eat dessert first
Charlotte Royale is a gorgeous and regal dessert. The surprisingly simple recipe features a domed sponge cake with a filling. The classic version features Bavarian creme, but I added a strawberry coulis for extra flair! The truth is, the last time I made a Strawberry Charlotte Royale was in culinary […]
This ethereal crown of meringue, filled with cream and berries is a Pavlova. The name comes from Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who was performing around the world in 1926 and made a stop in the land down under. From there the details get a little fuzzy and no one is […]
These fluted confections are the official dessert of the Bordeaux region of France. The interior of canelés is like a lovely, creamy custard that is rich with both vanilla and rum. The trick to success, IMHO, with making canelés is using Copper Molds lined with beeswax and butter. That’s how you […]
Pâte à choux translates from French to mean “cabbage” in English. It is a far less romantic word, so we stick to the French. The truth is the puffs look just like little cabbages when piped and baked. Pâte à choux is the dough used for cream puffs (profiteroles) and […]
This is a wonderful tart filled with vanilla custard. You’ll find custard tart in every patisserie in Paris, but have likely never come across one here in the states. Its rustic simplicity is exactly the kind of pastry I love. It’s really quite easy to create; a tart dough (this […]
How do you elevate this simple chocolate mousse recipe? Add toasted meringue! Yes, you get to use my favorite kitchen tool, the blow torch, for the beautiful, toasted brown top. And the chocolate mousse is rich and delicious. For another mousse recipe, try this popular triple chocolate mousse cake! My […]
When I was a kid, in the 70s, my mom, my uncle, Jay, and I would go to a tiny Ukrainian restaurant on 2nd Ave in NYC called the Kiev. Finding a table was nearly impossible; I remember it being so crowded that we’d climb over people to get to our seats. Once […]
The dacquoise is a delicate cake layer that is sadly under used by home bakers. It is a cousin to a pavlova, but has the richness of nuts. It is made of French meringue that has nuts (almond meal and coarsely crushed roasted almonds) folded into it and baked in […]
My story with sugar is long (my whole life long) and a bit convoluted. I was raised by hippies in the 1960s. We lived on communes, as one did. Until I was about 7 it was really the only life I knew, so never struck me as unusual. It wasn’t until […]
These simple and delicious baked stuffed apples are a fun, healthy treat featuring chopped nuts and dried fruit. If you are looking for something lighter with apple pie vibes, you have to try this paleo recipe! These paleo stuffed apples are the perfect dessert for the week after Thanksgiving. I’ve […]
I started off thinking this Cherry Cheesecake was a Valentine’s post, with a heart-shaped sensuous cheesecake, topped with ruby-red cherry sauce. It still is, but I have to digress for a moment and talk about the Olympics. It is more connected and less random than you might think. When I […]
I first made this fun pumpkin cake with my kids for Halloween (they’re adults now!). It’s a fun and festive cake that can be dressed up for adults or made just for kids. Pumpkin season is here, which is the only reason I can send this short summer off with […]