This is a summer treat to make when peaches are at their best. If you wish, replace the peaches with apricots, the strawberries with raspberries and the Kirsch with Drambuie.
Cake for breakfast is a thing, in case you didn’t know, and one of the best kinds to eat in the morning is angel food cake. It’s light, delicate and sponge-like, making it an ideal vehicle for loads of fresh fruit. Fruit=breakfast, therefore this cake=breakfast. It’s simple math! This recipe calls for strawberries that marinate in sweet sugar and flavorful vanilla bean paste—there’s your fruit! The first time I made angel food cake, I was so proud of myself. Yes, it does require a lot of egg whites, but you can use the leftover yolks in shortbread, Hollandaise sauce or pudding. Or scramble them and eat them for breakfast with your cake.
One summer, my family and I went on vacation to Scotland, where I ate haggis every day and enjoyed truly the best fish-and-chips in the world in the lovely little seaside town of Anstruther. On the short drive from Anstruther back to St. Andrews, a pasture full of Holstein-Friesian cows caught our eye. We just had to stop. Turns out, they were grazing in the pasture of a dairy that had a restaurant. Stuffed though we may have been, we just couldn’t keep ourselves from buying some fresh cheeses and several desserts. This one was our favorite. Thank you for the recipe, St. Andrews Farmhouse Cheese Company!
This version of banana bread is more cake than bread, and I wouldn’t be able to get away with saying “There’s banana in it, so it’s basically breakfast!” because no, this is not breakfast. This is a chocolatey, buttery, almost decadent thing and probably not appropriate for anyone to eat first thing in the morning. While mascarpone will give you the richest, moistest cake with the best flavor, sour cream or yogurt will get the job done; just make sure they are full-fat.
These lovely light buns with a beautiful shiny surface are perfect for birthday parties, with afternoon tea or a cup of coffee, or enjoyed on a cold day in the fall with a mug of hot chocolate.
Most countries have their own version of rice pudding, and this has a bit of a Scandinavian vibe, with the inclusion of cardamom, a favorite Nordic spice.
While there is no consensus on how Lemon Chess pie got its name, there is Splendid Table consensus that Lemon Chess pie belongs on the Thanksgiving Table. Bright and light, it is exactly the counterpoint we need at the Thanksgiving feast.
In order to achieve the perfect balance of cakey and gooey—that sweet spot that all brownies should hit—the cooking time is crucial. It will vary by a minute or so depending on where the pan is sitting in the oven, so keep a close eye on them.
Unlike most pie lovers, if I’m given a choice between a fruit- or custard-filled one, I always reach for the custard one first. The rich, custardy smoothness draws me in every time. This pie is no exception; the added brûléed sugar top gives the ensemble a slight crunch and added dimension in flavor.