Islands in the sky, food & travel

I've wanted to post this recipe for a while because babkas are such a comfort food.  However, posting bread or babka recipes can be tricky because it can take a few tries to get the dough right.  But these pointers should help you get there. These are the most important things I've learned about bread and babka baking :      - It takes time (several hours), this is why I use a breadmaker, using the pizza dough setting (no baking). I leave it to mix and then allow the dough to proof once (rest and rise).  I'm often doing something else, leave the house, etc., even leave it to proof several hours, that's the best part about a breadmaker, you can forget the dough and it's ok, it's in a warm place and needs to rise. Of course there's no need for a breakmaker, you can mix all the ingredients, knead and proof in a warm place and also forget about it – but do set a timer.  You can even leave the bowl covered with plastic wrap overnight in the refrigerator after fir

(Version française plus bas)  This one makes your mouth water doesn't it?  I think it also brings back childhood memories for some, or at least that memory of a really creamy and caramelly taste we all succumb to. I  usually   make  a Filipino flan with a recipe that has  come  down generations, made with at least a dozen eggs. But with egg prices nowadays, I opted for this poor man's version with only 3 eggs. LOL.  Also, I didn't have condensed milk so tried a version with regular milk and coconut milk.  I admit, it is less creamy than my grandmother's version, but I like the texture nonetheless with the coconut layer, and the fact that it has less sugar.   Here's the recipe :  30 cl of  milk (1 1/8cup) 20 cl coconut milk 100 g of sugar (1/2 cup) 1 vanilla bean (cut in half, content scooped out), or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 eggs 70 g of dried coconut (1 cup) For the caramel : 3/4 cup sugar Start by making the caramel, warm 3/4 cups of sugar in a saucepan until