Category: Desserts
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Holiday Worthy Brioche Bread Pudding with Bourbon Butterscotch Sauce !
Ahhhh, bourbon and brioche. Two of my favorite things! You’ll Need: 1/4 cup bourbon 1/2 cup currants 1-1/2 pound loaf of Brioche, torn into 1-2 inch chunks, or cut into cubes – allowed to stale overnight 1 1/2 cups whole milk or substitute 1/2 cup heavy cream or…
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Poire à la Beaujolaise
Poire à la Beaujolaise translates to pear in wine and is a traditional dessert of the wine-growing region of Beaujolais, and one of the first menu items I ever dared to reproduce as a professional pastry chef while working in Sonoma, California. So very early in my career, and it turned out to be a…
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Traditional Vanilla Bean Pot De Crème
It doesn’t come more traditional than this! It’s time-consuming, but if you have the time to spare, you will learn why this recipe is a classic! It’s deliciously rich, creamy, and elegant. You’ll Need 1 1/2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup heavy cream 6 large egg yolks 1/2 cup…
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Late Harvest Baked Apricot Galette with Fragrant Almond Pate!
Im in love with this years late harvest apricots, so I made this killer dessert recipe, check it out.
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Death By Chocolate
I’ve been developing this dense brownie recipe for a while. One day, my eldest daughter searched through the hand-scribbled recipes I keep in the top utility drawer in the kitchen. I’ve only half-written recipes and formulas. Some contain ingredients without a method, and some include methods without ingredients. Cleary, lazy…
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Chef Gigi’s Holiday Cutout Cookie Dough
Be sure to read my pro-tips at the end of this recipe to ensure a successful baking experience! You’ll Need: 6 cups, all-purpose flour 3 teaspoons fresh baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 pound cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-2 inch chunks 2 cups white granulated sugar 2 large eggs…
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Cardamon, Honey Cake with Fresh Baked Pears
Perfect for Fall, this recipe calls for Bosc pears, try not to substitute- this varietal has firmer flesh than others, which helps hold its shape during baking. You will swoon over the combination of sweet, sticky cardamon spiked honey liberally soaked into this lovely cake. You’ll need For the cake:…
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Make Ahead- Chocolate Espresso Pot De Crème!
Perfect sweet little finish to a large festive feast, just in time for the holiday! And make ahead the day before so you don’t need to worry about making dessert the day of your event. Also, great little treat just to have hanging around the fridge. If you can save…
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The Difference Between Buckles, Cobblers, Crisps, Grunts, and Slumps, and More!
Finally, summer fruits are here! The beginning of the warm weather season, signaling a good time to inventory and restock your pantry with fresh spices and your favorite extracts to complement fresh fruit at peak flavor. After locked down for the past year, we all need a little bit of…
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Homemade Chocolate Cake with Candy Cap Mushroom Frosting
Candy Cap mushroom, also known as Curry Milk Cap mushroom, is a peculiar mushroom variant often used as a natural sweetener and flavor enhancer in various desserts. Yes, you’ve read that right, desserts. Highly obvious by their scent, which has been compared to maple syrup or butterscotch. It’s signature sweet…
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Homemade Holiday Marshmallows!
Try this homemade marshmallow recipe as a base formula. You can make additions of essential oils or flavored extracts along with organic food colors to create a variety of fun flavors. So easy, you won’t believe it. You will never want eat a store bought marshmallow again! You’ll Need: 3…
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30 Minute Individual Chocolate Lava Cakes
Molten chocolate lava cakes were developed by one of the worlds most famous chefs- Jean-Georges Vongerichten! He says more than a thousand of these cakes are made in his restaurants everyday. The ingredient list is simple –butter, chocolate, eggs, sugar and flour which makes this recipe easy for busy people!…
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Chef Gigi’s Kabocha Spiced Rum Cake !
Looking for that perfect dessert this Winter? Kobocha is the Japanese word for squash. This squash has a nutty, earthy flavor with a touch of sweetness. So delicious and versatile ! Kobocha squash can be used in sweet and savory applications. This Spiced Rum Cake will be the perfect addition…
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10 Minutes to Creamy! Chocolate Avocado Mousse!
Chocolate Mousse has never been healthier or faster! When choosing Avocados, use Haas variety- they tend to have a rich, smooth finish. Make sure to avoid any granulated sweeteners for a creamy mouthfeel. You’ll Need: 4-5 ripe avocados 3 tablespoons honey, maple syrup, or optional liquid sweetener. ( do not…
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No Artificial Color- Empress Red Sugar Beet Cupcakes !
Ingredients: 1 cup puréed fresh red sugar-beets, (fresh cooked not canned) 1/3 cup coconut oil, slightly heated to pourable state 1 1/4 cup granulated organic sugar 2 teaspoons Madagascar vanilla extract 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoons natural cocoa powder ( do not use Dutch…
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Chocolate Cake Day! No Flour? No Problem!
Oooooh La Lahhhhh! It’s National Chocolate Cake Day here in America, why not celebrate with … well,…. A CHOCOLATE CAKE! I’m craving a chocolate flourless cake so here it is! Chocolate Flourless Cake with Chocolate Ganache You’ll Need 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet good quality chocolate chips such as Guittard 1/2…
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Classic French Profiteroles with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce
A profiterole is a classic tiny filled ball made from the French Pâte à choux dough. ( the only dough cooked twice) typically sweet, but can also be savory. This pastry is used to also make, croquenbouches, éclairs French crullers, beignets, St. Honoré cake, Parisian gnocchi, and gougères to name a few of my favorites. Dessert profiteroles are usually filled with whipped cream, custard, pastry cream, or as in the USA,…
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2016 Post Election, Red Wine and Chocolate Popsicles !
I know it’s 5 o’clock somewhere ! Here is a fun pick-me-up after a long stressful election year. Try my frozen popsicle recipe strictly for adults. Cause, sometimes we need a break too! Not only will these take the edge off the 2016 Election, it will also turn your lips and…
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#HolidayBaking. Chef Gigi’s Recipe for Those Delicate, Flakey, Round Cookies all Covered with Powered Sugar. You know the ones!
So delicious you can’t eat just one! Yeah… those! Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups walnuts 8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out 2 cups powdered sugar 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt 2 cups all-purpose flour Method: Preheat the oven to 350°.Line 2 large cookie…
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Drunken Bacon for that “Grown-up” Sunday Brunch you’ve been longing for ! (This Bacon is Hot, Sweet and Sticky, so be prepared to have “Breakfast in Bed!” )
Clothing optional ! I’d serve these sexy bits of heaven with a side of warm melted chocolate – but that’s just me. #ParentsDayOff Ingredients: 1/4 cup good quality pure maple syrup 1/4 cup good quality Bourbon 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 2 pounds,…
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Spiced White Drinking Chocolate with Coconut Cream and Homemade Marshmallows
This is one of the most alluring and luxurious drinking chocolate recipes on the planet! Ingredients 1- 14 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk 1 3/4 cups heavy cream 1 -1 1/2 cups whole milk 3 cups white chocolate chips 1 vanilla bean, split or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4-6…
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How to Make Chocolate Ganache Frosting Like a Pastry Chef!
To make homemade chocolate ganache like a pro, you’ll need: Chocolate, evenly chopped Heavy cream Here’s how you make it: Weigh out the amount of chocolate you need based on the ratio chart below. Chop in small even pieces. Measure the cream into a saucepan based on the ratio chart…
Chef Gigi Gaggero 