Pastry Studio

05/10/2013 11:45 AM

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Lemon Mousse Tartlets

If you happen to have the luck of a few extra lemons in your kitchen, I’m here to give you some ideas. One of my favorite things in the whole universe of fabulous desserts is lemon mousse. It’s light and creamy and full of the tart pucker of lemon. In my book, it’s among the best of luxurious indulgences. It’s also pretty easy to prepare. Instead of serv

Pastry Studio

05/03/2013 10:33 AM

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Hazelnut & Olive Oil Sticks

How cool is it to discover you have a brand new favorite cookie? I just so happened to see this recipe featured on the ever-industrious Alice Medrich’s blog and right away I knew I had to get to the kitchen and see for myself. And wow, am I glad I did. This is an incredibly delicious cookie, the kind of cookie that I will make again and again because of the perfect c

Pastry Studio

04/26/2013 12:03 PM

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Cheesecake Ice Cream with Strawberry Rhubarb Granita

I’m pretty obsessed with strawberries these days. When the season shifts and the market is flooded with new fruit, it’s impossible not to get mesmerized. Then I spotted some fresh rhubarb a couple of days ago and boom, I had to jump in. Even though one of my very favorite things is Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, I had some leftover cream cheese from another project

Pastry Studio

04/19/2013 01:20 PM

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Chocolate & Balsamic Strawberry Cream Cake

Bright red spring strawberries have found their way to our markets just about everywhere. Time to break out the seasonal shortcakes, pies, angel food and the ice cream machine! Rhubarb cannot be far behind. For a little diversion, I'm going in a different direction here. I've placed fresh strawberries doused with brown sugar and balsamic atop a soft chocolate cake that'

Pastry Studio

04/12/2013 12:15 PM

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Chocolate Espresso Spice Cookies

Chocolate’s rich, dark, earthy flavor is suited to so many partners. It’s terrific with nuts, salt, olive oil, liqueur, brandy or rum and some types of dried and fresh fruit and red wine. Espresso and spice are a couple of my favorite pairings. Lately, my work seems to be going in the direction of cookies. They’re so much fun and a favorite for most, handy for a sm

Pastry Studio

04/05/2013 10:59 AM

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Lemon Cheese Tart

Spring has definitely sprung. There are tulips and asparagus everywhere! The evening light is back and the street scenes are transformed. There are the occasional showers that we know will bring us May flowers. Strawberries have arrived but I'm holding off just a bit to see if they get slightly smaller and sweeter. And then of course there is lemon. This tart

Pastry Studio

03/29/2013 10:53 AM

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Lemon Olive Oil Cake

I like to have a few simple cakes in my repertoire to serve with all the great fruit of the spring and summer months. They make perfect partners when you want the ripe freshness of the fruit to be the star. I also love the use of olive oil in pastry and this cake really demonstrates why. It adds an assertive flavor and moisture that is unmistakable in plain cakes and compleme

Pastry Studio

03/22/2013 12:02 PM

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Chocolate Orange Cardamom Pull-Apart

This yeasted pastry is very reminiscent of old-fashioned fantail biscuits. It's a wonderfully soft yeast dough that is layered with a loose paste of butter, cocoa and Grand Marnier and sprinkled with cardamom sugar. Instead of forming individual biscuits, the dough is cut and stacked and placed upright in a loaf pan. The components are very simple and it's an appealing pres

Pastry Studio

03/15/2013 09:20 AM

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Chocolate Stout Cake

I really enjoy Suzanne Goin's approach to food. Her dishes are simple, rustic and satisfying. She runs four acclaimed restaurants in Los Angeles. At Tavern, there's an in-house bakery called Larder with lots of gorgeous stuff. Her cookbook, Sunday Suppers at Lucques, won an award from the James Beard Foundation and the pastry recipes I've tried have all been de

Pastry Studio

03/08/2013 10:56 AM

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Orange Spice Sherbet

Each year as the seasons go by, I'm always taken aback at how swiftly and effortlessly fresh fruit and vegetables flow into the market. There's something uniquely joyful and renewing about seeing the arrival of different items in our produce department even though the calendar tells us to expect them. As spring is fast approaching, I'm once again really excited to greet the grand

Pastry Studio

03/01/2013 10:38 AM

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Peanut Butter & Jam Cookies

Peanuts ground to a pastry substance were likely a product of Aztec Native American culture hundreds of years ago. Although not particularly favored in Europe, peanut butter as we know it today is considered a household staple in the United States. Like all American kids, I grew up on peanut butter sandwiches. And, like everybody else, I never seemed to tire of them. Th

Pastry Studio

02/22/2013 12:03 PM

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Sticky Toffee Pudding

The origins of Sticky Toffee Pudding are distinctly British. Some say it's an old recipe from the South of England, although inhabitants of Eastern Scotland also lay claim to its invention. Whatever the case, it appears to have been developed in a hotel kitchen, which may account for the fact that it continues to appear on restaurant menus with some regularity, likely bas

Pastry Studio

02/15/2013 10:56 AM

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Poppy Seed Sandwich Cookies

It's time to have some fun with sandwich cookies. I love making cookies of all kinds - crispy, crunchy, soft, chewy, sandy, nutty, spicy; piped, cut, rolled or dropped. What makes pastry so much fun is the delicious variety of all these shapes, sizes, tastes and textures. Sandwich cookies are a bit more fancy just by virtue of their filling but they aren't really a whole lo

Pastry Studio

02/08/2013 10:55 AM

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Hazelnut-Stuffed Pears with Maple Glaze

Like you, I've got lots of stacks of recipes to try and hundreds of online bookmarks of pastries and desserts that I keep meaning to move to the line-up for more careful consideration. This is one of the "someday I must try this" recipes that I'm really happy to pass along because it's an amazing fruit composition that has all the elements of a perfect winter dessert. My go-to fresh f

Pastry Studio

02/01/2013 10:52 AM

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Sticky Pecan Bites

It's early in the morning and the aroma of fresh coffee wafting through the house makes you realize you'd like a nice little something to go with that first luscious cup of hot java. Maybe you have some new coffee beans you've ground and you're excited about a new brew. Or maybe you'd just like something to take the edge off an early rise. Something that is so eas

Pastry Studio

01/25/2013 10:15 AM

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Pineapple Coconut Pudding Cakes

I think I'm finally getting the hang of 2013. For some reason, it always takes me a while to get used to the new year. I guess the nature of Janus, the ancient mythological Roman god of beginnings and transitions and the basis for the name of the month of January, has a particular effect on me. Like the image of Janus with his face simultaneously pointed in two directions

Pastry Studio

01/18/2013 10:58 AM

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Apple Pie with Sour Cream Ice Cream & Maple Caramel

This is a riff on an all-American composition from Bill Yosses. The three elements of apple pie, a tart ice cream and a garnish of maple caramel turn out to be a very harmonious pairing. I mentioned in my last post that I always have lemons available in my kitchen and I feel the same way about apples. Apple desserts are among my favorite and who doesn't love apple pie? Thi

Pastry Studio

01/11/2013 12:14 PM

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Lemon Sherbet

Citrus features prominently in many of my pastries and desserts. It really brightens the flavor of fruit, enhances cakes and provides depth to creams and custards. In particular, I consider lemons essential to my work and I always have them handy. For this recipe, I decided to make lemon the star. I love an easy and refreshing sorbet, but in this formulation I introduced

Pastry Studio

01/04/2013 03:50 PM

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Apple Lattice Galette

As much as I love testing all kinds of new recipes, it seems the pastries that are consistently favored most at the table are those that are the simplest compositions based on buttery pastry dough. Whether they are pies, galettes or flaky Eastern European pastries, they are inevitably scooped up and consumed with unbridled enjoyment. This apple galette is one such pastry. It beg

Pastry Studio

12/28/2012 11:04 AM

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Sponge Cake with Quince & Crème Anglaise

Throughout history, quince have been associated with romance and commitment, a gift from Aphrodite. By the early 18th century, this unique fruit had found its way to the United States. Although quinces are a staple in savory Moroccan tagines, North African and Middle Eastern stews, Chinese teas and Hindu chutneys, in America, they are mostly poached in a light syrup,

Pastry Studio

12/21/2012 09:03 AM

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Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake

If you have some brunches with family and friends coming up on your horizon, this is a very easy little brunch cake that will serve 8. This cake is light, very tender and presents a nice layer of tart raspberries for a bright splash of both flavor and color. The almonds are a perfect garnish, adding just enough texture and nuttiness to the mix. The raspberries are macerated

Pastry Studio

12/14/2012 11:41 AM

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Honey Spice Loaf

It's been quite a long time since I've had Pain d'Epices, a French spice bread typically made with rye flour, honey and spices with origins that date back to the Napoleonic era. When I worked in a French bakery, we produced it every week. The texture is usually dense and it's often served as an accompaniment to savory food at holidays. This loaf cake is different but somewhat in

Pastry Studio

12/07/2012 12:14 PM

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Pear Cranberry Cobbler

This chilly wet weather seems to be inviting thoughts of comfort food. And among the most satisfying of comfort foods in the realm of pastry is fruit cobbler, a good old-fashioned spoon dessert. This is a winterized version with a pear and cranberry filling. The fruit is tart and spiced with a touch of cardamom. The biscuit topping is tender and perfect fo

Pastry Studio

11/30/2012 09:52 AM

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Chocolate Cherry Cakes

It's at this time of year as the rains roll in and the wind picks up that I go to my cupboard to assess my supply of dried fruit. In order to get through the winter months, I have tucked away dried apricots, figs, dates, cranberries and cherries. And while they aren't nearly as pleasing as fresh fruit, they still work their own magic in various pastries and desserts. For the

Pastry Studio

11/23/2012 11:15 AM

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Hazelnut Nutella Sandwich Cookies

The popularity of Nutella is pretty staggering. But I have to confess, for someone who loves the combination of hazelnuts and chocolate - giandiua in Italian - I'd never tasted Nutella. In order to remedy that, I set off to make a cookie that incorporates it. Nutella was created in Italy in the 1940s by Pietro Ferrero, a confectioner who also later developed the tremendous

Pastry Studio

11/16/2012 11:34 AM

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Orange & Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

Coconut macaroons are an old standby, the gold standard sought out by coconut aficionados and found in countless bakeries just about anywhere. They are more than satisfying to those who love their chewy richness. This is a basic recipe for coconut macaroons with just a little bit more. To add a note of citrus, I tossed in some orange zest along with lemon zest for backup. &

Pastry Studio

11/09/2012 12:17 PM

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Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Yeast Bread

'Tis definitely the season for baked goods that celebrate pumpkin. With images of pumpkin pie, loaves of spicy pumpkin cake and pumpkin cheesecake dancing across our thoughts, the anticipation of enjoying the holidays is upon us! As you gather your own thoughts to plan your special treats for the holidays, consider making this very delicious yeast bread to grace your brunch or br

Pastry Studio

11/02/2012 12:21 PM

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Rustic Chocolate Pie

If you crave a good and unusual chocolate pastry, this is definitely one to add to your list of delicious things to bake. It's a recipe from Alice Medrich, so you know all the elements are in balance with plenty of deep chocolate buzz. But I have to say, it sort of defies description. This "pie" is built upon a very buttery pastry. It's rolled out into a thin free-form bas

Pastry Studio

10/26/2012 11:41 AM

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Ginger Chocolate Cookies

I am a very big fan of ginger in any form - simple ginger cakes, ginger upside-down cakes with pears or plums or apples, ginger ice cream, ginger custard or ginger cookies. And whether it's powdered ginger, crystallized ginger, freshly grated ginger or a halting combination of all three, I love the spicy explosion it introduces to pastries and desserts. As we approach the holidays

Pastry Studio

10/19/2012 11:38 AM

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Pineapple Rum Upside-Down Cakes

Today I'm re-visiting Pineapple Upside Down Cake, that old stand-by and household favorite originating in the 20s and popularized in the 50s. It appeared on many a dessert and pot-luck table all across America for decades. It was an easy cake baked in a skillet that, once inverted, impressed everyone with its glistening sweet pineapple and bright red cherries. This isn't your mo

Pastry Studio

10/12/2012 12:55 PM

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Pumpkin Pecan Madeleines

I have some fun news to share and it's about Madeleines, those irresistible little French teacakes that everyone seems to find irresistible. Chronicle Books has a new cookbook release on October 17th entitled, We Love Madeleines. It's a compilation of all kinds of Madeleine recipes and I'm delighted to say they've included my Chocolate Olive Oil Madeleines in the collection. &nbs

Pastry Studio

10/05/2012 12:16 PM

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Spicy Caramel Pear Ice Cream

A few weeks ago I wrote about some Spicy Caramel Pears from David Lebovitz that I paired with chocolate cake. The pears are baked in an intoxicating sauce of butter and brown sugar along with a warm complement of cognac or brandy. There's also a healthy dose of cinnamon, cloves, star anise and pepper for lots of depth and complexity. Once they're baked to a soft and juicy t

Pastry Studio

09/28/2012 10:35 AM

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Whole Wheat Apple Spice Cake

With the onset of fall, this is the season for apples and spice. It also feels like a good time to invite the wholesome goodness of whole wheat flour. With a chill in the air and evenings soon scheduled to arrive a bit earlier, there's plenty of reason to warm up the kitchen with the scent of a spice cake baking in the oven. Baking with whole wheat flour isn't what it used

Pastry Studio

09/21/2012 10:04 AM

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Buckwheat Shortcakes

Today is officially the last day of summer. So what else could I do but whip up a fresh batch of shortcakes? But not just any old shortcake for this occasion. For something unusual and delectable, I baked these Buckwheat Shortcakes from Alice Medrich. They're tender little cream scones that are wonderfully light and flavorful. Shortcakes are incredibly easy t

Pastry Studio

09/14/2012 10:08 AM

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Warm Double Chocolate Brownie Cakes

Whenever you bake recipes from Emily Luchetti, you can pretty much bet you're in for a full treat. Everything she does has the right balance of ingredients, clear instructions and straightforward preparation. She also clearly has a fondness for chocolate and today's dessert focuses on her easy recipe for dessert brownies.This is a brownie on the cakey side of the spectrum. The batter is baked i

Pastry Studio

09/07/2012 02:11 PM

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Yogurt Cake with Strawberries & Zabaglione

If you've ever had a slice of authentic Tiramisu, you know quite well the dreamy deliciousness of Italian zabaglione. It's a dessert cream made with sweet Marsala, sugar and egg yolks and it's sublime. Layered with a light cake that has been imbibed with the buzz of coffee or espresso, it transforms into a heavenly dessert. So heavenly in fact, it's been a widely beloved dessert in America for

Pastry Studio

08/31/2012 12:05 PM

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Peach Pecan Galette

A couple of winters ago I made a very delicious Cranberry Walnut Crostata from a recipe by Marcel Desaulniers by way of Rose Levy Berenbaum in her Pie and Pastry Bible. I loved the dough because it was the first time I worked with a nut pastry without having to struggle to roll it out. It has just the right ratio of ingredients to make it supple and easy to handle.When I bought what will likely

Pastry Studio

08/24/2012 10:14 AM

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Plum & Kiwi Pavlova

If you've been making ice cream or custard, you likely have a stash of egg whites in your refrigerator. One easy way to use them up is to make a Pavlova, a light cloud of meringue typically topped with whipped cream, fresh strawberries, passion fruit and kiwi. Feel free to create your own favorite fruit combination. I like to pair pavlova with tart fruit, the sharp acidity balancing the sweetne

Pastry Studio

08/17/2012 11:01 AM

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Buttermilk Biscuits

You're probably wondering what Buttermilk Biscuits have to do with the Kingdom of Pastry. Well, in pastry school, you also have to learn how to make breads, crackers and biscuits as well as cake, custards, tarts, cookies, ice cream, confections, jams and a lot of other assorted pastries. So when I was thinking about making something to go with my fresh fruit compotes of the season, I decided to

Pastry Studio

08/10/2012 09:52 AM

19 views

Oat Crisps

It's been a while since I've returned to my old favorite standby, oatmeal. As ingredients go, I consider oats so reliably simple and delicious that is just seems like a natural to keep them top shelf in my pastry pantry. So when I was ruffling through stacks of collected recipes, I instantly gravitated to this Oat Crisps cookie from Emily Luchetti. It's not often that you see a recipe that cont

Pastry Studio

08/03/2012 10:39 AM

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Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Cherries

I once worked with a cheesemonger and thoroughly loved the experience of learning about and tasting lots of different cheeses. The sights and smells of those packages arriving from all over the world each week provided great pleasure. Cheese made from goat's milk quickly became among my favorites. Goat cheese is lighter in fat and I love the pronounced tang and the unmistakable texture.Having

Pastry Studio

07/27/2012 09:13 AM

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Cocoa Wafers

Fair warning: This may be the last time you buy chocolate wafer cookies. Alice Medrich has a recipe that is so easy and so delicious, you really won't be able to spend money on packaged cookies again without feeling a tinge of doubt and/or regret. These cocoa wafers live up to their reputation. They're thin, super crisp and full of a deep dark cocoa sensation that captures your approval at your

Pastry Studio

07/20/2012 10:15 AM

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Brown Sugar Cake with Peaches & Cream

We've approached that time of year to celebrate a new crop of beautiful juicy peaches. It's the season for shortcakes, peaches with sabayon, peach cream puffs and peaches simply roasted and served with ice cream.This time around, I've put them together with the irresistible winning combo of cake and whipped cream. The cake's flavor is provided by a higher ratio of brown sugar, which brings out a

Pastry Studio

07/13/2012 09:04 AM

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Eton Mess

When I first heard about a dessert named Eton Mess, my interest was certainly piqued. What's the Eton and what's the Mess? As it turns out, it actually translates into something incredibly simple. The dessert is a tumble of fresh strawberries, fresh whipped cream and crumbled meringue. And apparently it's something that's served in the dining hall at Eton, the centuries old English boy's board

Pastry Studio

07/06/2012 10:33 AM

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Raspberry Chocolate Cream Pastries

I'm definitely one of those people who seem to have a hard time passing up a beautiful basket of fresh berries whenever they catch my eye. There's something about their bright fresh flavor, tartness and beautiful color that tempts me every time. And today's bundle of raspberries landed on my table with the best of intentions.This recipe combines raspberries with some sweetened cream cheese and

Pastry Studio

06/29/2012 10:44 AM

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Almond Dacquoise with Nectarines & Cream

If you're in the market for something to do with those spare egg whites, I have an idea for you. Now that stone fruit is in abundance, it's just about time to celebrate our bounty with an almond dacquoise.Dacquoise is a meringue that contains toasted nuts. It's another versatile pastry component for your repertoire that is very simple to make. It's classically used as a layer in cake constructi

Pastry Studio

06/22/2012 11:37 AM

14 views

Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate pudding is most likely something you order off a retro menu or purchase in small cups at the market. It's usually an impulse buy that reminds us of a childhood memory when maybe it was produced from a box. But making chocolate pudding from scratch isn't difficult or overly time consuming, so you just might want to give it a try for the pleasure and satisfaction of a silky chocolate des

Pastry Studio

06/15/2012 10:23 AM

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Banana Sauce Cake

This is another one of those cakes that you make when you're staring at a couple of bananas in your kitchen that are about to blow. It's also one of those really easy self-saucing comfort food cakes that remind us that baking is sometimes like a crazy science experiment. These recipes have two basic components: a cake batter and then a liquid topping that sits on top of the batter. As the cake

Pastry Studio

06/08/2012 08:57 AM

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Strawberry Sour Cream Ice Cream

It's strawberry season and time for some ice cream! This is another very easy recipe from David Lebovitz that can be put together in just a few minutes. If you can locate some beautifully ripe and sweet strawberries, the only thing left to do is to slice them, toss them with sugar and let them sit for an hour to create some delicious juices. Then puree them and whisk in equal parts sour cream a

Pastry Studio

06/01/2012 11:20 AM

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Olive Oil Sponge Cake with Apricots

Sponge cake is a basic pastry tool to add to your repertoire, a light cake to use to soak up all the delicious juices of our luscious fresh fruit of the spring and summer season. It's also used to create trifles, charlottes, simple jam cakes or tiramisu. So it's a good versatile cake to master yet a lot of bakers aren't very comfortable working with genoise or sponge cake recipes because they ca

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