​Source: Savoring Hollis, 2005
Submitted by: Eleanor Whittemore-Hollis Evening Circle of Home & Family
Location: page 97
Recipe Note from Eleanor: “This is a recipe that my mother, Estelle Hardy, used for birthday cakes. One year I tried making it for my son’s birthday. When I took the cake out of the oven, it was the most beautiful cake I had ever made. I put it on the shelf while I tended my child. I went back and the cake was a mass of eggs stuck to the pan. I forgot to put the flour in!!!”
 
Makes one 10” tube pan with removable bottom. 
Note: the original recipe says "ungreased tube pan". I followed that and after letting it rest for an hour upside down, I took a flexible knife or frosting spatula and ran it around the edges. I removed the sides of the pan and then ran the knife under the cake. Is was fine. 

½ cup sugar
2T water
6 egg yolks
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 T lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
6 egg whites
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cream of tartar
½ cup sugar
1 cup sifted cake flour (I used all-purpose flour)
 
Combine ½ cup sugar with water and egg yolks and beat with rotary beater until mixture is very thick and forms soft mounds. 
Blend in lemon rind, lemon juice, and vanilla. 
Beat the egg whites with the salt until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry. Fold in ½ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. 
Combine egg yolk mixture and egg white mixture carefully, then fold in the flour, 2 tablespoons at a time.
Pour into an ungreased tube pan and bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes, until light brown. Cool in inverted pan for 1 hour.
 
Variation: 
Add 2 teaspoons rose water with the vanilla

Scripture Cake
Source: D.A.R. Cook Book Second Edition
Submitted by: Minnie Colburn
Location: page 40
 
First, a little bit about scripture cake. Scripture cake was popular in the latter part of the nineteenth century, especially in the southern Appalachians.  The cake was meant as a way to teach young girls baking and Bible verses. The recipe is designed almost as a scavenger hunt through the bible. Only ingredient quantities were listed with the bible verses. The baker needed to go through the bible to find the ingredients to complete the recipe. I know you’ll enjoy this recipe. It makes two loaves, one to keep and one to share. Enjoy!
 
1 cup butter- Judges 5:25 
3 cups sugar-Jeremiah 6:20
6 eggs-Isaiah 10:14
3 1/2 cups flour- 1 Kings 4:22
1/2 teaspoon salt-Leviticus 2:13
2 teaspoons baking powder-Amos 4:5 (Liz added because it was missing from the recipe)
Sweet Spice to taste- 1 Kings 10:10 (Liz used ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp cloves, ¼ tsp ginger)
1 cup water-Genesis 24:17
2 cups raisins- 1 Samuel 30:12
1 tablespoon honey-Exodus 16:31
1 cup almonds-Genesis 43:11
 
Follow Solomons advice for making good boys and you will have good cake-Prov. 23:14
 
Below are Liz’s instructions.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter 2 loaf pans. 
3. Mix the butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
4. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add to butter mixture; beat at low speed until well combined. Add the water and combine.
5. Stir in raisins, honey, and almonds.
6. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Bake in until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes.
7. Cool in pans 15 minutes; invert onto wire rack to cool completely. Best if prepared 1 day before serving. Store cake covered at room temperature.

 
Liz’s Notes:

• This cake can be baked in a 12-cup non-stick Bundt pan. Butter well and increase baking time to 60 minutes. Check with a wooden pick. 

Lemon Pie, Self-frosting
Source: D.A.R. Cook Book Second Edition
Submitted by: Mrs. Charles Eastman
Location: page 26
 
One cup sugar, one tablespoonful butter creamed with sugar, add two tablespoonsful flour, juice and grated rind of one lemon, yolks of two eggs beaten, one cup milk. Last add two beaten whites, folded into the mixture. Cook till firm. 
 
Liz’s Notes:
This is a lovely tasting lemon pie; not too sweet and not too lemony. The whipped egg whites create a lovely caramelized top layer. 
 

• Use an 8” or 9” pie pan. 
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the baking rack in the middle of the oven.
• For the pie crust, I used one disk of my favorite pie dough recipe. Roll out the dough to 14 inches. Place into the pie pan. Roll and crimp the edge. 
• When I prepared this recipe I found that the butter and sugar did not cream. That’s okay. I just stirred together the sugar, butter (room temperature), flour, lemon juice, and zest until well combined. Then I added the yolks and milk and combined. 
• I used large eggs.
• I used heavy cream instead of milk and I liked the creaminess of the pie. You can use either cream or milk. If using milk, use full fat.
• Whip the egg whites until firm.
•  Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove and cool. Serve with whipped cream if you like. 

Recipe by: Jael McHenry-The Kitchen Daughter 
 
1 stick butter-salted or unsalted
½ cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon espresso powder
3 large eggs
1 cup raw sugar (or ½ cup granulated sugar and ½ cup brown sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon coarse salt or flaked salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line an 8x8-inch pan with foil. Brush lightly with neutral oil or melted butter and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. When melted, stir in the cocoa powder and espresso powder until well combined. Remove from the heat of the stove to allow to cool a bit.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs well. Add the sugar slowly while whisking. The eggs should thicken up as you whisk. The whisking is pushing air into the eggs.
5. Add the chocolate mixture slowly while continuing to whisk. 
6. Stir in the flour and vanilla. Stir just enough to incorporate. Over mixing at this point will flatten the batter. 
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the coarse salt. Place the pan into the oven. Bake for 25 minutes. Test with a toothpick. It should come out clean. If needed, add a few more minutes to the baking time. Remove from the oven and let cool. I love these brownies warm, but you should serve them as you like. 

Serves 6
 
½ cup all-purpose flour
6 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup plus 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
 

1. Prepare a 7-inch baking pan by generously buttering the bottom and all sides. Set aside.
2. Preheat your Air Fryer by setting the temperature to 330 degrees Fahrenheit and allowing it to run for about 5 minutes while you prepare your brownie batter.
3. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth out the top.
5. Place pan into your preheated Air Fryer and bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick entered in the center comes out mostly clean. Don’t worry if it’s a little moist, it will firm up perfectly once it cools.
6. Remove and allow to cool in the pan before removing and cutting.

When selecting berries for this delicious low-carb dessert, remember that not all berries are the same with regards to carbs. Raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries are the lowest in net carbs, 5 g per 3.5 ounce serving. Blueberries are more than double the amount of carbs at 12g. For a more complete guide to fruit carbs go to dietdoctor.com. 
Both fresh and frozen berries will taste delicious in this recipe. Let your fresh berries com to room temperature for better flavor. If using frozen berries, thaw them before using. 

Serves 4
10 ounces of mixed fresh or frozen berries at room temperature-raspberries, blackberries, strawberries
1 1/3 cup heavy cream-keep very cold 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. A cold bowl and cold cream will help to whip the cream faster. Pour the heavy cream into a large, metal mixing bowl. Add the vanilla. Using an electric mixer or mixing by hand, whip until firm peaks form. The whipped cream should still look soft and pillowy. Be careful not to over whip. 
2. Divide the whipped cream into small serving bowls.
3. Evenly divide the berries and place on top of the whipped cream. Serve.

Makes One 10” tart
 
½ recipe Art of Pie “Basic Pie Crust” or 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, defrosted in the refrigerator.
5-6 firm apples, peeled, cored, and quartered-Granny Smith or Golden Delicious-if using pears, Bosc pears work very well
1 tsp. cinnamon
¾ -cup plus 1 Tbs sugar            
4 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a baking rack in the middle of the oven. 
2. Roll the pie dough into a 10-inch circle. Place it onto a plate, cover, and place into the refrigerator until ready to add to the tart. If using a sheet of puff pastry, unfold it and place into the refrigerator until ready to use. 
3. Toss the apples with the cinnamon and 1Tbs of sugar. 
4. In a 10-inch cast-iron pan or other oven proof skillet, heat the remaining ¾ cup sugar over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar has turned a dark amber. (Check for color by drizzling some onto a white plate.) 
5. Add the butter to the pan and stir it into the caramel until melted and smooth; be careful, as the butter will make the caramel sputter. 
6. Remove the pan from the heat. Starting on the outside of the pan, carefully set the apple quarters in the caramel, arranging them in a circle so that they all face the same way.  Set them very close to one another, trying to get as many as possible into the pan.  Fill in the center of the pan with as many of the remaining apples as will fit.  
7. Put the pan back on the heat and allow the apples to cook on top of the stove for about 5 minutes.  
8. Remove the pan from the heat.  Place the cold pastry dough over the apples, tucking the edges into the sides of the pan.  Work carefully so as not to burn your fingers, but also quickly so as not to melt the dough. 
9. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and immediately put the pan in the oven.  
10. Bake for 15 minutes.  Lower the temperature to 375 degrees and bake until the crust is browned, and the caramel is bubbling around the edges of the pan, another 15-20 minutes. 
11. Carefully remove the tart from the oven and cool it on a rack for about 20 minutes.  Invert the tart onto a serving platter.  If any apples stick to the underside of the pan, simply return them to their rightful spot on the tart. 
12. Tarte Tatin is best served right away, but it can stand a room temperature and be reheated briefly in the oven, if that suits your schedule better.

 
 
 
 
 

Recipe from Art of the Pie by Kate McDermott

Makes one 9-inch shallow pie
 
½ recipe Art of Pie “Basic Pie Crust”
3 eggs, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar, brown or granulated
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup maple syrup 
1 cup chopped walnuts (pecans would be nice too)
 

1. Roll out your dough for a 9” pie pan. Prebake, or “blind bake” the shell. Go here for the “how to” from Kate McDermott. Important tip from Kate-after you fit the pie dough into your pie pan, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before “blind baking”.  Line and weight the liner as suggested. Both steps will help to prevent the crust from shrinking while it is baking. Cool completely before filling. 
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Gently whisk the eggs with the salt to combine. DO NOT whip until frothy!
4. Add the sugar, melted butter, and maple syrup and stir again. DO NOT froth!
5. Place the walnuts evenly in the pre-baked piecrust. Pour the filling over the walnuts.
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the filling is set. The filling will puff up a bit when baking. Remove from the oven and let cool. The filling will relax back down as it cools.
7. Serve at room temperature. Sore in fridge for up to 5 days. Serve with vanilla ice-cream or homemade whipped cream.

A note on your apples: When choosing apples for your tart, select apples that have red, green, and yellow skins. If you prefer to use all one apple color that will be beautiful too! Be sure to choose a selection of apples that will hold their shape in baking and offer a variety of flavor. 

Supermarket Variety Options
Combination #1: Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, and Cortand
Combination #2: Granny Smith, Braeburn, and McIntosh

Farm stand Variety Options
Combination #1: Suncrisp, Stayman Winesap, and Northern Spy
Combination #2: Pink Lady, Johna Gold, and Mutzu
_________________________________________________________
Galette Dough
Go here for the perfect crust dough. This recipe will make enough dough for 2 galettes or one pie with a top and bottom crust.
For a gluten free option I will send you to Kate McDermott's recipe. And, here is a link to the her video to help you prepare her gluten free dough.

Galette Filling
1 Granny Smith apples
1 Golden Delicious apple (or other yellow-skinned apple)
2 Cortland apples
1/3 cup apricot jam
1 disk of Art of the Pie Master pie dough (recipe here)
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
 

1. Heat oven to 400°F . Turn your baking pan over and place the parchment paper onto it. You will assemble your galette here.
2. Cut each apple in half from top to bottom. Core the apples with a melon baller or paring knife. Place the apples cut side down on your cutting board. Using a sharp paring knife, slice each half into ¼ inch thin slices (keeping each apple half together). Repeat until all the apples are sliced. Remove the end slices of each apple. Using two hands, hold a sliced apple half and press from the center pieces to the outside pieces, fanning the slices outward into a line. Do the same with the other half of the apple. Join both lines of apple slices together to form one line. Do this with the remaining apples.
3. To assemble your galette: On a floured counter, roll the dough out into a large round-ish shape, about 14 inches across. Place your rolling pin at the center of your rolled dough. Fold the dough over your rolling pin and gently lift and transfer it to the parchment paper in the pan.
4. Place the apricot jam onto the center of the dough. Spread the jam outward leaving a 2-inch border uncovered.
5. Place your alternating colors of fanned apples onto the apricot filling starting from the center out. Place them snuggly up against each other. Fill in the gaps at each end with any remaining apples.
6. Fold the border over fruit, pleating the edge as you go. Brush egg wash onto the folded crust. Sprinkle the apples and the crust with the sugar.
7. Bake the galette for 35-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the apples are gently bubbling. Remove the galette from the oven and slide onto a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes. Try to slide the parchment paper out from under the galette for cooling. This will keep the bottom crust crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature. Fruit galettes keep at room temperature for a few days and up to a week in the fridge.

 
Variations

• Pear Galette option: you may use ripe pears in place of apples. Bosc and Bartlett (both red and green) ar both excellent for pies when ripened. If using pears, purchase them 3 days before class and allow to ripen at room temperature.
• Almond filling option: Instead of apricot jam under your apples or pears, try this easy and delicious almond filling. Almond filling
• Cran-Raspberry filling option: If you have leftovers of your cran-rasperry sauce use them in your next galette! 1/3 to ½ cup of sauce is all you need. Cran-Raspberry Sauce

These delicious “chaffles” are a low-carb version of traditional waffles. Honestly, I don’t think you will be able to taste the difference. The texture is similar too. Hot out of the waffle maker, the waffle is soft. Let your waffles cool on a rack and they will crisp up and be perfect as a substitute for sandwiches and toasted bread.
For cheese, I prefer to use shredded part-skim, low moisture mozzarella cheese. The mild flavor is perfect for both sweet and savory chaffles. Feel free to bump up the flavor with other cheeses like cheddar, swiss, Monterey Jack, and feta or goat cheese. Pre-shredded cheese usually have added starch to prevent the cheese from sticking in a clump in the package. I prefer to shred my mozzarella to avoid this additive. I use a 4-inch waffle maker by Dash. If you use a traditional sized Belgian waffle maker, double the recipes below.

Basic Chaffle
Makes four 4-inch chaffles

2 large eggs
1 cup mozzarella, grated
½  cup almond flour
½  teaspoon baking powder
 

1. Preheat waffle maker. Be sure to preheat fully or your chaffles will stick to the waffle maker.
2. Combine all the batter ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. You can also place the ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix.
3. Place ¼ cup of batter onto the hot waffle maker for each chaffle. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the waffle maker indicates your chaffle is done (a light should come on). Be patient and do not open the waffle maker until the waffle is cooked.
4. Serve hot or place onto a cooling rack for crisper chaffles that can be used for sandwiches or other recipes that usually call for sliced bread.

Sweet Chaffle
Makes four 4-inch chaffles

2 large eggs
1 cup mozzarella, grated
½  cup almond flour
½  teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon low-carb sweetener
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
 
Follow directions above to cook.

Sweet Variations: Use the Sweet Chaffle recipe and add to it-

• Orange Cardamom: 1 teaspoon orange zest, 1/8 teaspoon of cardamom (or cinnamon)
• Chocolate Chaffles: ¼ cup melted butter, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons flax meal or coconut flour, 1 teaspoon low-carb sweetener or 1 tablespoon sugar.

 
Dips and Sauces:

• Chocolate dipping sauce: 2 ½ ounces dark chocolate, 1 teaspoon coconut oil -melt the chocolate and the coconut oil together in the microwave and serve warm.
• Vanilla Whipped Ricotta: 4 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon low-carb sweetener or 1 teaspoon sugar. Whip in a food processor.
• Cran-Raspberry sauce: recipe here

​Recipes by Julia Turshen Small Victories The entire book is filled with easy, delicious recipes. I love her 'seven lists". They will give you so many quick, easy, and memorable ideas. Here are a few.

​
Seven Bites to Have w/Drinks
 
Affordable Caviar:
Top good potato chips w/small spoonful of crème fraiche (or sour cream) and salmon roe and sprinkle with chopped chives. Be sure to make these just as you eat them and not ahead of time (the chips will get soggy). You can also put out bowls of crème fraiche and salmon roe next to a bag of chips and let your friends assemble their own.
 
My favorite Hors D’Oeuvre Ever:
Put sliced chorizo in a cast-iron pan, set it under the broiler until the slices are hot and slightly crisp, and then drizzle with Spicy Honey-see recipe below
 
Spicy Honey
¾ cup honey
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp kosher salt    
2 tsp red pepper flakes
In a small saucepan over high heat, stir together the honey, vinegar, salt, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let the honey mixture come to room temperature. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Spin-Offs:
Drizzle on a pepperoni pizza
Drizzle on chicken, pork or ribs
Drizzle on roasted carrots and sweet potatoes
Spread ricotta on toast and drizzle on the honey
Drizzle on cooked bacon
Serve with biscuits and butter
 
Seven Desserts
 
Peaches in Cold White Wine
Slice ripe peaches into halves or wedges (you can peel them first if you like) and put them into individual glass dishes. Cover with cold white wine (or rose) and refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving
 
Sweet Focaccia
Press the dough into a generously buttered sheet pan and drizzle with more melted butter. Dollop with ricotta cheese and sliced peaches (or plums or pitted cherries) and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake at 400 degrees until the exposed dough and fruit are browned and the juices are bubbling, about 25 minutes.

Recipe from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman. I love this book and I know you will too. Every recipe I have tried has been delicious!
 
Pastry
Go to the recipe at Smitten Kitchen for Deb's dough recipe or you can use 1/2 of the dough recipe from The Art of the Pie. I prepare the entire recipe from Art of the Pie and freeze one of the dough rounds for later use.
 
Filling:
1/3 cup sliced, slivered, or coarsely chopped almonds, blanched if you can get them 
1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg white
1 pound sweet cherries, any variety or a mix of varieties-I pitted mine

​To Finish:
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon coarse sugar
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting


Make pastry: the dough should be refrigerated for at least an hour before you use it in this recipe.
Make filling: finely grind almonds and flour in a food processor. Mix in sugar, butter, and extract, then egg white. Blend until smooth. Cover and chill until needed.
 
Prepare galette: preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the almond filling evenly over the bottom of the galette dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Scatter the cherries on top. Fold the border over the filling, pleating the edge to make it fit; the center will be open. Whisk egg yolk with water, brush crust with egg wash mixture and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake galette until the filling is puffed and the crust is golden brown, about 30 – 40 minutes, rotating front to back halfway through for even browning.  Cool, and serve with dusted powdered sugar, ice cream, and toasted slivered almonds.
 
 

Enjoy these herb syrups in lemonade, limeade, cocktails, coffee drinks, tea, drizzled over fruit, and cakes.

1 cup sugar (honey can be used instead of sugar)
1 cup water
1 cup mint

1. Combine the sugar and water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. 
2. Turn off the heat and add the mint leaves. Cool to room temperature. Strain and discard the mint leaves.
3. Add to a drink to taste.
4. Store your syrup in the refrigerator in a covered jar or squeeze bottle. Store for up to 2 weeks. 

Variations: Prepare as above using different herbs 

• Basil syrup- 1/2 cup basil leaves
• Lavender syrup- 1 tablespoon lavender petals (not leaves)
• Chamomile syrup- 1 cup of chamomile flowers-use flowers that have just opened 
• Rosemary syrup- 1 tablespoon leaves
• Lemon verbena syrup- 1/2 cup leaves
• Cilantro syrup- 1 cup leaves and stems
• Lilac syrup- 2 cups flowers-use flowers that have just opened 

1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons butter melted and cooled, plus additional butter for buttering the pan
1lb cream cheese, full fat-room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
¼ cup sour cream-full fat
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons sugar

1. Generously butter the inside of a 7-inch round springform pan. Mix the graham cracker crumbs and the melted butter in a medium bowl, then pour this mixture into the prepared pan. Press this mixture evenly across the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the pan to make a crust.
2. Put the cream cheese and sugar in a food processor, process until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, processing each until smooth. Open the machine, scrape down the inside, and add the sour cream. Cover and process until smooth.
3. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Process again until smooth — and again, stop the machine and scrape down the inside. Add the flour and process for 1 minute. Pour this mixture into the prepared crust in the pan (it will rise above the crust on the sides). Do not cover the pan.
4. Pour 1 1/2 cups water into a 6-or 8-quart Instant Pot. Set a trivet in the cooker. Make an aluminum foil sling, set the filled springform pan on it, and use it to lower the pan into the pot. Fold down the ends of the sling so that they do not touch the batter in the pan. Lock the lid onto the pot. Press Pressure cook (Manual) on High pressure for 25 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off.
5. To make the sour cream topping, combine 1/3 cup sour cream with 2 teaspoons sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
6. When the machine has finished cooking, turn it off and let the pressure return to normal naturally, about 20 minutes. Remove the lid. Use the sling to transfer the hot springform pan to a wire rack. Using a paper towel, blot off any water on top of the cake.
7. While the cheesecake is still hot, spoon the sour cream topping onto the cake and spread evenly over the top.
8. Cool the cheesecake for 15 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour. Cover and continue refrigerating for at least 1 more hour or up to 2 days.
9. To serve, uncover and run a thin knife between the pan and the cake. Unlatch the sides of the pan and open it to remove the cake inside. If desired, use a long, thin knife to slice the cake

I cannot take credit for this incredibly delicious and easy chocolate mousse recipe. This recipe appears on my favorite recipe website Food52. Follow this link to read how this amazing recipe came to be.

Serves 4
3/4 cup (6 ounces) water
8 ounces chocolate (we used 70% bittersweet — choose a high-quality chocolate you love)
ice cubes
whipped cream for topping (optional)
Optional flavoring:brewed espresso, orange liqueur, raspberry liqueur, orange bitters, brewed Earl Grey Tea, 

1. Simply pour water into a saucepan (which will be improved from the gastronomic point of view if it is flavored with orange juice, for example, or cassis puree). Then, over medium-low heat, whisk in the chocolate. The result is a homogenous sauce.
2. Put the saucepan in a bowl partly filled with ice cubes (or pour into another bowl over the ice—it will chill faster), then whisk the chocolate sauce, either manually with a whisk or with an electric mixer (if using an electric mixer, watch closely—it will thicken faster). Whisking creates large air bubbles in the sauce, which steadily thickens. After awhile strands of chocolate form inside the loops of the whisk. The whipped chocolate should look like soft pudding. Pour or spoon immediately into ramekins, small bowls or jars and let set. Top with whipped cream and serve.

Flavoring your mousse:
Replace some water with an equal amount of the optional flavoring listed above. Try different flavored liqueurs or tea. I often replace 2 ounces of water with 2 ounces of orange liqueur. If you are using the bitters, add 3-4 drops. 

Note: Three things can go wrong. Here's how to fix them. 

1. If your chocolate doesn't contain enough fat, melt the mixture again, add some chocolate, and then whisk it again. 
2. If the mousse is not light enough, melt the mixture again, add some water, and whisk it once more. 
3. If you whisk it too much, so that it becomes grainy, this means that the foam has turned into an emulsion. In that case simply melt the mixture and whisk it again, adding nothing.

Serves 4
2 cups hulled strawberries, cut in half
2 cups dark purple grapes
1 dark purple plum, cut into 8 wedges
1 small orange, cut into 4 wedges
¼ cup butter, melted
¼ cup honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
¼ cup pistachios, roughly chopped
Four slices of artisan bread, cut in half and toasted
1 cup mascarpone cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees with a rack positioned in the middle of the oven. 
2. Spread the fruit out on the baking pan in a single layer, drizzle the butter and the honey over the fruit. Sprinkle with salt. Place the pan into the oven.
3. Roast the fruit for about 15-20 minutes, the fruit should soften and the juices should mingle with the butter and honey on the bottom of the pan. Remove the pan from the oven and cover to keep warm.
   
   
4. Spread each piece of toasted bread with mascarpone cheese. Leave a depression in down the middle of the cheese. Spoon the roasted fruit onto the center of the cheese. Squeeze the orange onto the fruit. Sprinkle with pistachios. Serve warm.

The roasted fruit can be covered and warmed up to serve.

Other fruit combination:
Black plums, pears, peaches, black grapes
Peaches, strawberries, blackberries
Pineapple, banana, strawberries
Figs, peaches, grapes

When making a chocolate soufflé or chocolate mousse you end up with lots of extra egg yolks. Here is a wonderful recipe for a simple, yet elegant tart. I made mine in a 7" tart pan because that is the size pan I own. A smaller tart left me with about 1 1/2 cups of extra custard. I put the custard into a large ramekin and baked it in a water bath along with the tart. I did not do the caramel on top-I ran out of time! I was still so delicious!

This recipe is easy to execute and rich in flavor. Credit for the recipe goes to Serious Eats. Serious Eats is a recipe website that carefully explores each recipe they publish. 
This recipe makes a delicious chocolate mousse too! Chocolate mousse and chocolate soufflé are very similar recipes. Mousse is served cold and soufflé is baked and served hot. Both are delicious! If you want to serve this recipe as a mousse, simply divide it into coupe glasses and refrigerate for 4 hours. Serve cold with whipped cream.

Key steps to remember for soufflé:

• With just 2 of us at home, I have been cutting recipes in half. This recipe worked perfectly as a half recipe.
• I used 7 oz. coffee cups and they worked perfectly fine but the soufflé's did not rise as high over the rim because they were taller than a 4 oz ramekins. You can fill a 7oz cup to the top but you will need to bake the soufflé's longer. 14-15 minutes worked for me. Be sure your coffee cups can be put in the oven before using. 
• When buttering your molds it is easiest to brush melted butter onto the bottom and up the sides. Then coat with your sugar.
• After the chocolate is melted be sure to leave it over the water bath. Keeping the chocolate warm is important for when it comes time to fold in the whipped egg whites.

What do I do with all those extra yolks?!!!  I made a creme brûlée tart. Click here for more ideas.

For the Ramekins:
Softened unsalted butter, for greasing the ramekins (approximately 3 tablespoons)
Granulated sugar, for coating ramekins (approximately 3 tablespoons)

For the Soufflés:
2 1/2 ounces (about 1/4 cup; 70g) heavy cream and/or whole milk
1 3/4 ounces 68-71% dark chocolate, chopped (about 1/3 cup; 50g)
1 3/4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (about 1/3 cup; 50g)
1 3/4 ounces (1/2 cup; 50g) Dutch process cocoa powder
3 1/2 ounces (scant 1/2 cup; 100g) water-warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whites from 8 large eggs, straight from the fridge (8 3/4 ounces; 250g)
3 1/2 ounces (1/2 cup; 100g) granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C) with the convection fan turned off and oven rack in center position. Liberally butter the interiors of eight 4-ounce ramekins, making sure to butter right up to the upper edge of the rim of each ramekin. Sugar the buttered insides evenly, tapping out excess, and set ramekins aside.
2. ​Place 2 1/2 cups water in a 3-quart sauce pan on the stove over medium heat. In a large, heat-proof bowl that will sit comfortably on the pot without toppling over or touching the water below, combine cream and/or milk, dark chocolate, and unsweetened chocolate. Whisk gently until chocolate is melted, cream and/or milk are fully incorporated, and a smooth ganache has formed.
3. Turn off heat, then carefully whisk in cocoa powder, water, and vanilla extract until smooth. Leave bowl atop pot of hot water, off the heat, to keep the ganache warm.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on high speed until they become foamy, about 20 seconds. Reduce mixer speed to medium and gradually add sugar and salt, then return to high speed and whisk the egg white mixture until firm, glossy, smooth peaks form, about 2 minutes.
5. Using a silicone spatula, stir about 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate ganache until thoroughly incorporated, to lighten it. Then gently but thoroughly fold in the remaining egg whites, taking care not to deflate the mixture, until no visible whites remain. As soon as there are no more unincorporated whites, spoon soufflé mixture into prepared ramekins just to the top, then even the tops with an offset spatula. (You may prepare soufflés up to this point, and bake later; see note.)
6. Evenly space ramekins on a rimmed half-sheet tray and bake in the center of the oven for 12 minutes for soufflés that are wet on the inside, or 13 to 14 minutes for ones that are drier. The soufflés will have risen tall above the rims of the ramekins and look dry on top. Serve immediately.

Serves 6
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tablespoon butter, softened
3 eggs, beaten
½ cup sugar
1 ½ cups half- and- half or whole milk 
½ teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*4 cups bread or croissant cubes (stale bread works best. See *note below if using fresh bread) 
1/3 cup dried cranberries, cherries, or raisins
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
 
*Note on bread: If the bread is fresh spread the cubes out on a baking sheet. Put the pan in a 325 degree oven and toast for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until dry. If your bread is already dry or stale, skip this step.

1. Generously butter a 7-by-3-inch round baking pan or soufflé dish (1.5 quart). If you plan to remove the pudding from the pan for an attractive presentation, cut out a round of parchment paper and place it in the bottom of the buttered dish. 
2. Place the bread cubes to a large bowl; add the dried cranberries and chopped chocolate and toss to combine. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, half-and-half, salt, and vanilla. Whisk until blended.
4. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes and stir gently until the bread cubes are well-coated. Spoon the bread mixture into the prepared baking pan.
5. Pour 1 1/2 cups of water into a 6-quart Instant Pot.
6. Butter a 10 or 12-inch sheet of foil. Cover the pan of bread pudding tightly with the foil (buttered side-down). Place the pan in a baking sling or on the steaming rack. Carefully lower the pan and sling or rack into the pot.
7. Lock the lid in place and set the steam vent to the sealing position. Choose the manual setting (or pressure cook button), high pressure, and set the time for 44 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
8. Release the remaining pressure and remove the lid. Remove the bread pudding to a rack. Let the pudding stand for about 5 minutes. Remove the foil.
9. If desired, when the bread pudding is cool enough to handle, run a knife around the side of the pan and carefully remove it to a serving plate. Alternatively, spoon the warm pudding into bowls.

Serves 4
2 cups cooked rice 
½ can unsweetened coconut milk-I like Thai Kitchen or other thick coconut milk)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh, frozen or dried fruit 

1. Combine the  cooked rice, coconut milk, sugar and salt in a 4 qt saucepan over medium-low heat.
   
2. Cook, stirring frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Serve warm or cold, topped with fruit.

A galette is a wonderfully rustic tart that is easy to construct and quick to cook. I use one disk of dough from the The Art of the Pie. Prepare the full dough recipe to make 2 discs of dough. Use one now and freeze one for later.

 ​Serves 8

Fruit Filling
​3 1/2 cups berries, stone fruit, or other fruit, chopped or thinly sliced, or any combination. You can also use frozen fruit. Note: do not thaw frozen fruit before baking. If using frozen berries add 1 tablespoon of thickener as there will be lots of juice when the berries thaw in baking.
Pinch of salt
Juice of half a lemon 
1/4 cup granulated sugar 
1-2 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch (see Note, below)
 
To Finish
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water (optional)
Turbinado or coarse sugar for sprinkling
 

1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Place a piece of parchment paper on a large baking sheet or pizza pan.
3. Flour your work surface and roll the dough out into 14 inches circle. Carefully transfer the rolled dough to the parchment paper in the pan. 
4. Combine fruit, salt, lemon juice (if using), sugar, and starch in a medium bowl and set aside. Taste the fruit and add more sugar if you'd like. Place the fruit filling into the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border.
5. Fold the border over fruit, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.
6. Whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon of water and brush it over the crust. Sprinkle it with turbinado or coarse sugar.
7. Bake the galette for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden all over and the fruit is bubbling* and juicy. If cooking with frozen fruit add 10 minutes to the baking time. * the test to see if the filling is fully cooked, look to see that the filling is bubbling. If it is, the galette is ready and the center will thicken as it cools. Cool the galette on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.Your galette will keep at room temperature for a few days and up to a week in the fridge. To keep the crust crisper, cover with a cotton towel not plastic wrap.

 
​Variations and notes:

• Fruit: Use whatever fruit you like to bake with. Berries and very ripe peaches or pears will produce a wetter center. You'll need about 1 tablespoon more of your thickener.
• Flavor: Spread the bottom of the crust with jam or honey. Add 1 teaspoon of ground ginger to the sugar.
• Thickeners: Tapioca flour or starch are my favorite for a clear thickening. You can use an equal amount of cornstarch. Different kinds of fruit have different pectin levels, and might need more or less thickener.
  • Apples or blueberries-1 tablespoon.
  • Peaches or fresh cherries- 1 tablespoon.
  • For strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and rhubarb-2 tablespoons.
  • For frozen berries-2 tablespoons.

This recipe is from the best selling book "The Art of the Pie" by Kate McDermott. I recommend her best selling book "Art of the Pie"  www.artofthepie.com.” ​

6 cups (11/2-2 lbs) fruit, fresh or frozen
½ -1 cup sugar-depending on sweetness of fruit
1 small grating of freshly ground nutmeg
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1-2 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca (or tapioca flour) if fruit is very juicy
1 recipe double crust pie dough-Recipe here
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 egg white plus 1 tablespoon water, fork beaten
1-2 teaspoons sugar
 

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Put the fruit, sugar, nutmeg, salt, lemon, tapioca or flour in a big bowl and mix lightly until the fruit is well coated.
3. Roll out the bottom dough and place in your pie pan.
4. Add the fruit filling and dot with the butter.
5. Roll out remaining dough, lay over the fruit, and cut 5 to 6 vents on top, or cut strips and make a lattice top. Trim excess dough from edges and crimp.
6. Brush crust with some egg wash and sprinkle evenly and lightly with 1-2 teaspoons of sugar.
7. Bake for 15 minutes at 425F. Reduce heat to 375F and bake for 35-40 minutes more.

Look for the steady bubbling of the fruit filling through the vents or lattice work to make sure the filling is fully cooked. Remove the pie from the oven. Cool the pie completely before serving so the filling can set up. 
Notes

• If using frozen fruit, keep the fruit frozen until ready prepare the pie.
• Be sure to taste the fruit and adjust the sugar and seasoning accordingly.
• You can adjust the amounts up or down depending on the size of pan you are using.

This recipe is from the best selling book "The Art of the Pie" by Kate McDermott. I recommend her best selling book "Art of the Pie"  www.artofthepie.com.” ​

Apples (from Liz): Choose a few types of apples, one that is sweet and one that is a bit tart, one soft, and one that holds its shape. Granny Smith or Honey Crisp are tart, crisp apples that combine well with Corland. I throw in a Macintosh or two as well. Your local farm stand may have heritage apples you can choose from.

9 1/2 inch pie pan

​1 recipe double crust pie dough-Recipe here
About 10 cups heritage apples-(leave skin on) quartered and cored, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices, or chunk them up into pieces you can comfortably eat. 
1/2 cup sugar or more to taste. 
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 gratings of nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tablespoon artisan apple cider vinegar or 1-2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons calvados or other apple liqueur (optional)
1/2 cup flour
1 recipe double-crust pie dough (ingredients above)
1 knob butter, the size of a small walnut, cut into small pieces for dotting the top of the filling
1-2 tsp sugar, for sprinklin on top of the pie

Egg Wash
​1 egg white plus 1 tablespoon water, fork beaten

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Slice apples in 1/2 inch slices or chunk them up into pieces you can comfortably get into your mouth!
3. In a large mixing bowl put all ingredients except butter and mix lightly until most of the surfaces are covered. Taste the filling to check for sweetness. Add more sugar if desired.
4. Pour into an unbaked pie crust, mounding high and dot with butter.
5. Roll out second crust and place on top; crimp edges with a fork.
6. Cut 5 vent holes.
7. Paint with egg white wash.
8. Sprinkle some extra sugar evenly on top.
9. Place the pie into your preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.
10. Reduce heat to 375F and bake for 40 minutes longer. Check to see that the filling is bubbling beneath the vent holes. If you don't see the filling bubble, bake 5-10 minutes longer or until the filling bubbles.
11. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 1 hour.

Notes:
Freeze your raw pie and cook another time. Wrap the raw pie in plastic wrap. Freeze. To bake, place the frozen pie on the counter while you preheat your oven. Place in the oven and cook as directed. Add 15-20 minutes to your baking time. Check to see if the filling is bubbling out of the vent wholes. If not, add 5-10 minutes and check again. If the filling is bubbling, remove the pie from the oven and cool as directed.

Liz's Pie Variations:
Pear Cranberry Pie-6 cups pears, 4 cups fresh cranberries (1 bag), 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger. Follow the recipe as written.

Apple Blueberry-Substitute some apple for fresh or frozen blueberries. If using frozen, do not thaw before making your filling. 

I will not take credit for this perfect pie crust recipe. Thank Kate McDermott-Art of the Pie® for this recipe. 
I recommend her best selling book "Art of the Pie"  www.artofthepie.com.” 

2-1/2 cups (363g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (3g) salt
*8 Tbs (112g) of Kerrygold or other salted or unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon size pieces
*8 Tbs (112g) leaf lard (where to get it: https://fannieandflo.net/ )very cold shortening can be substituted for lard
8 Tbs (118g) of ice water (This is an average but sometimes the dough takes more or less.)
*(For ALL BUTTER dough use 14 Tbs (196g) of Kerrygold or other salted or unsalted butter for your total fat)

1. Put all ingredients but the ice water in a large bowl.
2. With clean hands, blend the mixture together until it looks like coarse meal with some lumps in it that looks like cracker crumbs, peas, and almonds. The lumps make flakey pies.
3. Sprinkle ice water over mixture and stir lightly with a fork.
4. Squeeze a handful of dough together. Mix in a bit more water if it doesn’t keep together.
5. Divide the dough in half and make two chubby disks about 5 inches across.
6. Wrap the disks separately in plastic wrap and chill for about an hour.
7. Take out one disk and put it on a well-floured board, pastry cloth, parchment paper or plastic wrap.
8. Sprinkle some flour onto the top of the disk. Thump the disk with your rolling pin several times.
9. Turn it over and thump the other side.
10. Sprinkle more flour onto the top of the crust if needed to keep the pin from sticking and roll the crust out from the center in all directions.
11. When it is an inch or so larger than your pie pan, brush off the extra flour on both sides. Fold the dough over the top of the pin and lay it in the pie pan carefully.
12. Donʼt worry if the crust needs to be patched together; just paint a little water where it needs to be patched and “glue” on the patch piece.
13. Put the filling in the pie and repeat the process with the other disk.

 
Notes
This recipe will make one double-crust pie or two single-crust pies for 9" pie pans. Leaf lard is available at some butcher shops, farmers markets and also by mail-order. It will take about 5-7 minutes to put the dough together. Minimum chill time is 20 minutes but 1-2 hours is great. After chilling, dough discs may be frozen for up to 1 month. Be Happy and Make Pie!

This recipe is featured in my cookbook "Beautifully Delicious-Cooking with Herbs, and Edible Flowers". 
Make dessert or breakfast special with these beautiful crepes. Delicate and light, they provide the perfect landing place for fresh fruit, sweetened yogurt, and honey. I use pansy, calendula, violet, rose, bachelor button, and dianthus petals.  

Makes 8 crepes 
 
⅔ cup milk
⅔ cup water
3 eggs
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons additional melted butter (for the pan)
1 cup edible flower petals 

Fresh fruit or fruit jam

1. Place milk, water, eggs, and melted butter in a blender and mix until smooth. Add the flour and salt to the blender and mix, scraping down the sides of the jar as needed. The batter will be thin.
2. Heat an 8-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, brush very lightly with melted butter. Pour ¼ cup of batter into the pan while tilting it to cover the surface with the batter. If using a 10-inch pan, prepare crepes with 1/3 cup of batter.
3. Sprinkle the batter with flower petals and place whole flowers face up. Cook for 30-45 seconds. Turn crepe over and cook another 30 seconds. Remove the crepe and place on a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining batter. Cooled crepes can be stacked if needed.
4. Fill crepes with jam, sweetened ricotta, chocolate sauce, or fruit. You can drizzle with maple syrup, honey, or other sauce.

 
Variation
 
Herb Crepes with Lemon Yogurt Cream      
Replace the edible flowers with freshly chopped herbs and cook crepes as above. Dill with savory ricotta, cheese, or other savory filling. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Herb options: parsley, chive, basil, dill, tarragon, and cilantro. Add smoked salmon or smoked trout to your crepe for a special brunch dish.