eat dessert first
The Apple Tarte Tatin is a quintessentially French dessert. This Mini Swirled Apple Tarte Tatin recipe is elegant, beautiful and a showstopper for parties. Looking for the more rustic, classic version? I’ve got that too! Apples baked in buttery caramel until the apple absorbs the caramel and turn amber. The […]
These chocolate macarons are bit of a contradiction. They are both light, as a macaron should be and fudge-y, like a brownie. The chocolate macaron shells are made with cocoa powder and then they’re filled with a chocolate ganache, so they’re super deep chocolate fantastic flavor.
The Apple Tarte Tatin is a quintessentially French dessert. There are really two styles of French pastry, the super fussy, Marie Antoinette-style creations that are almost too beautiful to eat and look nearly impossible to create, and then the country-side, rustic sweets that are more delicious than beautiful. I’d say […]
This triple chocolate mousse cake is as rich, decadent and delicious as it sounds. It’s a simple recipe that is sure to please every chocolate lover! Chocolate Mousse was one of the very first recipes I tried to make, way back when I was a middle schooler. Making a quintessentially […]
This Raspberry Paris Brest is a beautifully nontraditional take on a very traditional French pastry. The name, Paris Brest, comes from a bicycle race that happens in France between (you guessed it) Paris and the town of Brest. According to Larousse Gastronomique, a pastry-cook, whose shop was along the route of […]
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 […]
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 […]
I love Macrons because they are gorgeous little treats that feel special and class. They are also surprisingly easy to make and come in endless flavor combinations. How I Discovered Macarons The first time I had a true French macaron was while sitting at the now shuttered WD50 in New […]
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 […]
“Lightning!” That’s the literal translation from French I got when I put éclair into google translate. I’ve read a couple of explanations for this name, but only one makes any sense to me. “They disappear in a flash, quicker than a bolt of lightning.” This is the absolute truth. Eclairs […]
These lemon-lavender meringue tarts may seem a little upside down, we usually think of the meringue piled high above the lemon filling, not the other way around. This is a simpler twist on the classic, but all the same tangy-sweet allure. The best part is there is no crust to deal with, […]
Nearly 34 years ago I got married, and as a gift I was given a copy of Patricia Wells’ book about the cuisine of Joël Robuchon. It was a heady book for a 23-year-old with Vermont commune roots. The book, and its recipes, stepped me directly into the intimidating world of […]