carrot flan.

I've been thinking lately that while I'm cooking a lot I'm, I'm cooking what is referred to as to as "mommy blogger food".  The food is good!  Very good!  Healthy!  Filling!  Satisfying!  But is it exciting?  Is it remarkable?  Is it even worth writing about?  Unsure.   I think it’s good that people post those types of recipes – the things you can make in 30 minutes or less on a Tuesday evening.  It’s the kind of food I want to eat and make most nights of the week but I’m not sure it’s the kind of food I want to write about.   

The kind of recipes that make me run to this site to jot down my thoughts are the kind of recipes that teach me something.  That have interesting techniques.  They turn a humble ingredient into something that delights.  They make me say holy shit this is good.   

I’ve had this recipe bookmarked since I bought this cookbook earlier this year.  I think I book-marked it because I wasn’t sure what a carrot flan would be like.  Would it be delicious?  Odd?  Would I know it was eating carrots?  I made it around Halloween because it felt seasonally appropriate (and very on-color theme) but now that I’ve made it, I think it would be fantastic addition to a Thanksgiving dessert table.  

The consensus is that carrot flan is delicious.  Earthy but rich and comforting.  You would never guess it’s filled with carrots though I’m less sure what most people would think it tastes like.  Squash?  Something else?  Regardless, I think it belongs on a Thanksgiving table.  You can make it a couple of days ahead!  Requires no reheating on the day of!  It’s 5 ingredients (all of which I imagine you already have on hand)!  It provides a very simple end to a very traditionally over –the-top meal.     Also leftovers make a fantastic morning-after-Thanksgiving breakfast.  Especially when paired with good coffee and a good book.   

Carrot Flan
Recipe from My Mexico City Kitchen: Recipes and Convictions by Gabriela Camara

If you don’t have a flameproof baking pan, it is OK. You probably won’t be able to invert the flan after it is chilled, but you would still be able to cut it in perfect wedges.

1 pound 2 ounces carrots
¾ cup whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar
⅔ cup unsalted butter, melted
6 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Thoroughly scrub the carrots but don’t bother peeling them. Cut the carrots into 4 pieces so that they fit comfortably in a medium pot.
Place carrots in pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook carrots for about 15 minutes, until just soft. Pour them into a colander and let cool completely. Press out any excess water.

Bring a full kettle of water to a boil.

In a blender, combine carrots, milk, sugar, butter and eggs, and mix at high speed, until smooth. Grease a 10½-inch flameproof baking pan with butter. Pour mixture into pan. Place in a roasting pan. Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach at least halfway up outside of baking pan.

Bake flan for 1 hour, 30 minutes. Place flan on a cooling rack to cool. When flan has cooled to room temperature, refrigerate overnight.

When ready to serve, place flan on stove over low heat and warm slightly to loosen the sides. Place a serving plate over pan and invert pan and plate together so that flan falls onto the plate.

Slice flan and serve with sweetened whipped cream.

jam bars.

This past weekend, I spent so much time eating outdoors.  A slice of pizza standing on a NYC street corner.  Salads and asparagus flatbread by the pool.  Focaccia sandwiches of roasted zucchini, kale pesto, and mozzarella in a hidden corner of Liberty State Park.   It was the kind of weather that beacons you outside.    Slight breeze, warm sun, freckled shoulders, bare feet.   

Come summer, I like making food that can travel well.  The kind of cooking that allows for spontaneity and spur of the moment park meet ups or alfresco dinners with friends.  As a natural introvert, I’m trying to set myself up to be more comfortable with asking people to do something on a really nice Sunday afternoon.   If the food can be flexible and adaptable, I like to think it’s possible I can be as well.  

To prepare for all of these impromptu picnics, I plan on having a batch of these bars in the freezer at all times between now and Labor Day weekend.  They are a dream – crispy and kind of cookie-like, filling but not heavy.  The right amount of sweet.  I filled them with a homemade cherry rhubarb jam (I cleaned out the freezer!) but I think they would be amazing with a strawberry jam or apricot jam come late summer.   

Jam Bars 
From Tartine All Day by Elisabeth Prueitt

1/2 cup/110g unsalted butter or coconut oil (vegan!), at room temperature
1/3 cup/85g smooth almond butter
2 Tbsp brown rice syrup or maple syrup
1 1/2 cups/150g rolled oats
1 cup/120g almond flour
1 cup/120g oat flour
6 Tbsp/90g granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp/340g jam 
1 tsp lemon juice
Pinch of sea salt
Sliced almonds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a 9 by 13-inch/23 by 33cm baking pan with parchment paper. Combine the butter or coconut oil, almond butter, and brown rice syrup or maple syrup in a large bowl and, using a wooden spoon, mix well.

Add the rolled oats, almond flour, oat flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla and almond extracts, and cinnamon to the butter mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. Divide the dough into thirds. Press two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan and reserve the remaining one-third for the topping.

Stir together the jam, lemon juice, and salt and then spread the mixture evenly over the bottom crust.

Crumble the remaining one-third dough over the jam filling. If desired, scatter slice almonds on-top.   

Bake the jam bars until golden brown around the edges, about 35 minutes (push it a little bit, you don’t want them pale). Let the pastry cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting into bars.

The jam bars will keep, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 4 days (or in the fridge, which is kind of nice too).  Wrapped well, they will last for weeks in the freezer.  

strawberry-rhubarb pandowdy.

I know social media gets a lot of crap for being the worst thing that's ever happend to society - it's rotting our brains, disrupting out sleep schedule, tracking our every move, blah blah blah, but if I am being honest, I love (like really love) Instagram.  

I love Instgram for the sheer fact that it has afforded me the opportunity to discover/meet/become friendly with a whole world of really amazing cooks.  Women who are cooking the kind of food I always want to eat (i.e. in-season produce filled one pan salads and pastas, lots of fruit desserts, cookies!).  In a lot of ways Instagram has replaced my cookbooks when it comes to weeknight cooking.  I basically run through my feed and from there come-up with an off the cuff dinner plan solely based around someon

e's beautiful picture.  I'm really digging this on the fly, being inspired by whatever crosses my path kind-of cooking.  It feels really liberating.   

I got this recipe from one of those uber-talented women that I follow on Instagram.  Emily is a mom who somehow manages to get her kids to eat all sorts of really exciting foods that I am 100% sure I wouldn't have touched when I was 8 (fiddlehead ferns and rhubarb?!).  She posted this recipe and I was extremely excited about it - a cross between a cobbler and a custard but with a hilariously funny name, it's basically a dream June dessert.  I made it over Memorial Day weekend and we all loved it (I really love it for breakfast the next day).  It would be amazing come August filled with peaches.   



Strawberry-Rhubarb Pandowdy
Recipe from Emily C. at Food 52

To make the rye crust

1 cup (120 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (60 grams) rye flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 to 6 tablespoons ice water

In a food processor, pulse flours and salt to combine. Scatter butter pieces over the flour mixture, then pulse until the butter is the size of large peas, about 6 to 8 short pulses. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over mixture and pulse a few times, then repeat with 1 tablespoon of water at a time, or just until small curds start to form and dough holds together when pinched with fingers. It’ll look kind of crumbly but that's okay. (Alternatively, you can do this by hand.) 

Empty dough onto clean counter or piece of wax paper. Using bench scraper, gather dough into a rough rectangular mound about 12 inches long and 4 inches wide. Starting from the farthest end, use the heel of your hand to smear about one sixth of dough against your work surface away from you. Repeat until all of your dough has been smeared. Using bench scraper, gather the dough again into a 12-inch long and 4-inch wide mound and repeat smearing of dough with heel of hand. The dough should be smooth and cohesive at this point; if not, repeat smearing process again. 

Form dough into 4 inch disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm about 1 hour. The smearing process creates long layers of butter in the dough, which translates to long flaky layers in the cooked crust.

To make the filling and assemble pandowdy

1 1/2 pounds strawberries, hulled (leave small berries whole; halve any large berries)
1 pound rhubarb, chopped
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca (sometimes called granulated tapioca or tapioca pearls)
Pinch of kosher salt
Finely grated zest + 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 1 small lemon
1 large egg, separated into white and yolk (egg white lightly beaten with a fork)
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 400° F. 

In a small bowl, mix together the sugars, tapioca, and pinch of salt until well integrated. 

In a 10-inch cast-iron or ovenproof skillet, gently toss the strawberries with the sugar-tapioca mixture, lemon zest, and lemon juice. 

On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough into a 12-inch round, dusting with flour as needed. (Don’t worry if your dough isn’t perfectly round.) Gently lay round of dough atop the fruit filling, tucking and folding the dough edges around the fruit, leaving a small rim that sticks up against the side of the skillet. Brush with egg white and then sprinkle evenly with turbinado sugar. Poke a few small holes in the crust so steam can vent. 

Bake pandowdy for about 30 minutes (place a foil-lined baking sheet underneath the skillet to catch any fruit juices that spill over), then remove the skillet from oven and break the dough into large pieces with a sharp knife to “dowdy” its looks. Return to oven and bake until the crust is golden and firm and the fruit juices are bubbling up through the crust pieces, about 20 minutes longer. 

Meanwhile, whisk together the cream, egg yolk, and vanilla extract in a measuring cup with a spout. Remove the pandowdy from the oven and let the juices settle for a minute or two. Slowly begin pouring the cream mixture into each of the cuts; use the back of a spoon or a knife if needed to help with the flooding, working your way around the entire pandowdy. Some of the cream will go under the crust and much will pool on top. This is okay (and expected)! 

Return the pandowdy to the oven and bake until the cream just sets but is still a little jiggly, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Even when fully cool, the pandowdy will have lots of juice, part of its charm, so serve in bowls with spoons. It's best on the day it's baked, but it's not bad at all on Day 2 straight from the fridge (breakfast, perhaps?!).

sesame banana pudding.

The first signs of rhubarb showed up this weekend and while I am very excited about it (and all the incredible desserts that are to come) I can't get this sesame banana pudding out of my head.  

I made this pudding last weekend when it was rainy and gloomy and both Tyler and I couldn't get enough of it.  Homemade sesame wafers get tucked between layers of banana pudding and sliced bananas.  The whole thing is topped with a toasted meringue that makes the entire dessert feel incredibly fancy.   It's definitely a dessert that makes and entrance and one that I think everyone will love.   

Sesame Banana Pudding
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit 

The original recipe said it serves 8.  I made a half batch and after seeing how much it made, I think a full batch can serve anywhere from 12-14 people (unless you want to eat a tub of banana pudding).   

Sesame Wafers

1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup toasted sesame seeds
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1½ tablespoons light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pudding And Assembly

7 ripe bananas, divided
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
4 large eggs, separated
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Sesame Wafers: Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 375°. Whisk flour, sesame seeds, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and both sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg, egg yolk, oil, and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and mix in dry ingredients. Cover dough and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.

Drop dough by the tablespoonful onto 2 parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets, spacing 1" apart. Bake wafers, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until brown around the edges, 13–16 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets.

Pudding and Assembly: Rub 3 bananas with oil. Roast (oven should still be at 375°) on a parchment-lined baking sheet until skins are dark brown and flesh is popping out, 25–35 minutes. Let cool.
Meanwhile, bring milk, butter, and ¼ cup sugar to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking occasionally. Whisk egg yolks, cornstarch, vanilla, ¼ cup sugar, and 1 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Adding ¼ cupful at a time, whisk in one-third of hot cream mixture, then whisk egg mixture into remaining cream mixture in saucepan. Cook pudding, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Scrape into a large bowl set over an ice bath; let cool.

Peel roasted bananas and process in a food processor (or beat by hand) until smooth. Stir into pudding.

Slice remaining 4 bananas ¼" thick. Ladle one-third of pudding into a 9½" deep pie dish or 8x8" glass baking dish. Layer half of wafers over pudding; top with half of bananas. Repeat, layering with half of remaining pudding and wafers and all of bananas. Finish with a layer of remaining pudding, then wafers. 

Meanwhile, using electric mixer with clean beaters, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and a large pinch of salt in a large bowl on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Increase speed to high, gradually add remaining ½ cup sugar; beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 1 minute. Working in 3 batches and beating well after each, add powdered sugar. Beat until meringue is very stiff, dense, and glossy.

Let pudding cool slightly, then decoratively spread meringue over top. Toast with a kitchen torch, if desired.

Do Ahead: Dessert (without meringue) can be assembled 6 hours ahead; chill.

roasted rhubarb pavlova.

After tackling my first pavolva a couple of weeks back, I can't think of any dessert that is more fitting to usher in summer.  

Pavlova is a traditional Australian dessert and it's a fitting match.  Australia (at least in my head) is the land of eternal summer so a national dessert that is incredibly light and refreshing feels appropriate.      

For those unfamiliar with the gloriousness that is pavolva, it is essentially a meringue with crispy exterior and a soft and fluffy like marshmallow interior, covered in whipped cream and fruit.   This version uses caramelized roasted rhubarb as the fruit of choice and it's a brilliant decision.  The combination of tart and tender rhubarb with a sweet and crispy/creamy meringue is irresistible and incredibly seasonally appropriate.   

Roasted Rhubarb Pavlova
Recipe from Sweeter Off the Vine

Some things to note - This is a dessert that once assembled, needs to be eaten ASAP.  All components can be prepared ahead of time, but if you want more then a couple of hours to eat the pavlova once assembled it looses its crisp exterior and the crisp exterior is an important part of the dish.  

I omitted the addition of whipped cream as I didn't have cream on hand and also didn't feel it needed it (shocking I know).  The choice is yours.  It will be excellent no matter what.   

I also think it would be adorable to make individual pavlovas instead of one large one if you were serving them as part of a dinner party!

For the Meringue

1 cup (200g) superfine sugar
11⁄2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 large egg whites
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 
1 teaspoon white vinegar

For the Rhubarb

12 ounces (340g) rhubarb stalks, leaves removed
1 vanilla bean
1⁄3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
Pinch salt
Juice of 1⁄2 lemon (about 4 teaspoons)

For Serving

1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

Directions for the Meringue: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 225ºF (110ºC). Trace an 8-inch circle onto a piece of parchment paper and flip the paper upside down on a baking sheet.

To make the meringue: Stir the cornstarch and sugar together in a small bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a handheld electric mixer in a large bowl, beat the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar on medium high speed until soft peaks form. Turn the mixer up to high and with the mixer running, slowly add the sugar mixture about one tablespoon at a time and whip until the egg whites are stiff and glossy, about 7 minutes. Add the vanilla and vinegar and mix for 30 more seconds.

Dollop the meringue onto the prepared baking sheet and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly to the edges of the traced circle. Make a shallow (1⁄2-inch) indent in the center of the meringue leaving a 1-inch border around the edges; this will hold the rhubarb and whipped cream. Bake the meringue for 1 to 11⁄2 hours or until the outside looks dry and slightly creamy in color. Turn off the oven and prop the door ajar with a wooden spoon. Let the meringue cool completely in the oven. It should feel firm and crackly when you press it, but will be soft and marshmallowy in the center. When cooled, you should be able to gently peel it off of the parchment paper and place it on a serving platter or cake stand. The meringue can be prepared a day in advance and stored in an airtight container.

Directions for the Rhubarb: Preheat the oven to 375º (190ºC). Cut the rhubarb stalks into 3-inch lengths. Use the tip of a knife to split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. In a baking dish large enough to hold the rhubarb in a single layer, toss the cut rhubarb with the vanilla bean seeds, sugar, salt, and lemon juice; tuck the vanilla bean pod in among the rhubarb. Bake until the rhubarb is soft and juicy but not falling apart, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then remove the vanilla bean pod, rinse it off, and save it for another use.

Directions for Assembly: Whip the cream and sugar together to stiff peaks. Top the cooled meringue with the whipped cream, then the cooled roasted rhubarb pieces. Finish by drizzling with the pomegranate molasses and any rhubarb juices left in the baking pan. Slice into wedges and serve immediately.

dark chocolate pudding.

Tuesday's require chocolate.  Preferably rich, dark chocolate (my personal preference).   

Brownies would be the obvious (and probably slightly easier) choice but I'm here to make the case for this chocolate pudding which truly knocks my socks off.   A cross between a typical American style chocolate pudding and a French pot de creme, it's the best of both worlds.  Impossibly silky and incredibly rich it exudes decadence but doesn't feel over the top.   It works as a celebratory dessert (I served it on Valentine's Day) but I like it best as part of my Tuesday evening catch-up with John Oliver's Last Week Tonight.   It makes the middle of the week feel all the more special.   

Dark Chocolate Pudding
Recipe via NYTimes

Serves 6-8

1 large egg, plus 2 yolks
6 ounces/170 grams bittersweet chocolate, preferably 66 percent to 74 percent cacao, chopped
2 tablespoons/30 grams unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon/5 milliliters vanilla extract
2 ½ cups/590 milliliters whole milk
½ cup/120 milliliters heavy cream
⅓ cup/67 grams light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons/15 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons/20 grams cornstarch
¼ teaspoon/2 grams fine sea salt
Whipped cream or crème fraîche, for serving
Chocolate shavings, for garnish (optional)
Flaky sea salt, for garnish (optional)

In a small heatproof bowl, whisk together egg and yolks. Set aside.

Place chocolate, butter and vanilla extract in a food processor or blender but don’t turn on.

In a medium pot, whisk together milk, cream, brown sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt until smooth. Bring to a full boil, whisking, and let bubble for 1 to 2 minutes to activate cornstarch. At that point, it will start to thicken, and when it does immediately pull the pot off the heat. (You don’t want to overboil the cornstarch, which can cause it to thin out again.)

Pour a little of the hot cornstarch mixture into the eggs, stirring constantly to prevent them from curdling, then pour eggs back into the pan with the remaining cornstarch mixture. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until mixture just returns to a bare simmer (one bubble is plenty). Immediately pour into the food processor or blender. Run the machine until the pudding is very smooth (the hot milk mixture will melt the chocolate).

Pour into individual bowls or teacups or 1 large decorative bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm and cold, at least 4 hours for individual servings and as many as 8 hours for 1 large bowl. Pudding can be made 3 days ahead. Serve with whipped cream or whipped crème fraîche, decorated with chocolate shavings and a pinch of sea salt, if you like.

coconut cream pie with macaroon crust.

This coconut cream pie has been taunting me for about 9 months now.  I had book marked it last May when I first came across it in Bon Appetit but the problem with discovering recipes like this during peak fruit season is that fruit filled desserts will always take precedence over out of season, shipped in a can from the other side of the world coconut milk and lime based pies.

But now, now we are in the throws of winter.  And when you are in the depths of winter it helps to eat things made with coconut and lime.  Coconut and lime transports you to a warmer place - dessert islands and sandy beaches.   Places you dream about in the middle of January.  

This is the coconut cream pie of my dreams.  Tangy, creamy, and crunchy.  It's like a jacked up Almond Joy but better - so much better.  The custard isn't cloyingly sweet like some cream pies can be.  Instead it's rich (coconut milk and regular milk) with the perfect hit of lime juice.   Paired with a brilliant (and easy) macaroon press-in crust (why has no else done this before?!) and chocolate covered almonds and you basically have one the best desserts I've ever made (and eaten). 

Also (and this comes as no surprise to me) the recipe comes from Tandem Bakery in Portland, Maine which just earned them 10 billion more stars in my book.   

Coconut Cream Pie with Macaroon Crust
Recipe adapted slightly from Bon Appetit

For the Crust

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 large egg white
1¾ cups unsweetened shredded coconut
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted, slightly cooled

Custard And Assembly

2 wide strips lime zest
1¾ cups whole milk
¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk
¼ cup raw skin-on almonds, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted, slightly cooled
3 large egg yolks
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
11/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon lime zest

Make the Crust: Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly coat a 9" pie pan with nonstick spray. Mix egg white, coconut, sugar, butter, and salt with a rubber spatula in a large bowl until evenly combined and the consistency of a stiff paste. Using your hands, press mixture evenly onto bottom and up sides of pie pan. Bake until edges are golden brown and bottom is set and just barely golden, 15–20 minutes.

Transfer pie pan to a wire rack (leave oven on to toast almonds and coconut) and let crust cool. Brush crust with melted chocolate.

Make the Custard: Bring lime zest, milk, and coconut milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cover and let sit off heat 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 8–10 minutes. Let cool. Toast coconut on same baking sheet, tossing once, until edges are golden, about 4 minutes.

Stir almonds into melted chocolate in a small bowl. Spread in an even layer on a sheet of parchment paper. Sprinkle toasted coconut over chocolate almonds and chill until firm, 8–10 minutes. Coarsely chop, then cover and chill.

Pluck out lime zest from milk mixture; discard. Return milk mixture to a simmer. Whisk egg yolks, cornstarch, salt, and ½ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl to combine. Whisking constantly, gradually add ½ cup milk mixture to egg mixture. Whisking constantly, add egg mixture to milk mixture in saucepan and cook over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbling (it will look like thick pudding). Remove from heat and whisk in butter and lime juice.

Scrape custard into crust and press a piece of plastic wrap against surface. Chill until set, about 2 hours.

Assemble: Just before serving, whip cream, lime zest, and remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar in a small bowl to medium-stiff peaks. Spoon over custard, leaving about a 1" border, and swirl decoratively. Scatter chocolate-almond mixture around perimeter.

Do Ahead: Pie (without whipped cream) can be made 3 days ahead; keep chilled.

cranberry spice cake.

I have a thing for farmer's markets. (That should come as no surprise.) But my farmer's market obsession does not stop with our neighborhood one.  (Of course not.) When we travel, I seek out the markets in those cities; I like browsing what's seasonal, I like seeing what the crowd is like, and I really like buying things that will raise the eyebrows of TSA agents. Things like a sack of hulless oats (they tested me by asking how to cook them), goat's milk yogurt (which is apparently considered a liquid and will get confiscated - not that I'm still upset about that...), cheeses(!), and bags of local cranberries. 

When Tyler and I were in Chicago last month, I bought lots of cranberries.  I didn't need them but it was a week and a half until Thanksgiving and all I could think about was cranberry and pear chutney. I've never been practical a day in my life so I saw no reason why I shouldn't buy loads of cranberries and pack them in my carry-on bag (the TSA loves me).    

So I made chutney (which was a real crowd-pleaser) and was then left with an over-abundance of leftover cranberries and a lack of inspiration. My default cranberry recipe is this upside-down cake which is so utterly dreamy but far more labor intensive then I had the energy for.  I looked to Google for help and was feeling absurdly defeated as everything just felt too fussy and finally, on page 10 (no one goes to page 10 unless they are feeling truly defeated) I stumbled across a recipe that was everything - simple, seasonal, and spiced.   

This is that cake and I think it's going to be a new go-to around here.  It comes together in under 10 minutes, it bakes up beautifully, and it feels like winter (even if it doesn't literally feel like winter around here).    

Cranberry Spice Cake
Recipe adapted from The Year in Food 

This is not a very sweet cake which means it's completely acceptable for breakfast (WEE!) or as a side to an afternoon tea. The original recipe called for 2 cups of almond flour and while I love almond flour, I don't like cakes that cost $10 to make so I halved it and replaced it with some wheat flour.  You can do either.  I would have added slivered almonds to the top but I was out so I omitted it - it's brilliant either way (though prettier with the almonds).  

1 cup almond meal or almond flour 
1 cup wheat flour (whole wheat, rye, white, buckwheat would all work)
2/3 cup brown sugar or muscovado 
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 eggs, room temperature, beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
Zest of two oranges
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1/3 cup sliced almonds (optional)
1 tablespoons coarse sugar + 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, wheat flour (if using) brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder and soda, and sea salt.

In a smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the beaten eggs with the melted butter, and orange zest and juice. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry, mixing just until everything is thoroughly incorporated. Fold in the fresh cranberries.

Thoroughly grease and then flour a round 9-inch baking pan. Pour the batter into the pan.  Sprinkle with the coarse sugar and cinnamon mixture then  scatter the sliced almonds over the batter (if using). Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Save for a little cranberry juice.) The cake will become very fragrant when it’s nearly done. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes, then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Slice into 8 portions. 

baked apples with oat crumble.

If I had to guess, I'm pretty sure you are thinking baked apples are about as boring as it gets. Especially when it's fall and you can have your apples nestled in a buttery crust under a layer of crumble (a la apple pie).
  
But I'd like to make a case for the baked apple. 

Up until a couple of weeks ago, I to would have quickly dismissed the baked apple as a wannabe apple crumble pie. The baked apple is for people who are trying to be "healthy".  But then, while perusing my latest cookbook acquisition, I stumbled across a recipe for baked apples, and something in me said you must go into the kitchen right now and make this.  And so I listened to that little voice (it also didn't hurt that I had all the supplies on hand) and an hour later our kitchen smelled like heaven.   

These baked apples are so incredible that I have begun to wonder why anyone would ever want pie again. Personally I think softened apples baked under a layer of crunchy, spiced, oat crust is the way to go.  Especially when cooked in apple cider because (and here is the kicker) as the apples cook, the apple cider thickens creating an apple-cider-esq caramel.  It is life-changing. And I will happily take apple-cider like caramel over a buttery crust any day.     

Baked Apples with Oat Crumble
Adapted from Huckleberry

I made a couple of small changes.  Swapping the apple juice for cider (because cider is about a billion times better then juice) and also adding some ground ginger to the dish because I basically love ground ginger and apples.  I don't think a pinch of cloves would be a bad thing as well.  Don't feel you need to save these for dessert, they would make for an incredible brunch option as well.   

For the Oat Topping

¾ cup/170 g unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup/120 g whole-wheat flour

2 ¼ cups/115 g rolled oats

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoon maple syrup

½ cup + 2 tablespoon/140 g brown sugar

For the Apples

6 apples halved and cored (peel if desired) – Try and go for a tart apple

4 tablespoon /55 g unsalted butter, melted

3 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 tablespoon brown sugar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 ¾ cups/410 ml apple cider

Preheat your oven to 375°F/190°C. 

To make the crumble: Combine the butter, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, whole-wheat flour, oats, salt, honey, and brown sugar in a bowl and blend with your fingertips until homogeneous. Refrigerate until needed.

In a medium bowl, toss the apples with the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

Pour the apple cider into a 9 1/2-by-13 1/2-in/24-by-34-cm baking dish, then fit the apples in snugly, cut-side up. Cover with foil.

Bake until the apples are soft, about 1 hour. As different varieties have different bake times, be sure to give them a poke to see if they’re ready.

Remove the foil and top the apples with the crumble. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F/220°C and bake until the topping is nice and brown, about 20 minutes longer. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This keeps, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

cherry shortbread bars.

Everyone has a food that conjures images of summer.  Or perhaps they feel as if it isn't summer until they consume said food.  For some its a toasted almond bar from a Mr. Softee truck.  For others it may be a lobster roll and a lemonade.  I imagine some feel nostalgic for a BLT made with the first heirloom tomatoes of the season and then there is the camp that feels it isn't summer without something made on a grill. Namely a good burger best served with a cold beer.

For me, it's cherries.  And not sour cherries.  I am talking about big old bing cherries.  The kind you eat my the handful while sitting outside preferably at a beach though on a bench isn't necessarily a bad thing. I eat cherries until my fingers turn pink and then I keep going because I love them.

So it's easy to imagine that come July, I am looking for every recipe possible that incorporates cherries. There are salads of micro greens, blue cheese, and cherries.  There are porkchops with cherry salsa.  And then there are desserts.  Cherry pie, cherry crumble, cherry clafoutis (such a classic) cherry brown butter bars (here's hoping I get to make those again next week), and now for the newest addition, cherry shortbread bars.  

These are the new unsung hero of picnics but they work just as well consumed at the beach or straight from the fridge after a long day at work.  It's summer in a neatly packed, handheld, and portable square.

Cherry Shortbread Bars

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

The original recipe calls for peaches and while the peach version is insanely delicious, I couldn't help adapting this to work with cherries because I am a cherry-aholic.   I changed the spices around (and added a little almond extract) just because.  The resulting bar is sublime.   

I cut mine into 24 2 x 2 1/2-ish squares. You can halve this and bake it in a 8 x 8 pan instead.

1 cup (7 ounces or 200 grams) white sugar
1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (12 5/8 ounces or 359 grams) cups all-purpose flour (can replace 1 cup with graham flour aka my new favorite thing)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Couple of gratings of fresh nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces or 227 grams) cold unsalted butter
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups cherries pitted and halved (quartered if really large) 

Brown your butter: Melt butter in a small/medium saucepan over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Keep your eyes on it; it burns very quickly after it browns and the very second that you turn around to do something else. Set it in the freezer until solid (about 30 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter a 9×13 inch pan, or spray it with a nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, stir together sugar, baking powder, flour, salt and spices with a whisk. Use a pastry blender, fork or your fingertips, blend the solidified brown butter, almond extract, and egg into the flour mixture. It will be crumbly.

Pat 3/4 of the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing firmly. Pour the cherries over the base in a single layer. Scatter remaining crumbs evenly over cherries and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until top is slightly brown and you can see a little color around the edges. Cool completely in pan before cutting into squares.

Keeping: I’ve kept mine in the fridge and they’ve held up great. These would freeze well, between layers of waxed paper, with the container sealed well in plastic wrap.