Category: Desserts

The Family Table: Adventures of an Irresistible Chocolate Cake

Submitted by Donald Peterson, Wisconsin The events with the chocolate cake with Kahlua began in July 2006. My wife Lorraine and I were conversing with Lil and Ola, and the subject of baking came up. I mentioned a sour cream coffee cake, and Lil mentioned a recipe from Elroy. It sounded good, so I asked…


The Family Table: An Encore for Gramma Dietz

Submitted by Rona Simmons, Georgia Apparently, my grandmother Dietz’s recipe for Mollie’s Raw Apple Cake in the Dec. 14, 2022, issue of The Epoch Times struck a nerve, or maybe a sweet tooth. In response to several requests for her recipe for date bars (mentioned in the article), I’m delighted to share that recipe here….


The Family Table: From Gramma’s Beloved Christmas Recipe Collection, An Unexpected Winner Emerges

Submitted by Rona Simmons, Georgia Experimentation is the order of the day at my home on Thanksgiving. Yes, a turkey sits proudly at the center of the table and, yes, it’s the same reliable brand my mother declared non-negotiable decades ago. But each year, I stuff and baste my turkey with the product of unusual recipes…


A Perfectly Imperfect Tarte

When it comes to a dessert, a baked upside-down anything is a winner—even when it’s a mistake. A tarte Tatin is a classic French upside-down fruit tart, traditionally made with apples. It’s named for the Tatin sisters, who created the upside-down caramelized tart, purportedly by accident, in Lamotte-Beuvron, France, in 1898. Legend has it that…


Back to Banana Basics

Are you in the mood for a prepackaged healthy snack? Or how about a slice of quick bread to accompany your morning cup of coffee? Look no further than the ubiquitous banana. Bananas are naturally sweet and nutritious, high in fiber, and rich in potassium, magnesium, and B and C vitamins. Best of all, bananas…


Easier Than Pie: How to Make a Rustic, Fuss-Free, Summer Fruit Galette

Every bit as delicious as a pie, but requiring half the work, a galette is the perfect summer bake. This rustic fruit tart doesn’t require much time to assemble. There’s no meticulous trimming, blind-baking, or lattice-making—nor even a pie dish involved. It’s laid-back, forgiving, and endlessly riffable, using whatever fruits you like or have on…


Broiled Apricots

During World Wars I and II, sugar was in short supply. Homemakers did their part for the war effort by minimizing how much sugar they used and by using alternative sweeteners such as honey. This meant that desserts became less sweet, with time, and fruits took center stage. This recipe for broiled apricots is adapted…


The ‘Perfect’ Summer Parfait Starts With Home-Gathered Berries

When visiting family in the Boston area, I’ll do some eating, to put it mildly. The way a hungry coyote finds time for a wounded rabbit, I’ll make time for the farmers markets to see what’s in season, and for the old world markets for dolmas, hummus, and Aleppo peppers. I’ll carve out a block…


Lemon Posset With Berries

Lemon posset is an easy, old-fashioned dessert made with the simplest of ingredients: cream, sugar, and lemon. Like a cross between lemon curd and custard, it has a creamy foundation and a tart finish and pairs beautifully with summer berries. It’s equally delicious served chilled and at room temperature, so pack it in individual jars…


Alsatian Blueberry Tart Is a Glorious Celebration of Summer in France

Come summertime in France, the eastern region of Alsace and its Vosges mountains burst with “blue gold.” Such is the nickname given to the local wild blueberries—myrtilles and brimbelles—which are beloved in the region and feature heavily in its cuisine. Visit Alsace this time of year, and you’re sure to find an Alsatian blueberry tart…