Bopping around London this week, it’s clear the cupcake craze is alive and well in this city. I stopped by Lola’s Cupcakes at their Selfridges location, and was delighted with their adorable and fun cupcake designs and flavors. The shop is super cheery and girly (à la Magnolia Bakery), and the friendly staff was eager to help box up your favorites in their baby blue “Lola’s” boxes. I opted for 3 minis — the chocolate/chocolate (obviously), vanilla/vanilla (love the trendy mint color) and coconut (the fiancé’s favorite). Heaven. All with moist, airy cake and sweet, fluffy icing. As I left, I spotted this precious all-pink Princess Cake. Dozens of bright pink mini cupcakes serve as the puffy skirt of a most perfect princess, shown in her own white cupcake on top. It’s so cute for a little girl’s birthday or any special girl for that matter. You can never be too old to be a princess

Check out their fun website for a peek at more fab designs! www.lolas-kitchen.co.uk

I’m spending the week in London with the fiancé and, as always on my trips to Europe, I am constantly amazed at the cool and unique products they have that we can’t get in NYC. I spent a good portion of the day in Selfridges (kind of like a mega, super-sized Saks Fifth Avenue) and after combing through the euro-chic clothes and accessories (not to mention getting a quick blow dry at Hershesons Blow Dry Bar… do I sound like a Londoner yet?), I had to hit the “Food Hall” to check out the gourmet offerings. I quickly found this was no ordinary food hall, but rather a bustling and luxurious market full of exotic fruits and vegetables, divine cheeses, just-baked baguettes, fresh pasta, salads, and chocolates and pastries to-die-for. As I checked out, I stumbled upon this super cool Marc Jacobs Diet Coke that is truly a fashionistas dream! An avid diet coke-drinker myself, I could hardly contain my excitement. This limited edition soda was created by Marc in honor of Diet Coke’s 30th Anniversary and comes in 3 fab designs. It is exclusive to Selfridges in London, so you’ll have to pick one up on your next trip across the pond. I’ll be posting more scenes from London this week!

I am so excited to share with you all my latest food obsession: almond butter. Luckily, almond butter is not only delicious and satisfying, but it is good for you too. I hate to admit it, but I learned about this snack from a recent episode of Dr. Oz where Snooki (yes, Jersey Shore Snooki), was on the show to share the diet she used to drop 42 pounds after having a baby. Snooki-fan or not, you can’t deny how awesome this snack is and how (if used in moderation), can actually be used to lose weight and maintain a healthy diet.  There are endless variations of this recipe, but the main components are plain brown rice cakes and crunchy almond butter.

For one serving, smear 1 tablespoon of crunchy almond butter onto a rice cake. It is fantastic like this on its own, but if you’d like you can also place sliced apples or bananas on it, like I did today. Snooki had 2 of these rice cakes per day (1 mid-morning and 1 in afternoon) during her diet as a snack to keep full in between meals. Nutritionists have been praising almond butter for a long time for its many health benefits. Almond butter is high in fiber and a great source of monounsaturated fat and protein, all of which are essential for heart health. You can find almond butter at most supermarkets and health food stores. Enjoy!!

I used Barney Butter Crunchy Almond Butter, which is excellent. But, you can certainly use any brand of your favorite almond butter!

Almond Butter Rice Cakes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon almond butter, crunchy
1 brown rice cake
sliced fruit, if desired

Directions
Simply smear almond butter onto rice cake and enjoy! If you’d like, place thinly sliced bananas, apples or your favorite fruit on top. Sometimes I like to add a small drizzle of honey or sprinkling of sea salt on top too. Try it and let me know your favorite!!

Today I am thrilled to share a simple yet delicious recipe for stove-top Creamy Vanilla Rice Pudding. To make the pudding, I used a vanilla bean, which infused a rich and intense vanilla flavor into the creamy rice pudding, and truly sets this recipe apart from all of the others. You can find vanilla beans at gourmet stores and larger grocery stores like Whole Foods (where I got mine). I chose a Nielsen-Massey Madagascar vanilla bean, which is one of the most popular varieties, known for its buttery, sweet aroma. There is really no comparison to regular vanilla extract and the beans are essential for recipes like this that feature vanilla as the main attraction. I also chose to use medium-grain rice, which provides the most thick and creamy texture. I hope you enjoy this simple and decadent vanilla treat! 

Creamy Vanilla Rice Pudding

Ingredients
6 cups whole milk
2/3 cup medium-grain white rice
1/3 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, scrapped
3/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

First, gently split the vanilla bean open and scrape out the inside. Reserve.

Combine milk, rice, sugar, salt, vanilla scrapings and vanilla pod in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring gently.

Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover pot and continue to cook, stirring often, until rice is very tender and pudding has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes more or until rice is fully cooked.

Remove pot from heat and let pudding cool for 5 minutes. Take out the vanilla bean pod. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. The pudding will be very runny at this point as you can see in the photo below:

Refrigerate until cold and thick, at least 4 hours or up until overnight.

In the midst of this frigid and snowy day in NYC, I couldn’t think of a better time to share a few photos from the sunny Caribbean island of Anguilla. I just got back from a visit to the island to finish up some last minute preparations for my May wedding on the island. Anguilla is a “secret” hideaway in the British West Indies known for its stunning white sand beaches, exquisite restaurants and plentiful celebrity sightings. We stayed at the posh Viceroy resort ~ if you haven’t heard about it yet, I highly recommend checking out this little slice of paradise. Enjoy the snapshots! 

{ The Anguilla beach }

{ The Viceroy, situated on the convergence of Meads Bay and Barnes Bay in Anguilla }

{A welcome gift of traditional rum cake, peanut brittle, chocolate covered fruit and fudgy banana pudding shooters }

{ The perfect start to my day ~ tropical fresh fruit and a flaky mini croissant from Coba }

{ Aleta Pool ~ one of Viceroy Anguilla’s many sensational pool scenes }

{Lastly, enjoy the crashing waves in this brief video from the beach }

I could hardly contain my excitement yesterday afternoon when I received the most stylish and unique Valentine’s Day flowers from my fiancé. Instead of the usual dozen red roses, Aaron sent me a striking, modern arrangement of exotic purple orchids set in perfect balance to a giant “flower” of succulents and dozens of ribbons of lush lily grass, all exquisitely arranged in a slender glass vase. There is something so very “zen” about it, yet still utterly luxurious and beautiful. It reminds me of something you’d find in the lobby of a five-star hotel. The flowers are from Ovando in New York City, one of the most celebrated floral design companies in the city. To make it even more special, he chose a tropical variety of flowers to get us even more excited for our upcoming wedding in Anguilla. So, next Valentine’s Day, I highly recommend thinking out of the box for flowers. You heard it here first: orchids are definitely the new roses.

For the ultimate Valentine’s Day indulge this year, I made fudgy brownie bites with dark chocolate ganache.  I decorated them in plenty of shades of pink and red, but this recipe can of course be used any time of year for many different occasions that require a fun, bite-sized dessert. I was inspired to make the bites after I came across a box of Duncan Hines Brownie Mix in the form of bites. It’s one of those mini boxes that doesn’t make a full batch, so it’s perfect if you are not serving them for a big group. I decided to dress them up a bit by adding a frosting of shiny, rich ganache. Ganache, made simply of semi-sweet chocolate, whipping cream and butter, is one of those things that sounds scary to make, but is actually quite easy!

The brownie bites came out rich, moist and fudgy, and the extra kick of ganache on top elevated them from a regular brownie into a gourmet dessert. Check out all of the steps below. This recipe is a guaranteed hit for all of the chocolate lovers in your life. Enjoy and Happy Valentine’s Day!! xoxo

Fudgy Brownie Bites With Ganache

Brownies
1 box of Duncan Hines Mini Brownies (If you can’t find this specific box, you can use a regular size box of brownies, you will just need to double the ganache recipe below. Be sure to follow the directions on the box for brownie ingredients) 
1 tablespoon water (per package directions)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (per package directions)
1 egg white (per package directions)
12 mini muffin wrappers

Ganache
4.5 oz. semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions.

Spoon batter evenly into mini muffin cups that have been placed on a cookie sheet.

Bake brownie bites for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Next, prepare the ganache. Place the chocolate, whipping cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

Whisk until melted, smooth and combined (do not boil).

After brownies are cooled, carefully “frost” each bite with a thin layer of ganache.

Let sit for about 1 hour, or in the refrigerator until set.

Lastly, decorate as you wish!

Saturday night I was lucky enough to attend the Venexiana runway show at New York’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Best described as rock-n-roll haute couture, the fashion house of Venexiana presented a stunning Fall 2013 collection, featuring dazzling evening gowns in an array of elegant fabrics with impeccable detailing. The designer behind all the madness is Hungarian-born Kati Stern, who launched the edgy brand in 2003 after careers in music and architecture. The show was a mix of theatrics, booming rock music and dresses full of glitter, fur, sequins, velvet and in-your-face glamour. It all kicked off with shadowy silhouette and soon the first model emerged in a stunning jewel-toned gown with a rolled hairstyle evoking old Hollywood-style glamour. The punk rock music picked up as models strutted down the runway in red carpet-ready styles. 

My favorite look of the show was a gold sequined mini dress styled with a cropped chestnut-colored fur jacket, finished with sheer black stockings and studded boots. It was a mix of ladylike style and rock and roll, with contrasting textures that somehow all came together. Kati has the brilliant ability to create edgy styles that are still utterly feminine and classically beautiful.

{ My own snapshot from the show }

{ Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images }

For a peek at the stunning Fall 2013 collection and a chance to listen the music that rocked the show, check out my video of the finale of the Venexiana runway show:

I have a feeling we will be seeing many of Hollywood’s leading ladies wearing these designs at award shoes and events in the weeks and months to come! If you can’t wait to get your hands on one of these dresses, check out Venexiana at Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and other high-end retailers.

{ Runway photos by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images }

For a simple and classic hot hors d’oeuvre, what’s better than a sizzling scallop wrapped in bacon? I made these crowd favorites around the holidays for an elegant appetizer and decided to serve them recently as a light dinner alongside a salad. The recipe has been around forever, but I wanted to post about it today to bring them back in style! 

Make sure to buy fresh scallops from a fish market or a grocery store like Whole Foods with a stellar fish department. I hope you enjoy this quick and timeless recipe for Scallops Wrapped in Bacon!

Scallops Wrapped in Bacon

Ingredients
12 slices smoked bacon or other thick-cut bacon
12 scallops
1/4 cup brown sugar
Freshly ground black pepper and salt
Wooden toothpicks or short wooden skewers

Directions
Preheat your oven broiler. Line a roasting pan or baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Season the scallops on all sides with salt and pepper. Wrap each scallop in 1 piece of the bacon, securing it tightly through the center with a toothpick or short wooden skewer. Repeat with the remaining scallops.

Dab a 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar on the top and a 1/2 teaspoon on the bottom of each scallop (each will have 1 teaspoon of brown sugar total).

Broil for 8 minutes. Flip scallops over and broil for an additional 8 minutes or until the bacon is sizzling and brown.

Enjoy!

I am thrilled to share a special giveaway from Big City Little Sweets, a modern nyc-based dessert catering company that specializes in the two things nearest and dearest to my heart here at The Chic Brûlée ~ living fashionably and dessert!

As a little treat, the lovely Julie Hwang of Big City Little Sweets is offering a box of her deliciously chic bite-sized desserts to one lucky reader of The Chic Brûlée. I encourage you to take a minute to enter the giveaway to win this indulgent gift for yourself. Keep reading to enter! 

I first stumbled upon Big City Little Sweets at the Rob Pruitt for Jimmy Choo launch this past summer. While everyone else was obsessing over the new shoe collection at Jimmy’s posh Bleecker Street store, my eyes were fixated on the cake pops. With vibrant leopard print coatings dusted in glitter and psychedelic pandas, the cake pops were a true work of art. Most importantly though, they were delicious! I love how the small portion allows you to still indulge in the desserts you love, without going overboard on calories.

Big City Little Sweets designs precious confections that range from cake pops to French macarons to green tea sable cookies to mini cupcakes. They are darlings of the fashion industry and have catered mini desserts for the likes of Christian Louboutin and Marc by Marc Jacobs (who says fashionistas don’t eat?!). With wedding season fast approaching, I can picture Big City Little Sweets creating dessert bars for girly bridal showers and glamorous wedding receptions. If you can’t wait until the giveaway ends, check out Big City Little Sweets at bigcitylittlesweets.com to speak with them about your next event.

I recently had the opportunity to try even more of their addictive creations. This time it was the “Chocolate Lovers Series,” featuring Chocolate/Chocolate, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Hazelnut, and Chocolate Mint Cake Pops. The pops were rich, moist and flavorful.

Some were adorned with jewelry-like accents…

Although very hard to choose, my favorite was the Chocolate Hazelnut! Nutty and chocolatey, like chocolate cake smeared with Nutella, all rolled up into a perfect ball.

TO WIN:

And now, one lucky reader has the opportunity to win a box of beautiful, bite-sized treats from Big City Little Sweets. To enter, post a comment below answering the following question: What is your favorite bite-sized treat? 

Each comment will be good for one entry, and you can enter as many times as you like! For an additional entry, sign up for our newsletter here. The winner will be chosen at random. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only. Entries will be accepted through Friday, February 1, 2013. Good luck!