while i like to think of myself as cautiously optimistic, i most definitely have a sunny disposition when it comes to life. so i'm sure it won't come to a shock to you that i LOVE valentine's day.

yeah yeah, it's hallmark manufactured holiday designed to sell candy and flowers, blah blah. you could look at it that way. or, you could look at it as a special day to be a little extra grateful for the love in your life. your parents, your kids, your besties, your pets. they all love you. celebrate it!

this morning i celebrated with my sixteen students, zee, the front desk girl who works with me in the mornings on tuesdays and thursdays, and this amazing sponge cake. 

vanilla + citrus sponge cake
serves: 8
prep time: 25 minutes
bake time: 40 minutes
cool time: 10 minutes
total time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted. .5 cup all purpose flour. .25 cup cake flour. .75 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp fine salt. 1 tbs honey. 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (or you can sub .5 tsp vanilla extract). 3 large egg yolks. 7 egg whites. 1 cup granulated sugar. 1 blood orange zested and sliced thin. 1 small grapefruit zested and sliced thin. 1 9x4 loaf pan. rubber spatula. mixer or hand blender. bakings pray. 

start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees f. sift together the flours, baking powder and salt and set it aside. if you like, you can take the extra time to cut hearts or other fun shapes with your grapefruit and blood orange slices. it's your loaf. go wild. 

in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand blender, combine the egg yolks and half the sugar. 

blend on high until pale yellow and thick. about 5 minutes.

pour the egg and sugar mixture into medium bowl land set it aside. clean the bowl and whisk. 

add in the egg whites and whip on high until soft peaks form. about 2-4 minutes.

with the mixer on high, pour in the remaining sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. about 3-5 minutes more. you will know they are ready when you can flip your bowl upside down and nothing moves. 

while your eggs are whipping, combine your butter, honey, zest and vanilla beans in a small bowl. mix well. 

then, using your rubber spatula, fold a large scoop of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture so it becomes light. 

then add the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites and fold it all together. just till it is no longer streaky.

fold in your flour mixture. 

fold in your butter, honey mixture. spray your loaf pan with baking spray.

pour your batter into the loaf pan and bake for 15 minutes, until the to begins to set. 

pull the loaf out, place your grapefruit and blood oranges slices as you like and pop it back in the oven for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

the top should be golden brown. 

remove the loaf pan onto a raised cooling rack (you don't want the bottom to steam) and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. remove the sponge from the pan, slice and serve. you can store it in an airtight container for a few days. 

xo, a

vanilla + citrus sponge cake serves: 8 prep time: 25 minutes bake time: 40 minutes
cool time: 10 minutes
total time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted. .5 cup all purpose flour. .25 cup cake flour. .75 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp fine salt. 1 tbs honey. 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (or you can sub .5 tsp vanilla extract). 3 large egg yolks. 7 egg whites. 1 cup granulated sugar. 1 blood orange zested and sliced thin. 1 small grapefruit zested and sliced thin. 1 9x4 loaf pan. rubber spatula. mixer or hand blender. baking spray.
start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees f. sift together the flours, baking powder and salt and set it aside. if you like, you can take the extra time to cut hearts or other fun shapes with your grapefruit and blood orange slices. it's your loaf. go wild.
in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand blender, combine the egg yolks and half the sugar.
blend on high until pale yellow and thick. about 5 minutes. pour the egg and sugar mixture into medium bowl land set it aside.
clean the bowl and whisk.
add in the egg whites and whip on high until soft peaks form. about 2-4 minutes.
with the mixer on high, pour in the remaining sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. about 3-5 minutes more. you will know they are ready when you can flip your bowl upside down and nothing moves.
while your eggs are whipping, combine your butter, honey, zest and vanilla beans in a small bowl. mix well.
then, using your rubber spatula, fold a large scoop of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture so it becomes light.
then add the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites and fold it all together. just till it is no longer streaky. fold in your flour mixture. fold in your butter, honey mixture. spray your loaf pan with baking spray.
pour your batter into the loaf pan and bake for 15 minutes, until the to begins to set. pull the loaf out, place your grapefruit and blood oranges slices as you like and pop it back in the oven for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. the top should be golden brown.
remove the loaf pan onto a raised cooling rack (you don't want the bottom to steam) and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. remove the sponge from the pan, slice and serve. you can store it in an airtight container for a few days. 

when summer comes to a close, it is always a bummer for a whole host of reasons. bye bye long days, warm water and insane fresh produce. now that we are in the thick of winter, i'm missing those gorgeous summer berries, juicy watermelon and vine ripened heirloom tomatoes that didn't have to come from the other hemisphere. basically, i have the pretty produce blues. 

but the bright shining, light in these dreary months? winter citrus. oh yes, they come in all sizes and colors. sweet lemons, blood oranges, POMELOS! there are just so many choices. and sometimes while i'm at the produce store, i can't pick just one. so i end up with an abundance of choices and in need of a recipe to use them all up. 

lemon bars are a classic treat, but they become something stunning when you sub mixed winter fruit instead of just lemons. i've baked this recipe using everything from blood oranges, to limes, to grapefruit and every combo in between. use what you have on hand, what you like, or use what you think is prettiest. 

winter citrus bars
serves: 12-18 bars (depending on the size you want)
prep time: 10 minutes
inactive time: 30 minutes
cook time: 55 minutes
total time: 1 hour 35 minutes
ingredients: crust. .5 lb butter (2 sticks). .5 cup sugar. 2 cups all purpose flour. .25 tsp salt. 

filling. 6 large eggs. 2.5 cups sugar (3 cups if you use only lemons). 1 cup flour. 2 tbs citrus zest. 1 cups citrus juice (i used the 75% grapefruit, 1 lemon and 1 blood orange. served segments of fruit for garnish. .25 cup powdered sugar for garnish. parchment paper. 9 x 13 inch baking pan. 

in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar. 

on medium speed, cream together the butter and sugar till well combined. 

turn the mixer down to low and add in the flour and salt. mix till combined and the dough starts to come together. 

line your baking pan with parchment and turn the dough out into the pan. 

use your hands to gently press the dough into the pan so it is in an even layer. 

lightly poke the crust with a fork and chill for 30 minutes. 

preheat your oven to 350 degrees f. 

bake your crust for 12-15 minutes until it just starts to lightly brown on the edges. remove it from the heat, and set on a cooling rack. 

while the crust is baking, combine the eggs, juice, zest, 2.5 cups sugar and flour in the bowl of a stand mix. 

whisk on medium speed till well combined. 

pour the filling onto the cooling crust and bake till set and no longer giggling. about 30-35 minutes. 

if you reserved citrus segments to decorate your bars, bake your bars off until almost cooked, about 20-25 minutes. remove, place your segments in desired design and place back in the oven for remaining bake time. 

once done, remove from the even and allow to cool to room temperature.
the easiest way to cut them is to first freeze them. once frozen, pull the parchment out of the pan and discard it.

slice the bars into desired size. 

dust with powdered sugar and serve. 

xo, a

winter citrus bars
serves: 12-18 bars (depending on the size you want)
prep time: 10 minutes
inactive time: 30 minutes
cook time: 55 minutes
total time: 1 hour 35 minutes
ingredients: crust. .5 lb butter (2 sticks). .5 cup sugar. 2 cups all purpose flour. .25 tsp salt.
filling. 6 large eggs. 2.5 cups sugar (3 cups if you use only lemons). 1 cup flour. 2 tbs citrus zest. 1 cups citrus juice (i used the 75% grapefruit, 1 lemon and 1 blood orange. served segments of fruit for garnish. .25 cup powdered sugar for garnish. parchment paper. 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar.
on medium speed, cream together the butter and sugar till well combined.
turn the mixer down to low and add in the flour and salt. mix till combined and the dough starts to come together.
line your baking pan with parchment and turn the dough out into the pan.
use your hands to gently press the dough into the pan so it is in an even layer.
lightly poke the crust with a fork and chill for 30 minutes.
preheat your oven to 350 degrees f.
bake your crust for 12-15 minutes until it just starts to lightly brown on the edges. remove it from the heat, and set on a cooling rack.
while the crust is baking, combine the eggs, juice, zest, 2.5 cups sugar and flour in the bowl of a stand mix. whisk on medium speed till well combined.
pour the filling onto the cooling crust and bake till set and no longer giggling. about 30-35 minutes.
if you reserved citrus segments to decorate your bars, bake your bars off until almost cooked, about 20-25 minutes. remove, place your segments in desired design and place back in the oven for remaining bake time.
once done, remove from the even and allow to cool to room temperature.
the easiest way to cut them is to first freeze them. once frozen, pull the parchment out of the pan and discard it.
slice the bars into desired size.
dust with powdered sugar and serve.