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Triple Berry Crisp
“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit…” – Henry David Thoreau The berries have been just so good this year. After plucking some from the refrigerator, I realized it was time for their brightness to be matched with a buttery crumb. On went the oven. Even as the months get warmer, I don’t hesitate to bake up a fruit-based dessert such as this triple berry crisp. In this recipe, I combine strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries because they’re delicious alone but even more so when combined. As they bubble and thicken in the oven, the berries mingle, some burst, but quite…
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Strawberry Sorbet
Ripe, sweet strawberries become even more lush when transformed into sorbet. And when it comes to this transformation, the process requires no special equipment – just a blender. If you read about my nectarine sorbet or Mexican ice cream, you know that I favor no-churn desserts. A simple process creates decadent flavor, and as the weather gets warmer I seem to crave both. Made from just a few ingredients, this dairy-free alternative to ice cream and frozen custard can also be layered with them parfait-style. Let it settle between rich vanilla scoops or use it to top a cocktail (or mocktail), and it will impart strong berry flavor as it…
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Chamomile Cookies
With hints of floral sweetness, chamomile tea is just as tasty in these delicate cookies as it is made by the cup. The light herbal flavor calls to mind a specialty shop treat, but this recipe comes together beautifully right at home. Simply open the tea bags to measure the dried chamomile and add it to the flour mix while you bake. These are the cookies that taste just like spring to me. Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour2 ½ tablespoons dried chamomile from high quality chamomile tea bags½ teaspoon baking powder¼ teaspoon salt12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter¾ cup granulated sugar1 egg¾ teaspoon vanilla extract Yields 3 ½ dozen…
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Chile Hot Chocolate
Decadent hot chocolate spiced with ancho chile, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon is a dessert I love to serve in demitasse or espresso cups. Less thick than my French-style hot chocolate, but much bolder than hot cocoa, this drinking chocolate is satisfyingly rich and requires no extra sugar than what is already included in the chocolate you select for this recipe. I finish mine with whipped cream and a touch of extra cayenne pepper on top. With Valentine’s Day almost here, consider serving this chile hot chocolate to a loved one or treat yourself to some. While the correlation between romance and chocolate may be attributable more to lore than to…
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Chocolate Pecan Checkerboard Cookies
Slicing cookie dough to reveal a pattern is the most satisfying part of this recipe – until it comes to tasting what you’ve baked. In fact, these little sweets were given the title checkmate cookies by a friend who enjoyed tasting quite a few. With chopped pecans lacing the vanilla squares and rich chocolate flavoring the others, these crisp yet buttery treats serve my take on the classic vanilla and chocolate pairing in a package that’s fit for the holiday table. While many of the cookies I make for Christmas have layers and fillings that make them pretty enough to look like ornaments, these have a cheerful geometric pattern. Their…
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