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Lemon Tart
Cheerily yellow and refreshingly tart, this classic treat will make you feel as if you’re enjoying a slice of tarte au citron from a bakery in France. I prefer my lemon filling on the puckery side and add extra sweetness on top with a full layer of powdered sugar. Each slice can be customized to the preferences of family and friends, making this sunny dessert ideal for holidays and entertaining. Ingredients Pastry 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter 1 egg yolk ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons ice water Lemon Curd Filling ¾ cup fresh lemon juice Zest from…
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Classic Baked Doughnuts
Behind bakery case glass, rows of doughnuts sorted by flavor and color inspire everything from pop art to our senses. Chocolate glazes, pink sprinkles, and fluffy shreds of coconut look like every childhood breakfast fantasy while tags announcing berry, lemon, and maybe even maple bacon options speak to our appetite. Then there is the row of golden, cake doughnuts responsible for the scent inside the shop and sitting beneath many of the toppings and glazes. That’s the doughnut that inspired this recipe. Fresh doughnuts on a weekend morning have a distinct advantage over pancakes. They can be enjoyed the next day and the next. This recipe makes a dozen of…
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Chocolate Squares with Honeyed Apricots and Coconut
A dark pool of bittersweet chocolate, dried apricots dripping in honey, and a bit of salt sitting on the counter create a satisfying push and pull even before this confection comes together. Sweetness will be tempered. When the fluidity of stirred chocolate is interrupted by the addition of dried coconut, feel yet another pull – the disruptive change from smooth to speckled. Taste your way through this recipe as you drizzle, melt, and pinch to create tempting squares that invoke the Mediterranean and the tropics. The liquid confection is so delicious that you may need to remind yourself to spread it out and let it harden rather than eat it…
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Pumpkin Seed Brittle
Homemade candy is more satisfying than store-bought confections with a long list of additives. Crafted in my kitchen, this brittle recipe is loaded with pumpkin seeds and has a depth of flavor that takes it beyond a traditional sugar and nut mixture. Maybe best of all, it is aerated so that it is easy to chew. If you are intimidated by candy recipes, rest assured that I once was too. For many years, my only experience was an adventure in taffy making with my father that ended with small bits of toffee colored sugar stuck to our ceiling. I can safely say that preparation is key to avoiding such a…
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Nectarine Sorbet
At its best, sorbet is simply fruit transformed. Crisp slices and whole berries are perfect in May and June, but by the last stretch of summer, I crave all sorts of icy but melty goodness. Late August calls for a lush cup of sorbet. This no-churn nectarine version will help to stave off the restless feeling that kicks in when we realize the days are getting shorter again. Flavorful and refreshing, it does not require any special equipment other than a blender, which you likely have on the counter already for cocktails (and mocktails!). Eat it icy or let it melt as you join me in an August wish: “If…
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