I want to face plant into this.

Sorry.  I’m just so overwhelmed.
Suddenly it’s cool enough that I broke out the yoga pants again… Great. I’ll be wearing those for the next six months. Then, just maybe, my legs will see the sunlight.

I’ll be hibernating until next May, too, Sasha.

I don’t mean to be fatalistic, but I just finished up my last day at the lab where I’ve been working, and I was expecting to command Siri to open my calendar and to see weeks of free, unrepentant sleep and relaxation stretching out in my future, only to be shocked by what seemed to be a two digit date beginning with a 2… 
Surely you jest, Siri.  But nay, she assured me of the date.  
Guys, it’s the twenty first of August…

Puff Daddy

What?!? (Why the face?)
I swear that I work in a time warp zone.  It’s the opposite of school.
Every time I think or talk about it, I realize that I’m so unnerved that I am sure to waste away the rest of my summer whining about how little is left.  Nothing will be able to comfort me.
Except maybe these buns.
Jussss keeding, I meant these buns!

This is what happens when I try to take a photograph from above.

Coffee-Chocolate Swirl Buns
Adapted from smittenkitchen
Ingredients:
For the dough:
240 mL milk, warmed to 100-115 degrees F
1 tablespoon espresso powder
90 g sugar
15 g yeast
1 large egg plus one egg yolk
375 g flour
3/4 tsp salt
70 g butter
For the swirl:
70 g butter
75 g sugar
12 ounces dark chocolate
Pinch salt
For the glaze: (I know this isn’t properly measured. Deal with it.)
Bit of chocolate
Splash of cream
Tiny pat of butter
Pinch of salt
Spoonful of espresso powder
Directions:
For the buns:
Bloom the yeast in the milk with 30 g of the sugar.  Once foamy, stir in the espresso powder.  Add to the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached, and add the eggs, rest of the sugar, and salt and mix around a bit.  Slowly add in the flour.  The dough should be super soft and form a “tornado” at the bottom of the bowl, i.e. not stick to the sides but stick at the bottom. Once the dough has come together, add in the softened butter and allow the dough hook to work that in.  Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl with a slightly damp dish towel over it and place in a moderately warm and draft-free place to rise for an hour or so.  Meanwhile, chop up your chocolate and mix it with the sugar, salt, and butter for your filling. You can do this in a food processor or by hand.  It should be chunky and should crumble but also be nice and moist.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Once the dough has doubled in size, roll it out into a large rectangle and spread the filling all over it. Roll up the dough, and slice it (It’ll be very difficult, because the dough is so soft, but they’ll be covered in glaze so don’t worry.) and place each bun into greased muffin tins.  Allow to rise for a little bit (30 ish minutes depending on the warmth of your kitchen), until they have puffed up a bit, then pop them in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
For the glaze:
Melt the chocolate, add a pinch of salt and the espresso powder, and a small pat of butter and a splash of cream, enough to make it a pourable consistency, and pour over your warm buns (lol).