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Chocolate, Espresso & Vanilla Pots de Crème

Makes 8 individual desserts Some days are so good – so deliriously happy, happy, happy – that I cannot limit myself to just one dessert to celebrate, even if it is a fabulously good French one… Today is such a day because, when I told Ava “I love you,” she smiled big and lovingly, and gave me…. two… thumbs… up. She only just learned how to give a thumbs up yesterday, so I’m feeling pretty special right about now. In honor of her cuteness, we’re going with a sampler style celebration – 3 different flavors – perfect for parties, potlucks, or elegant dinners. The key to a good pot de creme isn’t a thick, creamy interior. In fact, despite the name, the dessert doesn’t even have to contain cream. It can be as delicate as a custard, which this is most definitely. Our version is an adaptation from Le Cordon Bleu at Home. Ingredients: 3 cups milk 1/4 cup heavy cream 3/4 cup sugar 1 vanilla bean, scraped 3 eggs 3 egg yolks 1 tsp vanilla …

Gingerbread Cookies

Makes about 48 3″ cookies Any time, any place. There are no rules when it comes to cookies. In fact, when I was little my mom made gingerbread cookies so often that I didn’t realize that most people only ate them in December. We ate homemade gingerbread/vanilla ice cream sandwiches in the summer – one of my all-time favorite, cry-until-you-get-another-one, crave-it-for-the-rest-of-your-life snacks. Although gingerbread can be found all over north america and Europe, today we made them for our Estonian Global Table. Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder Spices: 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground cardamom 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/8 tsp ground cloves 1/8 tsp black pepper a pinch salt 8 Tbsp softened butter (1 stick) 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 large egg 1/2 cup molasses 1 tsp vanilla extract Method: Get your baking shoes on. Whisk together the flour with the baking soda, baking powder, and the spices. Gosh that’s pretty. Let’s all move to gorgeous Spice Land. Whaddya think? …

Caribbean Tres Leches Cake

A proper Tres Leches cake is thirsty. Really thirsty. Each dry, pocket of cake crumb soaks up more milk than a stray kitten. Our version soaks up a little over 3 cups (!) of liquid as it sits in the fridge over night. While the texture is moist, a good Tres Leches cake will never be soggy or mushy. It will – against all odds – retain a discernible crumb in spite of the milk within. NOTE: See my recipe and associated feature story about Global Table Adventure in the Tulsa World. They probably learn about this cake in engineering school. If not, they should. Tres Leches cakes are primarily thought of as a Latin American/Mexican dessert. Q: What’s in the three milk mixture? A: It depends… Traditional Central American Tres Leches Cakes: – sweetened condensed milk – evaporated milk – heavy cream Drunken Tres Leches Cakes (Pastel Borracho): – water – rum/brandy – sugar Caribbean Tres Leches Cakes: – coconut milk – evaporated milk – heavy cream or sweetened condensed milk – sometimes rum RECIPE Makes …

Danish Apple Cake | Æblekage

Makes One 6″ Cake Æblekage can be made any number of ways, but this recipe is super special because Anne A., one of our Danish readers, found it in her mother’s recipe box. We did a little tweaking and, voila… Global Table’s Aeblekage, a little like Anne’s mamma used to make. The texture is on the muffin-side of things; you’ll love it with coffee or tea. Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 1/2 cups flour 1 small apple, halved and sliced thinly 1 small apple, diced Topping: 1/8-1/4 cup brown sugar 1/8-1/4 cup chopped walnuts Dots of butter Use a 6″ cake pan Method: Put a load of laundry in the washer (optional). Preheat the oven to 350F. Meanwhile, cream butter with brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one a time. Next up, vanilla extract – the best perfume in the world (just dabble a little on your wrists). Next, drop in the dry …

Croatian Holiday Nut Roll | Povatica

It’s all in the wrist. The secret to making good Povatica, that is. This famous Croatian Holiday Nut Roll gives its maker a workout. You will be rolling, and pulling, and stretching the dough until it is thin, thin, thin. We’re talkin’ paper thin, like a curtain of dough, blowing in the breeze. I bet Croatian grandmother’s everywhere compete for the most delicate, thin walled Povatica. (Note this bread is also common- under various names- in other areas, such as Poland, Austria, etc) Unlike cinnamon buns, which ooze fluffy bready goodness as much as anything else, Povatica is all about showing off the filling, framed by delicate layers of bread. And Povatica is worth the effort. Here’s one Croatian’s description of good Povatica: I’ve tasted many different versions of Povatica. Some are made with honey and tend to be heavy, others are too doughy. My grandmother’s version is, to me, the perfect balance of dough and filling. Made properly (with dough stretched thin), it is delectable. My mother put together the recipe while watching my grandmother make the bread, as …

Yucca/Cassava Balls | Getuk Lindri

Makes two dozen Mildly sweet, bite-sized balls of mashed, sweetened cassava (yucca). This unusual treat is a big hit in Brunei. Read on to learn my struggles with this dessert. My first epic fail. Ingredients: 1/2 cup sugar 1/8 cup water 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 pound cassava root, peeled, rough fibers removed, and cubed 1/4 tsp salt red & green food coloring Method: 1. Peel and cube cassava (yucca). Steam for 30 minutes or until cooked. 2. Add sugar, water, and vanilla extract to a small saucepan. Heat over low until sugar dissolves. This is unbleached organic sugar, which is why it looks a little darker. Vanilla extract is possibly the best thing in the whole wide world. Don’t forget that bit of salt. 3. Now, let the games begin. I fought and fought to get my cassava (yucca) smooth, creamy, and without fibers. The battle ended with a food mill, but I’m not sure, even then, that I got everything out. I may have stomped my feet around and yelled a few times. …

Liege Waffles

Makes about 6 waffles Liege waffles are dense, yeasty, and studded with pockets of sugar. When you eat one room temperature, the little bits of sugar crunch in your mouth – an unusual, but addictive experience. Ingredients: 1 cup melted butter (2 sticks) 3 eggs 1/3 cup lukewarm milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tsp instant yeast 2 cups flour 1 heaping cup sugar cubes (or 1 cup pearl sugar) Topping ideas: powdered sugar, strawberries, etc. Method: 1. Whisk together wet ingredients: melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. 2. Add yeast. Let sit for 15 minutes, if you can stand to wait. If you can’t, it’ll be okay. 3. Add liquid to flour. I made a well, but it seemed kind of pointless since there was so much liquid. The batter will be so thick you will not be able to pour it, but not so thick that it makes a dough ball. 4. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about 1.5 hours, or until about double in size. Of course, if …

Bajan Pound Cake with Cherries | Christmas Puddin’

Makes about one 10″ bundt cake or several smaller cakes Enjoy this lovely pound cake cold with hot tea or a tall glass of milk. We loved the addition of maraschino cherries and wished we would have added more (we only added about 20 chopped cherries). A yummy cake – my husband has already requested it for his birthday! Ingredients: 3 cups flour 2 Tbsp baking powder 1 1/2 cups sugar 4 sticks (2 cups) butter (room temperature) 6 eggs 1 cup milk 1 Tbsp vanilla extract pinch of salt chopped maraschino cherries to taste (optional) NOTE: This recipe makes a lot of batter, so you may want to divide it into more than one pan, even if you use the 10″ bundt. You’ll see in our pics it threatened to overflow… but luckily didn’t. If you decide to live on the edge, like us, just put a cookie sheet under the cake to save you the trouble of a messy clean up. Method: 1. Preheat oven to 350F. Sift flour and baking powder together. Set …

Austrian Chocolate Tart with Apricot Jam | Sacher-torte

Serves 8-10 When made properly, Sacher-torte is enrobed in a silky, smooth layer of chocolate ganache. This cake will satisfy any sweet tooth. I made sure to make enough glaze that even the novice decorator will be able to coat the entire cake. Please note: This is *not* the same recipe as published in my upcoming article in AFAR Magazine. The technique is totally different. Ingredients: For the cake: 1/2 stick butter, melted 3/4 cup flour 1/4 cup dutch-processed cocoa 1/4 tsp salt 6 large eggs 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 cup apricot preserves (chunk-free, or strained) For the glaze: 1 cup heavy cream 4 Tbsp light corn syrup 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate 1 tsp vanilla extract Method: For the Cake: 1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 10″ round springform pan. Add a circle of parchment paper to the bottom. 2. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, and salt. NOTE: You really need to sift them together, making them light and fluffy. Sponge cakes rely …

Viennese Hot Chocolate

Serves 2-4 Viennese Hot Cocoa is so rich and tasty, you won’t need dessert. Perfect for a chilly night! Take care when adding the egg yolk to the hot liquid, you don’t want to make “scrambled egg cocoa.” Ingredients: 2 cups milk 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa 3 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp raspberry brandy (or regular) 1 egg yolk For whipping cream: 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 Tbsp powdered sugar Method: 1. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Add vanilla and powdered sugar, and continue whipping to combine. 2. In a small saucepan, whisk together milk, cocoa, sugar, and brandy until combined. Heat over medium-low until barely simmering. Turn heat to low. 3. Place an egg yolk in a small bowl. Whisk a small ladle of the cocoa into the egg yolk, tempering it. Add yolk mixture to pot, whisking constantly until thickened. Do not let mixture boil or egg will scramble. 4. Serve cocoa in teacups or mugs with a dollop of whipped cream on top. Viennese Hot Chocolate Votes: …

Crepes with Milk Fudge | Panqueques de Dulce de Leche

Serves 4 Got a sweet tooth? Argentine crepes with dulce de leche will satisfy. The creamy carmel like filling makes this dessert date night material. Ingredients: For the crepes: 1 cup flour 1 cup milk 2 eggs 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract butter For the dulce de leche: Recipe Method: For the crepes: 1. In a medium bowl, whisk all ingredients together. Set in refrigerator overnight. This important step removes all lumps and makes for a great texture. 2. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add a bit of butter. When pan is hot, add about a 1/4 cup of crepe batter to the pan and swirl it around to spread into a disc shape. When the surface of the crepe no longer changes from looking wet to looking dry, turn over and cook for about 1 minute longer. There should be only light browning on the crepe. 3. Remove crepe from pan and spread with dulce de leche. Roll up and serve immediately. If serving later, line several rolled crepes in a casserole dish. Reheat …