A classic of French bistro menus, poires belle Hélène is a dessert of sweet and gently spiced poached pears served with vanilla ice cream and draped under a glossy sheet of warm chocolate sauce. It plays the part of an elegant and indulgent dessert, yet it’s incredibly simple to make. The invention of the dessert…
Humble Pie, Grand Appeal
Early fall—before the onset of the holiday crazies—is a great time to relax and get cozy. Apples are at their peak, and rustic, uncomplicated desserts that naturally showcase their flavor and sweetness are par for the course. It’s time for a crostata. A crostata is essentially a free-form tart. It’s easy to make, with no…
Family Traditions: A Warm Indian Pudding to Brighten Cold Days
For Maneet Chauhan, the India-born, Nashville-based James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur, and TV personality, winter weather calls for her family recipe for gajar ka halwa, a sweet and creamy carrot pudding served warm. The traditional Indian dessert is often served at temple festivals and during Diwali, the five-day festival of lights. This year, the main day…
Self-Care With Chocolate
In uncertain times, it’s important to take a moment to reflect on the simpler things in our lives that bring us genuine pleasure. Family and friends? Absolutely. Good health and thriving children? You bet. Sultry sunsets and autumn foliage? Thank you very much. But right now, I prefer to focus on another joy: chocolate. While…
Whole Baked Apples
I love how baked apples look, so crinkly and golden, and how easy it is to make this festive fall dessert. The variations are endless and really anything goes. This recipe calls for dried fruits, a splash of brandy, and a whole cinnamon stick, for both flavor and a charming presentation. Sometimes, I make them…
Tarte Normande: A Classic French Apple Tart With Local Flavor
Famous for its bucolic villages, lush apple orchards, and storied dairy farms, Normandy is a northern French region that produces exceptional apples, Calvados, butter, and crème fraîche—all of which collide in the delicious Tarte Normande. This iconic regional dessert features a sandy, buttery crust filled with juicy apple wedges, nestled in a Calvados-infused custard. It’s…
Chewy, Fudgy Brookies Are for Dessert Lovers Who Want It All
My husband and I live in opposite-ville when it comes to dessert. Give me a rich, gooey chocolate brownie with a shiny, crackly top any day. My husband loves crispy-chewy chocolate chip cookies with a passion that verges on a new religion, but he’s positively “meh” about brownies. The solution? I glued my favorite brownie…
Caramelized Figs With Vanilla Ice Cream
Caramelized figs may sound complicated, but actually, this is a super easy yet impressive dessert, one of those last-minute dishes that will turn an impromptu meal into a feast. Figs are naturally sweet, and not much is needed to bring out their flavors. Caramelizing them simply elevates the sweetness, making them a sublime dessert. Serves…
Say Goodbye to Summer With a Peach Melba Buckle
A buckle is one of those early American country desserts, like a pandowdy, grunt, or cobbler, that combines fruit with biscuits or cake. The source for this recipe idea is Florida chef Clair Epting, who prepared a blood peach-raspberry crisp with a peach-honey sauce for dessert one evening at the Cakebread Cellars in Napa Valley….
Summer Breakfasts in Salento
During most of the year, I’m an advocate of breakfast at home. I can toast my home-baked sourdough bread until slightly charred on the edges, wait until it’s just barely warm, then top it with what I fancy the most that day: almond butter and jam, scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, cucumbers. Along with my toast,…
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