Île Flottante (Floating Island) GF
Île Flottante isn't just a fabulous French dessert -- it's a mouth orgasm. I'm talking about voluptuous clouds of meringue, floated on a bed of luxurious creme Anglaise, and drizzled with thin strands...
View ArticleCrème Caramel Renversée (unmolded custard)
I CAN'T IMAGINE a more sensual dessert than Crème Caramel Renversée. The custard base is as sweet and velvety as a lingering kiss. The caramel topping shimmers like starlight. And get this -- the...
View ArticlePerfect Tart Crust
SOME DAY YOU WILL THANK ME for this tart crust. It's easy to make, easy to roll out. And it tastes like a dream. A tender but firm, cookie-like dream. You can use the baked crust for this...
View ArticleThe Best Lemon Tart in the World
I MADE THIS LEMON TART TODAY, and can tell you it looks, tastes and smells like a gorgeous spring day. In other words, it's obscenely delicious. And get this -- it's easy to make! The step-by-step...
View ArticleMy Very Serious Brownies
THESE BROWNIES TASTE LIKE HEAVEN ON EARTH. They are slightly gooey, definitely decadent, and not too sweet. In other words, they are Very Serious Brownies. The step-by-step recipe: To start, line a...
View ArticleA Better Rhubarb Pie
WHEN RHUBARB PIE IS GOOD, it is very, very good. But when it's bad, it's...sloshy. The puddle-problem is the result of rhubarb's high water content, which no amount of flour can sufficiently absorb. To...
View ArticleLimoncello Cookies
THESE COOKIES GRABBED MY ATTENTION when I saw them posted at In Sock Monkey Slippers' website. They are beautiful to behold, elegant to serve, and exquisite to eat. Limoncello Cookies are simply sugar...
View ArticleGlazed Strawberry Tart
I MADE THIS STRAWBERRY TART THE OTHER DAY, and it made me purr like a kitten. The organic berries are glazed with red currant jelly. The cream cheese base is scented with lemon zest. The crust is...
View ArticleBlueberry Bars — Again!
I WROTE ABOUT THESE BLUEBERRY BARS during the summer of 2012. And today, because Jennifer Josephy (my cookbook editor) is visiting from NYC, and because I needed something fan-frickin'-tastic to...
View ArticleBlackberry Buckle
Today, I picked up some beautiful blackberries from my favorite farm store, and turned them into a Blackberry Buckle. A "buckle" is named for its rustic, or "buckled" appearance. It's simple to make...
View ArticleRecipe: Raspberry Pavlova (GF)
I HOPE YOU'RE HUNGRY, because I've made a Raspberry Pavlova for you. What a rapturous dessert! The chocolate meringue base is crispy on the outside, and marshmallow-gooey on the inside. The whipped...
View ArticlePeach Streusel Pie
YUM. Yesterday I sliced up some locally-grown "Eastern" peaches, and piled them onto a French pastry crust. Then, instead of using a top crust, I simply sprinkled the ruby-skinned fruit with sweet,...
View ArticleSpiced Plum Cake
IN LATE SUMMER, nothing makes my spirit soar like this Spiced Plum Cake. It's sweet but not too sweet. It's loaded with fiber. And it's really easy to make! As it bakes, the cake will fill your kitchen...
View ArticleEasy Crème Brûlée (GF)
I love crème brûlée. I love making it. I love eating it. I love tapping my spoon against the glass-like ceiling of burnt sugar, and breaking into the voluptuous, vanilla-scented custard below. Are you...
View ArticlePumpkin-Spiced Cinnamon Rolls
Waaa! Because the weather has turned cold, we had to close down the swimming pool today. To console myself, I made a batch of autumn-scented cinnamon rolls. These are basically the same as my Dreamy...
View ArticleMake Your Own Pumpkin Puree!
Why make your own pumpkin puree when you can easily buy it in tins at the supermarket? Well, based on my own trials, the homemade version is thicker, richer, and infinitely better-tasting than its...
View ArticleLa Tarte Tatin
Arrange apple slices on a bed of caramel, top them with pastry crust, unmold so the crust is on the bottom, and what do you get? La Tarte Tatin. The history of this divine decadence, along with my...
View ArticleCranberry Crackle Tart
I love the three components of this unusual French tart. I love the cloud of sweet meringue that caresses my lips. I love the ruby cranberries that burst beneath my teeth. I love the tender crunch of...
View ArticleFragrant Earl Grey Cookies
Yesterday, if only for the sake of experiment, I ground up some citrus-y Earl Grey tea leaves in the food processor. Then I added the leaves and a splash of rose water to a standard butter-cookie...
View ArticleChocolate Castle Cake
What inspired this chocolate whimsy? A recent trip to a kitchen supply store. There, all kinds of culinary gadgets begged to be rescued from their retail store oblivion. And among them was a...
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