Welcome back!  Today, we have a miniature version of a classic American dessert: Mini Apple Pie! Sometimes an entire apple pie is too much (but when is it really?), so having the technique to bake some mini pies can certainly come in handy. Plus, you can bake multiple different mini pies at once by taking the filling from any other pie, such as peach or cherry pie. It's a great way to make a delicious pie sampler! Mini Apple Pies Makes four 4" pies Ingredients: 2 9"  pie crusts  (or almond-based pie crusts ) 3 large apples, cubed, such as Granny Smith 100 grams brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground clove 1 tablespoon corn starch Directions: In a bowl, mix the apple chunks with the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and clove. Let the spiced apple sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours. This will draw the juices out of the apple. Add the corn starch into the apples and mix to th...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a new twist version of a breakfast staple: Blueberry Muffins with Streusel! This might seem like our Blueberry Muffins , but a quick comparison shows that their differences are not negligible. Besides the streusel, which is clearly a new addition to the recipe, this version of muffin has a simpler procedure (so that you'll have the energy to make the streusel) while still retaining its moist and flavorful goodness. Baking is a science, but you can always use multiple methods to achieve the same goal. Blueberry Muffin With Streusel Makes 12 muffins Ingredients: For the muffin batter: 1/2 cup oil 2 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cup flour 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups blueberries For the streusel: 1/4 cup flour 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons sugar 1/8 teaspoon teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons cold butter Directions: In a bowl, mix the oil, eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract together. Sift in the f...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a Southern favorite: Peach Cobbler! In fact, peach cobbler is so loved, it's become Texas's official state cobbler, and you can find it at any real barbecue place in the South. Cobblers are an easy way to bake your summer fruits into a warm, delicious dish, whether it be apples, berries, or of course, peaches. You basically throw all your ingredients together and toss it in the oven (a couple of times) and that's your cobbler! Peach Cobbler Ingredients: For the filling: 4 large peaches (about 2 pounds), cut into small chunks Juice from half of a lemon 1/4 cup brown sugar A pinch of salt 1 teaspoon corn starch For the topping: 1 cup flour 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces 1/4 cup plain yogurt 2 tablespoons milk 1/4 cup turbinado sugar Optionally, you can add some spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, either to the filling or the topping. Directions: In a ...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a recipe for a delicious summer treat: Fruit Tart! When you find yourself with a wide range of fresh fruit - especially berries - you can put this dessert together for a dish that everyone will love. In addition to the fruit topping, you'll need a tart crust, obviously, and a nice pot of creme patissiere. In a way, that makes this rather similar to our Apple Tart  recipe, but the preparation is still slightly different! Fruit Tart Makes a 10" tart Ingredients: For the crust: 90 grams unsalted butter, softened 20 grams sugar 35 grams powdered sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 egg 20 grams almond flour 150 grams all-purpose flour For the filling: 2 cups milk 1/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup cake flour 2 tablespoons corn starch 4 egg yolks 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla pod For the topping: Fresh fruit, like berries, peaches, kiwis, mangoes, or whatever is in season. Directions: Prepare the crust as specified in our Sweet Tart Crust rec...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a recipe for high-end dining at home: Ahi Tuna Tower! Ahi tuna towers are defined by their layers of fresh and delicious sashimi-inspired ingredients. Although there isn't as much cooking involved - the fish is raw, of course - preparing this dish like you would see in a restaurant takes careful touch and an eye for visual balance. You'll actually see three different ways that we prepared this tuna tower, all with slightly different arrangements - hopefully you can get some inspiration for how you can put this dish together. Ahi Tuna Tower Makes 4 towers Ingredients: These ingredients are for a layer of mango/cucumber, avocado, crab salad, and tuna in each tower. For garnishes, you might need some extra, and if you want to edit what's in each stack, then you might need to change the proportions. 12 ounces sashimi-grade tuna, diced For the sauce - check out our  Poke  recipe for several examples 2 mangoes, diced 1 mini cucumber, diced (or Pers...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a recipe for a special preparation of a fruit: Poached Pears! Poaching is a great way to enjoy your pears by imbuing them with interesting flavors that really enhance the pear's natural flavor. This is typically done with a base of wine, red or white, but then the other herbs and spices can vary, really just depending on what you like. Of course, we tried to pick flavors that would complement the wine selection. Poached Pears Ingredients: 4 pears For a red wine poach: 2 cups red wine 1/2 cup orange juice or water (if the wine is not enough to poach the pears) 1/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons honey 1 piece orange peel 1 stick cinnamon (or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon) Other spices, like cloves, star anise, or peppercorn For a white wine poach: 2 cups white wine 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons honey 2 slices ginger, thinly sliced 10 large leaves of mint Directions: In a pot, pour in the wine and any additional liquid, if necessary. Place the pears in...

 Welcome back!  Today, we have another cheesecake recipe, this time incorporating some lemon curd ! The idea is pretty simple, it's a standard cheesecake, but specifically using Meyer lemon juice in the cheesecake and topped with lemon curd. The flavor of the lemon curd works very well with that of the cheesecake, so it's a perfect pairing.  Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Makes a 9" cheesecake Ingredients: Crust: 10 sheets (20 squares) graham crackers (about 140-150 grams) 5 tablespoons butter, melted Filling: 3 8-ounce boxes of cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup meyer lemon juice 1 teaspoon meyer lemon zest 1/3 cup heavy cream 4 eggs Topping: 8-12 ounces lemon curd Directions: Prepare the crust: Crumble the graham crackers into crumbs. Pour the butter into the graham cracker crumbs and mix until even. Put the crust into a springform pan and press it down so it covers the bottom. Bake in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes. Let cool a little. Prepare the...

 Welcome back!  Today, we have a delicious spread: lemon curd! This lemon curd is made out of a unique variety of lemons known as the Meyer Lemon, which actually comes from China as a sort of hybrid citrus - it's not a pure lemon! This makes the fruit quite distinct from the typical lemons you see: they're larger and less sour while still retaining the taste of a lemon. It makes for a really great lemon curd, and the lemons themselves are great for many other things! Meyer Lemon Curd Makes about 12 ounces Ingredients: 2 eggs 2 egg yolks 1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice 1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest 1/3 cup sugar Pinch of salt 6 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes Directions: In a bowl, crack the eggs and egg yolks in and whisk. Rub the zest and sugar together to let the flavor come out. Mix in the lemon juice, zest, sugar, and salt. Make sure that the mixture is very smooth and even. Put a pot of water on the stove to boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and put the bowl ...

 Welcome back!  Today, we have a really interesting dish: a pavlova! This dessert hails from Australia/New Zealand, and is actually associated with summertime, which includes their Christmas/holiday season. It is similar to a meringue in terms of its composition and production, and you get a wonderful contrast between the crunchy outer shell and the fluffy interior. Plus, the fresh berries greatly add to the dish, adding color in both visual presentation and flavor. Berry Pavlova Ingredients: 4 egg whites 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons corn starch 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice/white vinegar) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract For the whipped cream: 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1 tablespoon sugar Directions: Crack the eggs open and pour the egg whites into a bowl. Mix the sugar and corn starch together in a separate bowl. Whisk until the egg whites have reached soft peaks. Add this sugar/corn starch mixture into the egg whites, 1 tablespoon at a time while whisking until stiff ...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a delicious and novel dish: an upside down cake, featuring apples! The concept of creating a cake that's flipped around really is quite strange, but it allows the caramel and apple topping to fit nice and evenly on the top of the cake once you're done. In the end, you get this wonderful combination of the soft cake, the rich caramel, and the flavorful apples! Apple Upside-Down Cake Makes a 9" cake Ingredients: Batter: 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup milk, room temperature 1 1/2 cup flour 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt Apples: 3-4 apples, peeled and sliced into 6-8 slices, depending on the size (preferably crisp and tart, like Granny Smith) Caramel: 3 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 tablespoons bourbon Directions: Prepare the batter: In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Make sure the butter is softened! S...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a recipe for fruitcake! Yes, it's a fruitcake, but it's not the classic American kind with the strangely colored fruits; this is actually what a fruitcake should be like - completely natural-looking, full of fruit, and delicious. If you're one of those fruitcake-haters (which is reasonable considering how weird they are), this recipe is certain to change your mind about the dessert! French Fruitcake Ingredients: 1 stick butter 1/4 cup sugar 10 grams honey 2 eggs 120 grams cake flour 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 200 grams mixed dried fruit (raisins, prunes, black currants, peach, apricot, cherry, etc.) 1/4 cup rum (or brandy/Grand Marnier) Directions: The day before, prepare your dried fruits by cutting the bigger pieces into even chunks and then soaking them in rum. In a bowl, cream the butter and the sugar until it is fluffy and pale. Add in the honey and mix it in. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and mix evenly. Sift the cake flour and baking...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a cake featuring an interesting fruit: the fig! Figs are typically eaten dried or in some processed form because they don't stay fresh for long, so making this dish out of fresh figs was quite nice. Once completed, the fig flavor blends in very well with the rest of the cake and creates a dessert that is flavorful but not overly rich. Fig Crème Fraîche Cake Makes a 9" cake Ingredients: 1/2 pound figs, quartered (if you have big figs, maybe 6-8 slices) 120 grams cake flour 50 grams almond flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 50 grams sugar 60 grams honey 120 grams crème fraîche 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier 1/2 cup melted butter Directions: In a bowl, sift in the dry ingredients (cake flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt). Mix this together. In another bowl, put in the sugar, honey, and crème fraîche, and mix them together.  One add a time, add the eggs and mix thoroughly. Add in the vanilla ...

Welcome back!  Today, we have an interesting French dessert: Far Breton! It hails from one of the most interesting regions of France, Brittany, which is known for its very distinct culture and language, as the residents descended from the British isles rather than the mainland. For Britons, "far", or actually "farz", refers to a flan-like dish. This version, which is traditional to the region, features plums soaked in alcohol, with armagnac being a popular choice. Far Breton Makes a 10" by 8" dish Ingredients: 3 eggs 1/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract A pinch of salt 2 cups milk 120 grams flour 4 tablespoons butter, melted 24 prunes 1/2 cup rum Directions: Prepare the prunes by soaking them in the rum. You'll want to leave them in the rum for 2 to 3 days for the flavor to get in. If you don't want the alcohol flavor, you can soak the prunes in hot water for maybe 30 minutes and they'll be soft enough. In a bowl, crack in the eggs and whis...

Welcome back!  Today, we have another classic French dessert: Clafoutis! This is actually a really simple recipe that brings out the flavor of your fresh cherries, while the batter supports the flavor and texture. It is traditionally made with black cherries, but many other varieties can be made with different fruits, depending on what you have. However, then it becomes a flaugnarde , which is basically the same thing. Clafoutis Makes a 9" tart Ingredients: 300 milliliters milk Half a vanilla pod (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract) 3 eggs 1/4 - 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup flour 1 tablespoon kirschwasser (optional) 400 grams cherries, pitted Directions: Prepare the vanilla milk: Pour the milk into a pot Cut the vanilla pod half in half again, but lengthwise this time (so two long strips). Scrape the seeds into the milk, but also put the pods into the milk. Put this milk on the stove on low heat and stir gently until it starts to bubble around the edges of the pot. Cool to room temperature an...