I’m a big fan of this puff pastry tart; it’s flaky crust and creamy center hit all the right notes. The raspberries add a burst of freshness, and are the perfect partner to the pastry cream topping. It’s a wonderful balance of flavors and textures, and would be delightful for Mother’s Day or Brunch. You can make my homemade rough puff pastry, or use store-bought, whichever you prefer!…
I am so excited to be sharing this Devil’s Food Cake with Ultra-Rich Buttercream and Chocolate Ganache from Zoë François’ new book, Zoë Bakes Cake. I have known Zoë for many years now, after spending the last decade working with her and Jeff Hertzberg over on Bread in 5, and also working with her on this current book (I took the how-to book photos, see below). A few…
I have been a fan of snack cakes for years (see Chocolate Chip Snack Cake and Powdered Sugar Snack Cake), and am excited to now have a Meyer Lemon version to add to the mix. This recipe comes from Bake From Scratch Vol 5, which was just released. This new volume is a lovely collection of recipes, and I have a few of my own included (such as…
This post is sponsored by June Oven. All opinions are my own. I never grew up with a toaster oven or convection oven of any kind (my grandma had a toaster oven that always impressed me, but I rarely used it myself), and never had the means or the counter space to invest in one most of my adult life. Now that I have a little more room…
Each year at Christmas I like to put together a cookie box for family, friends, and neighbors. The content changes somewhat over the years; some cookies come and go, others are staples that stick around. I’ve put together a list of favorite holiday cookies that I’ve featured here on my site. Many of these recipes come from both my cookbooks: 100 Cookies and The Vanilla Bean Baking Book. …
I will never say no to a simple sugar cookie, but adding brown sugar makes for an interesting twist on classic white sugar cookies. A teaspoon of molasses increases the dark brown sugar flavor without making it taste like holiday fare (but, to be sure, these are a great addition to your holiday cookie tray). A few tips for making Brown Sugar Cookies: Don’t skip the egg yolk!…
My mom will often turn down the sweet, gooey confections that I prefer, but she can never say no to a thin, crispy cookie. I created these unique olive oil sugar cookies with her in mind. The olive oil pairs well with the pistachios and lemon in this recipe. I’ve also made another version, Olive Oil Cookies with Blood Orange Glaze – the pink tinted frosting makes them…
This crisp, buttery cookie is easy to make, and goes with everything. Dunked in coffee, coated in confectioners’ sugar glaze, or standing alone, shortbread is downright delicious. I found a slight drizzle of chocolate just might make this cookie absolutely perfect, and I took pleasure in treating the pan of cookies like an abstract painting. Shortbread with Chocolate From The Vanilla Bean Baking Book PRINT RECIPE Notes: I…
This Thanksgiving was unusual, to be sure. Our family made the decision to spend it with just our immediate household, and while my two kids understand the necessity of social distancing, it still brought a lot of heartache. We made a short house call to our family: dropping off pies on doorstops: pumpkin, chocolate mousse, and apple. “I have always loved a window, especially an open one,” Wendell…
A little sugar, plenty of butter, and a bit of folding make for a tender, flaky dough that bakes beautifully and can be used with your favorite fruit fillings. I recommend using a preheated baking sheet and a glass pie plate for making sure the bottom crust is fully cooked and golden brown; see individual recipes for directions on baking. …
