TOFFEE CRUST, RUM & A RIVER OF CHOCOLATE

Do you have some chocolate, rum and crushed toffee bits on hand? If yes, you might want to try this cake which is sinfully rich! Each bite feels just like a cake with a river of chocolate and a candy bar crunchy crust. To be consumed in absolute moderation... if your sweet tooth can handle it! 

PUMPKIN JAM

As I mentioned a while back, over the last two years living here in the US, one very noticeable difference from Europe is the pumpkin madness that kicks in every October. Everything starts or ends with "pumpkin", in one way or form. This national attachment to the orange gourd squash is something I find very entertaining yet terribly endearing. 

So of course there are the usual suspects: pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin lattes, etc. Then seasonal cupcakes, scones and cheesecakes spiked with pumpkin. And then, there's the spread known as pumpkin butter- which quite frankly I had never heard of before moving stateside. 

On that last thought, I started to think of pumpkin jam. How come we don't see much of that, and most importantly: are we missing out on something really good over here?!

CHOCOLATE, HONEY & ALMOND

I would suppose that, if one had not slept for 48 hours straight, the thought of baking would be considered as a bad, very bad idea. But that's a general statement, and consequently not applicable to 100% of the population. Which brings me to justify -and feel less guilty- for allowing my (sometimes) impulsive brain to decide that whisking sugar and eggs may just very well be a good, very good idea...after hours of sleep deprivation. Yes, the mind is a wonderful thing isn't it. 

PUMPKIN COOKIES

There's a saying I once came across that says "the days are long, but the years are short". I would have to agree- although sometimes it feels like "the days are short, and the years are shorter". I do experience days where I realize twenty four hours is just not enough! 

As for now, well for starters... we're already in October...which means there are just three months left to this year. Goodness gracious, unbelievable. Another thing is that it's been just over two years since I moved to the US. And if there's one thing I realized- coming from a life spent in Europe- is that pumpkin is a national obsession over here. Especially around this time of the year...