A special cake for a special occasion, inspired by the quintessential Sicilian dolce, cannoli. This elegant cake was the perfect ending to a lovely ladies’ luncheon. The accompanying ice…
My paternal grandmother made this cake every Christmas. The recipe was given to her by a very dear friend on December 2, 1953. We didn’t know what was in…
Over the years, I have made various types of cakes with ricotta (even pancakes), such as, almond ricotta cake, blueberry breakfast cake and lemon ricotta cheesecake. This cake is…
Much of the baking my grandmother did (usually biscotti) included almonds in some way. The almond tree was brought to Sicily by the ancient Greeks, who considered it to…
A coffee and tea time favorite, this praline pound cake is one of those Southern cakes that is a consummate example of down-home goodness. I love this type of…
During the 1980’s when I lived in Campbell, California I entered a baking contest. It was for the Campbell Prune Festival held in the streets of our historic downtown. This…
The town of Marsala is located in the northwest part of Sicily and produces a fortified wine bearing her name. In the late 1700’s the wine was ‘fortified’ with…
Like my toasted almond breakfast cake, olive oil zucchini bread and mascarpone souffle, this is another fitting addition to your morning meal. Made with apples and cinnamon, golden raisins…
Sometimes I’ll make scones and occasionally I’ll whip up a batch of muffins or biscuits but, as a rule, if I want to serve something sweet in the morning, especially…
Pistachios have been growing in Sicily for centuries and my grandmother always had them in her pantry. Removing the shells was a tedious task and required a bit of…
This is one of those cakes that doesn’t require a special occasion. Quite the opposite, as it is a favorite everyday kind of cake. The slightly sweet batter isn’t…
Who among us doesn’t enjoy a great pastry or coffee cake? Whether it’s a small wedge with that first cup of coffee in the morning or a generous slice shared…
Cheesecake is one of those desserts that you’ll find in many eateries from casual cafes to fine-dining restaurants. Typically served with a graham cracker crust, the classic dessert is…
Pound cake has been around for a very long time, as the original recipe dates back to the early 1700’s. The cake was called pound cake because the only…
As a rule, when a recipe calls for toasted nuts, it really is non-negotiable. Toasting intensifies their nutty flavor and whether the nuts are whole, sliced or slivered, you…
Souffle’s may be sweet or savory, simple or complicated. I rarely do anything complicated any more so this lemon souffle is simply delicious. The word souffle is taken from…
Many years ago, when my son Joe was just a little boy, we spent Easter in the California Sierra’s. We have a cabin surrounded by sugar and ponderosa pine…
Who among us doesn’t love a good cupcake? Apparently not too many based on the number of cupcake shops popping up around town. Have you seen the program Cupcake…