eat dessert first
This Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake is creamy, spiced and decadent. It’s a fabulous dessert for fall and winter. I love roasting my own pumpkins (you’ll be shocked at how easy it is) because the flavor just can’t be beat! Basque cheesecake with its mahogany-colored top and super-rich custardy interior is one […]
Pears are a sweet and varied fruit perfect for fall baking. If you need a break from fall apple recipes, try some of these favorite pear recipes, including my popular pear cake with cardamom glaze! Pears can be an overlooked and forgotten fruit. I think they get lost in the […]
This beauty right here is one of my Smash Cookies, which is a recipe from my cookbook, Zoë Bakes Cookies! In fact, it’s the cookie on the cover. I hope you’ll give it a try—it’s just too good to keep to myself. Order Zoë Bakes Cookies Get all of my […]
The unofficial end of summer is here, so why not ease into the start of fall? The weather is still warm, and you hopefully still have some fresh fruit on hand to make some of these Labor Day Desserts for one last summer blowout. More Late Summer Favorites
This recipe features three components—coconut cake, pastry cream and milk chocolate mascarpone frosting—from Zoë Bakes Cakes assembled together in a magical new way. That’s the fun of having a repertoire of recipes that you can mix and match, there are endless ways to create deliciousness. The tender, rich coconut cake […]
Whether you’re looking for breakfast ideas before the kids head off to the bus stop, back to school treats to pack in their lunch boxes, after school snacks for kids, or a treat to wrap in a care package for your college student, I’ve got ideas for every palate (yes, […]
Sweet, season and distinct—peaches make me think of summer. These 10 peach desserts are sure to please. And while I don’t always do savory, check out my bonus peach caprese salad at the bottom of the post! Peaches are such a beautiful, unique fruit. You never mistake peach flavor for […]
Nothing beats fresh summer blueberry desserts. I always turn to this list of 11 desserts after getting my hands on some fresh-picked bluebrries. Blueberries are one of those ingredients that need nothing more than themselves to be special. The color adds natural drama and the sweet-tart flavor is a perfect […]
When making homemade ice cream, you have to start with a really great base, which for me means lusciously smooth, with a dense and silky texture. The flavor should be rich, but not too buttery (greasy) and I always start my “French custard” ice cream base with vanilla. So start […]
Don’t be fooled into thinking you can’t put together a beautiful dessert table when the weather is hot. Summer days call for cool treats, but also anything with fresh berries. Here are some of my favorite red, white and/or blue 4th of July desserts. More Summer Favorites
Does any fruit say summer quite like strawberries? These strawberry desserts will help you make the most of the season of fresh berries! Strawberry season is nearly upon us and I can hardly wait to get my hands on those perfectly sweet ruby red berries and make some amazing strawberry […]
Father’s Day is a holiday that doesn’t seem to be tied to any specific food. A nice BBQ, perhaps? But the lack of a traditional meal is kind of nice because it means you can make exactly what your dad loves. To help, I’ve put together this guide of Father’s […]
I'm Zoë François and I love to bake. This is where I play with sugar and take the mystery out of baking everything from cookies to wedding cakes. I studied pastry at the CIA (the culinary school, not the spy agency), worked in restaurants, have written 10 cookbooks and you can find more of my creations in my Substack Newsletter and YouTube videos. More...
