Dessert Recipes | DanaSlatkin.com

Chocolate Sesame Panna Cotta

01/26/2012 By dana Leave a Comment

Once in a very rare while, there’s a pause in my day, when nobody needs me, there is nowhere I need to be, and all is quiet. A shot of bliss. It’s when you’ll usually find me doing one of two things: hiking or playing the piano. Last week, there was one such moment and, while playing a Bach fugue, this dessert came to me. I had been trying to come up with the grand finale for my Modern Mediterranean class, featuring the owner of Momed Beverly Hills. I was looking for the impossibly perfect dessert with a Mediterranean twist. It had to be decadent but light, simple to make but complex in flavor, minutes to prep but memorable. And in the middle of a particularly melodious contrapuntal passage, I thought of halvah, the Middle … [Read more...]

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Pumpkin Pudding Gingersnap Pie

11/19/2011 By dana 2 Comments

It’s beginning to feel a lot like the holidays. Everywhere I go, someone’s crooning about the ultimate feast, the supreme table setting, the most festive attire, the perfect Martha Stewart life. It’s all so easy…so affordable…so darned attainable! Get me the earplugs. As much as I appreciate (and probably need) all the advice, I’m going into hibernation. Somewhere warm and cozy, where I don’t need to hear about the top 10,000 tastiest Thanksgiving recipes, or 50 ways to delight my holiday guests. If you want to find me from now until January 1st, just come to my kitchen. It’s my favorite place to be this time of year — far away from the din and closest to what’s meaningful … [Read more...]

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Apple Pecan Crisp with White Cheddar and Ginger

11/03/2011 By dana Leave a Comment

Nothing says autumn like apples and, this time of year, there are never too many ways to enjoy them. Last month, I challenged my readers to come up with their best apple recipe, and I must say testing all of them was a blast! Thanks to all of you who entered your delicious recipes. This was one dish I couldn’t resist polishing off the next morning for breakfast. Genevieve Gladysz of Boulder, Colorado says she loves “sharing nutritious, delicious food with others and inspiring them to do the same.” A student at Bauman College’s Natural Chef program, Genevieve enjoyed creating this wholesome dessert, in which several contrasting flavors play beautifully off of each other. She combines apples, white cheddar cheese, oats, … [Read more...]

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Down-Home Apple Pie Cheesecake

10/21/2011 By dana Leave a Comment

There were 24 hungry women in my kitchen last week. They gathered to talk food, catch up with friends, and learn how to cook healthy Southern fare. My mission? To serve them up some Creole comfort, combining high-quality ingredients, low-stress techniques, and down-home decadence. It was almost 100 degrees outside (a typical early fall heat wave here in Los Angeles), so everyone was happy to be sipping glasses of refreshing iced sweet tea, deliciously scented with orange slices and almond extract. We breaded and fried tomatoes. We simmered a hearty cauliflower cheddar soup soused with beer and strewn with homemade cornbread croutons. We blackened spiced tilapia and jumbled up a jambalaya. By the end of the morning, we all … [Read more...]

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Strawberry Souffle

08/31/2011 By dana Leave a Comment

Some desserts are like sweet time capsules. They whirl me back to childhood…digging into mint chip ice cream cake every year on my birthday, picking out the chocolate pudding from my lunchbox and eating it first. This feather-light soufflé is all about summer. And with the season quickly slipping away, it’s the perfect recipe to keep around, so you can taste the juiciest of summer strawberries even when they’re gone. I promise this soufflé is easy and fail-proof, as long as you follow the directions and don’t attempt it on a humid day (not worth the rubbery result). The best version uses fresh strawberries, but frozen berries will work fine, too, as long as they are organic. My off-season cheat? … [Read more...]

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Dairy-Free Coconut Macadamia Ice Cream

07/28/2011 By dana 1 Comment

On the car ride back from Casco, Maine, where I had just picked up my teenage son from summer camp, I resisted the urge to ambush him with questions about his month in the wilderness. Instead, we rode together silently, a boy on the brink of manhood and a mother aching to reconnect (but trying to heed the advice of her parenting books). A few days and some meals later, we were able to pick up where we left off. We laughed a lot; I listened. Finally, one evening on an after-dinner walk through the Boston Commons, my boy’s sentiments surfaced in the form of a casual but incisive comment: “Mom, it was raw.” I had to consult the Urban Dictionary to understand what he meant. “Raw: pure, unadulterated, seriously … [Read more...]

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Peanut Butter Oatmeal Toffee Trail Cookies

07/12/2011 By dana Leave a Comment

Summertime is when I require peanut butter on a daily basis. It’s the one season when I actually have the time for fitness (don’t talk to me about the rest of the year), and peanut butter happens to be one of the yummiest ways to refuel after a hard workout. So when I decamp to vacation digs, first order of business is heading to the market for a jar of the nutty stuff. After an arduous mountain hike in pelting rain, my daughter Audrey and I wanted to reward ourselves for our calorie-blazing efforts. We were craving something sweet, wholesome and indulgent all in one, and it had to involve plenty of peanut butter. With inspiration from a few of the thousands of recipes we found online, we came up with this trail cookie, … [Read more...]

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Salted Chocolate Caramel Coconut Tart

06/23/2011 By dana 2 Comments

Now that school is out and summer is official, I find myself less motivated to brave the insufferable Los Angeles traffic for a trip to the supermarket. Last weekend, we took a delightful family walk to our farmers market, stocking up on all things juicy and colorful. It was just my speed. Meanwhile, back in my kitchen, the baking supplies I normally stock are running low. But with the Fourth of July right around the corner, I’ll need to whip up something festive and fabulous. Something that says “God Bless America” with an exclamation point. This heavenly tart, inspired by the one made by our chef at Shutters On The Beach Hotel, Michael Reardon, will definitely fit the bill. If you happen to be out of confectioner’s … [Read more...]

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