she responds by grinding into him, pressing her center against his groin to egg him on. Groaning roughly as her wet folds are continuously gliding along his length, he’s completely overtaken with pleasure. His hands begin roaming her slippery body on their own accord, pulling her closer and caressing her back, her hips, the sides of her breasts, feeling the beads of water pooling underneath his fingertips. Emma moans in delight, feeling his shaft harden against her, and that's when he forces himself to rise from the cloud of lust he's caught up in.

He gently pushes her away, tearing his lips from hers and catching his breath as his eyes widen in panic. “Emma… we can't do this.”

Shallow pants fill the air surrounding them, and Emma's lips are swollen and her eyes are painted with lust, but she offers a reluctant nod. “I know.”

With that, Emma carefully pushes herself off and grabs Killian’s hand, helping him up. They try not to stare at each other directly, for fear of giving into temptation again, but Killian is still hard as rock… and apparently Emma is not finished with him yet. He tries to avert his gaze but he can feel the burn of Emma's lustful stare seeping into his bones, and before he knows what's happening, Emma is on her knees, her hands sliding down his hips, reaching his thighs and she’s running her tongue up his length.

“Oh fuck…” Killian melts a little, trying to keep his knees from buckling underneath as Emma curls her fingers around his erection and starts stroking him up and down, dragging the skin and muscle in her endeavor as she tightens her hold, causing him to harden further.

“Just relax,” she murmurs in a soothing voice.

His breathing is moving in a slow, shallow rhythm as he peers down at her, catching those beautiful glowing eyes clouded with lust.

“You don't have to do anything. Just let me take care of you.” Again, she slides the flat of her tongue along his fully hard cock, her eyes locked with his.

“Emma…” he attempts to argue, but his mind is foggy with heat, the water is cascading down her perfectly rounded breasts making his cock twitch and he’s too aroused; Emma's tongue feels way too good.

“Shhh shhh shhh…”

His pupils are dilated as he watches her intently, his hand affectionately caressing her cheek, but he doesn't stop her.

Firming her grip on him, she slowly moves her hand up and down, squeezing slightly at the base before relaxing at tip and repeating over and over again. His dick is throbbing painfully in her hand as she smirks and kisses the velvety head. “Just consider this a birthday present,” she insists; her voice is seductive—completely wrecked with desire—her emerald eyes piercing through his soul as she awaits for some sort of signal of approval.

Deciding that he doesn't possess the willpower to resist her, no matter how wrong this is—he is dating her roommate and best friend for crying out loud—but he has longed to be with Emma for quite some time, and finds himself nodding to her request.

Emma grins mischievously before wrapping her red, swollen lips around him, suckling idly on his belled tip and lapping at the slit with her broad tongue.

“Bloody hell.” The whispered words are cracked with desire as his body shudders, surrendering to this striking blonde goddess who’s kneeling before him. He leans his head back against the shower wall as she takes him in her warm mouth, slowly devouring his length.

“Gods, that feels so good Emma, keep go—keep going” he grunts roughly before gently sinking his fingers into her wet tresses.

Increasing her speed, Emma loosens her jaw even further, massaging his balls gently with her hands and bringing him closer to the edge. “Bloody hell, woman. You're trying to kill me with that wicked mouth of yours,” he whimpers, and begins rocking his hips, tangling her wet golden strands around his fingers without forcing her on him as he hits the back of her throat. He's so caught up in her wonderful mouth, her amazing tongue dragging along his length; he completely loses his mind to the pleasure she's bringing him.

Sensing he is almost there, she starts humming around his cock, creating vibrations and is rewarded with a deep groan. His eyes roll to back of his head, feeling his orgasm approaching with rapid force as she takes him over and over, drawing his cock in her throat as deeply as she can. The pressure’s building, and his body is overwhelmed with heat; he's completely unwound as he lets himself go and thrusts his hips at a maddening pace, his hot come exploding into her mouth as he curses her name.

“Fuck, Emma…” He can barely manage the strangled words as he slumps against the wall, attempting to catch his breath and waiting for his heartbeat to slow. His hips are stuttering, his body wincing as Emma sucks on his tip swirling her tongue roughly around the head and licking the last remnants of his orgasm. Killian clutches onto her shoulders for extra balance, trying to keep his wobbly legs from collapsing underneath him as she rises and presses her lips to his ear whispering, “Happy Birthday, Killian.” Emma steps out of the shower, and he quickly feels a shiver from the loss as he tries to gather his wits.

Bloody hell.

Happy birthday, indeed. He's so fucked, but what a birthday this is already turning out to be.

#cs ff #cs ff au #college au #cs smut #Captain Swan #love triangle #a birthday surprise #my fic

102 notes · View notes

littlexred · 3 years

Photo

November 30th.

Hot Chocolate Cake.

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

2 cups (260g) flour 2 cups (414g) sugar 3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 2 large eggs 1 cup (240ml) milk 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 cup (240ml) hot water

Hot Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

4 tbsp (60ml) hot water/milk 2.92 oz hot chocolate powder mix* 1 1/2 cups (336g) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 1/4 cup (237g) shortening 10 cups (1150g) powdered sugar 2 tbsp (14g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder 1–2 tbsp water or milk

Marshmallow Filling

1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup (115g) powdered sugar 10 oz marshmallow creme

White chocolate Ganache

6 oz (1 cup) white chocolate chips 3 tbsp (45ml) heavy whipping cream Mini marshmallows Marshmallow bits

Vanilla Buttercream, optional

1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter, room temperature 2 cups (230g) powdered sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1–2 tbsp water/milk

Instructions

1. Prepare two 8 inch cake pans (see note below) with parchment paper circles in the bottom, and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C). 2. To make the chocolate cake, add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together. 3. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. 4. Add the hot water and mix until well combined. 5. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pans and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. 6. Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely. 7. To make the hot chocolate frosting, dissolve the hot chocolate powder into the hot water or milk. It’ll be fairly thick. Set aside. 8. Add the butter and shortening to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth. 9. Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth. 10. Add the hot chocolate mixture and cocoa powder and mix until well combined and smooth. 11. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth. 12. Add additional water or milk as needed to get the right consistency. 13. To make the marshmallow filling, add the butter to a mixer bowl and beat until smooth. 14. Add the powdered sugar and beat until well combined and smooth. It’ll take a bit for it all to fully incorporate, so scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and keep mixing. 15. Stir in the marshmallow cream. Set filling aside. 16. When you are ready to build the cake, remove cake domes from top with a large serrated knife, if needed. Divide each cake into two layers, so you have four total layers. 17. Place the first layer of cake on cake plate or cardboard cake circle. Add half a cup of hot chocolate frosting and spread into an even layer. 18. Pipe a dam around the outer edge of the cake, then fill it with about 3/4 cup of marshmallow filling. Spread into an even layer. 19. Place the second layer of cake on top and add another layer of hot chocolate frosting and marshmallow filling. 20. Repeat with the third layer of cake and filling, then top the cake with the final layer. 21. Spread a light crumb coat around the sides of the cake, then refrigerate for about an hour to let the filling firm up a bit. The layers will slip around a bit if you skip this step. 22. After refrigerating, frost the outside of the cake. Feel free to use my tutorial for frosting a smooth cake with buttercream. 23. To make the white chocolate ganache, add the white chocolate chips to a medium sized bowl. Heat the cream just until it begins to boil, then pour over the white chocolate. 24. Whisk the chocolate mixture so that it begins to melt. Heat for another 10 seconds and whisk to continue melting. If needed heat another 10 seconds. 25. Drizzle the white chocolate around the top edge of the cake. I like to use a squeeze bottle, but you can also use a spoon or any other method. 26. Fill in the top of the cake with the ganache and spread evenly. 27. To create the ring of marshmallows, make the vanilla buttercream. Add the butter to a mixer bowl and beat until smooth. 28. Add half of the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. 29. Add a tablespoon of water or milk and the vanilla extract and beat until smooth. 30. Add the remaining powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add additional water or milk, if needed for the right consistency. 31. Pipe a ring of the vanilla buttercream around the top edge of the cake, then add mini marshmallows and marshmallow bits. 32. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. Cake is best served after letting it sit out for a few hours to come closer to room temperature. Cake is best when stored well covered for 2-3 days.

0 notes

teganduplessis · 3 years

Text

Mini Chocolate Layered Cake

Cake Ingredients

110g all purpose flour

31g unsweetened natural cocoa powder

175g granulated sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp espresso powder

1/4 cup avocado oil (or canola)

1 egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

120ml buttermilk (110ml of milk and 1 tbs of white vinegar, mixed)

1/2 cup hot strong coffee (can make it with hot water & 1 tbs espresso powder)

Cake Directions

Get out the digital food scale.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 6 inch pans, line the bottom with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans.

Whisk by hand the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In another medium bowl, whisk by hand the oil, egg, and vanilla together. Add the buttermilk and mix until combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot water/coffee, and whisk by hand until the batter is completely combined. Batter is thin.

Divide batter evenly between pans, each scale to be even. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Note: Even if they’re completely done, the cooled cakes may *slightly* sink in the center. Cocoa powder is simply not as structurally strong as all-purpose flour and can’t hold up to all the moisture necessary to make a moist tasting chocolate cake. It’s normal!)

Keep the cakes in the pans, place on a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Buttercream Ingredients

145g of room temperature butter

110g icing sugar

33g unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tbs heavy cream

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

Buttercream Directions

With a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy – about 2 minutes.

Add icing sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract.

Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Do not over-whip.

Taste and add another pinch of salt if needed

Assemble the cake

Dump out cake

If domed, slice so it is flat

Dollop of icing on the serving platter, add the first layer on top.

Put icing in a pipping bag with a large tip (e.g. 1M). Clip the top of the bag with a chip clip to avoid the icing oozing out the top.

Put platter on a lazy suzan.

Pipe the top of the cake in, going out in circle

Put top layer on.

Ice around the outside of the middle area. Smooth out. May have to put in fridge if icing is too soft to work with.

Decorate the top as desired.

Put in fridge 30-60 mins before slicing

Original source (which I halved) https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/triple-chocolate-layer-cake/

0 notes

unwritrecipes · 4 years

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Chocolate Espresso Cake

Hiya! Welcome back! Hope your holiday weekend was fun and delish! Don’t want to stress you out any more than necessary, but do you have any idea what you’re going to do for New Year’s? It’s always an issue, right? And this year, more than ever, as we can’t/shouldn’t party or eat in restaurants or go to the movies or...arghh!!!!! Stay with me and take a deep breath cause I think I’ve found a solution. And boy, is it a delicious one! Let’s make cake. Not just any old cake though, no sir! It’s got to be something stand out, amazing tasting and time-consuming enough to fill up the hours until we ring in the new year. So taking into account all that criteria, let me present this show stopping, knock-your-socks-off, worth every sinful bite, Chocolate Espresso Cake.

Three tender, deeply chocolate, not-too-sweet layers of cake, covered with a velvety coffee buttercream which itself gets topped with a rich, smooth chocolate ganache, plus chocolate covered espresso beans and chocolate sprinkles—Take that 2020!!!

To tell the truth, my daughter and I first made this amazing treat back in August for her birthday and it was a huge hit! Honestly, it might be my most favorite celebration cake ever and that’s saying a lot cause I am not a coffee drinker. But somehow the whole combo just works amazingly well here and the actual chocolate cake is quite possibly the best I’ve ever tasted!! I held off posting because with all the smaller gatherings, big fancy cakes didn’t exactly seem appropriate, but now having too much cake around is the least of our worries!!

Before I get to showing you how to put this masterpiece together, I just want to mention that the recipe calls for coffee extract, which can be tricky to find. You can definitely get it on Amazon and maybe even in some specialty shops, but if you can’t, no worries. An easy sub is to get mix instant espresso with hot water and let it cool to room temperature. Easy-peasy and done!

And now, onto the cake: there are three layers which you could easily make the day before and have all ready to frost and build with on new years eve or you can totally make them the same day—in any case you want them to be entirely cool before you start to frost them with the silky coffee buttercream:

Once all three layers have been assembled, you cover the outsides of the cake with a thin coating of the frosting, aka the crumb coat. This helps to make sure that any loose crumbs adhere to the the cake, creating a base that will allow you to spread the frosting smoothly and evenly. It also helps to seal in the cake’s moisture.

After a short stint in the fridge to firm everything up, we’re ready to slather on the rest of the frosting and pour on the luscious chocolate ganache—

Which we’re gonna help to drip down the sides—

So we get that drizzle effect—

It’s a bit messy but hang tight because the end result is pretty spectacular!

Once all that gorgeous chocolate has dripped down the sides and set, it’s time to decorate with crunchy chocolate expresso beans and sprinkles. Tada!! Cake perfection!!

Look at all those gorgeous layers! It would be almost impossible not to have a happy new years with a slice of this at your beck and call!

There’s happiness in every chocolate-y-coffee-ish bite!

Happy birthday 2021, boy do we need you more than ever!!!

Chocolate Espresso Cake

Serves 12-16 people

Prep Time for cake: 20 minutes: Bake Time for cake: 35-40 minutes; Prep Time for Coffee Buttercream: 25-30 minutes; Prep Time for glaze: 10 minutes; Assembly Time: About 1 hour (much of this is hands-free—the frosted cake has to chill twice and then again for glazing

Ingredients

For the cake

¾ cup good quality dark unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Valrhona)

⅔ cup sour cream

1 ¼ cups hot water

2 ⅔ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (¾ cup), softened to room temp and cut into cubes

1/2 cup vegetable shortening (I used Crisco sticks)

1 ½ cups sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the coffee buttercream

1 ½ cups sugar

1/3 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups whole milk

⅓ cup heavy cream

1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons coffee extract (if you can’t find this, use 3 tablespoons of instant espresso mixed with 6 teaspoons of hot water and let cool to room temperature)

For the chocolate glaze

8 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used Lindt 70%)

12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Chocolate-covered espresso beans and chocolate sprinkles for decorating (optional)

The Recipe

1. To make the cake: Preheat oven to 325 F. Butter three 8 or 9 inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with a round of parchment paper and butter the parchment. Dust the pans with flour and knock out the excess. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the cocoa, sour cream and hot water and set aside to cool.

3. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set aside.

4. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and shortening together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. When you lift the beaters, the mixture should sort of ribbon. If you’re using a handheld mixer, you may need to tack on a few more minutes. Add both sugars and beat on medium speed again for about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is light and fluffy. One at a time, add the eggs, beating for 10-15 seconds after each addition, until the egg is incorporated. Then add the vanilla and mix in on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for another 30 seconds.

5. On low speed, alternate the dry ingredients with the cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, scraping down the bowl between the additions as needed.

6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, smoothing the tops. Bake the cakes for about 35 minutes all on the same rack, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a tester inserted into the center of the cakes, comes out clean. (If you can’t fit all three pans in the oven on the same rack at once, bake two at a time and then bake the third one separately. You don’t want to bake these cakes in the bottom of the oven—they might get too dark). Transfer the cakes to wire racks to cool for at least 45 minutes, then invert onto the racks, remove and discard the parchment and let cakes cool completely. You can definitely make these a day ahead and wrap well in plastic wrap at room temperature.

7. To make the coffee buttercream: Add the sugar and flour to a medium, heavyweight saucepan and whisk together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking every now and then until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 10-15 minutes.

8. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or just use a large bowl and a handheld mixer) and beat at high speed for about 7-9 minutes until the mixture is cool. On low speed, add the butter and mix in well. Then increase speed to medium-high and beat for another minute or two, until frosting is light and fluffy.

9. Add in the vanilla and coffee extracts and mix until well combined. If you feel the frosting is too soft, place the bowl in the fridge for a few minutes and then beat again until the right consistency. Alternately, if the frosting seems too thick to spread, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it’s the right consistency.

10. To assemble the cake: cut 4 strips of parchment or wax paper and place them on top of a cake plate in a square. Place one of the cake layers centered on the square. This will help you keep the plate neat. If you need to, trim the cake so that it has a flat surface (I didn’t need to). Evenly spread about 1 ¼ cups frosting on top of the layer. Add the next cake layer and trim and frost it. Top with the final layer and spread a very thin layer of frosting all over the top and sides of the cake (a crumb coat that will help keep any loose crumbs from making the final frosting messy). Place the cake uncovered in the fridge for 15 minutes to allow it to set. Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake and return cake to fridge for another 15 minutes.

11. To make the chocolate glaze: place the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in the top of a double boiler set over an inch or two of simmering water and use a heatproof spoon or rubber spatula to stir the mixture until it’s completely melted and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and stir the glaze for a few minutes to release some of the heat.

12. Starting in the center of the cake, slowly pour about ¾ cup of the glaze over the cake, using a small offset spatula or butter knife to smooth it out to the edges. Place the cake back in the fridge for another 5-10 minutes to allow it to set. Now, pour the remaining glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides any which way. Return to the fridge for about 5 minutes to set—it’ll be easier to clean up any drips on the plate. Remove the paper strips and discard. Use a damp paper towel to clean up any smudges on the cake plate. If using, press the chocolate sprinkles into the cake along the bottom and decorate the top with the espresso beans. Return the cake to the fridge for another 20-30 minutes and serve or carefully cover and store at room temp for up to 1 day. Chill any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Note: Recipe adapted from Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. I stuck pretty close to the recipe buy changed a few of the techniques.

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recentanimenews · 4 years

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FEATURE: 3 Anime Cookies for the Holiday Season

It’s December, which means new anime soon (yay!) and cookies –– lots of them. As a food writer and recipe developer (you can find some of my other recipes on NYT Cooking, The Kitchn and Food52, the holidays usually involve a lot of sugar for me. This year is no exception!

In honor of the holiday season, here are three anime-inspired cookie recipes that capture the spirit of the characters or settings from some of my favorite shows: Matcha Crinkle Cookies that riff of Dr. Stone’s cracks, Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies that nod toward Onyx Equinox’s Mesoamerican history, and Naruto’s Naruto cookies because: ramen.

Dr. Stone Matcha Crinkle Cookies

Being transformed back to a human from stone means getting a few cracks, especially if it’s been several thousand years like Senku Ishigami. These matcha crinkle cookies are cracked along the surface just like the characters in Dr. Stone. The green tea powder plays on Senku's hair, but really it’s the science behind the recipe that gives it a delicious taste and texture!

Matcha Crinkle Cookies Recipe

Yields: 24 cookies, Time: 30 mins, plus 1 hour chilling

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons matcha green tea powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature

1 cup granulated white sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Step 1

In a medium bowl, sift together matcha, flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together and set aside.

Step 2

Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if mixing by hand or with an electric hand mixer), and cream together until fluffy in texture, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides with a rubber spatula. Then add the egg and vanilla. Mix on medium until fully combined.

Step 3

Using a wooden spoon, gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ones until just incorporated. Be sure to not overmix, otherwise you may get tough cookies!

Step 4

Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour. While chilling, heat oven to 350°F degrees.

Step 5

Place powdered sugar in a small, shallow bowl. Use a tablespoon to generously scoop out cookies, each ball of dough should be around the size of a ping pong ball. Roll between your hands until smooth. Toss the cookie dough balls into the powdered sugar and heavily coat all sides.

Step 6

On two parchment-lined baking sheets, place cookies 3 inches apart to avoid crowding. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the outside edges are crisp and there are deep cracks along the surfaces. Let cool on the pan for 10 minutes, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Onyx Equinox Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

Thousands of years ago, Mesoamerican women began fermenting and roasting cacao beans, a critical step in chocolate making that’s still used today. These Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies are a triple-chocolate threat with cocoa powder in the dough, chocolate chips throughout, and finished with even more melted chocolate. They’re inspired by today’s version of Mexican hot chocolate which is commonly spiced with cinnamon and vanilla. And, of course, they’re deeply influenced by the rich Mesoamerican story and character design in the Crunchyroll Original Onyx Equinox!

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies Recipe

Yield: 28 cookies | Time: 30 minutes, plus cooling

Dough Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter butter (1 stick), room temperature

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Chocolate Dip Ingredients (optional):

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Red chili powder

Directions:

Step 1

Heat oven to 350°F degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Whisk together and set aside.

Step 2

Combine butter, brown sugar and white sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if mixing by hand or with an electric hand mixer), and cream together until fluffy in texture, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides with a rubber spatula. Then add the egg and vanilla. Mix on medium until fully combined.

Step 3

Using a wooden spoon, gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ones until just incorporated. Add 1 cup chocolate chips and finish mixing.

Step 4

Use a tablespoon to generously scoop out cookies, each ball of dough should be around the size of a ping pong ball. On two parchment-lined baking sheets, place cookies 3 inches apart to avoid crowding. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are crisp and your kitchen smells very chocolatey.

Step 5

Remove from oven. Gently tap the baking sheets on a counter to create cracks along the cookie surfaces. Let cool on the pan for 10 minutes, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Set aside baking sheets and reserve parchment paper.

Step 6

Heat 1 cup chocolate chips in the microwave in 15-second increments until fully melted. Working with one cookie at a time, dip half of it into the chocolate until the front is 50% coated with a distinct line in the center. While still wet, lightly sprinkle red chili powder. Using the same parchment-lined baking sheets, place freshly dipped cookies on them to set. If your home is cool, they should be set within about 10 minutes, but you can chill them in the refrigerator to speed up the process.

Naruto Narutomaki Sugar Cookies

There are few things Naruto loves more than ramen. In fact, he’s named after narutomaki, the white and pink fishcakes that are often nestled in noodle-packed bowls. These Narutomaki Sugar Cookies are the dessert version of the ramen staple. Dehydrated strawberries give the pink dough a subtle Pop-Tart-like flavor in the best way possible, but if you can’t find them, the pink dye will work on its own. The sugar coating gives every cookie a subtle iridescence that’s sure to catch even Kakashi’s eye. These cookies are a bit of a project, but well worth the effort!

Narutomaki Sugar Cookies | Naruto

Yields: About 25 cookies | Time: 30 minutes, plus 2 hours chilling

Ingredients:

1/3 cup dehydrated strawberries

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), room temperature

1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup granulated white sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 egg yolks, room temperature

3/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4-6 drops pink food dye

Directions:

Step 1

Place dehydrated strawberries into a food processor and blend until it’s a fine powder. Set aside.

Step 2

Combine butter, 1/2 cup white sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if mixing by hand or with an electric hand mixer), and cream together until fluffy in texture, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides with a rubber spatula. Then add the yolks and almond extract. Mix on medium until fully combined.

Step 3

Using a wooden spoon, gradually add the flour and salt into the wet ingredients until incorporated. Divide dough into thirds and set aside 2/3 into a separate medium bowl.

Step 4

With the 1/3 dough remaining, attach the original bowl back to the stand mixer. Add powdered dehydrated strawberries and 4 to 6 drops pink food dye (or until desired pink color). Mix until fully combined.

Step 5

Place a 10-inch sheet of parchment paper on the kitchen counter and put the strawberry dough in the center. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out into a rectangular shape that’s about 8 inches long, 5 inches wide and 1/4-inch thick. Carefully slide it onto a baking sheet or plate, and set aside.

Step 6

Place a new 10-inch sheet of parchment paper on the kitchen counter and put the almond dough in the center. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out into a square shape that’s about 8 inches long, 8 inches wide and 1/4-inch thick. Carefully slide it onto a baking sheet or plate, and set aside.

Step 7

Chill both doughs in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. This will help prevent tearing, but over refrigerating will cause cracks –– so stick to 10 minutes if you can!

Step 8

Take the almond dough out with the parchment paper still attached and place it on the counter. Carefully slide the strawberry dough on top of the almond dough, aligning the 8-inch sides together. The opposite side of the almond dough should be about 4 inches longer than the end of the strawberry dough.

Step 9

Cut a thin strip off of edges where the strawberry and almond dough meet. This will help create a more distinct swirl pattern once it’s rolled.

Step 10

Starting with the freshly cut edge, carefully lift up the parchment paper to help you roll the dough lengthwise. As you roll, gently apply pressure to make sure both layers are enclosed. Continue until you have a log shape.

Step 11

Wrap cookie dough log in plastic wrap and gently roll again to make any uneven edges as circular as possible. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Dough may also be made up to 2 days in advance.

Step 12

Once dough has chilled, heat oven to 350°F degrees. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Step 13

Remove cookie dough log from refrigerator and place on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into 1/4-inch slices. If the first and last slices aren’t perfect, you can press them together and bake anyway for a quick snack.

Step 14

Working with one cookie at a time, take a 3-inch wavy edged cookie cutter (you can also use a bigger size, but smaller will not work) and cut along the edges of every cookie to create the iconic narutomaki look. Try to cut as little as possible away from the edges to keep the design intact. Like in the previous step, pressed together any cookie dough scraps to make small snacking cookies.

Step 15

Place 1/3 white sugar in a small, shallow bowl. Gently coat each cookie in the sugar. Place 2 inches on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 16

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly golden. Remove from oven, and let cool on the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Hope you have a cookie- and anime-filled holiday season. Let us know which ones you want to try first in the comments!

By: Kiera Wright-Ruiz

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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044-eu · 4 years

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Typical Florence dishes recipes

It is one of the oldest regional italian cuisines and many of its dishes still retain the original recipes. Perhaps the most famous Florentine recipe in the world is the classic Florentine steak. But well-known recipes are also the bubbling, the lamprey and many others. The classic Florentine appetizer is made up of croutons such as black croutons, tomato and mushroom croutons, mismeat meats and mixed cheeses. Let's start with the first dishes.

Ribollita

Necessary for boiling for 4 people 300 grams of Tuscan bread (without salt)possibly at least 2 or 3 days. 1 red onion 3 celery ribs 4 medium carrots 700 grams of cannellini beans 2 cloves garlic 4 potatoes 1 bunch kale 150 grams of cleft already cooked half of a cabbage cabbage 2 tbsp tomato paste 2 ripe tomatoes thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil just enough. 1 sprig of rosemary Preparation of boiling Cannellini beans should be dried and soaked for at least 24 hours before preparation. There are still boiled cannellini beans on the market. However, whether they are used after the 24-hour soaking, or the canned ones, they should be put in a rather large pan with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, the garlic clove peeled and crushed and the sprig of rosemary. Add water to this point until the beans are covered and cook for at least an hour with a lid, adding a little water if necessary. At the end of cooking, add the salt and pepper, remove the garlic and the rosemary sprig. A third of beans remove them whole and set aside, blend the remaining beans with a mixer to get a rather liquid sauce that you will put during the cooking of the soup. Now let's prepare the base for the fry. Finely chop the onion, celery ribs and carrots and cook the mince in olive oil a few minutes until the vegetables are golden brown. Now add the potatoes that you will have peeled and diced. Cook over medium heat and then add the tomatoes, peel, seeds and mash and spoonfuls of tomato paste. Finally, add kale, cabbage and cleft as finely as possible. Now add the bean sauce that you have set aside, put the lid on and cook for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if needed. At the end of cooking, season with salt and pepper. add the whole beans that you have kept aside and remove from the heat. Put a couple of slices of bread on the bottom of a soup bowl and pour 2 or 3 ladles of soup, put a couple more slices of bread and soup until the ingredients are finished. Leave to cool and put the soup in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours. This will help to firm up the soup and make the components absorb the bread. After this time, heat the soup in a pan and serve warm with a drizzle of olive oil, a few thyme leaves and who likes thin slices of fresh onion.

Florentine steak

The Florentine steak is the typical dish par excellence of Florence where it is cooked like a real cult. The most suitable animal for the Florentine steak is the chianina-bred calf. The classic steak is cut from the veal loin to be precise from the fillet or sirloin and it is that piece of meat with the bone made of T. It is cut quite thick, at least 5 centimeters and tradition has it to be cooked on the embers of Coal. The meat should be removed from the fridge at least 3 hours before cooking, should be dry with paper towels and should be massaged with a little olive oil, this to prevent it from sticking to the grill which must be hot when it is time to put the steak in it. It should be cooked a few minutes per part, about 5 or 6 and turned only once. Turn it around trying not to mess it up to keep the juices from coming out. Put a little salt just as it's brought to the table. Cutting the steak you will notice that outside it is brown and with a crisp yummy surface, internally instead it is a tender pulp of pinkish color.

Trippa with Florentine

Needed for tripe to Florentine for 4 people 800 grams of ready-to-cook tripe cut into strips 1 carrot 1 small red onion 1 celery stalk 400 grams of chopped tomatoes 1 garlic clove a few fresh basil leaves half a glass of dry white wine 1 bay leaf salt, pepper and olive oil as required butter just enough meat broth just enough parmesan cheese grated enough Preparation of tripe to Florentine Finely chop the celery rib, onion and carrot and sauté the vegetables for about ten minutes with a little oil and butter and the bay leaf. Meanwhile, wash the tripe very well under running water and cook in the vegetable sauce for at least 5 minutes, stirring often. After this time, wet the tripe with half a glass of white wine, turn up the flame and let it evaporate completely. Add the peeled tomatoes into small pieces and cook for about an hour and a half, adding a little bit of meat stock every now and then. At the end of cooking add a few basil leaves and serve very hot. Then driss with a nice sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.

Lamprey

Those who go to florence can't help but notice the many kiosks on the roads that showcasing the classic lamprey-stuffed sandwich. The lamprey is the stomach of the veal whose fat and lean parts are expertly cooked and served in sandwiches. But we can also prepare it at home. Necessary for lamprey 1 lamprey 3 celery ribs 3 medium carrot 1 red onion 2 ripe tomatoes without skin and seeds 1 bunch basil 1 bunch parsley 3 cloves salt and pepper just enough Preparation of the lamprey Wash very well under running water the lamprey. Meanwhile, in a rather large pot put the vegetables (celery onions and carrots) cut into pieces, the tomatoes also cut into pieces, the bunches of herbs the cloves. Cover everything with cold water and boil over the heat. Add the lamprey and cook over medium heat for about an hour after the water is boiling. When cooked, remove the lamprey from the water and cut it into thin slices. Lightly wet the slices with cooking water and serve on the table. Usually the lamprey is served with salsa verde or a hot sauce.

Florentine peppery

This typical dish of Florence is very old, it is spoken about the fourteenth century. and you can taste it in the typical Florentine trattorias still in the original recipe. Necessary for Florentine peposo 600 grams of calf muscle cut into small pieces 3 or 4 glasses of red wine 5 cloves garlic 1 bunch of smells made from sage and rosemary 3 or 4 bay leaves 4 medium ripe tomatoes 2 tbsp black peppercorns salt and pepper just enough olive oil just enough Preparation of the Florentine peposo Cut the meat into 2 or 3 cm pieces and put it in a large bowl along with the peeled and crushed garlic cloves, peppercorns and red wine. Leave to marinate the meat for about an hour. At this point transfer everything to a pot (tradition would like it to be a pot of crock) and put it on the heat with a little olive oil, adding the bunch of smells, the bay leaves, the tomatoes deprived of the skin and seeds and chopped. Adjust the salt and pepper and simmer and cover for about 3 hours. After this time serve very hot accompanying the pepper with boiled cannellini beans and toned with a pinch of salt and olive oil. Let's move on to the cakes.

Florentine crush

It is a creamy and soft dessert that is usually made during the carnival period. Tradition has it that the symbol of Florence, the lily, is reproduced on the surface of the cake with icing sugar. Needed for the Florentine dunk 150 grams of sugar 250 grams of flour 2 eggs 60 grams of olive oil 1 orange 60 grams of whole milk 1 packet of baking powder 1 sachet of vanillin salt as needed Preparation of the Dunk to the Florentine Beat the eggs with the sugar for a very long time (better if with an electric beater) until the dough is frothing and doubles in volume. Slowly add the oil and milk, continuing to mix. Now put the juice of an orange and slowly incorporate the flour, the grated peel of an orange, the sachet of baking powder and the sachet of vanillin. Add a pinch of salt and mix well. Put the mixture in a 26-centimeter cake tin and then in the oven already hot at 180 degrees for about 20 minutes. To check the cooking it is always good to test the toothpick. Take a toothpick and tuck it into the cake, if it comes out dry the cake is cooked. Sprinkle the crush with icing sugar.

The zucchini

The exact reason why this dessert is called so is not very clear. It is certainly because of its shape, one half of a sphere, but some claim that it refers to the helmet carried by the infantry in the fifteenth century that was called precisely zucchini. Others, however, to the headgear of the same name of the high prelates. Necessary for the sponge cake of the zucchini 80 grams of flour 130 grams of sugar 3 eggs at room temperature 20 grams of butter at room temperature the zest of half a grated lemon 1 sachet of vanillin powder a little liquor alchermes Necessary for the filling of the zucchini 500 grams of whipping cream 20 grams of cocoa powder 2 tbsp icing sugar sugar just enough chocolate chips Preparing sponge cake for the zucchini Whisk the eggs well with the sugar until you get a foamy mixture, add the flour by incorporating it slowly. Melt the butter in the meantime, then let it cool before combining it with the mixture along with the grated lemon zest and the powdered vanillin sachet. Put the mixture in a 24 cm cake tin and bake in a pre-hot oven at 180 degrees for about 40 minutes. Once removed from the oven, allow to cool completely. Preparing the filling for the zucchini We divide the whipping cream into two parts. Let's start whipping the first half by combining the chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of sugar. We then add the second part of cream by combining the bitter cocoa and sugar, about 1 or 2 tablespoons according to personal taste. Take the sponge cake and cut it into slices of about 1 centimeter with which we will line a zucchini mold or a mould of semispherical shape, where we will first put a sheet of baking paper. Brush the surface of the Spanish Pan with alchermes liqueur. Pour in the part of whipped cream with chocolate chips and create a recess in which to put the part of cream with cocoa. We close the surface with a layer of sponge cake soaked in alchermes liqueur and refrigerate at least 3 hours before bringing it to the table. A tasty variant involves replacing the whipped cream filling with sheep's cottage cheese, which is sweetened and stuffed with candied. Once removed from the refrigerator, it should be turned upside down on the serving plate and put on the surface of icing sugar or cocoa powder and garnished with liquid chocolate and flakes of almonds or chopped hazelnuts. Read the full article

#cook #desserts #English #florence #italy #kitchen #meat #recipes #tuscany

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