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Natillas Tart
Natillas is a rich Spanish custard with vanilla and cinnamon. Delicious on its own, or with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top, it also makes a flavorful filling for almond flavored tart pastry. Top it with thin and crispy coconut lace cookies, and you have a combination of favorite dessert textures and flavors in one. Unlike crema catalana or crème brûlée, natillas does not include the thin layer of caramelized sugar that breaks into shards when tapped with the spoon. Arguably the golden layer is the best part of these European desserts. Instead of torched sugar, I top my natillas tart with cookie crisps that have a similar color and…
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Elderflower Grapefruit Cake
“The only other sound’s the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake.” – Robert Frost After a string of blustery, gray, flurry-filled days, I was in the mood for bright flavors and created this elderflower grapefruit cake. With a floral sweetness from St. Germain and a vibrant touch from ruby red grapefruit, this cake disappeared from my counter so quickly that I regard it with a rather magical quality. I love it warm, but the flavors intensify as it cools. From cider poached pears to citrus desserts, crisp fruitiness is the perfect match to classic winter days. A decadent hot chocolate is warming, but bright flavors are a true mid-winter…
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Fruit-Studded Gingerbread Stars
“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” ― Marcus Aurelius The holiday season isn’t complete without a little gingerbread. This year I decided to liven up my version with the delicious candied oranges and lemons I have become quite addicted to this year. Throw some dried cherries into the cookie dough for another twist, and you have these fruit-studded gingerbread stars. Ingredients 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cardamom ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt ¾ cup unsalted butter ¾ cup dark brown sugar ⅓ cup molasses 1…
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Vanilla Cider Poached Pears
A poached pear dripping in syrup with stem intact makes an incredible presentation. Serve this version made with white wine, apple cider, and vanilla bean as an unexpected and festive dessert. Since the pears can be prepared ahead of time and left chilled, you enjoy the cooking process without feeling rushed. The syrup is so delicious that any extra can be drizzled over a slice of pound cake later that night or over crepes the next morning. When selecting pears to poach, Bosc are my preferred variety for their slightly sweet, crisp flavor. They generally sit taller on the plate than other pears, but I like to mix it up…
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Honey Rum Apple Crumble
Sticky honey, a touch of warm butter, and dark rum are the key to the delicious filling in this crumble that lets the natural flavor of Honeycrisp apples shine. When things start cooking, promise yourself to only take a taste. While crumbs are usually the best, and most picked off, part of any dessert they top, these apples are so good that you might need to stop yourself from eating them all right out of the pan. Ingredients Apple Filling 2 pounds Honeycrisp apples 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 3 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons dark rum Crumb Topping 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour ⅓ cup light brown…
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