Chocolate Molten Cake

Some readers may recognize this as the winning dessert in Marcus’ Chopped All-Stars episode that won him the chance to compete in the All-Stars finale. This gooey chocolate cake with candied beets takes a bit of prep but yields tremendously indulgent results; highlighting a great accomplishment in the Yes, Chef journey.

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Photo courtesy of Back to the Cutting Board

This tart should come with a warning: “Proceed with caution!”

Its luscious chocolate ganache filling will reel you in while the raspberry preserve center is what will keep you coming back, bite after bite; sliver after sliver.  Cutting the richness so that you never think, “Oh this is too much” and instead  are constantly leering into the pan thinking, “Well, I suppose one more can’t hurt.”

It can’t. Read More

If you’re looking for something simple and sweet to munch on this spring, this is the perfect solution. Chia seeds, magically and with the smallest input of effort, make a wonderful, healthy pudding. Much like the way they take on a tapioca-like texture in the popular kombucha drinks, they gelatinize when soaked in water or nut milk. Add a little sweetener, and you have instant pudding.

As I have been finding out, they are very versatile in cooking, and you can also eat them raw sprinkled over cereals or grains. Plus, they’re packed with fiber, calcium, and omega-3s, making it a great alternative to other sugary snacks. Add your favorite fruit to make it an even more enjoyable easy spring dish!

Butterscotch has a vintage-like presence in our dessert selections. It occasionally makes an appearance at the ice cream stand or perhaps takes the form of a hard candy (offered, no doubt, by the hands of a grandparent), but that is about it!

This week, I had the craving for something buttery and smooth. I sought a dessert that tasted like a Werther’s Original but with an ‘adult’ edge to it. What could fit the build better than a ‘spiked’ butterscotch tart? The result: a creamy toffee-tasting tart with a ‘hum’ of warm scotch.

Maybe I am slow to catch on, but my new favorite baking ingredient is almond meal, also known as almond flour. I don’t have a gluten allergy, but I love baking with it as an alternative to flour because then everyone can afford to indulge in a sweet treat.

I find that baking with almond flour yields lighter results, and adds a bit of protein and texture to boot. This recipe is a take on the classic, but made a little healthier. Obviously, glass of cold milk required.

Photo: Aine Carlin

While I don’t have a massive sweet tooth, my afternoon pick-me-ups usually come in the form of something sugary. Since I’m trying to limit my cane sugar intake, I’m relying on fruit (frozen, dried, and fresh) to do the trick.

I’ve made so many variations of these raw balls that I’ve actually lost track of all the many and varied combos, but what I do know is that shredded coconut works exceptionally well in these sweet and chewy mouthfuls. Read More

Photo: Madeleine Ignon

I think I’ve made it fairly clear that coconut is one of my favorite ingredients (see my sweet recipes). Maybe I am compensating for a decidedly un-sunny summer here in the foggy San Francisco bay by cooking with milk from a beachy tropical fruit. Read More

Photo: Lindsay Hunt

Late Saturday night, it did not seem ambitious to set my alarm for 10:45am the next morning.  It should have, because that left me 45 minutes before my friend was due to arrive for brunch on Sunday. Of course, at 2:30am on Saturday night, I didn’t have the clarity of mind to remember that too little prep time can result in catastrophic meals. I would have realized that that cooking brunch and deciding last minute to bake a dessert as well doesn’t usually make for epic meals. No, usually it does not work. Read More

Photo: Nicole Franzen

Rhubarb is one of my boyfriend’s favorite treats. All winter long he asks “Is it rhubarb time yet?”

Well, it is finally rhubarb time. Coming from Read More