professional tips to make your baking fabulous
Pavlova is a meringue based dessert named for a Russian ballerina. The crisp meringue shell is usually filled with whipped cream and fruit. This strawberry lemon pavlovas are filled with lightened lemon curd and sliced strawberries – a perfect summer dessert that uses the delicious berries at the market right now!
Pie crust seems to be a difficult skill for many people to master — including me! It took a long time and many doughy, tough pie crusts before I managed to make a passable pie crust. If you are new to pie baking or simply struggle to make a good crust, start here with this butter pie pastry. Butter makes the dough a bit easier to handle than either lard or shortening and, if you follow my suggestions here, you will be on the way to improved pie pastry!
These chocolate creams with crushed praline are wonderful mousse like desserts that are simple to make and delicious to eat! Crunchy praline adds textural contrast to the rich chocolate. Make this the same day you want to serve it so that the praline remains crisp in the chocolate!
All kinds of berries are appearing in the market and this mixed berry pie is a great way to take advantage of all the delicious fruits summer has to offer. Serve this pie by itself or with some lightly whipped cream for a wonderful summer dessert!
Brigadeiros are Brazilian candies quite similar to truffles. The traditional flavor is chocolate but these coconut brigadeiros are a wonderful variation. These candies are simple and foolproof and make a great summertime treat!
I’m in Maine visiting family for a week so that means blueberry muffins! These muffins are light, slightly sweet, and loaded with fresh blueberries. I only use Maine blueberries because they are smaller with a tart, sweet taste. Frozen berries work just as well as fresh so hunt down some Maine blueberries and give these a try!
Looking for a cool, refreshing dessert option? This rosé wine granita fills the bill! Even though this requires no oven ice cream, sorbet, and their cousins are usually part of the expertise of a pastry chef. Granita takes 5 minutes to mix together and only a few minutes of attention every once in a while to produce a delicious, icy treat for the heat of summer.
Souffle is one of those desserts that people don’t often attempt because they either think it’s too difficult or they have heard horror stories! That’s too bad because these mixed berry souffles are quick to make (most of it can be done ahead!) and are a light and quick summer dessert. Yes, souffle begins to deflate as soon as you remove it from the oven, but if you have everything prepared, you can get this dessert to the table while still spectacular!
Need a quick, elegant dessert for the 4th of July? Make a summer berry trifle (or several!) and relax with your guests while your desserts chill. Simple to make and delicious to eat, these trifles are sure to be a big hit this 4th!
Vanilla sponge cake is an absolute staple in the pastry kitchen and a recipe that everyone should master. It is the base for many European style desserts and also has many applications in decorating and finishing as well. Master this simple recipe to add great depth to your pastry repertoire!