Fresh Lemon Bundt Cake

With fresh lemon, this cake is the perfect, refreshing dessert for a spring cookout.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 2 cups white sugar

• 5 large eggs

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

• 1 large lemon, zested

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a bundt pan.

• Step 2

  Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add eggs one at a time, alternating with flour, allowing each egg and portion of flour to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Stir lemon juice and zest into flour mixture until batter is just combined; pour into prepared pan.

• Step 3

  Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes.

Pull Apart Easter Blossom Bread

A rich eggy dough is twisted into pretty flowers, then filled with jam in this decadent Easter bread. Be sure to look at the pictures for how it is formed. Lemon curd is an option to replace the jam.

Ingredients

• 6 cups all-purpose flour, or more if needed (divided)

• 1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast

• ½ cup white sugar

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup unsalted butter

• 1 ¾ cups milk

• 3 eggs, beaten

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 tablespoon water

• ½ cup seedless raspberry jam

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

• Step 1

  In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of flour, the yeast, white sugar, and salt. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the unsalted butter with the milk until the mixture is warm, about 110 degrees F (43 degrees C). Gradually whisk about 1/3 of the butter-milk mixture into the beaten eggs, then return the egg mixture back into the remaining milk mixture. Stir the lemon zest into the liquid ingredients (set aside lemon juice for later). Pour the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture, and stir until thoroughly combined.

• Step 2

  Add enough flour to make a soft dough; turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Place dough into an oiled bowl, and turn the dough around to cover surface lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

• Step 3

  Divide the dough in half, and roll each half into a round ball. On a floured surface, roll out a ball into a 12-inch circle. Place a drinking glass, face down, into the center of the circle to prevent cutting the dough too far into the center. Cut the dough with a knife, from the edge of the dough circle to the rim of the glass, into quarters. Cut each quarter into 5 narrow wedge-shaped strips. (Center of the dough is uncut.) Remove the drinking glass. There are 20 narrow wedge-shaped strips surrounding the uncut center of the dough.

• Step 4

  Pick up two adjacent strips, and twist them together about 4 times; pinch the ends of the two pieces together at the top. Gently coil to form a rough flower shape. Arrange the round into the middle of the circle, where the drinking glass was.

• Step 5

  Pick up two more adjacent strips, and twist and pinch them as before; coil them into a rough round, and arrange the new petal next to the center rosette. Repeat with remaining 16 strips, twisting and pinching them in twos, coiling and arranging them into 8 more petals around the center rosette. Finished bread has 9 petals surrounding the center round. Repeat steps with the second ball of dough to make two breads.

• Step 6

  Grease a baking sheet, or line with parchment paper. Place the shaped breads onto the prepared baking sheet, reshaping them into rounds if needed; cover with a clean kitchen towel, and place into a warm spot to rise until almost doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.

• Step 7

  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Beat the egg yolk with water in a small bowl, and brush the mixture over both the breads.

• Step 8

  Bake in the preheated oven until the breads have turned golden brown, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool.

• Step 9

  Use your fingers to gently deepen the indentations in the center of each petal, and fill each with about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam. Mix the reserved lemon juice and confectioners' sugar in a bowl to form a glaze; drizzle the glaze in thin lines all over both the breads. Allow glaze to set. To serve, pull the petals apart.

Almond Ricotta Cake

Perfect for Easter, this Italian almond ricotta cake is made with almond flour and ricotta and is naturally gluten free.

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

• ¾ cup white sugar

• 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar

• 1 large lemon, zested and juiced

• 4 large eggs, separated

• 2 cups blanched almond flour

• 9 ounces ricotta cheese

• ⅓ cup white sugar

• ¼ cup sliced almonds, or to taste

• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper.

• Step 2

  Combine butter and 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice; mix until well combined. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

• Step 3

  Fold in almond flour and ricotta cheese with a silicone spatula.

• Step 4

  Wash and dry the beaters and beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until foamy. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold stiff egg whites into the batter. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.

• Step 5

  Bake on the center rake of the preheated oven until edges of the cake are lightly browned, about 50 minutes. Cake will still be a little wobbly in the middle.

• Step 6

  Remove from the oven and let the cake to cool completely in the pan before transferring to a cake platter, about 1 hour. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Fudge Truffle Cheesecake

Truffle-like chocolate cheesecake in a chocolate cookie crust. It is the perfect dessert to accompany your Valentine’s Day celebration.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups vanilla wafer crumbs

• ½ cup confectioners' sugar

• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• ⅓ cup butter, softened

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

• 4 large eggs eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

• Step 2

  In a large mixing bowl, mix together crushed vanilla wafers, confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and butter by hand. Press ingredients into a 9-inch springform pan.

• Step 3

  In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips, making sure that they are very smooth.

• Step 4

  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy with an electric mixer. Gradually beat in condensed milk until smooth. Mix in melted chocolate, eggs, and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Pour the filling into the prepared crust.

• Step 5

  Bake at 300 degrees F for 55 minutes. The cake will seem underbaked in the center, but will continue to cook after you remove it from the oven.

• Step 6

  Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Crispy Baked Gau

February 1st is the Chinese New Year. Celebrate the Year of the Tiger with this traditional new year dessert. This is a baked version of the Chinese Gau, a dessert that is usually steamed.

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) box sweet rice flour (mochiko)

• 2 cups brown sugar

• ¾ cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk

• 2 cups milk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x12 inch pan with aluminum foil, going up the sides.

• Step 2

  Sift the rice flour, brown sugar, white sugar, and baking soda into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the coconut milk, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir together until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and sprinkle sesame seeds over the top.

• Step 3

  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and place on a cutting board top side up. Cut into 1 inch squares.

White Christmas Pie

This is a delicious, yet not-too-filling pie. It does remind you of a blanket of snow on Christmas morning.

Ingredients

• 1 (.25 ounce) package unflavored gelatin

• ¼ cup cold water

• 1 cup white sugar

• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 ½ cups milk

• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup flaked coconut

• ½ cup heavy whipping cream

• 3 egg whites

• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

• 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked

• 2 tablespoons flaked coconut

Directions

• Step 1

  Sprinkle gelatin over cold water; set aside to soften.

• Step 2

  Combine 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and salt in a saucepan. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over low heat, stirring until it boils. Boil for 1 minute, and remove from heat. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in softened gelatin. When partially set, beat with a rotary mixer until smooth. Blend in vanilla and 1 cup coconut.

• Step 3

  Whip the cream until stiff. Gently fold into coconut mixture.

• Step 4

  In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. Beat in cream of tartar and 1/2 cup sugar. Continue beating until egg whites form stiff peaks. Fold into coconut mixture. Pile filling into cooled pie shell. Sprinkle with additional coconut. Chill pie for at least 2 hours or overnight.