Ingredients

• 3 cups heavy (double) cream
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 6 large egg yolks
• ⅔ cup sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F). Place six 3⁄4-cup (6–fl oz ramekins) in a shallow roasting pan.
2. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cream and vanilla. Cook until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for about 15 minutes to infuse the cream with the vanilla.
3. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1⁄3 cup of the sugar until pale yellow, 2–3 minutes. Slowly whisk the warm cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture.
4. Pour the egg yolk–cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the ramekins, dividing it evenly. Pour simmering water into the roasting pan to come one-third of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
5. Bake until the custards are set but the centers jiggle slightly when the ramekins are gently shaken, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the water bath, then lift out the ramekins. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or for up to overnight.
6. Just before serving, remove the custards from the refrigerator and transfer to a baking sheet. Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift the remaining 1⁄3 cup sugar over the tops of the custards to form a thin, even layer. Using a kitchen torch, and holding it about 2–3 inches) from the surface, caramelize the sugar by constantly moving the flame over the top until the sugar bubbles, about 30 seconds. Alternatively, preheat the broiler (grill). Slide the baking sheet under the broiler 3 inches from the heat source and broil (grill), turning the ramekins to cook the sugar evenly, until the tops are caramelized, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 ounce bottle red food coloring

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 pound (2 -8-ounce packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
• ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Set aside
2. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together. Reserve.
3. Combine the eggs, vinegar, vanilla and buttermilk in a glass measuring cup and whisk together until blended. Reserve.
4. Place the oil in large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-speed slowly add the sugar and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the food coloring and beat until bright red. Alternate half of the dry and wet ingredients on medium speed. Repeat with remaining ingredients ending with the wet ingredients, until the batter is completely mixed together and there are no lumps.
5. Transfer the batter evenly into the cake pans. Place on a baking sheet and bake about 35 to 38 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle of each cake. Remove and cool in the pans. When cool, carefully loosen the sides of the cake and invert onto cooling racks.
6. Make the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer on medium speed. Slowly add the vanilla and powdered sugar until incorporated; the mixture should be a thick frosting-like consistency.
7. Place one cake layer upside down on a cake platter and spread frosting over the top and sides. Place the remaining cake right side up and frost the top and the sides until all of the cake is covered. Try to evenly cover the cake. Clean off any residual frosting on the platter. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving. This can be made up to one day completely ahead and kept refrigerated. Remove from the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving.

Makes a 2 layer 9 inch cake.

Ingredients

• 8 cups (1-inch cubes) of challah, day-old
• 1 cup chopped dried dates
• 1½ cups chopped fresh Majool dates
• 6 large eggs +2 large egg yolks
• 1¼ cups sugar
• 3½ cups half and half
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• Powdered sugar, for decoration
• 1 cup Creme Fraiche or 1 defrosted pint Dule de Leche ice cream, for serving

Instructions

1. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Arrange the bread and the dates in the dish, making sure that they are evenly distributed.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs and egg yolks on medium speed until they are frothy. Add the sugar and beat the mixture until thick and lemon colored, about 3 minutes. Add the half and half, reducing the speed to low, and mix to combine. Add the vanilla and nutmeg and mix to combine.
3. Preheat the oven to 375F. Ladle the custard over the bread. Let the pudding sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour to help the bread absorb the custard, occasionally pushing the bread down with a wooden spoon.
4. Place the pudding in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Open the oven, using heavy oven mitts and with a large spoon, push the bread down. The remaining liquid custard will rise. Spoon the custard evenly over the bread slices. Bake for about 15-20 more minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Remove the pudding from the oven, sprinkle it with powdered sugar and let rest about 10 minutes. Spoon onto dessert plates and serve with creme fraiche or softened Dulce de Leche ice cream on the side. It is also excellent served cold the next day.

Serves 6 to 8 people.

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• 1 + 2/3 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoons Kirsch or other fruit liqueur
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries or blackberries
• Powdered sugar, for the garnish

Instructions

1. Grease and flour a 9″ bundt pan. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. In large mixing bowl, blend eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add pieces of butter and Kirsch or fruit liqueur and blend with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add all but 2 tablespoons of the flour (reserving the 2 tablespoons to coat the berries), baking powder and salt and mix until well incorporated, with no lumps.
3. In separate bowl, toss the berries with the remaining 2 tablespoons flour coating them evenly. Gently fold into cake mixture.
4. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool 30 minutes in the pan. Invert cake onto a cake rack and cool thoroughly. Dust with powdered sugar. Place on a platter and serve.

Advance Preparation

This can be made a day ahead, covered well and left at room temperature.

Tips

Check out Quick Bundt Cake Tips here.

Serves 8 to 10 people.

Ingredients

Custard:

• 2 1/2 cups half and half
• 1 vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar

Caramel:

• 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• Topping:
• 1 pint sliced strawberries or raspberries
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. For custard, if using vanilla bean: Slice the bean in half, and scrape out the seeds with the tip of the paring knife. Add the vanilla bean and seeds to the half and half in a small saucepan. NOTE: If using vanilla extract instead of the bean, DO NOT add it to the half and half. See Step 4 below. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover, and let vanilla infuse in half and half for 30 minutes. Remove vanilla bean, if using.
2. For caramel: Combine sugar and water in small heavy saucepan. Do not use a dark-colored pan, as you will not be able to see the color of the caramel on the bottom of the pan. Dissolve sugar in water over low heat. Turn up heat and continually swirl the pan over the flame. Mixture will be bubbly. If sugar crystals form on sides of pan, cover for 1 minute and this will dissolve them. Boil until mixture reaches a dark-golden brown color. Watch carefully, as caramel can burn easily.
3. When mixture turns golden brown, remove from heat and pour about 1 tablespoon of caramel into the hot half and half (see Step 1 above). Pour remaining caramel into a 1 1/2-quart porcelain baking dish. Rotate dish rapidly to spread caramel evenly on bottom of dish. (Don’t worry if it is not even; it will distribute itself during the baking process.)
4. In a 3-quart mixer bowl, beat eggs and egg yolks until frothy. Slowly add sugar and beat until light, thick and lemon colored. Continue beating while pouring in half and half in a thin stream. Stir in vanilla extract if vanilla bean was not used. With a fine-mesh strainer, strain mixture into caramel-lined mold.
5. Lay a dishtowel on the bottom of a roasting pan, place the dish on top of the towel, and then fill the pan with boiling water about halfway up the sides of the custard dish. Reduce oven temperature to 325 F and put mold in bottom third of oven. Be sure to regulate the oven so water in pan never comes above a simmer. If custard boils, it will not be smooth. Bake for 40 minutes or until a tester inserted 1 inch from outside edge of custard comes out clean.
6. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
7. To unmold, run a knife between custard and edge of mold. Place a serving dish with a lip to catch the sauce upside down over mold, quickly invert and remove mold from custard.
8.  For topping: In medium bowl combine berries and powdered sugar and mix well. After custard has been refrigerated and unmolded, spoon sliced strawberries over top and around sides. Slice and serve in bowls or dishes.

Advance Preparation

May be prepared up to 1 day in advance through Step 6 and kept in refrigerator.

Tips

• If you can find fresh vanilla beans, I urge you to try them in this dessert. Splitting the bean and scraping out the vanilla paste into the half and half makes a remarkable difference in the final result. If not, spring for a good quality vanilla extract.
• Swirl the sugar syrup in a light-bottomed pan as it darkens. This will make it easy to see the color change and avoid burning the caramel.
• Baking the custard in a water bath is important because the water insulates the custard and keeps it from cooking too fast. Allowing the bath to over boil can cause cracks to develop in the finished custard and create an unpleasant rubbery texture. Lining the roasting pan with a dishtowel will keep the crème caramel from slipping as it bakes.
• Be creative with the topping. Use sliced strawberries or do a mixture of mixed raspberries, blueberries and strawberries, if you desire. A topping of colorful berries adds a lovely springtime touch. Use a pie slicer or sharp knife to cut into slices for serving. Place each slice on a dessert plate and spoon over some caramel sauce and berries.

Serves 4 to 6 people.

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 3 cups pitted fresh sweet cherries or thawed, drained frozen cherries
• 1 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups half-and-half
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Butter a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the bottom of the dish with 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar. Spread the cherries in the bottom of the dish and bake for 10 minutes. There may be a lot of juice; do not drain. Set aside.
2. While the cherries are cooking, in a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs with 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar until blended, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with the half-and-half in 1 addition. Add the vanilla and lemon zest and stir to combine.
3. Pour the batter over the cherries. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the top with confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately.

Tips

• Any variety of cherry is fine to use, though I tend to prefer Bing, Queen Anne or Rainier — the sweeter the better. Make sure to remove the stems and then pit them using a pitter. If you are really in a hurry, you can use frozen pitted cherries, but thoroughly defrost and drain them first.
• The recipe can be served directly from an ovenproof baking dish, or you can cook it and serve it from any nonstick gratin dish or cast iron skillet that gives it a casual homey touch.
• Use this recipe as a template for other seasonal fruits, such as apricots, peaches, plums, apples or pears.

Serves 6 to 8 people.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts
• 1 Granny Smith or other green apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 2 tablespoons honey, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons sweet Passover wine
• Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add walnuts and toss gently over the heat until they begin to brown lightly and become fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Finely chop the walnuts.
2. When the walnuts are cool, combine all the ingredients together in a medium bowl and mix well. Taste for seasoning. Can be made up to 4 hours ahead, covered and kept at room temperature. Just before serving toss to combine the ingredients and drain any excess liquid. Serve in a glass bowl garnished with fresh mint leaves.

Tips

If you want, use this recipe as a template for variation. Substitute for the apples with dried fruit such as figs, dates, apricots, cherries or cranberries. And instead of the walnuts, try a mixture of pistachios, cashews and almonds. Make sure to add the cinnamon, honey and wine. Don’t forget to toast the nuts to bring out their rich flavor and moisten the dried fruit with hot water or wine. With a food processor, puree or finely chop the nuts and then pulse in the fruit. Add the honey and spices and more wine, if needed. Watch how fast it disappears off the Seder plate.

Ingredients

• 12½-inch slices French Bread
• ¼ cup Mascarpone
• 1 pint favorite ripe berries like blackberries or raspberries
• ¼ cup fragrant honey like orange blossom, white truffle or lavender

Instructions

1. Toast the French bread slices. Arrange on a platter and smear about a teaspoon of Mascarpone on each bread slice. Arrange a few berries on top and then a light drizzle of honey. Serve immediately.

Tips

This recipe is very flexible. Place a soft creamy blue cheese, a strong cheddar and a Triple cream cheese on a basket. Have slices of a toasted raisin nut bread around the cheese. Place a pot of White Truffle Honey or any other unusual variety in the basket. Let your guests make their own selection and make sure to have them drizzle the cheese and bread with a bit of honey.

Ingredients

• Pumpkin Custard
• 4 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup pumpkin puree
• 3 cups half and half
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 loaf of Pumpkin Chocolate Loaf (recipe here)
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small chunks
• ¾ cup whipped cream or crème fraiche, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Butter a 2 quart shallow oval or round baking dish. Place the dish in a larger pan that will act as a bain marie or water bath.
2. For the custard, in a mixer bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and egg yolks until they are frothy. Slowly add the sugar and beat the mixture until it is thick and lemon colored. Add the pumpkin puree and half and half to the egg mixture, reducing the speed to low. Add the vanilla extract and the pumpkin pie spice.
3. Slice the pumpkin chocolate loaf into ⅛ inch slices and place the slices overlapping to fill the baking dish.
4. Ladle the custard mixture over the pumpkin bread slices until the baking dish is filled to the top. Place the chocolate chunks all around the pudding, making sure that they are evenly distributed.
5. Pour enough boiling water around the larger baking pan to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Place the pudding in the oven and bake it for 40-45 minutes.
6. Open the oven using heavy oven mitts and with a large spoon push the bread down. The liquid custard will rise. With the spoon, evenly redistribute the custard over the bread slices if necessary. Bake for about 10 more minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out barely clean. Remove the pudding from the oven, sprinkle it with powdered sugar and cut it into squares. Serve with crème fraiche or whipped cream, if desired.

Serves 8 to 12 people.

Ingredients

Pastry

• 1¼ cups all-purpose or white pastry flour
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen and cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg yolk
• ¼ cup ice water

Filling

• 1½ sticks unsalted butter
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate (maybe more)
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1½ cups sugar
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Combine the flour and powdered sugar in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 5-10 seconds. With the blades turning, gradually add the egg yolk and enough water until the dough is just beginning to come together and will adhere when pinched. Wrap the pastry in plastic and chill it for 20 minutes.
2. Transfer the pastry to a floured pastry board or work surface. Press it into a round shape for easy rolling. Roll the pastry out into a circle large enough to fit an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom or a flan ring that has been placed on a baking sheet. Drape the pastry circle over a rolling pin and fit it into the pan. Roll the rolling pin over the tart pan or flan ring with moderate pressure to remove excess overlapping dough.
3. Press the pastry with your fingers so that it adheres to the sides of the pan. If using a tart pan with straight edges, raise the edges of the pastry ¼ to ½ inch above the top of the pan by squeezing the dough from both sides with your index fingers.
4. Preheat the oven to 375oF. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet. To prevent the pastry from rising, prick the crust all over with a fork. Bake the crust for 15-18 minutes or until the crust is crisp and dry inside and lightly browned. Remove from oven.
5. Reduce the oven heat to 350F. In a small heavy saucepan combine the butter and chocolate. Cook over low heat stirring occasionally until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and let cool.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, flour, salt and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the melted chocolate and blend well.
7. Pour into the pie shell and bake 40-45 minutes or until the center is just set and the center comes out barely clean when pierced with a skewer. Bring to room temperature and serve.