Bittersweet Chocolate Almond Torte 

for the torte

1/3C water

1/2C sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, cubed

12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, cut in pieces

1 tsp. instant espresso powder

¼ tsp. salt

1/3C almond liqueur or cold brewed coffee

2 tsp. almond extract

6 eggs

 

for the ganache

1/2C cream

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, cut in pieces

1/2C sliced almond, toasted

1/2C cream, beaten with sugar and vanilla to taste

Preheat oven to 325F.  Butter a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan, line with parchment and butter again.  Bring water and sugar to a boil; remove from heat.  Add the butter, 12 oz. chocolate, espresso powder and slat and let sit a few minutes.  Stir until smooth.  Add the liqueur and almond extract.

Whisk eggs until thick.  Add the chocolate mixture and fold in gently.  Pour batter into prepared cake pan and place cake pan inside a roasting pan.  Add warm water to roasting pan halfway up the outside of the cake pan.  Bake until puffed and soft to the touch, 40 – 45 minutes.  Remove roasting pan from oven, then remove cake pan to a cooling rack.  Let cool one hour.

Run a knife around inside of the cake pan; invert onto a platter.  Peel off the parchment; cool completely.

Before serving, heat the cream for the ganache, add the chocolate and let sit a few minutes.  Stir until smooth.  Let cool slightly.  Spread over the top and down the sides of the torte.  Sprinkle top with toasted almonds.  Serve with whipped cream.

MAKES:  8 – 12 servings

 

Mixed Berry Slump

dough

1C flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

2-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. lemon zest

pinch salt

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/4C buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

½ tsp. vanilla

filling

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 pints raspberries

1 pint blackberries

1C sugar

1/4C brandy or orange juice

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

vanilla ice cream or cream

For the dough:   Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, zest and salt together in a food processor.  Pulse in butter.  Mix buttermilk, egg and vanilla together and pulse in just until combined.

For the filling:   Heat butter in a pan over medium-high heat, add berries, sugar and brandy and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to

medium-low.  Simmer until fruit begins to break down, about 3 minutes.  Combine lemon juice and cornstarch until mixture forms a smooth slurry.  Stir slurry into fruit; simmer mixture until filling thickens.  

mixed berry slump

Drop tablespoonfuls of batter onto fruit filling (an ice cream scoop works well for this).  Try to keep dumplings from touching each other.  Cover slump with skillet lid; reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer slump until a toothpick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean, about 25 minutes.  Let cool 5 – 10 minutes.  Spoon into bowl, dumpling sides up.  Serve with ice cream or cream.

MAKES:  6 servings (2 dumplings each)

Apple and Walnut Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Cider Sauce

apple-walnut filling

1C roasted walnut halves

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 lb. Fuji, pippin or apples of choice, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. apple cider

2 Tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar

½ tsp. cinnamon

custard

1 (1 lb.) loaf challah bread or Italian bread (crusts removed), cut into

  ¾-inch cubes

3 large eggs

3/4C firmly packed brown sugar

2C cream

1C milk

1C apple cider

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. nutmeg

Cinnamon-cider sauce

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1-1/3C firmly packed brown sugar

2C apple cider

2 tsp. cinnamon

vanilla or cinnamon ice cream

For the filling:  Heat the butter in a sauté pan and sauté the apples until well coated.  Add the apple cider, brown sugar and cinnamon and

sauté until the apples are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat, add the walnuts and set 

aside.  Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish and fill with bread cubes.  Add the apple-walnut mixture and mix well, distributing evenly.

For the custard:  Whisk together the eggs and brown sugar.  Whisk in the cream, milk, cider, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.  Pour the mixture over the bread cubes and apples and toss well.  Let soak for 20 minutes.  Flip the bread cubes over with a spatula so that the drier bread on top ends up on the bottom.  Let soak an additional 20 minutes if necessary.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Bake the pudding for 45 to 55 minutes, or until puffed and golden and the custard is set.  Let pan sit for 15 minutes before serving.

For the sauce:  Bring the butter, brown sugar, apple cider and cinnamon to a boil in a pan, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  Simmer uncovered over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes until the mixture is bubbly, syrupy and reduced to 1-1/2 cups.

To serve, top slices of warm bread pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a general drizzle of cider sauce.

MAKES:  8 – 10 servings

Strawberry Shortcake Bars

bars

2C flour

1/4C sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cut in cubes

1C fresh strawberries, hulled and diced

4 oz. white chocolate bar, chopped

1/2C cream

1 egg

½ tsp. vanilla

3/4C strawberry jam

coarse sugar (optional)

topping

3/4C fresh strawberries, hulled, halved or quartered if large

2-1/2C strawberries, hulled, halved or combination of berries

1/3C sugar

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/4C water

1/2C cream beaten with sugar and vanilla to taste

Preheat oven to 375F.   Butter a 9-inch square baking dish, line with parchment and butter again.

For the bars:  Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Cut in butter.  Stir in diced strawberries and white chocolate.  Mix cream, egg and vanilla together and add to flour mixture until dough comes together.  Press half the dough onto bottom of prepared pan.  Spread jam over dough and pat remaining dough over top.  Sprinkle with coarse

strawberry shortcake bars

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sugar and baking until lightly golden, 35 – 40 minutes.  Cool to room temperature.  Cut into 12 bars.

For the topping:  Puree ¾ cup halved strawberries in a food processor.  Combine sugar and cornstarch in a pan.  Stir in pureed berries, water and salt; bring to a boil and cook until thick, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly; pour over remaining 2-1/4 cup fresh strawberries.  Let topping cool to room temperature or chill until ready to serve.

Divide bars among plates, spoon topping over and then finish with whipped cream.

MAKES:  12 bars

Chocolate Dried Cranberry Cake

one stick unsalted butter

1C dried cranberries or cherries

1/4C bourbon or water

7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/4C pecans, toasted

2 Tbsp. flour

3 large eggs, separated

1/2C packed light brown sugar (for yolks)

2 Tbsp. sugar (for whites)

sifted powdered sugar

1/2C cream beaten with sugar and vanilla to taste

Place oven rack in middle position and preheat to 350F.  Line a 10-inch round pan with a removable bottom with parchment and butter the parchment.  Pulse pecans and flour together in a food processor until finely ground.

Simmer cranberries in the bourbon in a small pan over low heat until cranberries are tender and bourbon is absorbed – about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat.  Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl set over simmering water until smooth.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Beat yolks and brown sugar until thick.  Add the chocolate mixture and fold in.  Beat whites until soft peaks, add sugar and beat until fairly stiff.  Fold one third of whites into chocolate mixture along with the dried cranberries and pecan mixture just to lighten; fold in remainder gently.  Turn batter into prepared pan and bake about 25 minutes or until firm.  Let cool slightly.  Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan.  Remove the ring and transfer cake (off the parchment paper) to a platter.  Dust with sifted powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream.

MAKES:  8 – 10 servings

Aztec Chocolate Cake

1 lb. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 sticks unsalted butter

6 large eggs

2 Tbsp. espresso powder

1C pecan halves, toasted

1C crème fraiche, lightly beaten with sugar and vanilla to taste

Preheat the oven to 425F.  Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment.

Combine the chocolate and butter in a bowl and place over simmering water until melted.  Stir gently and remove from the heat.

Place eggs in a mixing bowl and beat until triple in volume and light in color.  Add half the beaten eggs and the espresso powder to the chocolate mixture and fold in.  then add the remaining eggs and gently fold in until just a few streaks remain – do not overmix.

Pour into the cake pan and place in a roasting pan.  Fill the roasting pan with boiling water to come halfway up the cake pan, transfer to the oven and bake for 5 minutes.  Cover the cake pan with foil and bake – still in its water bath – an additional 10 minutes.  Remove from the water bath and set aside to cool on rack 45 minutes, then refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.  Run a knife around the sides of the pan and unmold.  Serve with whipped crème fraiche and sprinkle with toasted pecans.

MAKES:  8 – 10 servings

Stonefruit Torte with hazelnuts

3/4C sugar (1/4C, 1/2C)

1/2C toasted whole almonds

3/4C flour

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut in pieces

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

zest of one orange

1 lb. ripe. slightly firm peaches, plums or apricots, cut into slices

Sauce

1/2C orange marmalade or apricot jam

1/4C brandy

2 Tbsp. light brown sugar

juice of one orange

powdered sugar

1/3C sliced almonds, toasted (garnish)

caramel ice cream

Preheat oven to 350F.  Butter a 9-inch spring-form pan, line with parchment and butter again.  Process ¼ cup sugar and almonds in a food processor until finely ground.  Add flour, baking powder and salt and pulse to combine.  Turn out into a bowl.   Cream butter and remaining sugar in the food processor, add the eggs, vanilla and zest and process until smooth.  Pulse in the flour/almond mixture until just combined.  Transfer batter to the prepared pan; spread evenly and smooth the surface.  Arrange fruit, skin side up over the surface of batter.  Bake torte until golden brown – 40 – 45 minutes.  Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges and remove the outside ring.

For the sauce:  Cook marmalade, brandy, brown sugar and orange juice in a small pan over medium high heat until thick and syrupy – about 10 minutes.

Dust torte with sifted powdered sugar, slice and serve with a scoop of ice cream, drizzled with sauce and sprinkled with almonds.

MAKES:  8 servings

Bittersweet chocolate cake

12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, cut in pieces

3 sticks unsalted butter, cut in pieces

1/3C water

1C sugar

6 whites

6 yolks

sifted powdered sugar

1/2C cream beaten with sugar and vanilla to taste

Preheat oven to 300F.  Line a 10-inch spring form pan with parchment and butter.  Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl over simmering water, remove from water and let cool slightly.  Beat whites until soft peaks, add sugar and beat until almost stiff.  Add water to chocolate mixture.  Add the yolks one by one, stirring gently after each addition.  Fold in 1/3 of the whites to lightly the mixture.  Gently fold in the reminder.

Turn the mixture into the prepared pan and bake 50 – 60 minutes or until a thick crust forms on the top and the center does not shake when the pan is moved gently.  Cool cake briefly on a rack.  Run a knife around the inside of the pan and release the ring but leave it around the cake.  When ready to serve, sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar and cut in wedges and serve with whipped cream.

MAKES:  12 servings

Apple Pie Bars

Crust

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, soft

1/3C sugar

1-1/2C flour

¼ tsp. salt

Filling

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/4C light brown sugar

6 Granny Smith apples (about 3 lb.), peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2C water, as necessary

Topping

1/3C toasted walnuts

1-1/2C quick cooking oats

1C flour

3/4C light brown sugar

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes, chilled

vanilla ice cream (optional)

For the crust:  Preheat oven to 375F.  Cream butter and sugar in a food processor.  Pulse in the flour and salt to form a soft dough.  Press the dough into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan.  Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes or until golden.  Let cool on a rack.

For the filling:  Melt the butter and the brown sugar in a sauté pan, add the apples and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally,

until softened.  Stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg and cook until the apples are caramelized and very tender and the liquid has evaporated.  Add the water and let cool.

For the topping:  Mix the oats, walnuts, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a food processor and pulse.  Pulse in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Spread the apple filling over the crust and scatter the crumbs on top, pressing them; lightly into an even layer.  Bake in the center of the oven for about 40 minutes or until the topping is golden, rotating the pan halfway through baking.  Let cool and cut into 2-inch bars.

If desired, serve with ice cream.

MAKES:  2 dozen bars

Chocolate Almond Torte

½ lb. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

½ lb. toasted, sliced almonds (about 1-1/2C)

1 heaping cup sugar

6 large eggs, room temperature and separated

½ tsp. vanilla

1/2C cream beaten with sugar and vanilla to taste

Preheat oven to 325F.  Line a 9-inch spring form pan with parchment and butter.

Place the chocolate, almonds and sugar in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until coarsely chopped; transfer to a bowl.

Beat yolks and sugar until light yellow and very thick.  Beat whites until fairly stiff.  Fold half of chocolate mixture into yolk mixture, add half the whites and then the remaining chocolate mixture and gently fold in the remaining whites.

Turn the mixture into the prepared pan and bake one hour.  Cool slightly, remove sides of pan and dust with sifted powdered sugar.  Serve with whipped cream.

MAKES:  8 to 10 servings

Chocolate Almond Cake

½ lb. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, cut into pieces

8 large eggs, separated

1-1/4C sugar

3/4C toasted almonds

1 Tbsp. amaretto or water

sifted powdered sugar

1/2C cream beaten with sugar and vanilla to taste

Preheat oven to 325F.  Butter a 10-inch spring form pan and line with parchment paper.  Butter the paper.  Grind the almonds with two tablespoons of the sugar and set aside.  Melt the chocolate and butter in a pan set over simmering water until melted.  Let cool slightly.  Beat yolks and ¾ cup sugar until thick.  Add the chocolate mixture and liqueur to the yolk mixture.

Beat the whites until soft peaks form.  Add remaining sugar and beat until almost stiff peaks.  Fold nut mixture and whites, alternately, into the chocolate mixture.  Turn the batter into the prepared pan and bake until firm around the edges – about 55 minutes. Let cool.  Run a knife around the edges of the cake pan to let the cake fall evenly.  Remove the sides of the pan and let cool.

Transfer cake to a serving platter off the parchment, dust with sifted powdered sugar, slice and serve with whipped cream.

MAKES:  8 – 10 servings

Butterscotch Pudding

1/2C sugar

2 – 3 Tbsp. water

1/2C cream

1-1/2C whole milk

2 yolks

1 egg

1/4C cornstarch

½ tsp. vanilla

1/2C cream beaten with sugar and vanilla to taste

Bring sugar and water to a boil in small pan without stirring and boil until caramelized.  Remove the pan from the heat and allow the sugar to cool slightly.  Meanwhile heat the cream and milk.  Add the cream/milk mixture to the caramel and cook on slow heat, whisking until the caramel has dissolved.

Whisk the yolks, egg and cornstarch together in a bowl.  Add half of the cream/milk mixture to the yolk mixture, whisking to combine.  Return the mixture to the pan with the remaining cream/milk mixture and heat until thickened, stirring constantly.  Pour the pudding mixture through a sieve and let cool slightly.  Add the vanilla and divide among 4 to 6 small ramekins.  Press a piece of plastic wrap onto each ramekin to prevent to puddings from forming a crust and chill 1 – 2 hours.  Serve with whipped cream

MAKES:  4 – 6 servings

Fresh Fruit Cobbler

5C fresh fruit, cut in pieces or berries

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

3/4C sugar

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

pinch cinnamon

Biscuit topping

1-1-4C flour

1/4C sugar

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. unsalted cold butter, cut in pieces

2/3C cream or whole milk

Pinch cinnamon

2 Tbsp. sugar (to sprinkle on top of the biscuits)

vanilla ice cream (to serve with the cobbler)

Preheat oven to 425F.  Place fruits, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in a pot and stir to combine.  Bring just to a boil and turn out into a 9 x 2-inch dish.

In a food processor add the dry ingredients and pulse to combine.  Pulse in the butter and then the cream just to form a dough.  Pat out into a 7-inch square, cut into 6 pieces and place pieces on top of the warm fruit mixture.  Sprinkle biscuits with the sugar and bake until golden – about 25 minutes.  Cool slightly.  Serve warm with ice cream.

MAKES:  6 servings