Jade: Bitemycroissant

I used to believe in new year resolutions. The whole notion of making list after list of promises to make the new year better than the last. And then I grew up...and it struck me how futile the whole exercise was. To spend all that time setting new rules for yourself, fully knowing what they say about rules and how they are meant to be broken....beating yourself up when you cave and eat that second slice of cake on the 2nd day of the new year......and then trying your damnest to justify that moment of weakness..convincing yourself it somehow doesn't count. So I shan't make any this year...I shall instead figure out what I don't want in 2011, because I don't want this year to slip by like so many others have...because I don't want to live this year on fast forward..to get where I want to get but have absolutely no recollection of how or why I ended up there...because I don't want to sit in bed on new year's eve thinking "why didn't I..."

I've missed writing...and as much as I love my job, I really don't want to be defined by how much I know about DMARDs or how many lumbar punctures I've done...So here's to a year of chinese calligraphy, traditional chinese instruments, pole dancing lessons and as much food as you and I can eat.

Caramel croissant pudding ~ adapted from Nigella

2 stale croissants [ i've tried it with pain au chocolat, equally gorgeous]

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp water

1/4 cup cream

1/2 tbsp rum

1/4 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

~I'm not a huge custard fan, original recipe calls for double the custard...but that to me just spells soggy bread

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees

2. Tear croissants up roughly and arrange in a little pie tin or a small baking dish

3. Pour sugar and water into a saucepan and let it caramelize over medium low heat. Swirl it gently, but don't stir..the sugar will crystallize. Should take about 3-5 minutes to turn a beautiful amber

4. Take the pan off the heat, and pour in the cream, rum and milk

5. Whisk in the beaten egg and pour the mixture over your torn up croissants

6. Nigella says to steep for 10 minutes, but i usually just let it sit while i'm doing the washing up which takes all of 5 minutes. Read above re: aversion to soggy bread

7. Bake for 20 minutes, drizzle some cream over it and have yourself a very happy new year :)