Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

Spooky Cookies and Cupcakes for Halloween

Are you afraid of ghosts? Monsters? Zombies!? For Halloween treat inspiration, we look to the creepy crawlies, and this easy spider web design can be used to make creepy cupcakes, spoooooky coooookies, and cakes or pizza that will give you goosebumps! For these cupcakes, we rolled pre-made fondant (you can […]

Pies and Tarts

Strawberry Balsamic Pie

Makes one nine-inch pie Filling Ingredients 4 cups (1 quart) strawberries, fresh, hulled and halved (or frozen, halved) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1/3 cup cornstarch Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water and a pinch of salt) Sanding sugar or granulated sugar, as needed […]

Chef's Blog

Sunday Meal Prep: Cookie Edition

This week, we’re borrowing some time from our Sunday meal prep to sneak a few treats into our cookie jars and freezers. Follow our lead and load your freezer with your family’s traditional can’t-miss cookies. Be sure you make your to-do list now so you can relish in the satisfaction […]

Breakfast and Brunch

Swedish-style Cardamom-Cinnamon Buns

Makes 16 buns These buns are inspired by the ubiquitous cardamom bun found all over Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden. They are less sweet than American-style cinnamon buns, with more tender dough than filling. This makes them the perfect morning accompaniment to a hot cup of coffee, though we like them […]

Cakes, Desserts

Sweet Coffee Chiffon Roulade

Makes 16 servings This is a big recipe. A proper pastry! But we know you have it in you, so give it a try. The key to handling a multi-part recipe like this is to read everything first. The main recipe (Sweet Coffee Chiffon Roulade, right below) will tell you […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Sweet or Savory Christmas Breakfast

You may know what you’re cooking for Christmas dinner, but have you thought yet about what you and your family will enjoy that morning? Whether you love sweet, savory, or a little bit of both, we have a few ideas you might like to try. Some can be made the […]

Cookies, Desserts

Sweet Potato-Pecan Pie Bars

Makes one 9-in by 13-in pan Sweet potato custard and bourbon-flavored pecan topping make this the perfect fall treat. Ingredients Shortbread Crust 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar 6 oz (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Sweet Potato Filling […]

Cookies

Tahini Kiss Cookies

Makes about 32 cookies These tahini cookies are inspired by the classic peanut butter kiss cookie, with the slightly more savory (and nut-free!) flavor of tahini. We used semi-sweet chocolate to offset the sweetness in the cookies, but you can use whatever chocolate you like best. Ingredients 1 cup tahini […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Tempering Eggs for Smooth Custards and Creams

Tempering is a technique that allows you to add eggs to a hot liquid without scrambling them. We see tempering in recipes for crème brûlée, vanilla sauce, pastry cream, and some savory cooked egg dishes. The technique itself is simple but fast-moving, and it requires some preparation before beginning to […]