Here are some of my favorite culinary pros and information on what they’re up to.
If you would like to be included here or if you know someone who should be, please write me at rain@vanilla.com. I also welcome articles and reviews based on classes you’ve taken or events you’ve attended. I depend on all of you for feedback.
Rose says: This unusual, old-time recipe was sent to me by chef Anthony Stella, a restaurateur in Delaware, who asked if I could perform a makeover on it.
Today I am bringing you a blog from a dear friend, Maria Reisz Springer. Maria is from Europe and grew up with incredible desserts. She now has a cooking school in Maryland and tempts 
those of us who don’t live nearby with incredible blogs. When I saw this blog on Facebook, I asked Maria if she would be comfortable sharing it with my readers and she said she would be happy to be a guest blogger.
By Alice Medrich (Artisan Books, 2012)
Dessert: Who doesn’t love it? Even those of us who have sworn off of sugar or beg-off to hold at-bay another pound, secretly have illicit thoughts of a rich, warm morsel from the oven in deep winter, or an icy granita or a cone filled with buttery, creamy ice cream on a blistering day.
Okay, maybe I’m projecting a little too much. Truth is, I love dessert! Years ago I had a conversation with a five-year-old boy, and we admitted to each other that we didn’t have a sweet tooth; we had sweet teeth – a mouth full of them! My grandsons would agree that they too would walk a mile in the snow for something chocolate.
Courtesy of Alice Medrich, Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts
This is a selection from Alice’s book that directs readers to different recipes she has in the book. You will need to read the book for the recipes that are highlighted, but this will give you good ideas for adorning vanilla — or other– ice creams. And, for starts, how about the recipe for Vanilla Ice Cream? or Mexican Vanilla Ice Cream?
By Mark Sciscenti
All alone I sing
To the one who is my Lord:
In this place where
the gods command,
The flower-chocolate drink
is foaming – the flower intoxication.
I yearn, oh yes!
For my heart has tasted it:
It intoxicated my heart
– songs, dreams, yearnings.
My heart has tasted it.
– Tlaltecatzin (late 15th-century
Mixtec poet)
Courtesy of Beth Hensperger
Macaroons, or amaretti, are a traditional Seder dessert usually bought from a bakery or in vacum-packed can. The homemade version is far superior and easily made days ahead. Great served with kosher dessert wine.
Pat says, “To Scandinavians, “tosca” means a layer of sliced almonds covered with a buttery caramel topping. The tender sponge cake is leavened mostly by air beaten into the eggs and is typical of the type of cakes popular in Scandinavia. Toasting the almonds brings out their nutty flavor and adds color to the topping.”
David says that while the cakes stands well on its own, the apricots poached in Sauternes are so good, that he has included them with this recipe. This recipe is also in Room for Dessert, a compilation of David’s best/favorite desserts, sans apricots in Sauternes, so you’re getting a double treat here.
Courtesy of Annaliese Keller, Malabar Trading Company and Monterey Bay Farmers Markets
Courtesy of Susie Norris, author of Chocolate Bliss
Susie says, This is my favorite fudge cake. It is light, but also buttery, chocolaty, soft, and moist. Its texture is strong enough to hold up to butter cream, which can drag a lesser cake down. This cake works well with Sweet Bittersweet Ganache (recipe below.)
Makes 2 (8-inch) cake layers
If you aren’t familiar with Rose Levy Beranbaum, get ready to meet an extraordinary baker and beautiful, humble woman. Rose has been creating amazing cookbooks for more than two decades that have become classics for those who love to bake. Rose has a wonderful site, complete with blog and monthly newsletter, which I highly recommend. Her most recent cookbook, Rose’s Heavenly Cakes won the Best Cookbook of the Year at the International Association of Culinary Professionals conference in April of 2010.
In addition to the book review on Rose’s Heavenly Cakes, I wanted to honor Rose by sharing a blog of her visit to the San Francisco chapter of the Baker’s Dozen, where the group began. (There are now chapters of the Baker’s Dozen across the country.)
I really can’t say enough good about Rose. I highly recommend, however,
I’m not sure when I first met Stephany Buswell, whether she still had her cake business or whether she was teaching at Cabrillo College and baking for restaurants. Whenever we first met, she was already on her way in creating herself as a local legend, though I’m sure she never saw herself in that light.
Chefany went on to manage two very popular bakeries in Santa Cruz as well as to teach at Cabrillo College. When the Professional Culinary Institute (PCI) in
Courtesy of Annaliese Keller: www.malabartradingco.com
This recipe recently won first place in a baking contest. It’s a favorite of mine for brunch or to serve with tea in the afternoon with friends.
Courtesy of Flo Braker
Here’s a fun recipe from Flo’s book, Baking for All Occasions. It makes a great hostess
gift as do many of her delectable recipes.
Flo says: Baking the silky, intense chocolate topping on crunchy (firm) shortbread makes for neatly cut brownies that will lend panache to any dessert time.
Courtesy of Lois Laidlaw
Courtesy of Chef Stephen Block: www.kitchenproject.com
Stephen wears several hats. He is a chef, cooking school instrutor and also has at least two culinary websites. The Kitchen Project is a good place to start to learn more about Stephen’s work. The following is his commentary about the German holiday cookie, lebkuchen or “love cookies.”
Courtesy of Rose Levy Beranbaum
This cake was inspired by the height of the apple season, fall of 1991. It is reminiscent of Tart Tatin with cake instead of pastry (one could call it Gâteau Tatin!). The caramelized apples and walnuts, topping a velvety tender butter cake is a fabulous combination. I brought it, hot from the oven, to my cousin Marion’s house in Westchester for dinner, along with a special treat: Glensfoot cream, which is high in butterfat and not ultra pasteurized. She whipped it in a copper bowl, right at the table, perfuming it with Jack Daniel’s bourbon, and spooned a little onto the top of each portion of cake. It was perfect to temper the sweetness of the cake. We all loved it. This is truly a dessert made in heaven.
Courtesy of Janet Johnson
Janet has a touching story about this pound cake which is a little too long to share here in its entirety. Briefly, she has a friend who was born in Austria whose father worked for the railroads. Each day he walked 12 miles, inspecting the condition of the rails. While he walked, he gathered the wild hazelnuts growing alongside the tracks, and brought them home as a treat to his family.
Courtesy of Carole Bloom
Bourbon vanilla buttercream is the perfect accompaniment to this classic American chocolate cake. Be sure to use natural — not Dutch-processed — cocoa powder, which provides deeper flavor and darker color to the cake.
Flo Braker is a very talented baker, specializing in desserts. The author of “The Simple Art of Perfect Baking,” and one of the original members of The Baker’s Dozen, a national group of culinary professionals, Flo has assisted thousands of bakers with simple secrets that bring spectacular results. Her angel food cake has been featured in culinary magazines and newspapers as the definitive recipe. Need I say more?
