I have a friend who loves Almond Joy candy bars. She is not much a sweet eater, but these are her secret indulgence. So I look for fun ways to recreate those flavors in a more celebratory, and maybe a little more sophisticated, treat. I hope you get the title of the recipe now, because I am pretty sure there is a trademark on the original and I don’t want to get in trouble! … [Read more...] about Joyful Almond Tart
chocolate
Peppermint Bark Ice Box Cake
I am really into icebox cake now, after coming up with two summer versions (lemon speculoos and ginger peach). It is such an easy way to create an impressive dessert. So it seemed natural to come up with an idea for the busy holiday season. Because the best thing about an ice box cake is that it can be made – indeed must be – made ahead. And it is a blank canvas for … [Read more...] about Peppermint Bark Ice Box Cake
Chocolate Blackberry Cake with Red Wine
In summer, I tend to gravitate toward desserts that are fruit forward and maybe a little lighter. I am not going to try and claim Peach Bourbon Pound Cake or Blueberry Buttermilk Bread Pudding are diet food, they are just less intense. But I go all out here with a deep, decadent chocolate cake tinged with dusky blackberries and rich red wine. The I top it off with a thick, … [Read more...] about Chocolate Blackberry Cake with Red Wine
Hazelnut Toffee Brownies
I really love these brownies. They came about one weekend when I was tasked with bringing a dessert to a dinner. I concocted a rather elaborate idea using a ton of expensive ingredients. It was a total flop, I mean it did not work at all. But I still needed to supply the sweet and I didn’t want to show up with something store-bought. Nor did I want to try something elaborate or … [Read more...] about Hazelnut Toffee Brownies
Ultimate Pecan Brownies
I kind of think of these as the ultimate nut brownies. Nutty browned butter, pecan meal, chopped pecans – and a little dose of bourbon to give them some Southern flair. I am a big fan of nut flours (or meals) that are now so readily available. They add such dimension to simple recipes. Almond flour is a solid standby, but I love experimenting with hazelnut meal (in a fig … [Read more...] about Ultimate Pecan Brownies
