Posts in baking
Winter Fruit Crostata

This Winter Fruit Crostata is the perfect holiday dessert for people who don't think they're good at baking! It's super easy, and the whole idea is that it has a rustic, imperfect appearance to it. Also, store brought pie crust is perfectly OK!

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Pear & Gorgonzola Tart

Get ready for the Holidays with this quick and easy, savory pear and gorgonzola tart recipe! The perfect appetizer to serve or bring along! Store brought pastry puff makes this incredibly simple. You could also swap in your favorite cheese like goat or brie! Enjoy!

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Strawberry Crostata

Like so many of us, Mother's Day won't be what it USUALLY is for my family. So I wanted to come up with something fun, and easy, that anyone could tackle at home! I imagined my friends' husbands cooking with their kids; or adult children (like me!) cooking for their mom and dropping it at her door. And as always, I wanted to use fresh, seasonal ingredients. Strawberries were the immediate answer there - and a crostata sounded lovely. A simple recipe, with a few ingredients, that dads, kids, and big kids alike could easily create - without short-changing mom! Just like our current lives, this dessert is perfect in its imperfections. Happy Mother's Day to all the Mama's out there, sharing their love and strength with all of us trying to navigate this crazy world! We love you!

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Cheddar & Chive Biscuits

I'm trying something a BIT new here - not with the recipe - that's tried and true! But with this video! We shot it using Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic! Chef Risa Boyer is my special "virtual" guest this week! She's sharing her cheddar and chive buttermilk biscuit recipe! Along with ALL her tips, from how to make a quick buttermilk if you don't have any, to how to get the flakiest biscuits! PLUS what you can do right now to help support HER small business, Vanillamore!

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Flourless Chocolate Torte

f you're looking for the perfect way to impress your love - look no further than this delicious Valentine's Day recipe! Flourless chocolate torte is one of those things that feels super fancy - but in fact only requires a few ingredients and about an hour to make! I make mine with vanilla bean paste and Italian espresso to amp up the flavors and give it great texture! Then serve it with fresh red berries and a dusting of powdered sugar! Yum!

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Nonni's Chocolate Chestnut Torta
My great-grandmother only made this rich, chocolate and chestnut dessert once a year - for Christmas! It was usually served with a little corner cut off so she could taste it before she offered it to the rest of us! And while it's time consuming - the results are well worth it! Start by making a traditional chestnut puree, then add in chocolate and amaretti to create this mildly sweet but incredibly flavorful Holiday dessert! Mamma D is my very special guest this week as we get ready to celebrate Christmas in the Cucina! Buona Natale! 
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Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's baking season! To me, there's nothing better than a big platter, or pretty box loaded with cookies for the Holidays! It's what I've been giving friends and family for years! And is there anything more classic than a chocolate chip cookie!? Of course, I add my own spin to this easy cookie recipe. Like browning the butter, using dark brown sugar, and a hefty dose of vanilla bean paste! Then I load them up with walnuts and chocolate chips! But as always, you are free to start here and make your cookies YOUR way!

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Chocolate Chai Cupcakes

It's my BIRTHDAY! So I decided to share MY kind of dessert! I love cake but I like it to have something fun and unique to it. And I don't like sugar-laden desserts. Also, chocolate is my favorite. SO - I present to you, chocolate chai cupcakes! YUM! These are super easy to make at home, and I LOVE making my own frosting because again, I can control the flavor and sweetness. Plus I find frosting cupcakes oddly relaxing.

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Focaccia Bread

See how easy it is to make this classic Italian focaccia bread! This one is better know in Italy as focaccia al rosmarino because of its rosemary topping! In Italy there are MANY types and flavors of focaccia, but this is the classic version that we have come to know and love here in the U.S.! It's so simple to make focaccia at home, you'll never buy it out again!

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Stone Fruit Cobbler

Summer may be ending but she's leaving us with some of her best produce! Stone fruits, peaches, plums, nectarines, etc - are in season and they make the BEST desserts! In this cobbler I use a mix of some of my favorites to create a simple fruit based dessert that isn't loaded with sugar! A bit of vanilla extract helps the fruits' flavor shine and those biscuits are perfect for soaking up all the juices! Top with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

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American Pie

Check out my version of "American Pie"! The red, white & blue are deliciously proud in this peach berry pie! It's super easy to make and perfect for the 4th of July!

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Baked Brie

With Super Bowl weekend upon us - it's time to up the appetizer game! This is a quick and easy app that anyone can handle! More of a "semi-homemade" dish, quality ingredients are the key here! Funky French brie, topped with sweet fig jam, and wrapped in buttery puff pastry is an awesome appetizer for your Super Bowl party - or any gathering! Give it a shot this weekend!

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Snowball Cookies

I'm gearing up for Christmas and sharing one of my FAVORITE cookie recipes with you! These snowball cookies (also called Mexican Wedding Cookies, among other names) are SUPER simple and SO delicious! This is a great recipe for to make with kids too! Who doesn't love rolling balls of dough and then tossing them in a big bowl of sugar!?

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Cider Doughnuts

Cider doughnuts are one of my FAVORITE Fall foods! And while I love grabbing them fresh and hot from a farm after picking apples and pumpkins...I can't be there every day! So I figured out how to make donuts at home!

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Applesauce

Overdid it with the apple picking? Not to worry! Here's a quick, easy, sugar free recipe to preserve all that Fall bounty! Homemade applesauce is great with roast meats, in baked goods and even all on its own!!

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Heirloom Tomato Galette

Enjoy these last days of Summer by using up her bounty of heirloom tomatoes in this fresh, delicious galette! Fast and easy and LOADED with good-for-you nutrients, it’s a great appetizer and/or vegetarian dish!

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Cantucci

These mildly sweet Italian biscuits pair perfectly with the classic Tuscan digestif, Vinsanto! Not only is the liquor IN the cookies, you dunk them in it as well! If vinsanto's not for you, you can always nosh on these mildly sweet little cookies for breakfast and dunk them in your coffee instead. Thanks again to Certosa di Pontignano for the recipe (and cooking class!)

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Strata

We're making delicious brunch dishes all month long and this is definitely the star of the show! This super simple strata is packed with fresh Spring produce, and layered with cheese, bread and eggs! It's so easy because you can prepare it the night before! Get the recipe and watch the episode here! 

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Grammy's Cream Puffs

Watch how to make my Grammy's cream puffs! The perfect dessert for this holiday weekend! Deliciously light and airy puffs, stuffed with traditional custard cream and topped with powdered sugar! The sweetest treat! 

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Pizza Grana (Wheat Pie)

Learn how to make this Italian tradition from Naples with Master Baker GianCarlo Pallazzone! He shares his family recipe (WITH secret ingredient!) and the history of the dish! It's all in this episode of Cara's Cucina!

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