Mother's Day

Recent Recipes

• 1

  Pear Financier Torte

  A traditional French financier is a small, rectangular almond cake that originally got its name from its resemblance to a bar of gold, and because it was often served in Parisian cafes in the French capital’s financial district. This version is baked in a tart pan and topped with sliced pears and almonds but retains all the characteristics of a classic financier. It’s primarily made with almond flour, egg whites, sugar, and a small amount of regular flour. Since it requires very little mixing, it takes almost no active cooking time. The flavors are reminiscent of marzipan, and the texture is tender, light, and buttery—the perfect cake to serve in the afternoon with coffee or tea.

• 2

  Sungold & Heirloom Tomato Tart

  A tomato tart that may look fancy, but comes together easily. I make a simple tart dough, fill it with a mixture of mascarpone, ricotta, basil, and lemon, then layer sliced heirloom tomatoes on top. And because I didn’t think just one form of tomato was enough, I pile on an abundance of Sungold tomatoes dressed in olive oil and salt.

  The first time I made this, I used Stracchino, a creamy and soft cow's milk cheese, but I realized it can be hard to find, so I swapped it for a blend of mascarpone and ricotta. Although it’s not a perfect substitution, the two mixed together replicate the mild and fresh flavor of Stracchino.

  Tips & Tricks

  • If you have access to it, sub the mascarpone and ricotta with 1 (226 grams) stracchino cheese, if desired. It’s a little saltier than mascarpone and ricotta, so adjust the salt accordingly.
  • Swap the heirloom tomatoes for beefsteak if you are making this out of season, and use regular cherry tomatoes (or heirloom cherry tomatoes) instead of Sungolds.
  • The tart crust can be made in advance. Roll it out and place it in the pan, then wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months.
  • The entire baked tart (up until step 6) can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days in advance. You could also wrap it tightly in plastic and freeze for up to two months.
• 3

  No-Churn Apricot & Honey Ice Cream

  Ditch the ice cream maker and still enjoy creamy, homemade ice cream. For this recipe, I use a simple two-ingredient base made of sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream, and swirl in homemade apricot jam and honey. The sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream take the place of the custard base in typical ice cream recipes, which helps to create a rich, smooth and fluffy texture similar to store-bought.

  Tips & Tricks:

  • If you have a hard time finding apricots, substitute with peaches or nectarines instead.
  • Don’t skip the salt! It will help bring the other flavors out and personally, I love a bit of saltiness in my sweet treats.
  • Freezing the ice cream for four hours should be enough if you want to enjoy it the same day, but if you have time, I recommend making it ahead and freezing it at least overnight.
  • Turn the ice cream into popsicles by pouring the mixture into a popsicle mold instead of a loaf pan.
  • If stored properly, homemade ice cream can last for up to a month, although I recommend eating it within two weeks for ultimate freshness.
  • Make sure to wrap it well in plastic wrap and place it in a large freezer bag for extra protection.
• 4

  Bruschetta Salad (Panzanella) with White Beans & Halloumi

  One of my favorite quick recipes to throw together, whether I need a quick mid-day lunch, I’m tired and barely want to cook after work, or I’m hosting people over for dinner, is a bread salad like this one. Although it does require turning on both your oven and the stovetop, it’s not for long and it won’t feel like too much of a burden because all you’re doing is toasting bread and searing halloumi.
  
  This is technically a panzanella, but I thought it was fun to call it a bruschetta salad! It has well-toasted bread, plump tomatoes, basil, garlic, and of course, balsamic vinegar. With that being said, because my current fixations include both cannellini beans and halloumi, I thought I’d add those in to make it more of a well-rounded, filling dish that you could have on its own rather than just as a side.

  Tips & Tricks

  • You can also make this a day in advance and chill it in the fridge until ready to serve. The crusty-gone-soggy bread tastes delicious to me, but if you don’t like that, you can wait to toss the bread in until you serve it.
  • Don’t like halloumi or white beans? Leave them out or swap it with something like kidney beans, cucumber, avocado, or even corn.
  • If you don’t have heirlooms, use regular beefsteak tomatoes or swap for halved cherry tomatoes instead.
• 5

  Blueberry Pizza

  Believe it or not, blueberry pizza is an old-school Swedish recipe that you can find in many old cookbooks. It may sound like an odd one, but think of it like a super easy blueberry galette. (And who doesn't want that?)
  
  It’s traditionally made with the same type of sweet yeasted dough you’d use to make cinnamon buns, but to cut down on the active baking time here, I use store-bought pizza dough. You’ll want to serve it with heavy cream (not whipped) to get the real Swedish effect, but honestly, vanilla ice cream or whipped cream would also taste great.
  

• 6

  Homemade Choco Tacos

  Rumor has it Choco Tacos may be coming back this year, but that shouldn’t stop you from making your own. The shell is made with the same method you would use to make tuile cookies–spread into a thin circle and baked in the oven until golden brown and filled with (store-bought) vanilla fudge swirl ice cream. In true Choco Taco fashion, they’re also dipped in a chocolate magic shell mixed with peanuts.

  Although baking the shells in the oven allows you to make several at a time, if you want to skip this step too, you can use stroopwafels instead. Just warm them in the oven and shape them the same way I do in this recipe. However, making the shells is really the majority of the work, because once those are done, all you have to do is add ice cream and dip them in chocolate.

  Tips & Tricks

  • I highly recommend using a silicone silpat for these, as it ensures more even browning and also makes removing the cookies from the sheet pan much easier. If you don’t have one you can use parchment paper, but they may brown quicker and won’t be as even colored.
  • The original Choco Taco uses fudge-swirl ice cream, but for some reason that can be hard to find. Use vanilla, chocolate chip, or any other favorite ice cream. You can also brush the insides of the shells with melted chocolate.
  • If you’re the lucky owner of a waffle cone waffle iron, use that to make the shells individually instead of baking them.
  • Make them in advance and store them in the freezer to enjoy as a dessert or as an after school treat.