Ingredient: heavy cream

Dark Chocolate Tart with Espresso Whipped Cream

Dark Chocolate Tart with Espresso Whipped Cream

I totally fan-girled last week when I realized my pastry chef crush David Lebovitz had pinned my Earl Grey Lavender Lemon Tart.  To celebrate, I wanted to create a fresh take on the cream-topped tart.  You know those amazing dreams you have when you can fly?  This Dark Chocolate Tart with Espresso Whipped Cream is what your morning coffee dreams it can do.  A chocolate crust, not-too-sweet dark chocolate filling topped with luscious swirls of deep espresso flavored whipped cream.  It’s rich and it’s elegant.  In my house, it’s also breakfast. Continue reading “Dark Chocolate Tart with Espresso Whipped Cream” →

Violet Lilac Panna Cotta Tart

Lilac and Violet Panna Cotta Tart

Every year I make violet jelly just like my mom taught me when I was a girl. But because the season is so brief and the color of the violet tea is so divine, I’m always looking to make something new and different with the foraged flowers. Last year it was Violet Lemonade, the year before that was Violet and Elderflower Gummies.

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Red Currant Tart

Chocolate Ganache and Red Currant Tart

Fancy Foraging

I love to forage in my urban neighborhood for yummy things I can bake up into an elegant dessert. I’ve foraged violets, spruce, dandelions, and maple leaves in an area of just a few blocks of my home. My mom, who lives on a wonderful piece of land with oodles of amazing edible plants, had some red currants growing and offered some to me. I made them into this simple jam used it to cover a foolproof chocolate tart. Topped with a just-right layer of stabilized whipped cream and dusted with cocoa, this Chocolate Ganache and Red Currant Tart has lovely visual appeal and tastes incredible. I shared with the neighbors and received several texts that simply said, “Grooooaaannnnn” and “Good Lord!” I think that means they liked it.

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Blueberry Buttercream

White Chocolate Blueberry Buttercream

This white chocolate blueberry buttercream is as versatile as it is beautiful.  Loaded with real blueberry flavor and no artificial color, it’s an excellent accompaniment to lemon curd and lemon cake.  I’ve used it two ways here, but there are so many possibilities. Continue reading “White Chocolate Blueberry Buttercream” →

Mezcal-Chili Dark Chocolate Truffles

Mezcal-Chili Dark Chocolate Truffles

I’m still making my way through a bottle of mezcal (a smoked tequila) that a dear friend sent me when I was having a rough day.   Now that the New Year is upon us, I’m ready to celebrate past and future and it always puts me in the mood to go all out and be decadent. These Dark Chocolate Truffles infused with mezcal and dusted with cayenne powder are so rich and wonderful.  They have a nice snappy chocolate shell and a soft, melting, smoky center.  The heat of the cayenne comes through right at the end.  And of course they’re topped with a bit of edible gold leaf.  Because DECADENT. Continue reading “Mezcal-Chili Dark Chocolate Truffles” →