Dessert

Slices of Gingerbread Loaf on a plate topped with Molasses Whipped Cream

Gingerbread Loaf with Marbled Whipped Cream

Gingerbread is one of my favorite flavors and a great place to begin my seasonal baking. I love the combination of spices here, including sweet cardamom, spicy pepper, warm ancho chile and rich cocoa powder. A slice of this deliciously spiced bread with a cup of coffee or warm apple cider is a wonderful way to stave off the chill of the season. 

Beehive Peach with Bourbon Sauce in an outdoor setting

Beehive Peach with Bourbon Sauce

Aside from the sauce, there are only two ingredients in this recipe, peaches and pie dough. You can hardly beat that for simplicity. And if that’s not enough to convince you to give it a try, the first line of the recipe takes the simplicity even further when it tells us “Do not peel peaches or remove seeds.”…

Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Streusel Topping on white plate with fork.

Sour Cream Cinnamon Coffee Cake

When you need a little more sweetness in your life try this streusel topped snack cake. Sour Cream Cinnamon Coffee Cake has a crumb softened by sour cream and a streusel warmed by a healthy measure of cinnamon. It is a sweet antidote to cold conditions.

Peach Cobbler for Two on a window sill beside a ripe peach.

Peach Cobbler for Two

Spiced with nutmeg and bourbon this small cobbler has just enough of a sweet biscuit crust to add a pleasing texture. With a flavor that is sweet yet tangy, lusciously silky and very slightly complicated, Peach Cobbler for Two is a delicious way to end a summer meal. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a cool creamy contrast to this golden dessert.

White Chocolate Almond Brownies (Blondies) drizzled with dark chocolate and stacked on a square plate

White Chocolate Almond Brownies (Blondies)

I once had a recipe for the perfect summer dessert bar: White Chocolate Brownies. The photo was luscious 80’s elegance, a stack of pale squarely sliced bars drizzled with a grid of dark chocolate and arranged on a red plate. They looked picnic ready and utterly delectable. I swooned and clipped the page…

Aunt Hen's Chocolate Bar Pie topped with chocolate curls beside vintage apron.

Aunt Hen’s Chocolate Bar Pie

Chocolate Bar Pie is a simple recipe. All you need to make it is two basic ingredients along with water, a pinch of salt and the pie shell of your choice. Still it is a crowd pleaser. Aunt Hen recognized the value of such a recipe. Classically light and sweet, it was easy to make, easy to enjoy and still made her guests feel special.

A square slice of Gingerbread Coffee Cake in front of a red Christmas Wreath.

Gingerbread Streusel Coffee Cake

Crushed ginger cookies add texture to the streusel crumbs as a robust blend of holiday spices lends festive flavor to this Gingerbread Coffee Cake. Warm from the oven it makes a nice addition to a weekend or holiday breakfast. It tastes great with a warm cup of coffee or Mulled Cider.

Meringue Torte with Chocolate filling on a glass plate beside an embroidered napkin, a heart shaped ornament and two silver forks.

Meringue Torte

I love February. I like the way it sounds, beginning with a frisky fricative followed suddenly by the pairing of two unlikely mid-word consonants in a mismatch that invites us to think before speaking. I like the way it begins with that famous rodent checking the shadows for promises of […]

Chocolate Tofu Mousse in two white Japanese tea cups beside an iron teapot.

A Simple Amaretto Chocolate Mousse

Silken Tofu makes a wonderful addition to this Simple Amaretto Chocolate Mousse. The recipe is super easy, wholesome and delicious…plus few would ever guess the secret ingredient in this creamy smooth chocolate mousse unless you told them.

Easy Pecan Bars stacked on a plate with a pecan garnish.

Easy Pecan Bars

The recipe for these Pecan Bars is easier than most. The crust does not need to be rolled out and no candy thermometer is required. Even better, the addition of lemon zest adds a refreshing note to the rich honey and brown sugar sweetened flavor of this holiday favorite.

Spiced Chocolate Cream Cheese Spread with Sugar Cookies and served with a vintage spreader stamped with "Spread the Love".

Spiced Chocolate Cream Cheese Spread

A little brown sugar, along with cinnamon, chili and chocolate, adds an appealing hint of heat to velvety cool cream cheese. Top with chocolate curls and cocoa powder then serve with ginger snaps or shortbread cookies for a pretty deconstructed cheesecake to share with friends.