momofuku milk bar exam no. 15 {candy bar pie}

In the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook, Christina Tosi describes this pie as being “a little bit of a bitch to make.” So of course, I had to try it!

And I have to say, she was not lying. This is certainly the most difficult recipe I’ve made from this cookbook, if not ever. There are a lot of moving parts and everything has to be well orchestrated before you begin. So please please please read the directions carefully and then reread them. Picture them in your mind. Carve them into your soul. Because trust me, this pie may be a bit of a bitch to make but it is so unbelievably worth it.

momofuku milk bar exam no. 14 {compost cookies}

Of all the Momofuku Milk Bar cookies, this one is the most daring. If you love desserts that have a salty-sweet combination then this one is FOR YOU.

momofuku milk bar exam no. 13 {cheesecake ice cream}

Ice cream is not a seasonal food but it tastes especially good during the summer, doesn’t it? Eaten in a cool air conditioned room, of course.

Cheesecake ice cream is actually one of my favorite flavors (the graham crackers are a necessity) so I was very excited to make this recipe. While traditional ice cream bases require the technique of tempering egg yolks in heated cream, in this recipe the egg is baked in the liquid cheesecake thus no risk of scrambled eggs in your ice cream.

If you have an ice cream machine, it comes together in a pinch! Unfortunately, I don’t have space in my New York apartment for one so I maximized on my visit home and used my mom’s… it was a mutually beneficial exchange. My mom is actually quite the ice cream fiend– a lean mean Häagen-Dazs eating machine.  One time I found a photo of her in the late 80’s smiling proudly, showcasing a delicious Häagen-Dazs cone in one hand. And a baby (me) dangling in her other hand. The fact that the ice cream took priority only makes me proud to be her daughter.

 

momofuku milk bar exam no. 10 {carrot cake truffles}

You didn’t think I let those carrot layer cake scraps go to waste, did you??

Whew! Good, that’s what I thought. Honestly, if you’ve already made the carrot layer cake, there’s no excuse not to make these. But if you haven’t gone through the trouble of making a rather complicated 3-layer carrot cake you should STILL make these. They’re easier to make than the actual cake, and dare I say… I think I liked them better.