While the best season of the year was in full swing (a.k.a., cherry season), I found myself with heaps of gorgeous cherries from the Farmers Market. With an intense desire to bake something unique and seasonal, I could not seem to find a recipe that didn’t require the tedious task of pitting each cherry.

A few days later while discussing the upcoming Tour of France class in a meeting with Adri, she suggested I make a clafoutis as the dessert. The clafoutis originated in Limousin, in the southwest-central region of France. It is a traditional French baked custard with whole cherries—emphasis on the ‘whole’ part. The most important part of baking with whole cherries is that they consist of the primary chemical in almond extract. That gives the dessert a subtle almond essence serving as a beautiful compliment to the final product. I quickly came to find out that the annoying little pit inside those juicy cherries contain a chemical that creates cyanide, however completely safe in small amounts… I promise!

While traditionally made with the early summer fruit, the base is versatile enough to be baked as the seasons change. It is delicious to be made with various berries, late summer’s plump stone fruits, or even chunks of ripe apples, or pears. What’s not to love about that?

After some more research, I finally was set to try out Tartine’s recipe, to gain my own understanding of what a clafoutis is really like. I followed the recipe precisely (a rare occurrence for me), but was still uncertain of what I was looking for. I pulled a slightly wobbly custard from the oven, smelling of caramel and looking stained sporadically with vibrant cherry juices. I indulged in a small piece and took the rest for an inspection from my coworkers—who only had positive reviews to give. While gratifying to hear, I wasn’t sure it was the clafoutis for me, it seemed a bit too wet.

After some more research, David Lebovitz’s recipe seemed to be the next best option, calling for a touch more flour and less milk. Clafoutis pt. 2 came two days later. With pt. 2, came more ambiguous feedback from coworkers. Being the stubborn gal I am, I insisted on making it ONE last time before deciding a final recipe to present at the class.

Clafoutis pt. 3 came with a similar recipe to pt. 2, however with one big difference. Rather than using fresh whole cherries, I used the Italian Luxardo cherries and cut down some of the sugar. This last one only seemed to make my life more difficult. After hearing feedback from all sides giving me even less of a sense of direction, it was finally the time that I resulted to using my own baking intuition.

After discovering the beautiful role that both fresh cherries, and Luxardo cherries had in this dessert, my final recipe combines the best of both worlds. To respect the rarity of the original dessert’s use of whole cherries, they remained. I also used some syrup from the Luxardo in place of some of the sugar. That syrup gave the dessert another level of moisture that I didn’t find in David Lebovitz’s original recipe, and a richer sweetness that white sugar simply did not give on its own. It was perfect once chilled, and drizzled with more Luxardo syrup, and a cherry on top.

Clafoutis

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tbs Luxardo syrup
• pinch salt
• 1 ¾ cup milk
• ½ vanilla bean, split
• ½ cup flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 lb whole cherries (or fruit of choice)
• raw sugar
• Luxardo cherries, plus additional syrup

Preheat over to 375. Butter a ceramic tart dish or any shallow baking dish, and disperse the whole cherries in the greased pan.
Combine sugar, Luxardo syrup, salt, milk and vanilla bean in a small saucepan. Cook until sugar dissolves and the mixture is steamy. While that is heating, whisk eggs in a medium size bowl. Sift flour into egg mixture and mix just until combined.
Remove milk mixture from heat, and slowly pour through mesh sieve into the egg mixture, while whisking.
Once the batter comes together, pour it over the cherries and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and raise the heat to 450. Sprinkle raw sugar evenly across the surface and return to oven for 5-7 minutes, or until it looks caramelized. Remove and let cool on a wire rack until serving.

Substitutions for cherries:
-Berries such as blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries, can be used as a direct substitution for the whole cherries.
-If using juicier stone fruits such as peaches, nectarines, or plums, cut back on the amount of milk by 1-2 Tbs.
– Cut pieces of fruit into ½ inch chunks.

Sometimes life has a way of leading you right back to where you started. I was born and raised in Salt Lake City by a Greek mother and a Louisianan father from Cajun country. Growing up, I helped my mom cook for various holidays – sometimes Cajun, sometimes Greek, and sometimes a mixture of both. I left for college in Atlanta, Georgia and then went on to England to pursue a degree in Ethnobotany, which culminated in my research of how small farms on the island of Sicily are adapting to globalization by turning old family recipes for things grown on their land into delicious products for the larger global market. When I moved back home to SLC after school, I felt lost and thought I’d move again. But instead, I ventured into Caputo’s and saw all the possibility here. Four years later, here I am. 

Living in Salt Lake again has given me some quality time with my parents and taught me some valuable lessons in baking and cooking. As the youngest of 5 girls, my mom was never short of help in the kitchen. Now, baking with my mom has become less sweatshop and more of a lesson in productive bickering (I mean that in the best way possible, Mom!). For instance, when I suggest a change to the recipe that she doesn’t like, she responds with “hmmm, I’ll take that into consideration.” However, when I suggest something she might like, the response is, “let’s try it and see how it goes.” 

This koulourakia recipe was no different – koulourakia are likely some of the best recognized Greek cookies as they are buttery, not too sweet, and perfect for dipping in tea and coffee. Typically made and eaten around Easter, but lovely year round, they’re generally made in a large batch and formed into twists or wreaths that look elegant and complicated but are quick to form and bake. This recipe should make about 60 cookies, which may sound like a lot, but I assure you it’s the perfect amount. I like to have them for breakfast dipped in some earl grey tea or coffee. 

Our family recipe calls for a few warm spices like cinnamon, anise and orange peel as well as some Metaxa, a Greek brandy (whiskey is fine to substitute.) If you want a more classic version, leave these spices out. Whether you need a grab and go breakfast or a snack to share with friends, koulourakia are a perfect treat for any occasion. 

KOULOURAKIA
Makes approximately 60 cookies
Total time: 1 h 15 mins 

• 1 c butter softened
• 1 c sugar
• 3 eggs (save 1 egg white for egg wash)
• 1/4 c whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 5 c flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground anise 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon orange peel (dried or fresh)
• 2 tablespoons Metaxa or whiskey 

In a mixing bowl, whip butter until light and fluffy. Add in sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk, and whiskey and allow to incorporate. Make sure all ingredients are room temperature!

In a separate bowl sift in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, anise, nutmeg, orange peel. Mix up so ingredients are evenly distributed and then slowly add into wet ingredients until incorporated. Allow the dough to rest for about 15-20 minutes. Once rested, preheat oven to 350 and flour a surface to begin rolling cookies. 

To create the twist roll about a tablespoon of dough into a long thin pice and fold in half (see diagram). Then twist one leg over the other twice. For a wreath you can twist a few more times and connect the ends of the twist. You will need about 4-5 trays lined with aluminum foil for baking. Leave about 2 inches between each cookie as they will rise. Once all rolled out, mix remaining egg white with a dash of water until it’s a bit frothy. Apply to the top of the cookies with a pastry brush. If you want a glossier finish, add an egg yolk to this mixture as well. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until slightly browned and cookies no longer stick to tray when picked up. We rotate them every 8 minutes or so between racks so each cookie sheet gets even browning. Koulourakia will freeze well and keep well in a jar on the counter top. My bet is they won’t have to last too long though! 

Greek Week is in full swing across all locations, but we hope this week of festivities leaves the lasting flavors of Greece with you long after Greek Week ends. Take Mary Caputo’s very own recipes  to your kitchen and share a taste of Greece with the ones you love most.

Don’t feel like cooking? We’ll have samples of both Mary’s spanakopita and melomakarona at our locations throughout the week.

Happy Greek Week!

Confession: I threw a tantrum yesterday. A foot-stomping, fuming, then whining, good ol’ fashioned tantrum. I was not hungry, nor was I tired. I was simply HOT. There is no cute word to describe hot-angry like the newly coined ‘hangry’, but I experience this feeling from July to mid-August annually. I am more than grateful for any air conditioning I encounter and am halfway through the apology texts needing to be sent for the previous day’s episode.

You know what sounds like a prime situation for another hot-angry tantrum? Baking. A. Pie. And you’ll never guess what I’d been dreading since June. Pioneer (aka Pie and Beer) Day. I love spending this day with my favorite Utah pals, but I detest the thought of heating up an oven, keeping it piping hot, and laboring for hours for even the most decadent of pies.

So this year, I’m making a pie–but not really pie–thing. It’ll feel like a pie, smell like a pie, kids might even be fooled into calling it a pie. But alas, it’s a tart in pie’s clothing. A simple tart dough baked for less 40 minutes gets filled with a sweet, tart citrus curd and topped with fresh fruit. It’ll satisfy the want for pie without the hours of cutting fruit, mixing then chilling crusts, par-baking, then baking, then cooling (and adding more darn heat to your home). This is another ‘take the reins’ type of recipe, too. I’m using lime and berries, but you can substitute any other citrus (or any acidic fruit juice) to make your curd and top it with whatever your heart desires.

I am pleased. I am cool. I am zen. I am full of lime curd tart, and I will not throw a pie- and heat-induced tantrum this Pioneer Day.

Lime Curd Tart (cough, pie, cough)
Serves 8-10

Tart Dough

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup cold butter, cubed
• 1 large egg
• 2 dashes lime bitters (vanilla extract will work just fine, too!)

Lime Curd

• 3 large eggs, or 1 large egg plus 3 large egg yolks
• Zest of 2 limes
• 1/2 cup lime juice, about 5 limes
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix flour, sugar, and salt with a pastry blender or two forks. Add cubed butter and mix until mixture becomes crumbly and resembles coarse meal. Add egg and bitters and keep mixing until the dough is no longer dry and starts to clump together, adding cold water if needed. Turn dough to a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. It should come together easily without being sticky. Flatten ball slightly with your hands to form a thick disc. Either wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days or roll out the dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into an 12-inch circle, then place gently into a 9-inch tart pan. Trim edges and freeze for about 30 minutes (prevents shrinkage!). Preheat oven to 375F and place rack in the center. Bake crust for 30 minutes until golden brown and dry. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

While the tart dough is baking, you can prepare your lime curd.

Whisk the eggs (or egg and yolks) in a small nonreactive saucepan to blend. Whisk in the lemon zest, juice, sugar, salt, and butter. Continue whisking over medium heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is thickened and beginning to simmer around the edges. Take care not to boil the mixture as it will cause the eggs to curdle. Remove from the heat and scrape into the strainer, pressing gently on the solids and scraping the bottom to release large bits. Refrigerate until chilled before using, for up to one week.

To assemble, remove tart from pan and set on a wooden board or plate. Scoop curd into the tart shell and smooth to the edges. Top with fresh fruit, whipped cream, or creme fraiche.

What a week. I swear it was February when I went to sleep. Now I’ve woken up, and it’s May. Not only that – Mother’s Day is NEXT WEEK. Cue the panic, the frantic search for flower delivery services, and a general spike in my usual anxieties. After the initial feelings of mayhem subsided, I’ve turned over a new leaf in life. Spring is the time for new awakening, right? Here’s mine – make it simple. Here’s my backup – chill out.

Best way to simplify and chill? Semifreddo. It’s essentially a frozen treat akin to ice cream, but without the fancy gear and more wiggle room. If you’ve visited a Caputo’s store lately, you’ll have likely seen a display or two for Greek Mountain Tea. Matt and Yelena have been drinking it for months, and the rest of us are slowly catching on to their habit. Our Greek Mountain Tea is harvested from the the Taygetos mountains near Sparta. It’s herbaceous, minty, soothing, and doesn’t do that annoying over-steeping thing that I have a natural talent for. The list of health benefits is shockingly long and includes but, is not limited to the following:

• Antibacterial Characteristics
• Antifungal Characteristics
• Antimicrobial Characteristics
• Antioxidant Characteristics
• Analgesic (topical essential oil)
• Edema Care (inflammation-related)
• Fights Colds
• Helps Prevent/Cure Inflammation
• Immune System
• Improves Digestion
• Cholesterol Reducer
• Exceptionally high iron content

Now, leave it to me to take something healthy -and perfectly delicious already- and add cream to it. But that’s basically what’s happening here. Think Greek thyme honey sweetened milk tea in frozen dessert form. I’ll be serving this Mother’s Day weekend since I can prepare it in advance (up to 4 days). All that’s needed to serve is a quick few slices, a sweet drizzle of more honey, and a sprinkle of salt. See? Simple.

Greek Mountain Tea Semifreddo
Serves 4-6

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 handful Greek Mountain Tea, broken in half
• 2 tablespoons Greek thyme honey
• salt, to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat milk and tea on the lowest setting for 20 minutes, stirring occsaionally. In another small saucepan, heat honey in 1/3 cup water until honey has dissolved. Chill the honey syrup. Strain the milk into a bowl and squeeze the tea to release more liquid. Refrigerate until completely chilled. Your cream will not whip if it’s even 5 degrees too warm. Don’t put yourself through this torture. Cold cream = happy semifreddo.

Line a medium loaf tin with plastic film. Once the cream has completely cooled, whip the cream until it has thickened and doubled in volume. Fold in the honey syrup plus a pinch of salt and pour into the loaf tin. Wrap in plastic and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, invert the semifreddo onto a serving platter and drizzle with extra honey and finishing salt. Serve slices immediately-ish (I personally love when the outside has melted).

If spring had a cake, it would be carrot cake. At least in my world, that is. My whole being is ready to welcome spring. This last second winter is not working for me, so I’m pretending it’s really spring from the comfort of my own kitchen.

I grew up on carrot cakes that were just trying too hard. You know I mean? Have you ever had a carrot that was, just, extra? Too many nuts, an offensive amount of raisins, and piles of cream cheese frosting? Anyone? I now love carrot cake, but it sure took some time to finally come around to it. Now that I’m old enough to make my own decisions, any my own cake, I’m making it the way my childhood self would love it most. Minimal nuts, no raisins, and a smattering of frosting.

Parsnips have long been a love of mine. They have a more nutty, earthy taste and a spiced finish that makes me weak in the knees. I wanted to pair that earthier flavor with cardamom rather than the classic cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg combo, and boy am I glad I did. I’m so happy with the resulting flavor. This recipe is based on Bon Appetit’s best carrot cake recipe, but with my own riffs on the spices and a completely different frosting.

Frosting is a touchy subject for yours truly. Cream cheese frosting is often too heavily applied and buttercream is just straight up strange. That weird crusty thing that happens when it sits out? No. Thanks. Instead, creme fraiche and mascarpone are teaming up for a lighter, mellower finish.

I’ll be making this for Easter and for any other reason I can find to do so. The recipe is easy to make into cupcakes and without frosting, it could be argued as, dare I say, healthy-ish.

Parsnip Cardamom Cake

Recipe adapted from BA’s Best Carrot Cake
Serves 12

Cake

• Vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 pound parsnips, peeled, coarsely grated
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon Addition cardamom tincture
• ¾ cup vegetable oil

Frosting

• 8 ounces creme fraiche
• 16 ounces masarpone
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon Addition cardamom tincture
• Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat two 9″-diameter cake pans with vegetable oil. Line bottoms with parchment paper rounds; lightly coat rounds with nonstick spray.

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat creme fraiche and mascarpone in a medium bowl until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla extract, tincture, and salt. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in powdered sugar. Increase speed to high and beat frosting until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Place 1 cake, domed side down, on a platter. Spread 1/2 cup frosting evenly over top. Place remaining cake, domed side down, on top. Spread top and sides with 1 cup frosting and chill 30 minutes to let frosting set. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides, swirling decoratively.

Here at Caputo’s, we love to marry tradition with innovation in the most delicious ways. You may or may not be surprised to know that chocolate and cheese actually make a marvelous match. If you need further convincing, take one of our pairing classes and allow your doubts to melt away in sweet cheesy bliss. Or come into a Caputo’s near you and ask us to illuminate you with some of our favorite pairings! You can even let Blue’s Chocolates do the pairing for you and try filled chocolates like parmigiano and honey, Double Skull Taleggio and red wine, and chabrin reserve and fig (using Caputo’s cheeses and Solstice chocolate!).

And lest you think a blue cheese truffle might come as a bit of a shock to your palate, rest assured that the blue cheese we picked for this recipe, called Fourme au Moelleux, is a dainty dame of a blue cheese. It’s not without a punch, but the brashness of the blue is a balanced by a tantalizing floral note. And because we are passionate about preserving food traditions, a cheese like Fourme au Moelleux serves not just as a palate-pleaser, but reads like a volume of history, preserving time and place in its rich blue veins. You can tell your friends while serving them that Fourme au Moelleux is actually a newer innovation to an ancient cheese called the Fourme d’Ambert. Originating in the Auvergne region of France, it has been produced using traditional methods since Roman times. Rodolphe Le Meunier (a.k.a. “the world’s best cheesemaker”) injects the creamy paste with Vouvray wine to amplify the flavors, a beautiful innovation to an ancient classic. Paired with Valrhona chocolate, a consistent and quality favorite among Michelin 3 star chefs, the truffles that result are unique and alluring, but subtle enough to please even your pickiest dinner guest.

Ingredients
6 ounces heavy cream
8 ounces Valrhona Guanaja, chopped, plus two chopped ounces for rolling
4 ounces Fourme au Moelleux, chopped in small pieces

In a small saucepan, heat the cream until boiling. Pour over the 8 ounces of chocolate in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Let it sit until it arrives at room temperature. Then stir in the cheese and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap so it’s touching the ganache (to prevent condensation).

Refrigerate for about an hour until the ganache is firm enough to roll into balls.

Scoop out the ganache with a spoon and roll it into a ball, placing the formed balls on a plate. Any size is fine, but I prefer to make blue cheese truffles a little smaller since they are so rich. You can ensure that they are perfectly round or a bit more “rustic” looking. Chocolate truffles were named after the original truffle, as in the mushroom-like fungus that grows on tree roots, so if your truffles end up bumpy and imperfectly round, tell your friends that they more fully resemble their namesake!

When all of the ganache is rolled, cover them and put them in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the remaining two ounces of chocolate using a double boiler (or make your own by placing a metal bowl or smaller pan over boiling water). Pour the melted chocolate into a deep and narrow container (I use a short glass). You’ll want the truffles to be fully submerged in the chocolate, so keep that in mind when choosing a container. After the chocolate has cooled slightly, drop a ganache ball into the chocolate. Make sure it is fully coated, and then lift it out with a fork, letting the excess chocolate drain off before rolling the truffle off the fork and onto a plate or parchment paper. Continue with the rest of the truffles. Let the chocolate shell harden and the truffles come back to room temperature, when the ganache is most creamy and delicious.

It may seem overwhelming, but making truffles is actually quite simple (the hardest part is coating them with chocolate without making a mess!), and the blue cheese adds a savory, creamy dimension that you’ll love. Join us in delicious innovation on old classics, and tell us how your adventures go!

Having grown up in New Mexico—where the state tree is the piñon pine—piñon-based sweets were a common and welcomed holiday treat. Candies, chewy brown sugar rolls, and toasted nuts are part of the holiday tradition. I lucked out as kid with both this sweet, local tradition and a large Italian family who had a habit of over-enthusiastically celebrating the holidays with copious amounts of sugary morsels. Pignoli cookies and piñon brittle were always favorites of mine, and they are some of the first treats I begin making as the holidays approach.

The excitement around here for our bitters selection is as palpable as that of a child on Christmas Eve. Every week brings us a new discovery and tasty new applications for them. December’s bitters Craving, Addition Rosemary cocktail spice, captures the essence of the holidays and begs to be used in both drink and treat. Mixing rosemary’s assertive, pine-like aroma and pine nuts from my past seemed like a natural, albeit necessary, union.

I love giving homemade treats to co-workers and friends. It feels more personal than store-bought candies, and I love the opportunity to spend time in the kitchen with a few friends. Pine nut brittle is an incredibly easy gift that is made even more delicious and sophisticated by the addition (no pun intended) of rosemary. Freshly chopped rosemary and fleur de sel give this adorable gift a lovely, complex flavor.

Make a batch for gifting and a batch for yourself. Beware of doubling this recipe, though. A double batch will require two separate parchment-lined cookie sheets, and evenly dividing the caramelized sugar is quite a challenge. It’s possible to evenly separate them, of course, but two batches come together just as quickly.

Stay tuned for more holiday treats and gifting ideas, and I hope everyone is as excited as we are for the upcoming celebrations!

Rose-Merry Pine Nut Brittle 
Makes enough for one small dinner party, or 8-10 gift bags

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup pine nuts
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons Addition Rosemary
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons fleur de sel 

In a large skillet, melt sugar over high heat, stirring constantly. Once sugar has melted, lower heat to medium high and stir until sugar is a dark golden brown. Stir in half the salt, pine nuts, Addition Rosemary, and butter. Stir to toast the pine nuts for about five minutes. Pour mixture out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread to deisred consistency and top with fresh rosemary and the second half of salt. Allow to cool for one hour. Break into pieces and keep in an air tight container or pack into gift bags (like above).

All good things must come to an end, even fennel pollen week. I had way too much experimenting with this special ingredient and we’ve been reaping the benefits all week long. Plus, we saved the best for last. We’re looking at a warm weekend that I plan on filling with lots of outdoor activity and this semifreddo.

Like the name suggests, semifreddo is a semi-frozen treat that gets its decadent and luxurious texture from heavy cream and raw egg yolks. I used to call this the ‘lazy-girl gelato’ but I find myself making this even when I have plenty of time and energy to make gelato or ice cream instead. It’s just that good. Here, honey and fennel pollen combine for that transcendent little pairing discovery that we just can’t get enough of.

This is my favorite recipe of the week and I can’t wait for you to try it for yourself. I hope fennel pollen has found its way into your hearts and pantries this week like it has ours. Now, how about that weekend?!

Fennel Pollen Honey Semifreddo
Serves 10

• 1 egg
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup honey, plus more for drizzling
• 1 tablespoon fennel pollen
• 1 ½ cups cream

Line a medium loaf tin with plastic film. Beat the fennel pollen, egg, and egg yolks with the honey in a bowl until pale and thick. Whip the cream until it has thickened and doubled in volume. Fold in the egg and honey mixture and pour into the loaf tin. Freeze at least 2 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, invert the semifreddo onto a serving platter and drizzle with extra honey and another sprinkle of fennel pollen. Serve slices immediately.

I couldn’t give you a week of fennel pollen without throwing some sweet treats at you, now could I? Another reason I love fennel pollen is its ability to transcend the lines that often divide sweet and savory ingredients. It’s often easy to place an ingredient beneath the sweet or savory banner, but that is not the case here. If someone asked me to choose using fennel pollen in either sweet or savory applications for the rest of my life, I’d be hard-pressed to choose.

This cake is the stuff of legend as far as I’m concerned. It’s not too sweet and gets a hint of tanginess from the buttermilk that is only amplified by the vanilla creme fraiche dolloped on top. I’ve served this for birthdays, team gatherings, dinner parties, and pity parties. The fennel pollen takes this to a place where warm cake and bright, summery fennel flavors meet and have a dance party on your taste buds. Naturally, you’ll want to throw some poached pears or berries on the side of this, which I fully support. This cake- and the creme fraiche- loves fruit. Try it with whatever is in season, or keep it simple with the creme fraiche. Either way, your life needs a little sweetness and you deserve an extra dose of fennel pollen. Enjoy!

Fennel Pollen Buttermilk Cake
Serves 12

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel pollen
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup crème fraîche
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 9-inch cake pan and line it with a 9-inch round of parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the butter with both sugars at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the yolks, one at a time, beating well between additions. Beat in fennel pollen. At low speed, alternately beat in the flour mixture and the buttermilk until almost blended. With a rubber spatula, finish folding the mixture together just until smooth. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack to cool completely.

In a small bowl, combine the crème fraîche, vanilla seeds and confectioners’ sugar.

Unmold the cake onto a plate, top with vanilla crème fraiche, and serve.

I know, I know. It’s January. We’re dieting and eating healthy and it’s soooo much fun. If you’re like me, you’ve had kale seven different ways already this week and your monthly quinoa intake may be nearing your body weight. It’s great to feel good again after the heaviness of the holidays, but I’m getting back into the swing of hosting dinner parties with friends and it’s time to get real. It’s not a party if there’s no dessert. There, I said it.
Yelena has recently gotten me to jump on the turrón bandwagon, and I’m never looking back. This centuries-old combination of almonds, egg whites, and honey is heavenly. Light, pillowy, and my favorite version has an added ingredient of burnt sugar. The added complexity is welcome and inspired us to take it to the test kitchen.

My work family is just that, family. When we get excited about something, we get together to taste, cook, and talk food. We’ve had many great successes, and a few misses, but our time spent together is always educational and fun. Family dinner is an excuse to have a dinner party with people I love seeing everyday when I walk in to Caputo’s. I’m so grateful to spend my days with people that I adore and feel as passionately as I do about food. It’s only natural that I stuff them full of dessert, right? And of course, the turrón had to be the centerpiece. Meet my turrón blondie, lovingly named after my longtime best friend and fellow blondie, Claire. She’s my rock and I adore her, just like these treats. Make them for the people you love most and name them after your most beloved blondes.

The turrón has two places in these blondies. Half is beaten into the batter and the other half is roughly chopped and crumbled on top before baking. Brown butter helps give this simple treat a bit more depth and complexity. Top these with vanilla gelato, honey roasted fruit, or a dollop of whipped cream. You can make these two days in advance (or a few weeks if you don’t mind freezing them), so they’re a lovely, easy end to a meal with your best pals and family.

Turrón Blondies (aka Claires)
Serves 12

• 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
• 1 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 stick Turrón, or any soft, jijona style turrón, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• pinch ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups flour

In a medium saucepan (I prefer stainless steel so I can monitor the color easily), heat the butter over medium heat until it reaches a medium golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool slightly. Grease a 9-by-9 inch baking dish with butter and preheat over to 325 degrees.

Beat sugar, eggs, half the turrón, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon together. Whisk in brown butter until combined, then stir in flour. Pour batter into greased baking sheet and spread evenly. Coarsely chop the remaining turrón and sprinkle over the batter. Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs.

Let cool slightly before cutting and serve with ice cream, fruit, or whipped cream.