Dessert Recipes | DanaSlatkin.com

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...]

Filed Under: Dessert Recipes

Ottolenghi’s Flourless Chocolate Cake

04/07/2011 By dana 2 Comments

If you had stopped by last week, you would have seen me sprawled out on my kitchen floor, surrounded by stacks of cookbooks and festooned with sticky note flags. I was collecting recipes for next week’s big Passover feast, and the perfect dessert was eluding me. As holiday meals go, the Seder is an especially demanding one, requiring a long list of dietary do’s and don’ts, enough courses to accompany four glasses of wine, and an abundance of crowd-pleasing food. By the time dessert is finally served, everyone is hankering for a transcendent finale. I kept flipping back to this recipe from a cookbook that has come through meal after meal, Ottolenghi: The Cookbook. Though I’ve never been to any of the four wildly … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dessert Recipes

George Blanc’s Poached Pears Filled with Dark Chocolate

02/01/2011 By dana Leave a Comment

Twenty-something years ago, while sitting on the floor of a bookstore, this gorgeous dessert inspired me to read Georges Blanc’s cookbook, The Natural Cuisine of Georges Blanc, cover to cover. The recipe sounded so tantalizing, I wanted to stick a fork right into the book. Instantly, I knew I had to go to cooking school. Halfway into the program at the Culinary Institute of America, we were required to find a job in a real-world kitchen. Soon, I was packing my bags for the tiny village of Vonnas, France, to spend a year as an apprentice with Chef Blanc. I was still burning to learn how to take a humble ingredient like a pear and make it so irresistible. It’s as simple as this. Bathed in aromatic syrup, filled with … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dessert Recipes

Easy Tarte Tatin

12/21/2010 By dana Leave a Comment

Most of my friends are thrilled to get a vacation from cooking. Their idea of blissful liberation is dining out every meal, the farther away from their stoves the better. Not so for this urban farmgirl. For me, the best family holiday involves simply a kitchen relocation. Who needs room service when you have a minibar and coffee maker? On a rainy day in Maui, I cooked up this cheerful dessert in the toaster oven at our rental. All you need is a heavy skillet and some very easy-to-find ingredients. But the end result is anything but basic. What I love about this thick, juicy tart is that it’s all about the fruit. Choose large, firm apples (pears are delectable, too) and quarter them into ample wedges so they won’t turn to mush … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dessert Recipes

Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Black Beans

10/05/2010 By dana 4 Comments

Every so often, I come across a recipe that makes me wonder, “Where have you been all my life?” If you ever fantasized about the perfect brownie — dark, rich, and not too sweet — this is it. And get this…it’s actually good for you. Recently, my toddler was put on a gluten-free, sugar-free diet to get rid of a nasty case of eczema. One day, while surfing the Web for a treat that would satisfy his sweet tooth, I tripped onto a website called Pattycake. It turns out the writer, an adventurous Spanish-born, Canadian-raised cook named Patty who lives the bohemian life in Mexico, loves the challenge of cooking healthfully, without using common allergy triggers such as wheat, sugar, and dairy products. There … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dessert Recipes

Sugar-Free Fresh Apricot Compote

07/20/2010 By dana 3 Comments

Fresh apricots are some of summer’s juiciest delicacies. Soft and fragrant, I spotted some last week, irresistibly mounded in a wooden crate at the farmers market. I filled up two bags and brought them home, wondering if we could devour them all before they turned to mush. Then I remembered my favorite Bonne Maman compote from France, which I have never been able to find here at home. With summer slipping by and the half-life of apricot season well behind, I attempted to replicate the deliciously tart conserves, less sweet than a jam but more concentrated than a purée. Since the apricots were at their peak, I figured I could eliminate all white sugar, relying on their natural sweetness. But I wanted to add some harmonizing … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dessert Recipes

Summer Fruit with Raspberry Mint Sauce

07/10/2010 By dana Leave a Comment

There are times when we cooks don’t always want to get cooking. Last week, on a sticky, scorching day, preparing a meal was the last thing I felt like doing. Cranky and wilting, I packed up my 3-year-old and headed to a nearby café. We were thrilled to discover this unassuming dish on the menu. The fruit was arranged proud and upright on the plate, like a juicy Stonehenge. Beautiful in its simplicity. And just the perfect way to beat the heat. Besides, air conditioning never tasted this fresh. For another invigorating summer dish that doesn’t involve the oven, try 1-Minute Basil Pesto with Ricotta Cheese! Don’t forget to enter our July cooking contest to win cool prizes, including my Summertime Anytime … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dessert Recipes

Blueberry Pie

06/22/2010 By dana Leave a Comment

When Costco starts selling jumbo-sized containers of blueberries, it’s high time for pie. And I mean the juicy, dribble-down-your-chin, teeth-staining kind. This recipe is your ticket to “bad-ass baker” status — bring it to a Fourth of July party and everyone will be impressed. Just be prepared to make it every year after. If you can’t find plump, local berries, frozen blueberries will work just fine. You don’t even need to defrost them, though they may take a few extra minutes of baking time. The key is to fully preheat the oven and to place the pie directly onto the middle rack so that the bottom crust bakes up crisp. Use a larger pie dish if you prefer a lower fruit to crust ratio (which I call … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dessert Recipes