Food Wishes Video Recipes (2024)

I’m sure I’ve said it here before, but I’m not a big cakeguy. I’ll take a few bites at a wedding for appearances, and of course on abirthday, since that’s what you do, but besides that, cake is none of mybusiness. However, one big exception would be the crumby goodness that is pecan sourcream coffee cake.

As I mention in the video, the best part of a coffee cake is the crispy, crunchy, buttery crumbs; so we significantly upped the amounts used.I’m not sure why everyone doesn’t do this…maybe their health? Regardless, it createswhat I think is the “ultimate” coffee cake experience.

This recipe is really foolproof, but mind your baking time.I used an 8” x 12” cast iron casserole dish, and it took about 35 minutes, buttimes will vary for glass dishes, as well as for slightly larger dishes, likethe classic 9” x 13.” I’d start checking around 30 minutes, and go from there.I really hope you give this extra crumby coffee cake a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 to 12 portions:

For the crumb:

1/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

3 tablespoons melted butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

For the cake:

1/2 cup room temperature butter

1 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup sour cream or crème fraiche

1 7/8 cups all-purpose flour (Almost 2 cups. Do not packcups. Spoon in gently.)

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

- Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer comes outclean.

The theme of this torrone post was originally about makingthis gorgeous candy for your Valentine, but then I realized what would be evenbetter than making this for your sweetheart, would be making with yoursweetheart.

While very easy, this procedure does take about one and ahalf hours to complete, and most of that time is spent standing at the stove, stirring,which is why tag-teaming this Italian confection makes the job much easier, andI’ll assume a lot more fun.

By the way, this is the real way to make torrone, and by “real,”I mean the really old way. Today, most candy makers use a much faster method,where a caramelized sugar syrup is simply added to the whipped egg whites. I’vetried this both ways, and while the modern technique is way faster, I muchprefer this method. It seems to have more soul, whatever that means.

The visual clues, and times I give in the video should beenough, but don’t forget the cold water trick I showed you. That’s a great wayto check you work, and sneak a taste. I hope you give this a try very soon.Enjoy!

400 g honey (about 1 1/3 cups)

250 g white sugar (about 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons)

2 large egg whites

pinch salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 rounded tablespoon lemon zest

3 cups roasted almonds (I used Marcona almonds)

1 cup roasted pistachio

2 sheets “wafer” paper (*edible rice paper)

*Follow this link for info on the one I ordered.
If you don't use the wafer paper, you can just spray plastic wrap with oil, and that also works. Some people use cornstarch, but I'm not a fan. Google for many other tricks.

- I used an 8 x 11 baking dish to mold mine in.

When you go over the things you really want in a Valentine’sdessert, this ultra-simple zabaglione checks all the boxes. Assuming that yoursweetheart enjoys things like sweet, juicy fruit enveloped in a rich, butimpossibly light custard, this should work out nicely.

I like to use a dry Marsala wine, but sweet Marsala is alsoa popular choice. If you use the sweet variety you’ll need to cut down oreliminate the sugar. If you’re not intowarm wine foams, you can literally use any other flavorful liquid, and thetechnique will work the same.

You may need to change the garnish, but things like coffee,fruit juices, and pretty much any other liquor, or liqueur, will work with thistechnique. Experiment, and see what happens. So, whether you make this for thatcertain someone this Valentine’s Day, or just for a random weeknight treat, Ireally do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes 2 or 3 servings:

3 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons white sugar

1/4 cup dry Marsala wine
1/2 cup diced strawberries tossed with a spoon of sugar

I’ve never been a big eggnog person, and that’s putting itkindly. It’s too thick, too sweet, and way too artificially nutmegy. I even didan anti-nog tweet recently, just for a few cheap, seasonal laughs, butthen I realized I was being unfair to this iconic Christmas drink.

I was basing most of my hating on the stuff in the cartonfrom the supermarket, which features no booze, and a nutrition label you seriouslydon’t want to read. The homemade stuff I’ve had was significantly better, andso I decided to film this rather easy process, since I get so many requeststhis time of year.

Freshness is the key here. The freshest eggs, milk, andcream you can get, and don’t even think about using pre-ground nutmeg. Maybethis recipe will be the one that finally has you going out to buy that jar ofwhole nutmeg and grater, but it really is the key. I hope you give thisluscious liquid custard a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 6 servings:

For the custard base:

4 egg yolks

1/3 cup white sugar

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

cook to 170-180 F. , then add;

2 to 3 ounces bourbon whiskey

3/4 teaspoon freshly and very finely grated nutmeg

For the meringue:

4 egg whites

1 tablespoon white sugar

- Add meringue to cold custard base, mix, and chill untilvery cold. Whisk thoroughly before pouring.

Sometimes you don’t have a good reasonfor not loving a certain recipe, and that’s how it is for me with sweet potatopie. It just does not do it for me, and I don’t even know what “it” is.However, I thought the same flavors could work for a holiday-inspired sweetpotato muffin, and I was thrilled with the results.

These are perfect if you have leftoversweet potatoes during the holidays, but if not, totally worth cooking a fewjust for this easy recipe. I microwaved mine for about 6 or 7 minutes, untilthey were very soft, but roasting, or boiling will also work.

As I mention in the video, these muffinsare just a little bit of frosting away from being cupcakes. I’ve neverunderstood the allure of mini marshmallows on a sweet potato casserole, butsomething tells me some “fluff” would work well on these, as well. I really hopeyou give them a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 24 Sweet PotatoMuffins:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups mashed sweet potato or “yams”
1 cup chopped pecans, plus more for the top
demerara sugar for the tops

- Bake for 25 minutes at 350 F. oruntil a wooden skewer comes out clean.

I always tell people I’m not a cookie eater, but I guessthat depends on the cookie, since when it comes to these gingersnaps, I can’tget enough. As soon as these cool, I chain-eat them until they’re gone; butthat’s not my fault. I blame the amazing spicy-sweet flavor, and irresistibletexture.

Ingredients for about 50 to 60 cookies (depending on size):

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

12 tablespoons room temp unsalted butter

2/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup finely chopped candied ginger

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg, beaten
- Bake at 350 F. for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on desired texture.

As I joked about in the video, a fruit salad has to bepretty damn good to actually get a name, and the venerable Waldorf salad iscertainly worthy.

I realize that there are a small group of you who won’t beable to wrap your heads around mayonnaise with fruit, and that’s a shame, sinceit means you won’t get to enjoy one of the great combinations of all time. By the way, if you are one of the aforementioned people, but likemayo slathered all over your sandwich, containing slices of sweet, ripe tomato,and caramelized onions, then you have some explaining to do. Also, coleslaw. Irest my case.

Embellish this as you see fit, but I really like it bestwith just the four ingredients seen here. Things like dried cranberries can add a niceseasonal touch, but for me, the chewy fruit gets in the way of that addictivecrunchy/crisp texture. I really hope you give this old-school, but timelessWaldorf salad a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 1 cup dressing (enough for 2 Waldorfsalads below):

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup crème fraiche or sour cream (I used CF)

juice from 1/2 lemon

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch freshly ground black pepper

pinch cayenne

1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon

For 2 large or 4 appetizer sized Waldorf salads:

2 large crisp, sweet apples, cut in 1/2 inch cubes

1 cup small cubed celery root

1 cup quartered seedless grapes

1/2 cup toasted walnuts pieces

It may sound strange, but the only way to mess up this pumpkinzeppole, is by using a fresh pumpkin. Like virtually every otherpumpkin dessert, I think using pure canned pumpkin will give you the best results. That really is the trick to this Halloween treat.

If you take a pumpkin, roast it, and scoop out the flesh, itmay look similar to the canned stuff, but you’ll be surprised at how littlesweetness and flavor it actually has. It sounds like a great way to go, but in reality, it is not. And what about “sugar pumpkins;” that smaller variety ofpumpkin specially grown for cooking? They are definitely better, but still, it’sbeen my experience that even those don’t have as concentrated a flavor.

Special thanks to my old friend, Jennifer Perillo, for thisrecipe was adapted from one of hers. I’m not above stealing a recipe from totalstranger, but it’s nice knowing the foundation for a recipe is coming from someonewho actually knows what they’re doing. I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 24-30 depending on the size:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup (8 ounces) fresh ricotta cheese, well-drained

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree (or roasted butternut squash)

1/4 cup white sugars

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Canola oil for frying

They say Auguste Escoffier created this dish in honor of theopera, La Belle Helen, but we chefs know the real reason. How else are yougoing to use up bruised pears in such a delicious and beautiful way? Okay, somaybe that wasn’t his motivation, but as you’ll see in the video, it sure doeswork great.

The recipe is very straightforward, so instead we’ll go intoyour options for the chocolate sauce, as well as what to do with all that extrasimple syrup. We have two chocolate preparations that will work for this (andhave been linked). The first would be our easy hot fudge recipe; and thesecond, and more traditional choice, would be the classic chocolate ganache.

As far as the extra vanilla poaching liquid goes; you’llwant to strain it, pour it into some cool looking bottles, and give it away as ediblegifts. The taste is incredible. Better than the pears, if we’re being honest,and would make a fantastic holiday treat for the wannabe mixologists in yourlife. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 poached pears:

6 cups water

zest and juice of one lemon

4 bosc pears, cored and peeled (you can also use Anjou orBartlett)

1 split vanilla bean, or a few teaspoons of vanilla extract

3 cups sugar

Simmer for about 20-25 minutes, depending on size andfirmness

There are many different techniques used for makingfinanciers, but as usual, I’ve chosen the easiest one. I would have been happyto try those other more complicated versions, but fortunately, I enjoyed thisone so much, there’s no need.

I mention in the video that these are called “financiers”because they’re rich, and look like gold bars (if you use the traditionalrectangular molds). Well, apparently that’s not quite right.

Anyway, not only is this an easy recipe, but it works beautifullywith pretty much any summer fruit. Berries are popular, as are other stonefruits. Just don’t use too much. It’s merely a garnish, and adding too much couldeffect the texture and cooking time. I hope you give these delicious peachfinanciers a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 12 small cakes:

3 egg whites

1/2 cup white sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup almond meal (or finely ground almonds)

3 tablespoons flour

3 oz unsalted butter (6 tablespoons), toasted to agolden-brown

12 small sliced of peach

- I used mini-muffin pans, so you'll have to adjust your time if you used regular muffin tins, or other molds.

- Bake for 5 minutes at 400 F., then top with fruit, andcontinue baking until browned, about 10-12 minutes.

There are worse problems in the kitchen than makingsomething that tastes amazing, but is very difficult to name. Like, forexample, something that’s easy to name, but tastes terrible. Luckily, thisfresh fig and goat cheese “tart” was the former.

I wanted to make some sort of crostata, or galette-type,free-form tart, which I’ve done successfully in the past (and have the video to prove it), but instead of using standard pie crust dough, I decided to trysomething a little more rustic, and savory, using spelt flour and olive oil.

I knew this would pair beautifully with the sweet fruit, andtangy cheese, but what I didn’t know, was that it would end up being way toocrumbly, and pretty much useless as a tart crust. So, I crumbled it into thebottom of a shallow ramekin, and the rest is history.

As predicted, the combination of flavors really workedextraordinarily well, and the somewhat gritty texture of the “crust,” added tothe interest. But, what the heck is this? I don’t think it’s a tart. Anupside-down crumble? Sandy tart? I give up, but if you have some time to kill,I’d love to know what you would call this delicious accident. Semantics aside,I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

For the crust (makesenough for about 4 small tarts):

1 cup sprouted spelt flour

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

3 or 4 tbsp water, or enough to form a crumbly dough

For one “tart:”

about 1/3 cup “crust” mixture

2 ounces creamy fresh goat cheese

1 black mission fig, sliced

tiny pinch of salt

very tiny pinch of cayenne

1 tbsp white sugar

spring of fresh lemon thyme

I know, everybody says that, but I really mean it. Theseare, these have to be, the best chocolate chip cookies, ever. Crispy around theedges, chewy and chocolaty in the middle, and thin, oh so thin.

The only way someone doesn’t love these, is if they preferthick cookies instead, which, in that case, makes their opinion invalid, sincethey’re obviously crazy. Besides, you know you can just press two thin cookiestogether to get a thick one. Right?

And yes, of course you can add nuts to yours! I’m a walnutguy from way back, but decided to go sans nuts for this video. Speaking of nuts, you’re nuts if you don’ttry this very simple, and amazing chocolate chip cookie recipe soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 32 Chocolate Chip Cookies (dependingon size):

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (or 3/4 teaspoon of fine tablesalt)

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 sticks (1 cup) very soft unsalted *butter (be sure the butter is room temp, and very, very soft!)
*I used a high-quality European-style butter, and recommend you do the same. Cheaper butters will have more water content, which can affect the fat ratio, and thickness of your cookie.

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

1 large egg

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

- Bake at 375 F. for about 12 minutes

As promised, this is the puff pastry-like dough I used inthe apple roses video, and while not exactly “ quick and easy,” this was definitelyquicker and easier. Just don’t try and make strawberry shortcake with thisstuff.

I wanted to use this dough as the centerpiece of ourstrawberry shortcake video, but unfortunately the cold pastry was way too hardto cut with a spoon, and so I ended up using a much more traditional, anduser-friendly biscuit.

That aside, as a puff pastry substitute, I think this was ahuge success. Hopefully, you saw this in action in the apple roses video,which, by the way, was done with scraps. Besides fruit tarts, I’d love to trythis for things like ham and cheese turnovers, and chocolate croissants.

With that in mind, I hope any and all successful experimentswith this dough will be shared on social media; mostly so I can copy yourideas. By the way, there seems to a little controversy on YouTube as to theexact number of layers we got, so what say you? I hope you give this butter puffbiscuit dough a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cups self-rising flour (You can make you own by sifting together 2 cups of all-purpose flour with 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon fine salt)

3/4 cup cold water (add enough water to make a soft,but not sticky dough)

*7 tablespoons frozen unsalted butter (a stick is 8 tablespoons)

*I grated on about 4 tablespoons for the first application,and about 3 tablespoons for the second.

- I generally bake this stuff at 400 F. Time will depend on what it’s being used for.

I got a request for semifreddo recently, and since it is a massively underrated summer dessert, I decided to give it a go. I love the rich taste, and the fact that you get what’s basically an airy, custard-style ice cream, without having to use a machine. However, it all comes at a cost.

The classic procedure is a little bothersome, since you need to make three separate components – a zabaione, a meringue, and whipped cream – so, I decided to simply use the eggs whole, and make a “zabaringue.” I knew I wouldn’t get as much volume, but I didn’t care.

One of my issues with semifreddo is that they’re sometimes too airy, and the flavor gets spread too thin.That wasn’t a problem here, and yet this much simpler version retained a wonderfully light texture despite the shortcut. I decided on a mocha-flavored semifreddo, since coffee is a pretty manly ingredient, and this sure would make a nice Father’s Day dessert. I hope you give this a try soon.Enjoy!

Warning: Answering questions about how to use this technique to make other flavors is tough, since there are many variables. Theoretically, if you replace the coffee and liquor, with other “stuff,” then you should get a similar product. Good luck!



Ingredients for 2 portions:
- For the egg/coffee mixture:
2 large egg eggs
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp instant coffee
1 tablespoon Kahlua
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa
tiny pinch salt
- For the whipped cream:
1/4 cup ice cold heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp sugar
-Combine and freeze until firm. If using a loaf pan, line with plastic first!

I’ve always wanted to try making some kind of sweet/savorybacon-studded fritter using pâte à choux, also known as that stuff you makecream puffs with. It’s such beautifully rich, eggy dough, yet fries up to asurprisingly light, puffy texture.

Today is National Doughnut Day, as you know if you’ve beenon Twitter in the last 48 hours, and so I decided to give it a go, and calledit a "doughnut" in a cheap attempt to garner extra National Doughnut Day web traffic. That's also why I keep mentioning National Doughnut Day.

Whether you’re going to surprise dad with a plate of thesefor Fathers Day, or you just want to tell your friends and co-workers you madebacon and egg doughnuts, I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 to 10 small Bacon and Egg Doughnuts:

(this is a half a recipe, so I would highly recommenddoubling everything)

6 strips bacon, sliced, browned, cooled, and chopped (savesome for the tops)

1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp cold water

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1/8 tsp salt

1 tablespoon sugar

pinch of fresh nutmeg

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

vegetable oil for deep frying

maple syrup to garnish

- Fry at 350 F. for about 7 minutes, turning often, untilpuffed and well-browned

* If doing in batches, hold in a warm oven

I was visiting my mom last summer, and overheard her and myaunt talking about making strawberry shortcake using “dad’s” recipe. They wereobviously talking about my grandfather, which was surprising, since I had noidea he baked.

I remember he did a lot of cooking growing up, but it was thingslike frittata, meat sauce, or polenta. I never once saw him bake anything sweet.Nevertheless, he apparently gets credit for inventing our official familyrecipe for strawberry shortcake, which I’ve adapted here.

The only other major change is the original recipe calls forregular melted butter, but as you’ll see in the video, I like to toast minejust a little, to bring out those subtle, nutty flavors. I'm hoping Armand Cianfoniwould approve. I really hope you give “our” strawberry shortcake a try soon.Enjoy!

Makes 6 Large or 8 Normal Strawberry Shortcakes:

2 cups self rising flour ((You can make you own by siftingtogether 2 cups of all-purpose flour with 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1teaspoon fine salt)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup milk

4 tbsp butter, melted, and lightly toasted to a golden-brown

4 pints fresh strawberries

1/2 cup white sugar

*add 1 tbsp water, if strawberries aren’t perfectly ripe

3/4 cup cold heavy cream, whipped with a tablespoon of sugarand a few drops of vanilla (watch demo here)

- Bake at 425F. for 15-18minutes or until browned.

Every once in a while, I post a video solely based onsomething I saw online, and these baked apple roses are the latest example. Isaw a photo of these somewhere on social media, and using that one image as myonly guide, I whipped up a batch, which was a tremendous disaster.

I assumed that I could figure these out just by looking atthe finished product, but that did not happen. I tried doing them free-form, andthey completely unraveled as they cooked. I wish I'd taken some photos, butthey basically look like they exploded.

For 2 Apple Roses:

1 large red apple

2 pieces rectangular puff pastry, rolled less than 1/8-inchthick, about 3” wide by 12 to 14” long

melted butter as needed

cinnamon sugar as needed (1/4 cup sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon)