Chef's Blog

Puff Pastry

Makes 3 lb This batch makes enough puff pastry for a few projects, but the dough freezes well, so don’t hesitate to double this recipe. The key to puff pastry is taking your time to chill the dough between folds. If it’s too soft, the butter will ooze out of […]

Breakfast and Brunch, Desserts

Pull-Apart Apple Cider Donut

Makes 10 servings Apple cider donuts are a fall staple, best enjoyed at a farm stand on a crisp morning. For a taste of the orchard at home, this bread is inspired by the original, with the addition of sticky-sweet caramel. No frying needed! The bulk of the recipe can […]

Cakes, Desserts

Pumpkin Date Cake with Maple Caramel Sauce

Makes 8 to 12 servings This cake is a cross between sticky toffee pudding and a fluffy pumpkin snacking cake. It is lightly spiced, spongy and moist, and best when bathed in maple caramel sauce. Leftover sauce should be refrigerated and lightly heated before serving. Substitute about 2 teaspoons of […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Raise the BAR on Your Cookie Game

Bar cookies are baked in one large pan and portioned after baking. This term is used for traditional cookies like brownies and blondies, but baking cookies in this manner also creates the opportunity to layer flavors and textures, resulting in new varieties of delicious cookies. Just as with drop cookies, […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Recipes Between the Lines: Egg Wash

Egg wash is a common recipe term—and lots of recipes take for granted that the reader knows what it means. And even if you do know the basics of an egg wash, you may not know why you’re using it. An egg wash is a blended mixture of egg, salt, […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Recipes Between the Lines: Hot Water Bath

If you’ve ever encounter a recipe that told you to, “Bake in a hot water bath” with no further instruction, keep reading. Some ingredients are just more sensitive than others, and as you discover more about food, you learn how to handle even the most delicate of ingredients (talking about […]

Pies and Tarts

Rhubarb Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie Rhubarb is tart, but well-balanced by the oat crumble we’ve paired it with here. Some rhubarb stalks may be tender enough, but if your rhubarb has a thick outer membrane (you can tell by peeling a bit back with your fingers), you may want to remove […]

Desserts

Rosemary Polenta Cake with Savory Strawberries and Goat Cheese

Makes 12 servings This recipe is adapted from the menu of the Gatehouse restaurant on the CIA’s Napa campus in St. Helena, California. It is sweet and savory (mostly sweet!) and is the perfect way to showcase in season strawberries, though we think peaches would also be delicious. The whipped […]

Desserts

Sabayon and Fresh Berry Trifle

Makes 6 servings A trifle traditionally includes cake doused with sherry, a custard, and fresh fruit. This trifle introduces an egg-based sauce that the French call sabayon and the Italians, zabaglione. Marsala, with its rich, raisin-like flavor, gives the custard the same heady aroma that a classic trifle introduces by […]

Free Recipes, Pies and Tarts

Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Makes 8 – 10 servings Filling Ingredients 1 1/4 cups heavy cream 10 oz roughly chopped bittersweet chocolate (not more than 65% cacao) Caramel Topping Ingredients 1/3 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon light corn syrup 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Fleur de sel or other high-quality flaked sea […]