There is no question this is an indulgent cake. But it is also thoroughly worth the indulgence. A butter rich dough filled with a simple lemon curd under a rubbly top studded with lavender. The original recipe for this which I cut from a magazine years ago is called Belgian Lemon Tea Cake, I don’t know why. This cake appears so simple and unassuming, but slice into it and there … [Read more...] about Lemon Lavender Curd Crumble Cake
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Strawberry Cardamom Shortbread Tart
I may save your Valentine’s Day with this one (or a dinner party or a potluck…). If you forget to order the decadent chocolate hearts or couldn’t deal with making the complicated layer cake, here is a lovely sweet and thoughtful dessert for your valentine. This remarkable tart couldn’t be easier to make and uses staples you can keep around the house, but it is … [Read more...] about Strawberry Cardamom Shortbread Tart
Tomato Sablés
Some time ago, I went a little overboard in a gourmet food shop, buying up all sorts of little French and Italian goodies – the kind of things that tend to linger on a shelf waiting for the “right” time to use them. More often than not, they go bad before the “right” time comes. I bought a tiny little tube with tomato shortbread batons from France. Only after I left the store … [Read more...] about Tomato Sablés
Peach Brown Butter Cake
I’ve never been very good at making beautifully frosted layer cakes. In fact, I generally avoid them, turning to Bundt and tube pans for simple and attractive cakes. I don’t have the patience required to beautifully frost towering layers, and it never comes out looking quite like I’d imagined. I take a cue from British bakers with a simple, single layer with a lovely gilding of … [Read more...] about Peach Brown Butter Cake
Caramel Popcorn Tart
“May you live in interesting times” is purported to be an ancient curse, but I cannot verify the origins of it. It does seem however, that we are now living in interesting times. We are all looking for comfort and solace, but also things to do! For me, being alone in the kitchen is not such a hardship (alone everywhere all the time is another matter). I’ve been working away to … [Read more...] about Caramel Popcorn Tart
