Endings

Bobbie LLoyd’s Banana Pudding Icebox Cake

We recently featured Bobbie Lloyd as our Guest Foodie. She's the CBO—chief baking officer—of Magnolia Bakery who has recently published another fabulous cookbook:  The Magnolia Bakery Handbook of Icebox Desserts: Classic and Creative Icebox Desserts with a Magnolia Bakery Twist, Share with Friends and Family by Bobbie Lloyd. This Banana Pudding Icebox Cake is one of her favorites from the book. She wrote, "This cake is a deconstructed version of Magnolia Bakery’s famous banana pudding. Each component is recognizable on its own, but assembled as a beautiful, layered cake." Banana Pudding Icebox Cake Makes one 8-inch round cake that serves 6 to 10 Magnolia Bakery’s Famous Banana Pudding (recipe below) [...]

By |2025-05-27T08:43:10-04:00May 25th, 2025|Endings, Recipes|0 Comments
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Almond Cake / Torta di Mandorle

  One of my favorite cooking tasks is blanching almonds. While I know they are available pre-blanched, I find the process calming. It's a simple technique. Boil the almonds for 60 seconds, then drain and rinse in cold water. Then, gently squeeze each almond to remove its skin. It’s a technique that anyone can master. I love doing this each year when I prepare this flourless Passover almond cake, Torta di Mandorla, which is delicious at any time.   I first published this recipe in March of 1982 in The New Haven Register. Almond Cake / Torta di Mandorle 1 tablespoon sweet butter 3 tablespoons matzo meal 5 eggs separated [...]

By |2025-03-15T12:23:12-04:00March 30th, 2025|Endings, Recipes|0 Comments
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Anne’s Amazing Almond Toffee Crunch

One weekend while at my friend Anne's home in Mantoloking, she mentioned that we would make Almond Toffee Crunch to then pack in red and white striped boxes as party favors for a cocktail party we were having the following week for our ex.expat group. We made three batches before breaking it into pieces, boxing and tying with red ribbon! Anne had learned how to make the toffee from her friend Kathy when living in Hong Kong. Anne's Amazing Almond Toffee Crunch 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter 1 cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons water 1 heaping cup slivered almonds 1/2 cup ground almonds (NB: can make in a food [...]

By |2025-03-17T14:42:53-04:00March 22nd, 2022|Endings, Recipes|0 Comments
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My Favorite Fudgy Brownies

With all the ingredients on the counter ready to be used, you can whip up a batch of these irresistible fudgy brownies in 7 minutes. (Plus, of course, baking time!) Now that I'm living alone, I don't make these unless I'm entertaining (a pre-COVID-19 happening!) or have room in my freezer to store them. They are that addictively good. My Supermarket Sampler cohort, Carolyn Wyman to the rescue. She offered to bake and photograph these for me. Thanks, Carolyn!  The group shot comes from a previous BiteoftheBest.com post, the close up is hers. This brownie recipe comes from my cookbook “365 Great Cookies and Brownies” co-authored with Joanne Lamb Hayes. [...]

By |2020-05-12T12:25:57-04:00May 5th, 2020|Endings, Recipes|3 Comments
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The Best Blueberry Cake + Folding

I adapted this recipe, published in "The Weekend Kitchen" by me (Bonnie Tandy Leblang) and Joanne Lamb Hayes, Harmony, 1992. It called for wild blueberries, which aren't in season now (other than in Florida), so I substituted regular ones. I find this irresistible, especially the crumb topping; so do all my friends and relatives who now make this. My son Eric began baking before he was in kindergarten with — of course — parental supervision; this was one of his favorites. Now his niece Deli, who just turned 3, assists her mom Andrea in making this additive cake. Measure out the ingredients,  let your child add each to the bowl [...]

By |2020-04-18T14:43:51-04:00April 5th, 2020|Endings, Recipes, WOW|0 Comments
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The Best (and Simplest) Chocolate Birthday Cake!

My daughter-in-law asked me to bake and decorate my granddaughter's first birthday cake; she sent me a photo of what she'd like with the end result to be: a colorful butterfly. I couldn't say no. I had multiple worries as I would be baking in France with unfamiliar flour, butter and sugars. The kids had minimal equipment in their brand new Parisian home after being on the road for two years seeing the Best World Yet. That and I had given away all my decorating pastes, bags and tips when I downsized and moved to New York City. I borrowed decorating tools and focused on minimalism. I decide to bake my [...]

By |2018-03-30T06:56:58-04:00March 30th, 2018|Endings, Recipes|5 Comments
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Sara Moulton’s Creamsicle Pudding Cake

"This recipe is a mash-up of two of my all-time favorite desserts" wrote Sara Moulton in her latest cookbook "Home Cooking 101."  ...The Creamsicle (that unbeatable combo of vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet on a stick) and the pudding cake (the utterly seductive, if unlikely, concoction that is, as advertised, a pudding on the bottom and a cake on top). I wanted a cake in which both the orange and vanilla flavors were booming. For the orange, both the juice and the zest are added. For the vanilla, I used a whole vanilla bean and scraped out its seeds. Yes, vanilla beans are expensive, but nothing else delivers such [...]

By |2017-08-25T16:02:56-04:00December 19th, 2016|Endings, Recipes|0 Comments
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Strawberry Cannoli Calzones from Sara Moulton’s Home Cooking 101

These easy-to-make calzones are from Sara Moulton's Home Cooking 101. She also offers a chocolate-hazelnut version where you mound 1/2 tablespoon of both Nutella and chopped bittersweet chocolate instead of the strawberry mixture. Sara wrote, "I've taken this French snack on a detour to Italy by stuffing pizza dough (very similar to baguette dough) with sweet fillings." - bonnie BonnieBOTB Follow @BonnieBOTB     STRAWBERRY CANNOLI CALZONES 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped strawberries 1 teaspoon sugar 3 ounces Neufchâtel (1/3-less-fat cream cheese) 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest 1 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped 12 (1 1/2-ounce) balls 10-Minute Pizza Dough made with vegetable oil or store-bought [...]

By |2017-09-08T10:59:30-04:00June 17th, 2016|Endings, Recipes|0 Comments
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Almond Gnommés from Payard Cookies by Francois Payard

We interviewed François Payard on the eve of the publication of "Payard Cookies," which included this gluten-free, Passover acceptable recipe. - bonnie BonnieBOTB   Follow @BonnieBOTB The following is an excerpt from the book: Gommés earned their names because they were traditionally made with gum arabic, which gave them their chewiness. I remember my father making them that way when I was young and working at his pastry shop in France. Nowadays, I use almond flour instead, but I still like using the name, especially since they still have a chewy texture. I make a lot of these around Passover since they don’t contain any flour and, because they keep for [...]

By |2017-08-25T16:02:56-04:00December 11th, 2015|Endings, Recipes|0 Comments
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Coconut Financiers from Payard Cookies by François Payard

In our interview with François Payard last month, he offered this recipe from his newly released "Payard Cookies" for the holidays, Passover and for friends how require gluten-free treats. - bonnie BonnieBOTB Follow @BonnieBOTB This is a different type of financier, which doesn’t include almond flour or even all-purpose flour. Instead, it is made with unsweetened coconut and comes closer to a macaroon. You will need to spoon the batter into the financier molds or mini muffin pans, since the coconut would get stuck in the tip of a piping bag. Be careful that no coconut flakes stick up from the mold or they will darken much faster than the [...]

By |2017-08-25T16:02:56-04:00November 17th, 2015|Endings, Recipes|0 Comments
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Coconut Macaroons from Gluten-Free Baking

Gluten-Free Baking (Weldon Owen) — Kristine Kidd's just published eighth cookbook — features 80 tempting and tasty naturally gluten-free goodies, including these chocolate dipped coconut macaroons. In addition to the recipes and 125 mouth-watering photos, Kristine's new book details how to set up a gluten-free pantry, and contains an ingredient primer and her baking tips! Serve these delectable flourless morsels at your upcoming Passover Seder or Easter meal. Coconut Macaroons ¼ cup (2 oz/60g) unsalted butter, at room temperature Pinch of kosher salt 6 tablespoons (3 oz/90 g) sugar ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon almond extract 1 egg plus 1 egg white, at room temperature 12 oz (375 [...]

By |2017-08-25T16:02:56-04:00March 23rd, 2015|Endings, Recipes|1 Comment
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Jacques Torres’ Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got to sample these irresistible chocolate chip cookies recently at a press event showcasing the new United Airlines Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport and the new world-class dining from more than 20 renowned chefs, including Jacques Torres. I requested the recipe to share with you!  Check back early February to read our interview with Jacques Torres, as  he'll be our Guest Foodie. BTW, bakers use weights not volume when measuring - hence both numbers .   - bonnie Follow @BonnieBOTB   Chocolate Chip Cookies from Jacques Torres 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 ½ ounces) cake flour 1 2/3 cups (8 ½ ounces) bread flour 1 ¼ teaspoons [...]

By |2017-08-25T16:02:56-04:00January 17th, 2015|Endings, Recipes|0 Comments
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Laurent’s Slow-Roasted Spiced Pineapple

When interviewing Dorie Greenspan for our Guest Foodie, she kept mentioning Laurent’s Slow-Roasted Spiced Pineapple from her newly published Baking Chez Moi: Recipes from My Paris Home to Your Home Anywhere. I was intrigued. "It's great for dinner parties with cookies or ice cream. It's good for holidays, when you put fruit dessert on table. Good for weekends. Good for brunch as well as dinner. Good to just nibble at it all the time. This recipe doesn't take long to prep, the time is in the 2-hour baking and basting, resulting in tender almost candied pineapple. Sssshhh. Don't tell Dorie, but when I tested it - I took a couple [...]

By |2017-08-25T16:02:56-04:00October 25th, 2014|Endings, Recipes|0 Comments
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Michy’s Bread Pudding

After learning that Guest Foodie Lee Brian Schrager had been making Miami chef Michelle Bernstein’s chocolate bread pudding for dessert for as long as he remembers, I had to reach out to her for this recipe. Michy’s Bread Pudding ½ cup raisins Grated zest of 1 orange 1 cup brandy 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup half-and-half 6 large egg yolks, at room temperature ¾ cup sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 4 cups diced (1/2-inch) soft crustless challah, brioche or white bread 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving Put the raisins and orange zest in a small bowl, add the brandy and [...]

By |2017-08-25T16:02:56-04:00June 22nd, 2014|Endings, Recipes|0 Comments
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Pumpkin Ravioli with Salted Caramel Whipped Cream Won A Million Bucks

Christina Verrelli's Pumpkin Ravioli with Salted Caramel Whipped Cream was the winner of a million dollars at the Pillsbury Bakeoff last month in Orlando. Martha Stewart announced all the winners live on her television show broadcast from the Bakeoff. Martha first awarded the four category winners of which Christina was won in the Sweet Treats category. The other winners included Maria Vasseur from Valencia CA won Breakfast and Brunches for her Sausage-Pomodoro Brunch Bake; Terri Sherman from Palos Heights, IL won Entertaining Appetizers with her Asparagus, Artichoke and Red Pepper Pizza and Donna Wolfe of Hamilton, NJ won Dinner Made Easy for her Chicken Empanada Cones. For recipes and photographs [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:19:37-04:00April 2nd, 2012|Endings, Other happenings, Recipes, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Woman’s World Wild Strawberry Cake

Millie Lambert requested, " Hi,I made a cake from the front of woman's world back in May(I think) I loaned the mag.to someone and didn’t get it back.I wonder if someone has the recipe it was a lemon cake and the picture was on the cover." Our BiteoftheBest.com team contacted Woman's World and got the recipe for her. Here it is:

By |2017-08-31T16:19:44-04:00September 5th, 2011|Endings, Recipes, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Royal Wedding Cake

Prince William selected this Chocolate Biscuit Cake for the cake for his upcoming royal wedding on April 29. The recipe for this appears in Royal Chef Darren McGrady's "Eating Royally" as it is William's grandmothers favorite cake. According to the McGrady, "Her Majesty the Queens favorite afternoon tea cake by far. This cake is probably the only one that is sent into the Royal dining room again and again until it has all gone." Chocolate Biscuit Cake Butter for greasing the ring plus 1 stick butter, softened 1/2 cup granulated sugar 4 ounces dark chocolate, melted 1 egg 8 ounces Rich tea biscuits, broken into almond-size pieces 8 ounces dark [...]

By |2017-08-31T20:51:53-04:00April 20th, 2011|Endings, Recipes|0 Comments
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Blueberry Bliss

Violet, you're turning voilet! What is bite-sized, bright blue, round and sweet? Give up? Probably not, as there are few items on earth that match this description. You've guessed it, it's a smurf. Well, maybe not, but other than smurfs, could there be a more perfect treat for kids than fresh blueberries? Put your greasy hand down Chester Cheetah. Nobody wants your orange filth. Blueberries are delicious, in fact you can probably fool little kids into thinking they're candy (well, almost). Who cares what they think anyhow, you're the parent! Get in there and raise healthy kids. Blueberries are powerful little packets of nutrition. As well as being a rich [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:19:53-04:00March 18th, 2011|Endings, Food & Drinks, Recipes, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Easy-to-Make Banana Chocolate Chip “Bread”

A delicious use for those overripe bananas! Easy-to-Make Banana Chocolate Chip “Bread” Place 3 overripe bananas, 1 T fresh lemon juice, 1 c sugar, 4 ounces (1/2 cup) butter and 2 eggs in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade; process until the mixture is well blended. Add 2 c all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 t baking powder, 1/2 t baking soda and a pinch of salt; pulse just until the flour’s mixed in. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula; pulse once more. Add 1 c (or 1 1/2 c if you like it extra chocolatey) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks; pulse once [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:19:54-04:00March 7th, 2011|Endings, Food & Drinks, Recipes, xyz misc|1 Comment
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Chocolate Mint Mania Bars

This recipe comes from my book "365 Great Cookies and Brownies." In a previous bite, I told the story of how I came to make these treats. They're a family favorite. To make Chocolate Mint Mania Bars, melt 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate and 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) butter. Stir in 2 cups sugar, 4 eggs (one at a time), 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract. Mix in 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in 2 cups chocolate chips. Bake in a greased 9×13 pan in a 350-degree F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes. - bonnie

By |2017-08-25T16:02:57-04:00November 29th, 2010|Endings, Recipes|2 Comments
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