Chocolate Chunk Cookies

A cup of coffee and two cookies on a plate.

This recipe, from San Francisco’s legendary Dandelion Chocolate, is perfect for those who love a substantial cookie with bittersweet chocolate chunks. I use 72% chunks from O Organics, but any bittersweet or semisweet chocolate will work. These cookies stay delicious for a few days but are absolutely sublime when warm. PRINT Chocolate Chunk Cookies Yield:…

Read More

Thin and Crisp Chocolate Chip Cookies

Two cookies on a plate sitting on top of the table.

I learned two things during our chocolate chip cookie research project. First, there are far more variations than I had imagined—cakey, soft and chewy, crisp and chewy, and thin and crispy, to name a few. Second, searching for the “ultimate†cookie is a fool’s errand; everyone has their own favorite type, and there are excellent…

Read More

Seven Layer Cake

PRINT Seven Layer Cake Yield: 1 8” cake           of Servings: 12 to 14     Difficulty: Advanced Ingredients:Butter Sponge Cake:12 tbl (6 oz / 170 g) melted 1 cup + 2 tbl (5.25 oz / 140 g) pastry, or all-purpose flour2 tbl less ½ tsp (.75 oz / 22 g) potato or corn starch 9 egg yolks1.5 tsp…

Read More

Cocoa White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

A white plate with two chocolate cookies on it.

In these unique and delicious cookies, the bittersweet chocolate base provides a perfect counterpoint to the white chocolate chunks. A high-quality white chocolate is essential for the best flavor. This cookie was a customer favorite at my pastry shop, Seven Layers, because it held up well against the Martha’s Vineyard humidity. We would make a…

Read More

Ginger Pear-Cranberry Streusel Pie

Crumble-topped fruit pie on glass plate.

I was looking for a new and unique Thanksgiving pie recipe when I came across this Ginger Pear-Cranberry Streusel Pie in a book from the chefs at America’s Test Kitchen. These are the people who will try a recipe twenty times to get it right. And, in this case, they did! The two fall fruits…

Read More

Ginger Pear-Cranberry Streusel Pie

PRINT Ginger Pear-Cranberry Streusel Pie Yield: 1 9” Pie                    # of Servings: 8 to 10         Difficulty: Moderate Ingredients: 1 recipe Pate Brisée Pears 3 lb (1.4 kg) pears, Bartlett of Bosc, ripe but firm 2 tbl (.9 oz / 26 g) sugar Streusel Topping  ¾ cup (3.75 oz / 106 g) all-purpose flour ¼…

Read More

Individual Apple Galettes

Apple tart with custard sauce and mint.

Fruit galettes have so much going for them — they’re easy to make, have a rustic charm, and can be any size or shape you desire. Turning last year’s Apple Galette into these delightful Individual Apple Galettes is simply a matter of rolling out the pastry dough, cutting it into small circles, adding the filling,…

Read More

Individual Apple Galettes

Apple tart with custard sauce.

PRINT Individual Apple Galettes Yield: 3 galettes #of Servings: 3 Method: Basic Fruit Pie Ingredients1 recipe Pate Brisée Filling: ¼ cup (1.75 oz / 51 g) sugar3 tbl (.8 oz / 22 g) ground almonds3 tbl (1.1 oz / 31 g) all-purpose flour 6 ½ cups apple slices, from approximately 5 to 6 apples.1 tbl fresh…

Read More

Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich)

Almond-topped cake sliced into four.

Bee Sting Cake, or Bienenstich in German, is a unique and absolutely delicious cake made from sweet yeast dough topped with caramelized almonds. After baking, the cake is split in half and filled with a custard filling. I first experienced Bee Sting Cake while working at Patisserie Conversation in Philadelphia, where it was made using…

Read More