About 4 weeks ago I ran off to Brazil for the quickest visit of all time. My family while not crazy (but understanding) about the duration of the visit made sure to give me the most beautiful send off lunch, with the obligatory amazing piece of Pork complete with crispy skin and an Apple dessert. The Apple dessert was that pretty baklava style delight above prepared by my very talented aunt. She swears there’s no recipe… Still I will relay what she told me.

She said and I paraphrase here, OK?

Layer Filo dough with Butter on the bottom of the pan, put in sliced apples and anything yummy you can find in the house (that would go with apples, of course), then add the top layers of Filo (counted 6 top layers), carefully cut out the diamond pattern and bake till golden ( I guess  at 350?!?)

That’s it for today my lovelies, I have a lot share with you guys still, but I also have to get to work!

ps: I am IN LOVE with my grandmother’s plastic Table Cloth!!!

EDIT:

My aunt spills the beans!

OK! I have to tell you something! There are a couple of secret ingredients in the filling… Beside apple slices, there is sugar & cinnamon, nuts, raisins, dried apricots and some bread crumbs (to keep things dry!). Simple, easy and tasteful!

This is “Nutty Boy”, the main character in a book and a movie authored by Ziraldo; I’m pretty sure every Brazilian my age read during their childhood. I read it a million times, I loved it, a lot, maybe because I too am kinda Nutty, a lot.

Nutty enough to think that during a ten day stay in Brazil I would be able to see everyone, do everything and still post. Fret not, though, I fly back to NY on Monday!

See you next year, ubiquitous Passion Fruit tarts.

I’ll be thinking about you, Pão de Mel.

Oh, Ovaltine Milkshake, I’ll miss you most of all.

See you all again next year!

I’m already thinking about all the other things that I forgot to do eat!

This pic is from sweet_tempura, who very kindly allowed me to use it in this post.

Bakery Itiriki is (as I said above) a Japanese, Chinese, Brazilian and French Bakery. A little piece of heaven right in the middle of the (also awesome) Asian neighborhood in São Paulo (Liberdade). Years before I even thought about being a baker or having a blog, I spent many Sundays there drinking yummy bubble tea, yours truly was lucky to live close by!

That was my tray when we stopped by this past July! You can see a Chocolate cake (to sweet for my taste) , an AMAZING apple mini cake (top left), puff pastry Pão de queijo (yes you read it right, they got Pão de queijo and made into puff pastry!!! ZOMG) and a yummy braided bread with Leeks.

Upon entering the bakery, you’ll find trays and tongs, you pick up all the goodies you like and you make your way to the cashier. It’s not cheapest place, but it won’t break the bank specially considering the exchange rate. While paying you can get yourself a ticket for Bubble tea, coffee or Juice, which you then pick up upstairs in their small siting area. On weekends you’ll have to wait for a booth but on a weekday it was a breeze!

Check out the sweets aisle below.

This pic is also from sweet_tempura, who very kindly allowed me to use it in this post.

All the classic from all the countries I mentioned before are available, from Kare Pan (Japanese Curry Bread), Chinese Steamed Breads, Dim Sum (sometimes), Adzuki Bean paste filled Mochi to the most basic goodies such as Croissants, Baguettes and Pão de Queijo.

If you ever visit São Paulo, you should definitely stop by, if anything just for their killer Bubble Tea, but I doubt that’s all you’ll walk out with!

Bakery Itiriki is here.

Stuck in a driver’s license renewal course in Brazil? Watching the Mr Wheeler/Mr Walker cartoon the same day as real car accident footage? A Caipirinha truffle and an Espresso can be your friend!

Cacau Show is a chain of “high quality chocolate” shops that is all over Brazil. I had never really paid much attention to them, because they sold franchise opportunities on TV all the time plus they only really spread throughout after I left the country. However, when one finds himself in the above situation they will walk into anywhere to clear their a bit, that’s when I got to try these unusual truffles.

They had Quentão (a warm spiced cachaça drink served during the Festa Juninas), Caipirinha (everyone knows that one!), Curau (a Maize custard) oh and Paçoca (candy made of ground peanuts and sugar) my fave candy!

OK: bad day + caipirinha truffle = not so bad after all! Even though it was white chocolate, the Caipirinha Truffle was very good, the ganache inside was fluffy and tasted like limes and cheap cachaça! Which is usually what caipirinhas taste like, haha!  The Paçoca was also very good and true to the original candy. The Curau and Quentão didn’t really deliver. As my control group I had their dark chocolate truffle and it was also decadently good!

If you ever find yourself near a Cacau Show, definitely try their truffles. I ended going back every day of the 3 day course!

PS: If you can read Portuguese, check out their website.