Author: Paris

A Dose of Pretty

~ Paris ~ Leave a comment
{While I normally have no interest in coffee, my new drink of choice is a Cuban cortado, or cortadito, aka, espresso cut with milk + sugar in an espresso glass.}

After a weekend at home on my own – aka, a weekend filled with ordering takeout, watching Lifetime thrillers and Hallmark holiday movies, and staying up late with my pup – I felt ready and refreshed to tackle this week. And while the week flew by, I am excited for a relaxed weekend with no plans besides a lunch date with a friend, a couple of Pilates classes, and watching some Halloween-inspired movies to get ready to celebrate the holiday dedicated to costumes + candy on Monday. Have a great one as well!

{Spotting the red planet in the night sky. Mars is under the bright ray of light.}
{One of my favorite traditions when I have a weekend alone: takeout {aka a bleu cheese burger + truffle fries} and watching made-for-TV movies.}
{White roses in the autumn sun.}
{An orangey-pink sky + blue-grey sea.}

x Paris

Entertaining: Dessert Bar – Homemade Twix Bars + Hot Cocoa

~ Paris
My favorite candy bar has hands down always been a Twix bar {with Milky Way bars coming in at a distant second place}. The mixture of a buttery shortbread cookie juxtaposes the sweetness of the caramel and milk chocolate perfectly, so much so that I try to avoid passing out the candy bar during Halloween since I end up eating every last one instead. This year to try and elevate our candy addiction and avoid eating everything we bought for the trick or treaters, I decided to make a homemade version of the Twix bar and paired it with my favorite hot cocoa for a dessert bar of sorts with homemade candy and a drink. It ended up being the perfect way to have a decadent dessert – the homemade version was far more indulgent, making one bar ridiculously filling – and I can’t wait to do this again on Monday night, after the kids have collected the candy, and along with a beautiful fireplace and cozy cashmere throw.

Ingredients:
Shortbread cookies
Caramels
Milk Chocolate
4 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream or Milk

Recipe: 
1. Using two tablespoons of the heavy whipping cream or milk, melt both the caramels and the milk chocolate in two separate double boilers.

2. Once the caramel is melted and thickened, drizzle it on top of the cookie, avoiding it dripping over the sides.

3. Then drizzle the milk chocolate over the caramel and cookie, allowing it to drip over the sides. After a couple minutes, help mold the shape of the chocolate with your fingers to give it more of a candy bar look and feel.

4. Refrigerate for a couple hours or until the chocolate hardens.

5. Serve with a mug of hot cocoa and enjoy!

x Paris