Cuisine: Dessert

Simple Summer Peach Cake

I made this Simple Summer Peach Cake for my friend's birthday. There's nothing quite like fresh summer peaches. This cake only takes 15 minutes to prepare. You could serve it with some whipped cream or ice cream, but it's delicious on its own.

By Leslie Blythe

Frozen Margarita Pie

I am visiting my daughter on the east coast and she made Frozen Margarita Pie, which is absolutely delicious. This tart pie filling pairs nicely with the rich graham cracker crust. It is an easy, make-ahead dessert that allows you one last cocktail after dinner all the while keeping you cool. And, it keeps your oven off in the summer.

By Leslie Blythe

Crullers

A post from my daughter Zoe -

I work at a quaint bakery in coastal Maine. Some days, my alarm goes off at 3:50am for a 4:30am start and by 7:00am, I have typically fried and glazed three to four hundred crullers before our doors open.  You’d think after being elbow deep in glaze (not really!) that I would grow tired of pairing my cortado with a cruller bite still steaming from the fryer, but alas, I have not... Somewhere between a light-as-feather popover and a glossy glazed donut lives the oft overlooked cruller. Made from choux pastry, a cruller is basically a fried eclair or cream puff (minus the cream, of course). While this recipe is definitely an involved process, I promise you that there is nothing better than a cruller straight from the fryer (not to mention the satisfaction of saying you make your own)! A classic vanilla glaze pairs well with the eggy, airy dough and is an easy crowed pleaser, however I prefer taking it in a churro direction by rolling it in cinnamon sugar. The crunch alone is something to behold—but to each their own.  A word of advice before I sign off, if you are interested in trying this recipe out there are plenty of YouTube tutorials on what to look for when making choux because it relies heavily on feel and intuition. Happy frying!

By Leslie Blythe

Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

My daughter Zoe surprised me for my birthday and flew out from New Hampshire with her boyfriend Pierce. It involved a lot of planning with my other daughter Grace so I didn't find out. It was the best birthday present of all time for me since I haven't seen her since January 1, 2020.

Anyway, Zoe is working at a very well known bakery in Kittery Maine. She is learning pretty advanced baking skills in large quantities. She made these Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats. The brown butter is a brilliant addition and takes it to a whole new level.

By Leslie Blythe

Douglas Shortbread Cookies

My friend Melanie made these absolutely phenomenal cookies. The brilliance of the recipe is the simplicity of ingredients. The term “short” in shortbread refers to the type of dough, which is very tender and high in fat. This makes for a particularly crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth cookie that is satisfying without being too rich. The recipe is from Fäviken: 4015 Days, Beginning to End, by Magnus Nilsson, who was the head chef at the legendary restaurant Fäviken in Sweden until it closed in December of 2019. The recipe came from the grandmother of his first employee, Douglas Tjärnhammar-Alm. You can read about these cookies on Bloomberg.

By the way, she told me to bring the leftovers to my Dad (yeah, right!).

By Leslie Blythe

Blondies with Butterscotch Chips

We had a recent cooking/drinking Zoom birthday party, and brownies were on the menu. Sadly, my husband can not eat chocolate, so instead, I made these Blondies with Butterscotch Chips. They are super easy to make, seriously good and you can also freeze them. Though, I gave most of them away to my daughter and her roommates!

By Leslie Blythe

Mince Pie Roll Ups

It is very traditional to eat mince pies in Britain. Since as long ago as the 16th century, they were made of a spiced, sweet meat mixture but are now are made with sweet mincemeat, which is a mixture of dried fruits, sugar, spices, and brandy (and no meat). My husband and I lived in England for many years and always have them around the holidays.

Apparently, the only Christmas Day on which eating mince pies was illegal was in 1644, as 25 December that year fell on a legally-mandated day of fasting. However, mince pies themselves were never banned, although they were strongly disapproved of as a symbol of the immoral excesses of the festive season.

A custom from the middle ages says that if you eat a mince pie on every day from Christmas to Twelfth Night (evening of the 5th January) you will have happiness for the next 12 months! We may all need to do this!

These Mince Pie Roll Ups kind of cheating, since they are so easy to roll up, slice and bake!

By Leslie Blythe

Cappuccino Pavlova

A Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert and is the perfect vehicle for many fruits; cherries, lemons, and strawberries to name a few. The dessert was named after the prima ballerina Anna Pavlova, who was a principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and famous for her creation of the role of The Dying Swan.

I have several different versions of pavlova, but this Cappuccino Pavlova version which, is from Nigella Lawson, is exquisite. It's baked and then left in the oven to cool completely before topping it with whipped cream.

By Leslie Blythe

Crêpes Suzette

The other night I told my husband that I wanted something sweet. We didn't have anything, so he said he would make me Crêpes Suzette. I told him that was too much work, but he insisted.

Crêpes Suzette is something you have at a fancy restaurant tableside where it's theatrically flambéed. This recipe is from Jacques Pépin who prepares it mostly in advance when entertaining. He flambés the liquor in front of his dinner guests and pours it over the platter of crêpes while still flaming.

By Leslie Blythe

Harvey Wallbanger Cake

Harvey Wallbanger Cake. The Harvey Wallbanger is a mixed drink made with vodka, Galliano (a sweet, herbal Italian liqueur), and orange juice. According to folklore, a bartender named Donato "Duke" Antone invented the Harvey Wallbanger in 1952. It's said he named it after a Manhattan Beach surfer and bar regular named Tom Harvey, who is a complete mystery. The cocktail became popular in the early 1970s. I have no idea who decided to make a cake from the cocktail, but it's a rather good idea. I did not have Galliano, so I used Cuarenta y Tres or  Licor 43, which worked well.

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