An easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Swiss Roll Cake recipe. This chocolate Swiss roll cake is filled with peanut butter mousse and covered in chocolate ganache.
A little while back, I posted a self portrait on Instagram with a caption describing my instinctive desire for authenticity. Admittedly, this need was brought into the foreground because of a sore heart and selfishness— a positive form of the latter, at least (I promise, I’ll get to this chocolate peanut butter Swiss roll recipe- a delicious Swiss roll cake- momentarily).
This isn’t an entry of tear-thick protestations, or even a speech. Rather, it’s one of celebration (with a chocolate peanut butter Swiss roll recipe!), acceptance, and most importantly: clarity. This post is mostly for myself; it’s to document a nearly decade-long inner fight, and to mark the moment that I march to the beat of my own drum and do what feels right. This post is also to create some clarity for everyone in my life— some of my family, some of my friends, and for you; I feel this is necessary for all of us.
Most of my life has been spent trying to be an unparalleled force to be reckoned with; I’ve always been a people pleaser. And up until a couple years ago, I thought I could manage it all. I thought I could be the perfect student, the perfect friend, the perfect boyfriend, the perfect son, the perfect nephew . . . The perfect everything. “Perfection”— that’s what’s been my biggest issue. Though I eternally loathe thinking about my image, I’ve spent my life focused on perfection; and that, essentially, is being image-conscious. It was almost a bit of a double standard, and focusing on this faux-instinctive desire exhausted me greatly.
For nearly a decade, my focus has always been on making others happy and living through their happiness. And, don’t get me wrong, that’s certainly not wrong at all; but when you make that one of the main purposes of all your relationships— familial and not, it just doesn’t work out. It leads to a lot of disappointment and sadness.
Up until a couple months ago, I thought I needed to please everyone. I thought it was necessary to give, give, give. After looking back on this, I wasn’t expecting so much naiveté from myself, but things happen and all I can do is accept that I’ve to learn how to work with the scales of give-and-take.
Tiny, unimportant things can destroy us internally— if we allow them to, anyway, especially when we try to live the life others have planned for us. There are so many omnipresent hackneyed ideas that describe how men and women must behave. These ideas— these stereotypes— they do good for no one; anyone who doesn’t cleave to these unrealistic standards goes under the scrutiny of others, and I for one have been there.
We all have stories (especially those we’ve endured during our educational careers) and different experiences that can be written down and taped together to span the earth millions of times. And though these memories assisted in my ever constant self-discovery, they don’t define the kind of person I am. Our experiences, no matter how horrid, don’t define who we are unless we let them. How we share ourselves is based on our own actions— this, I feel, makes up part of the definition of who we are as individuals.
Being a positive human being, and sincerely trying to make some sort of a difference— by having hope and giving hope— is what sets a positive person apart from one who might be disheartened. Hope, like happiness is evanescent; it can exist and last so long as we allow it to. We can’t expect the best if we litter the planet and our lives with negativity; the laws of nature aren’t designed to work that way. In order to coexist and be happy, it’s important that all of us understand that. In order to have happiness, we must pour it into the universe— in any form possible. Not through lying, not through retaliating and fulfilling vendettas, and surely not through ignorance.
I’ve never liked the old adage, “ignorance is bliss.” I feel that such an “aphorism” offers an excuse to not better oneself. Why live in ignorance when we can educate ourselves, learn, and share a wealth of important information that could help commence acceptance of peoples who currently struggle to be accepted? Acceptance has been a theme of mankind for centuries, and mankind has struggled greatly with it.
After almost a decade, today, I’ve decided that staying silent, that allowing others to turn the wheel of ignorance, and that selectively lying is not what I want for myself and for those that I love. I’ve not been completely honest in one aspect of my life, and that— that’s not what I want; especially in a space where I’ve promised to be true to myself and to my readers.
As small children, somewhere between the innocence and tantrums, we learn how to lie. It seems like a natural thing to learn, despite how much we would like to admit it, along with walking and talking. As we mature, we either choose to further develop these skills, or not. For me, growing up, I learned that lying was a very elaborate practice. And though I abhor the act of lying, I found myself doing it so often because I wanted to please others; while doing so, I lost a great deal of confidence in myself. By avoiding honesty, by trying to protect myself from judgment and by wanting to please others, especially my family, I set myself back and created unnecessary stresses in my life.
I come from a multiracial background of multiple faiths; I know what it’s like to have to work 20 times harder than the next person, and to fight for acceptance in anything you do— to break boundaries. This fight is second nature to those that are different; what’s harder is informing others and hoping that they’ll make the right decision based on factors that are fair. Both sides of my family are very religious and conservative, and the news I’m here to share with you today might be nothing short of difficult for some to handle. For others, it might be a walk in the park, a shoulder shrug, or wide-open arms of acceptance. And for some, it might be a moment in which my words reach you for the last time, or the first time you open up your eyes. I accept it all because I have hope and confidence that one difference doesn’t matter because it’s a small part of who I am.
I’m gay.
At this point, you’re either with me or against me, and I’m fine with either.
Regardless, this process of “coming out” has been nothing short of straining— not only for myself, but for others. I’ve lost friendships, work, and relationships with many people because of my sexuality— a small part of myself that doesn’t define the person I am. And though this may seem like information too personal to share on a weblog, I feel like I owe it to everyone to be honest because there are many people who aren’t as lucky as I am. Who aren’t as lucky to have such loving and understanding people in my life… We all deserve acceptance and love. We all deserve to hope and to be happy.
Love, as I’ve learned over these past few years, is a gift to mankind; in all of its forms— be it the delight, the glamour, or even the grief associated with it. I am not exactly the epitome of empirical; I’m young and I am probably not as emotionally experienced as the next person. I do know this, however: I know that all people deserve to experience love and happiness (whatever we individually define it as) without compromise and without embarrassment.
I’ve spent too much time hidden in the background in the lives of others. I’ve spent too much time loving silently and secretly. I’ve spent too much time being tolerant of mistreatment I didn’t deserve from bullies and those I loved. I’ve spent too much time being tolerant of ignorance. I’ve spent too much time tolerant of being ignored, and I’ve spent too much time tolerant of being talked down to. Today, I put my foot down and say I’m no longer tolerant of these things.
I support equality, I support acceptance, and I support love in all its forms. I support open arms, sharing journeys, and supporting those that ask for help.
My book, practically my child, Hand Made Baking, followed me as I’ve undergone this transformative journey over these past few years. It’s been the reason I keep going and the reason I’ve managed to get this far.
Hand Made Baking is coming out in a couple weeks (November 18th, to be precise!). I’ve not opened up much about the book on the web; I’ve wanted it be a surprise for everyone (not even my family has read it). Hand Made Baking is my biggest attempt yet to convert fear-filled non-bakers into experts in this ultimate form of comfort cooking. Everything from childhood memories of pumpkin pies, to Norah Jones crooning softly in the background, to mentions of Will & Grace and The Golden Girls, to heartbreak-curing cookies, cute kitten videos on YouTube, and mentions of childhood summers… It’s all in there, and this book was with me during the entire time.
In celebration of coming out— myself, and the book— (preorder details at the end of this post) I wanted to share something glamorous, a delicious chocolate peanut butter Swiss roll cake recipe! A chocolate peanut butter Swiss roll rich, sexy, and something that cuts to the chase, but doesn’t require much more than a small timeframe of dedication on your part.
This is me, and this is Hand Made Baking.
As, promised, preorder details (for the major retailers that I could think of):
USA: Amazon // Barnes & Noble // Powell’s // Books-A-Million // Chronicle Books
UK: Amazon UK // Blackwell’s // The Book Depository // Waterstones // Abrams & Chronicle Books
Canada: Amazon Canada // Indigo // McNally Robinson
Chocolate Peanut Butter Swiss Roll Cake
Imagine this: peanut butter cream cheese mouse rolled between insanely quick Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake and adorned with a robe of rich chocolate ganache and a super-easy peanut brittle recipe. I’d tell you how it all goes, but I figured that after all the reading, a video and the chocolate peanut butter Swiss roll cake recipe might be lovely
Other Delicious Recipes
Chocolate Peanut Butter Swiss Roll Cake
This cake is perfect for any kind of celebration. It’s rich, and I oblige you to have a glass of cold milk ready before indulging into this lovely roll cake. Though it appears to be glam— and no doubt it is— don’t be fooled by its sexy, cut-to-the-chase appeal. What’s required isn’t an entire day of slaving in the kitchen, but rather a little bit of preparation and maybe some shortcutting.
The most daunting part about this cake isn’t the baking, which only take about 10 minutes, it’s the preparation. The preparation isn’t anything taxing or overly complicated, but it does require a little bit of proper planning and reading the recipe ahead of time, especially if you want it all to come together rather quickly.
The Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Mousse (which is very peanutty, slightly tangy and not overly sweet) and the Chocolate Ganache can be made up to 24-hours in advance, or made in the order as directed below. And the super-easy peanut brittle can be made several days in advance. The brittle is an optional addition, you can definitely use store-bought brittle, chop-up your favorite peanutty candy bar and use that, or just leave the topping component out entirely. It’s up to you!
Warning: be prepared to get a kitchen towel dirty; be sure to use a clean one that you don’t mind staining with cocoa. Also, do keep in mind that the higher the cacao content of the chocolate you use in the ganache, the richer and darker it will be. Also, be sure to refrigerate the ganache if you plan to make it ahead. Once you’re ready to use it, put the ganache in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water and let it melt back to pouring consistency.
Ingredients
Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake
- 1/2 cup / 60g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup / 50g unsweetened cocoa powder (natural, or Dutch-processed), sifted, plus more for dusting
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- Pinch of fine-grain sea salt
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons / 125g granulated white sugar
- 1/4 cup / 55g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Peanutty Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Mouse
- 4 oz / 113g cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup / 160g peanut butter (try to stick to a commercial brand because oil won’t separate out)
- 2 tablespoons / 30g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup / 100g powdered sugar
- Pinch of fine-grain sea salt
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 cup / 120 ml heavy whipping cream (double cream)
Peanut Brittle (optional; refer to headnotes for substitute)
- 1 cup / 200g granulated white sugar
- 3/4 cup / 100g salted peanuts
Chocolate Ganache (refer to headnotes, if making ahead)
- 6 oz / 170g chopped dark chocolate (54 to 70 percent cacao)
- 3/4 cup/ 180ml heavy whipping cream (double cream)
- 1/2 teaspoon light corn syrup / golden syrup / light agave nectar
Instructions
- Make the Cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450F / 230C. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-in / 23-by-33-cm baking pan and line with parchment paper. Grease the top of the parchment and dust the pan with cocoa powder; tap out the excess (I do this over the sink for easy cleaning).
- In a medium bow, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, and salt on high speed until thick and doubled in volume, about 3 minutes.
- With the mixer still on, steadily stream in all the granulated sugar; continue mixing on high speed for another 3 minutes, or until the mixture is light in color and thick in consistency, and leaves a trail when the whisk is dipped in and lifted out. To also check if the mixture is done, press a dot of the mixture between your thumb and forefinger; you shouldn’t be able to feel granules of sugar in the mixture
- With a spatula, carefully sprinkle the flour–cocoa mixture on top of the egg mixture. Gently folded in until just incorporated. Stream the butter down the side of the bowl, carefully stirring just to bring everything together.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and gradually tilt the pan back and forth so the mixture levels out and evenly spread into the corners.
- Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the cake begins to pull away from the edges of the pan, the cake is springy to the touch, and the cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
- While the cake bakes, evenly dust a clean tea towel or flour sack towel (it should be longer than the pan) with cocoa powder. Once the cake is baked, run a thin knife along the sides of the pan, then invert the cake onto the prepared towel. Carefully loosen and peel off the parchment from the bottom of the warm cake.
- Working quickly, trim the edges of the cake with a sharp knife just enough to square everything off when making a cut 1-in / 2.5cm from one of the shorter edges, being sure not to cut more than halfway through (this will allow the cake to roll neatly). Lightly dust the top of the cake with more cocoa powder.
- Put a clean piece of parchment or wax paper on the dusted cake (you can skip this bit if you like living on the edge, but I like to take proper precautions). Firmly, but gently, roll up the warm cake from the cut end, including the tea towel in the roll, and leave the cake to cool completely. Doing this will allow the cake to be easier to fill later on. Put the rolled package in a loaf pan, if it fits, to help hold its shape, and set in the refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400F for the Peanut Brittle.
- Prepare the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Mousse: In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream until stiff peaks form. Scrape the whipped cream into a smaller bowl, and set aside.
- In the large bowl (no need to clean it), beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the peanut butter, followed by the room temperature butter and the vanilla extract. Scrape the sides of the bowl a bit.
- Now, with the mixer on low, beat in the powdered sugar, sea salt, and ground nutmeg. Once the sugar and spices are incorporated, turn the mixer off and scrape down the bowl. Using the spatula, briskly stir in about 1/3 of the whipped cream mixture. Add in the rest of the whipped cream and fold it into the peanut butter cream cheese goodness. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it the refrigerator to chill.
- Make the Peanut Brittle: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and evenly sprinkle in the sugar. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until all the sugar is melted and golden. Once immediately out of the oven, carefully (sugar is very hot at this point!) sprinkle over the chopped peanuts, and allow to cool completely before casually breaking into pieces.
- Make the Chocolate Ganache: Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the cream over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for a minute, then add in the corn syrup and stir until smooth. Set aside.
- [Kamran note: if preparing the ganache a day ahead, be sure to press some plastic wrap (cling film) onto the ganache to prevent a skin from forming].
- Decorate the cake: Once the cake is cool, carefully unroll it. Remove the sheet of parchment and evenly spread the mousse onto the cake, leaving a 1/2-in / 12mm border all around. Re-roll the cake (without the tea towel inside the cake, of course). Place the cake on a clean cooling rack, over a sheet of parchment paper. Evenly pour the ganache onto the cake, use a spatula or knife to help spread it out. Allow the chocolate to drip off onto the parchment (I scrape the excess into a bowl and serve it with the cake; it’s liquid gold!). Decorate the cake with the shards of peanut brittle, and move to the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour. After an hour, dole out slices, and enjoy!
Notes
Cake & ganache recipes adapted from Hand Made Baking, brittle adapted from an old issue of Donna Hay Magazine; Inspired by here, here, and this book
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1 SliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 744Total Fat: 49gSaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 208mgSodium: 247mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 4gSugar: 46gProtein: 15g
78 Comments
Lauren
November 2, 2014 at 10:30 pmKam, I just have love for you. For your coming out, for your book, for that darling video, for you. (Miss you!) xox
Kamran
November 5, 2014 at 4:29 pmLauren, thank you so much for your constant support! Miss you too!
Ayesha
November 2, 2014 at 10:31 pmHi Kamran, I hope you have an easier time with your family and friends moving forward with this news. I do wish we were all accepted based on our character and not on our sexuality/religious devotion/academic performance/looks etc. I have a brother named Kamran too…so I’m guessing you come from an Islamic faith background and I can imagine how hard that must have been to come out to. Good luck in the future!
P.S: The cake is perfection ;) Oops, wait a minute, less than perfection is still ok :D
Brian
November 2, 2014 at 10:51 pmWhere to even begin.
You should be proud of everything you’ve accomplished. This beautiful site, your book, your words and photography, your recipes… But, most importantly, your honesty. You rock.
Shauna
November 2, 2014 at 10:58 pmI adore you, and I adore this post! Here’s to living life out loud, and all your great successes. I cannot WAIT to get my hands on your book! I am so proud of you. xxoo
Shelby
November 2, 2014 at 11:46 pmHey Kamran,
I know I haven’t spoken to you in forever. I just wanted to say that I have following your posts on your blog (which I absolutely love) and I really enjoyed your post today. The cake looks amazing. I will have to try to make it sometime. I am so happy for you and I am proud of you. I cannot wait to buy your book. It’s very exciting. Miss you.
Irvin
November 3, 2014 at 1:10 amYay! Congratulations on this post and your book. I’m so excited for you and for what life brings next for you!
Diane {Created by Diane}
November 3, 2014 at 1:48 amHappy for you, your book and this delicious looking cake. I hope everyone in your life knows how blessed they are to have you in their life. You deserve to be surrounded by loving people. So happy to have met you and hope we meet up again soon, I have a giant hug to give you!
Sophia
November 3, 2014 at 3:01 amI am a long-time reader and lurker but think this may be my first comment on your page. Congratulations on the book, if it is anywhere near as beautiful as your posts in this space than I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy! Also, congratulations on coming out – that can’t have been easy and I admire your strength for doing so nonetheless. I just hope that soon (and this moment cannot come soon enough) we will all be accepted for who we are, not who we love. Until then, I wish you all the strength you need and all the success you deserve!
David Krynauw
November 3, 2014 at 6:01 amThat must have been a difficult blog to write. Well done. One of my schools had the motto “Be Yourself”. I feel like you are starting to do that and it’s great. You can only let your true personality shine through when you are yourself. And enjoy what you are!
shweta
November 3, 2014 at 6:25 amdear Kamran,
be what you want to be & do what you want to do. if people could only see beyond their religion or their biased ideas, the world would be a better place to live in. big yay for the book !!
Simon
November 3, 2014 at 7:19 amKamran. This doesn’t change who you are: an immensely talented person who enhances the lives of your friends, your readers and your audience. This actually just reinforces how genuine you are, and in this lifetime those people are increasingly hard to find. Keep on writing, taking photographs and being yourself.
Matt
November 3, 2014 at 7:38 amBeautiful post Kamran, and congratulations for standing up for yourself and choosing to live in the light, I’m proud of you! I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of your book! You an incredible baker, and writer, and we are very lucky to have you around!
angela@spinachtiger
November 3, 2014 at 7:42 amI loved the video and your news is not that much of a surprise. I’ve been the sister and the cousin and again the cousin to men coming out in my family. The ONLY reason I cried was worrying about how they might be hurt by other people. Alas, take who you are and be the best who you are. It really started with this honest post that made me breathe a sigh of relief for you, as holding onto to a secret is quite a burden. Keep in mind that everyone has them. Everyone. I’m a Christian (Jesus loving) and I 100% believe you don’t choose this. It’s who you are and if you have conservative, religious relatives, they may try to convince you otherwise, mostly out of fear and sometimes out of ignorance. In my world, my faith, you are much loved, more than you could know, and all the beauty and creativity that comes from your hands and heart comes first from him. That’s what I believe. And, this book is going to be a delight. But keep making these videos. You are here to bring sweetness and joy to the world. You’re doing it.
Rochelle Ramos
November 3, 2014 at 8:45 amWhat a beautiful post! I’m so happy you have been able to share something so personal and have learned that you have the right to be happy! All I can say is that I hope you will continue to receive the feeling of acceptance and love you deserve from everyone you know now and meet in the future!
As for your book, I’ll have to wait to see if I’ll be lucky enough to get it in Europe or I’ll go in search of acquiring it from the states :). If it’s even half as beautiful as what i’ve seen you produce here over the past few years then I must have it in my collection!!
Congratulations!
Rachael
November 3, 2014 at 8:48 amSo excited for that book Kamran! You are amazing! I have always thought you were amazing and this post just solidifies those feelings. XOXO
Gregory
November 3, 2014 at 8:59 amKam- this post was beautiful and honest! Congratulations on coming out. Your writing is so bloody amazing!!! Don’t get me started on that f$%^$! fantastic video too! I LOVE how in sync the motions were with the music. Oh and the photos are amazing as well! Great work Kam!
John
November 3, 2014 at 9:11 amDear Kam,
What a man! What a writer! What a baker! God bless you, and through you many others. Look forward to baking your recipes and following your story. John
Gillian
November 3, 2014 at 9:15 amBRAVO!
What a beautiful post. And a recipe with two of my favorite flavors. I was just given a stack of Amadei dark chocolate, I am almost looking forward to the next raining day here in Rome to make this.
Sean
November 3, 2014 at 9:37 amKudos to you! Coming out as gay or anything for that matter is an important step. The more at home in your own skin you are, the more at peace with the world you’ll be. A very wise and strong thing to do.
KalynsKitchen
November 3, 2014 at 9:40 amBeautifully written. And I am with you all the way. I have a gay brother, and watched him struggle with this (much later in life than your age) so I know how difficult it is. But being true to who you are is always it’s own best reward! xoxo
Kathy Strahs
November 3, 2014 at 9:42 amCongratulations, Kamran! Being true to yourself…it takes so much courage, and I’m so happy that you’re taking that step. Much love!!
Sini | My Blue&White Kitchen
November 3, 2014 at 10:26 amYou should be so proud of yourself, Kamran. Never be sorry for who you are. This post was so brave and honest and wise. I thank you for your courage to write and share it.
But there’s also so much more to this post than your powerful message; this cake looks luscious, your book looks phenomenal (can’t wait to bake from it!), and that video is great! So many things to celebrate tonight!
thelittleloaf
November 3, 2014 at 10:33 amYes to everything about this post, from being yourself to the peanut butter mousse. And congratulations on the book – it looks like an absolute beauty x
Robin
November 3, 2014 at 10:35 amSo proud of you, Kam. You, Mr., will do amazing things in this life (even more amazing than your already amazing accomplishments — your blog, photography, book, this post, your empathy that you’ve already given to the world), and I am so happy for you. Never stop being self-aware, trying to be the best you can be… and I’m sure you won’t.
Billy
November 3, 2014 at 10:40 amCrazy happy for you Kamran, it only gets more fabulous from here. Welcome to the club!
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)
November 3, 2014 at 10:44 amA beautiful post, and an absolutely sinful dessert. Hats off to you for both. Be the loving person you are.
S
November 3, 2014 at 10:47 amYou are talented, brave and beautiful. I am so happy for you – you must have taken a deep breath of relief after writing this. You are right, we deserve to be happy and to be loved. We should not be treated differently because of our sexual preferences. Hugs, S
Nik@ABrownTable
November 3, 2014 at 11:08 amSuch a beautiful post, Kamran. Coming from an Indian and from a multi faith background, coming out was hard for me too but you’re right you will be a happier person at the end of the day and I’m honestly thrilled for you. Stay strong and be yourself :) Congratulations everything and on the book too, it’s gorgeous!
Ashley
November 3, 2014 at 11:43 amYou are strong. You are brave. And you are LOVED.
Garrett
November 3, 2014 at 11:51 am*applause*
Kate
November 3, 2014 at 12:08 pmI’m so moved by your honesty and bravery — though this has undoubtedly been a difficult journey for you, it’s also the beginning of another phase where you can be fully open with those around you, and I hope with all my heart that the people you care about surprise you with the unconditionality of their love and support. (I’m not sure you remember me — we met at BlogHer Food years ago, and even then I was impressed by how articulate and grounded you are.) <3
Also, this dessert looks absolutely amazeballs and I can't wait to buy your book!
Heather in SF
November 3, 2014 at 12:50 pmIt is important to be yourself and it’s good you’ve learned this at such a young age. Being authentic and being true to yourself and to who you are will help you be happy in the long run. Good luck with your new book and I’m very proud of you for being open and honest about everything.
Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction
November 3, 2014 at 2:32 pmThank you for sharing such a beautiful and honest post… Being authentic and being yourself can be so hard at times (I know, I’m a fellow people pleaser), but it pays off in the end.
Also, I’ve grown a bit tired of blogger cookbooks lately, but I cannot wait to get my hands on yours. I know it will be nothing short of amazing… Congratulations! :)
PS – That swiss roll looks divine… My healthy afternoon snack is looking rather dull in comparison.
Eunice
November 3, 2014 at 3:16 pmLoved you since the day you were born and will love you till the day I’m gone from this world. For those people that truly love/care and want to be a part of your life, you know we will always be just a call away. For those that can’t accept you for who you are then they were just ships in the ocean passing by and missing the best part of you. “Their loss not yours.” Nice peanut butter mousse by the way; can’t wait to taste it and waiting for the book to come out.
Lab U ^j^
Sabrina Modelle
November 3, 2014 at 6:04 pmOne meeeelion kisses from me to you. Love you, love your cake, and can’t wait to love every page of your book. This was a beautiful piece. Smoooch!
merry jennifer
November 3, 2014 at 6:13 pmOh, Kamran. I’m so happy for you. Congratulations on your new book, but mostly, congratulations on your honesty and bravery and for being true to yourself. Sending you much love today and always. xo
Mama p
November 3, 2014 at 6:13 pmSo proud of you on so many levels you are an EXTRAORDINARY person and everything about you ROCKS so don’t EVER change for anybody. What you have accomplished what you have overcome and the man that you are are BE PROUD BABY!!!!
We all are !!!!!!
Jess
November 3, 2014 at 6:40 pmWhat a post! Congratulations on all of it. I’m so looking forward to your book. xx.
maggy
November 3, 2014 at 8:07 pmLove to you, Kamran! You are a spectacular human being, a bright shining star. Thrilled for you, your book, your truth, and your future. And that roll. xoxoxoxoxoxo
kellypea
November 3, 2014 at 8:32 pmCongratulations to you — beauty and grace. Wishing you so much happiness ahead. I loved this so much.
az
November 3, 2014 at 9:18 pmThere is something incredibly powerful about revealing who we are. Sometimes it can have a polarizing effect with the people around us. For us, though, it is grounding and helps clarify what we are all about. I’m excited for you. I’m cheering you on. Also, congrats on the book!
Dhivya
November 3, 2014 at 9:47 pmI have been following your blog for a while now and I am thrilled to find out your book will be available this month, I will be pre ordering mine soon. And congratulations for coming out- I am sure this was difficult post to write!
Alejandra
November 3, 2014 at 11:01 pmThis is the beginning of so much amazing for you. Truth opens the door to so much. Congratulations + buckets of love. Can’t wait for your book!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
November 4, 2014 at 1:15 amMmmm this roll is so pretty!! LOVE this recipe. A show stopper!
tea_austen
November 4, 2014 at 2:28 amI am so with you. I always have been.
Congratulations on taking this huge, brave, beautiful step! To live in your own truth is one of the most important things in life. I am sure arriving at this point was not easy. Here is to your courage and strength.
And to your book as well! It looks absolutely brilliant.
Thanks for shining so bright.
Jennifer
November 4, 2014 at 6:08 amHoney I love your site and I love you so much for having the courage to share something like this with your readers. You’re so talented and giving, and you deserve absolute happiness! Glancing through the comments on this post, I think I speak with all of your readers when I say: We love you!
Ellen @ Indigo Scones
November 4, 2014 at 1:48 pmYou, sir, amaze me. Continually. I’ve supported you and your site for ages now and I always got so excited when a new post from you would pop up. I am so so happy that you are learning self acceptance and doing something for yourself now, I think that with time you’ll find yourself in better places because of it. Big love to you, Kamran. The raw honesty in this post blew me away.
mehrunnisa
November 4, 2014 at 5:47 pmkamran, many congratulations on the book! and kudos to you for your honesty and candour. as a fellow citizen of the world with south-asian heritage i understand the context in which you are voicing your truth. i know it takes courage. but above all i can imagine the liberation that truth brings. i am sure that there is much happiness in store for you. i have several friends who have been on a similar journey. one is happily civil partnered and i along with my husband had the honour of being his best-man. hopefully one day we will live in a world that is by and large colour blind in all its manifestations – race, religion, orientation et al. but until then, people like you will continue to inspire others to be true.
wishing you all the best and more. x
Wenderly
November 4, 2014 at 7:47 pmIt is so very difficult to peel back the layers of expectation and reviel ones true self. So happy for you that you’ve chosen to do so. You’re a beautiful person. I wish you a lifetime of happiness and joy. Your door is wide open. Embrace the world and all of the exquisite things it has to offer you love! xo
Megan
November 5, 2014 at 4:27 pmThis must have been very difficult for you, I’m glad you did it, you can be true to yourself. You are very inspiring and I can’t believe how wise you are for your years. I wish you every success and happiness in the future. I am sure you are loved by many and they will all be happy for you. I’ve missed your posts, I was very happy to see your post in my reader. Thank you.