dessert recipes

Cook along with Jesse Szewczyk to make these crunchy, perfectly spiced, and understated shortbread cookies that are as delicious dunked into hot coffee as they are eaten all on their own.

Recipe
Makes 24 bars
 

Shortbread Base

• 1 2/3 cups (214g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks/170g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Salted Speculoos Caramel

• 3/4 cup (175 grams) packed light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick/57g) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup (59 ml) light corn syrup
• 1 14-ounce can (414 ml) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup (90 grams) speculoos cookie butter (see Note)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Topping

• 1/2 cup (about 3 ounces/85 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (about 3 ounces/85 grams) white chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons (59 ml) whole milk, divided
• 2 tablespoons (36 grams) speculoos cookie butter, divided
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

1. Make the shortbread base: Heat the oven 325°F. Grease an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with nonstick pan spray and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all four sides. In a large bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir together until a soft dough forms. Transfer the dough into the lined baking pan and press into an even layer. Prick the top several times with a fork and bake until the shortbread is slightly puffed and golden brown in the center, 33 to 38 minutes. Remove from the oven and use the bottom of a measuring cup or a metal spatula to press down on the shortbread to compact it slightly. (This will prevent the bars from crumbling when sliced.) Let the shortbread cool for 30 minutes.
2. While the shortbread is cooling, make the caramel: In a medium saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, speculoos cookie butter, vanilla, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often to prevent burning, until the mixture is smooth, glossy, and registers 240°F on the candy thermometer, about 8 to 11 mins. Pour over the shortbread base, spread into an even layer, and transfer into the fridge. Let cool for 1 hour.
3. As the caramel is cooling, make the topping: Place both the white and semisweet chocolate chips in two separate medium, microwave-safe bowls. Add 2 tablespoons whole milk and 1 tablespoon cookie butter to each bowl. Microwave each bowl on high power in 10 second increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth, about 30 seconds total. Transfer the white chocolate ganache into a piping bag or zip-top baggie.
4. Working quickly, pour the dark chocolate ganache over top of the caramel and spread into an even layer. Pipe thin, straight lines of the white chocolate ganache all going the same way. (You might not need all of the ganache.) Use a toothpick to drag it through the lines, alternating the direction you go each time to create a rough chevron pattern. Transfer the bars into the fridge and let set for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Sprinkle the top of the bars with flaky sea salt and cut into a 3 by 8 grid to make 24 bars. (For cleaner edges, feel free to trim off the border of the pan before slicing.) Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Tell us all about it at podcasts@food52.com!

Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Rugelach is a beloved Jewish treasure originating from Eastern Europe. The cookie-pastry hybrid can be filled with anything from jam to chocolate and is the perfect two-bite treat fit for any holiday spread. This version, a classic chocolate rugelach bolstered with the flavors of creamy milk chocolate and malted milk powder, has a nostalgic flavor and tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that will shine at any cookie swap.

Recipe

16 Rugelach 

Dough

• 2 1/4 cups (288g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (40g) malted milk powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks/226g) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 8 ounces (226g) cold cream cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes

Malted Milk Chocolate Filling

• 4 ounces (about ⅔ cup/113g) milk chocolate chips or chopped milk chocolate
• 1/3 cup (53g) malted milk powder
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (6g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg, for egg wash, plus more if needed
• sanding sugar, for sprinkling

1. Make the dough: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, combine the flour, sugar, ¼ cup malted milk powder, and salt. Process until combined, 10 to 15 seconds. Add the butter and cream cheese and process until a rough, shaggy dough forms that just starts to pull away from the sides of the food processor, 30 to 45 seconds. (If you don’t have a food processor you can pinch and knead the butter and cream cheese into the dry ingredients using clean hands as if you are making pie dough.) Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, cut in half, and roughly form each half into a rectangle. (Wipe out the food processor, but don’t wash it.) Tightly cover in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
2. Make the filling: Place the chocolate chips, malted milk powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until the mixture is the texture of coarse sand, 25 to 35 seconds. (Alternatively, chop the chocolate into a fine dust and mix with the other ingredients.) Transfer into a bowl and set aside. In another small bowl, crack the egg for the egg wash and beat with a fork until no streaks of unincorporated yolk remain.
3. Unwrap one of the chilled doughs, generously dust with flour, and roll into a 11- by 8-inch rectangle. (The dough can get sticky, so use a bit more flour than normal.) Trim the edges to create crisp lines, if desired. Sprinkle about half of the filling onto the dough in an even layer leaving a ½-inch border on the top and bottom, pressing it in with your hands so it sticks and compacts slightly. Brush the top and bottom border with the egg wash. Roll into a spiral shape, brushing the underside of the dough with egg wash each time you roll it over, and transfer onto a sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling and freeze both logs uncovered for 1 hour.
4. As the cookie logs are chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F and set 2 racks at the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Line 2 baking sheets (you can line the one in the freezer once the logs are done chilling) with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
5. Brush the chilled dough logs with the egg wash on all sides. (If your egg wash has a lot of chocolate in it, it’s best to make a new one.) Generously sprinkle the tops of the logs with the sanding sugar. Cut the logs into 1½-inch thick slices using a thin sharp knife and place onto the prepared baking sheets spacing at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until lightly browned, then let cool completely on the baking sheet before serving. (If any of the rugelach spread more than you would have liked, just use the back of a spoon to push them back together while still hot from the oven.)

The ever-energetic Nancy Silverton returns to the pod to talk about her terrific new cookbook: The Cookie That Changed My Life. In it, Nancy--currently helming such restaurants as Chi Spacca and Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles--returns to her pastry roots. The book shares more than 100 recipes that capture her perfected versions of beloved, classic baked goods. Written in collaboration with Carolynn Carreño, The Cookie That Changed My Life is a knockout, with much to appeal to pro cooks and home cooks alike, as well as to holiday gift-givers. 

Our thanks to Metro for their support. Visit their website today to learn more about how they can make your restaurant kitchen and office more efficient. 

Andrew’s NEW book The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food is now ON SALE! Read the book Publishers Weekly calls "masterful."

Since 2019, Andrew Talks to Chefs has been a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related news.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

There're enough stressors around the holidays to let your dessert be one of them, so we sat down with Erin Jeanne McDowell to get some tips on ways to bring flawless pies to the table. 

Referenced in this episode 

• Savory Baking Cookbook
• Clover Rolls
• Pâte Brisée
• Double crust chicken pot pie

Genius-Hunter Extra Credit

• Erin Jean McDowell's Bake It Up A Notch Youtube channel
• Erin Jean McDowell's Instagram
• Order Kristen's newest book, Simply Genius 

Have a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it at genius@food52.com.

Theme Music by The Cabinetmaker on Blue Dot Sessions

On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. 

Recipe
Serves 24

Cake

• Unsalted butter or nonstick cooking spray
• 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup canola oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 4 cups chopped peeled apples (about 3 large; I like a
  mix of Granny Smith and Golden Delicious)

Glaze

• 4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter
• 3⁄4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon whole milk

1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the center position. Grease a sheet pan with butter.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, melted butter, and oil until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract and whisk well to combine.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until the dough just comes together. Fold in the apples until evenly distributed.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly to the corners with a large offset spatula. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cake is deeply golden and the edges just start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Set the sheet pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool for 20 to 25 minutes
6. Make the glaze: Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring often with a rubber spatula, until the butter turns a toasted, amber color (it will bubble and spit; when it quiets down, check for browning). Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and milk until smooth.
7. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Let set for 5 minutes.
8. Slice the cake into pieces and serve. The cake is best the day it’s made, but will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Sheet Pan Sweets by Molly Gilbert (‎Union Square & Co., October 2022). Photography by Dana Gallagher.

Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Tell us all about it at podcasts@food52.com!

Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode 19: Pastry Chef Brianna Shaver Garden Box Baking Interview. Brianna is a Pastry Chef turned SAHM who is now focusing on her craft of masterful dessert creation as a digital creator, social media influencer, and food photographer. She also does custom orders in Seattle. Brianna and I had a really fun chat about baking! She shared her experiences and some fabulous tips about making yummy desserts! She is a content creator and her recipes can be found on Instagram at http://instagram.com/gardenboxbaking and on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCURXLk23fgEim--Z9IWNMog where you can find her full recipes along with images/videos.

Thank you for coming on my show Brianna! You can watch our chat as a video on YouTube at https://youtu.be/T8F37ZSKZZE

Enjoy Brianna's Favorite Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe! I made it and it's delish!!!

4-5 (454g) bananas

½ cup (99g) olive oil

1 cup (213g) brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (120g) all purpose flour

1 cup (113g) whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup (57g) toasted walnuts, chopped

½ cup (85g) chocolate chips

Simple syrup 

Mix together the mashed banana, oil, sugar, eggs & vanilla. Add in the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt & cinnamon. Fold in the walnuts & most of the chocolate chips. Pour into a greased and parchment lined loaf pan, top with remaining chocolate chips. Bake @ 350° 60-75 min (check to see if it’s done by inserting a toothpick in the center, it should come out clean or slightly tacky). Brush with simply syrup while warm. Let cool & enjoy!

Visit my website: https://www.juliehoagwriter.com/
Check out my new cookbook American Midwest Cooking: Quiches https://amzn.to/3DpQoaE
One Dish Two Diets cookbook https://www.amazon.com/Julie-Hoag/e/B07893GH65/
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Copyright Julie A. Hoag Julie Hoag Writer LLC 2022-2024

Join Chef Farokh Talati as he cooks through Masala Oats, his go-to quick breakfast that brings warmth, tang, and everything else you need for the day ahead from his new cookbook Parsi: From Persia to Bombay: recipes & tales from the ancient culture.

Recipe
Serves 4
For Oats

• 100g ghee or unsalted butter
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 celery stick, finely diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 1 large tomato, finely chopped
• 2 small green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 100g rolled oats or porridge oats
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric a pinch of hing (asafoetida)
• 500ml chicken stock or water
• 4 tablespoons tangy onions (see below)
• a small handful of well-chopped curly
• leaf parsley freshly cracked black pepper

For Tangy Onions

• 1 small red onion
• 2 generous tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

To Make the Oats

1. Melt the ghee or butter in a sturdy-bottomed pot over a low heat. When hot, add the onion, celery and carrot and cook for about 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent and the vegetables have softened, but none have taken on any colour.
2. Add the tomato, chillies, garam masala and salt. Season with a few healthy grinds of black pepper and stir everything together. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to break down.
3. Add the oats, turmeric, hing and stock or water. Bring the mixture back to a simmer, stirring continuously, for about 2–4 minutes, until the oats cook and thicken – you want the consistency of a well-formed but loose porridge, as this is the essence of what you’re creating.
4. Place the hot masala oats in serving bowls and top each with a spoonful of tangy onions (see below) and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

To Make Tangy Onions

1. To prepare the tangy onions, peel a small red onion, cut in half, then thinly slice using a mandolin or sharp knife.
2. Sprinkle the salt and cracked black pepper.
3. Sprinkle the apple cider vinegar over the onions and, using your fingers, massage together.

Whether its recreating the iconic moon pie cookie in bar form or using tahini to elevate your go-to recipes, Joy the Baker is chock full of incredible baking tips and tricks to bring into a new year of better baking.

Referenced in this episode 

• Joy's Plum and Lemon Curd Cake
• Joy's Moon Pie Bar
• Joy's Dark Chocolate Tahini Skillet Cookie

Genius-Hunter Extra Credit

• Joy the Baker's Website
• Find Joy on Instagram!

Rugelach is a beloved Jewish treasure originating from Eastern Europe. The cookie-pastry hybrid can be filled with anything from jam to chocolate and is the perfect two-bite treat fit for any holiday spread. This version, a classic chocolate rugelach bolstered with the flavors of creamy milk chocolate and malted milk powder, has a nostalgic flavor and tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that will shine at any cookie swap.

Recipe

16 Rugelach 

Dough

• 2 1/4 cups (288g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (40g) malted milk powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks/226g) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 8 ounces (226g) cold cream cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes

Malted Milk Chocolate Filling

• 4 ounces (about ⅔ cup/113g) milk chocolate chips or chopped milk chocolate
• 1/3 cup (53g) malted milk powder
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (6g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg, for egg wash, plus more if needed
• sanding sugar, for sprinkling

1. Make the dough: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, combine the flour, sugar, ¼ cup malted milk powder, and salt. Process until combined, 10 to 15 seconds. Add the butter and cream cheese and process until a rough, shaggy dough forms that just starts to pull away from the sides of the food processor, 30 to 45 seconds. (If you don’t have a food processor you can pinch and knead the butter and cream cheese into the dry ingredients using clean hands as if you are making pie dough.) Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, cut in half, and roughly form each half into a rectangle. (Wipe out the food processor, but don’t wash it.) Tightly cover in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
2. Make the filling: Place the chocolate chips, malted milk powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until the mixture is the texture of coarse sand, 25 to 35 seconds. (Alternatively, chop the chocolate into a fine dust and mix with the other ingredients.) Transfer into a bowl and set aside. In another small bowl, crack the egg for the egg wash and beat with a fork until no streaks of unincorporated yolk remain.
3. Unwrap one of the chilled doughs, generously dust with flour, and roll into a 11- by 8-inch rectangle. (The dough can get sticky, so use a bit more flour than normal.) Trim the edges to create crisp lines, if desired. Sprinkle about half of the filling onto the dough in an even layer leaving a ½-inch border on the top and bottom, pressing it in with your hands so it sticks and compacts slightly. Brush the top and bottom border with the egg wash. Roll into a spiral shape, brushing the underside of the dough with egg wash each time you roll it over, and transfer onto a sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling and freeze both logs uncovered for 1 hour.
4. As the cookie logs are chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F and set 2 racks at the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Line 2 baking sheets (you can line the one in the freezer once the logs are done chilling) with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
5. Brush the chilled dough logs with the egg wash on all sides. (If your egg wash has a lot of chocolate in it, it’s best to make a new one.) Generously sprinkle the tops of the logs with the sanding sugar. Cut the logs into 1½-inch thick slices using a thin sharp knife and place onto the prepared baking sheets spacing at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until lightly browned, then let cool completely on the baking sheet before serving. (If any of the rugelach spread more than you would have liked, just use the back of a spoon to push them back together while still hot from the oven.)

A look back at some of our favorite genius recipes of the year with Food52 co-founder and CEO, Amanda Hesser

Referenced in this episode 

• Julia Turshen's Fried Eggs 
• Lindsay Maitland Hunt's Slow Roasted Chicken with Crispy Skin 
• Yasmin Khan's Stunning Citrus Cake
• Dorie Greenspan's French Yogurt Cake
• Dorie Greenspan's Caramel-y Chocolate Cookies
• Tara O'Brady's Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Jessie Sheehn's Snickerdoodles (Ketchup optional)
• Ali Slagle's Chicken Caesar Salad
• Monifa Dayo's Potato Salad 

Rugelach is a beloved Jewish treasure originating from Eastern Europe. The cookie-pastry hybrid can be filled with anything from jam to chocolate and is the perfect two-bite treat fit for any holiday spread. This version, a classic chocolate rugelach bolstered with the flavors of creamy milk chocolate and malted milk powder, has a nostalgic flavor and tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that will shine at any cookie swap.

Recipe

16 Rugelach 

Dough

• 2 1/4 cups (288g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (40g) malted milk powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks/226g) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 8 ounces (226g) cold cream cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes

Malted Milk Chocolate Filling

• 4 ounces (about ⅔ cup/113g) milk chocolate chips or chopped milk chocolate
• 1/3 cup (53g) malted milk powder
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (6g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg, for egg wash, plus more if needed
• sanding sugar, for sprinkling

1. Make the dough: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, combine the flour, sugar, ¼ cup malted milk powder, and salt. Process until combined, 10 to 15 seconds. Add the butter and cream cheese and process until a rough, shaggy dough forms that just starts to pull away from the sides of the food processor, 30 to 45 seconds. (If you don’t have a food processor you can pinch and knead the butter and cream cheese into the dry ingredients using clean hands as if you are making pie dough.) Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, cut in half, and roughly form each half into a rectangle. (Wipe out the food processor, but don’t wash it.) Tightly cover in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
2. Make the filling: Place the chocolate chips, malted milk powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until the mixture is the texture of coarse sand, 25 to 35 seconds. (Alternatively, chop the chocolate into a fine dust and mix with the other ingredients.) Transfer into a bowl and set aside. In another small bowl, crack the egg for the egg wash and beat with a fork until no streaks of unincorporated yolk remain.
3. Unwrap one of the chilled doughs, generously dust with flour, and roll into a 11- by 8-inch rectangle. (The dough can get sticky, so use a bit more flour than normal.) Trim the edges to create crisp lines, if desired. Sprinkle about half of the filling onto the dough in an even layer leaving a ½-inch border on the top and bottom, pressing it in with your hands so it sticks and compacts slightly. Brush the top and bottom border with the egg wash. Roll into a spiral shape, brushing the underside of the dough with egg wash each time you roll it over, and transfer onto a sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling and freeze both logs uncovered for 1 hour.
4. As the cookie logs are chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F and set 2 racks at the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Line 2 baking sheets (you can line the one in the freezer once the logs are done chilling) with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
5. Brush the chilled dough logs with the egg wash on all sides. (If your egg wash has a lot of chocolate in it, it’s best to make a new one.) Generously sprinkle the tops of the logs with the sanding sugar. Cut the logs into 1½-inch thick slices using a thin sharp knife and place onto the prepared baking sheets spacing at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until lightly browned, then let cool completely on the baking sheet before serving. (If any of the rugelach spread more than you would have liked, just use the back of a spoon to push them back together while still hot from the oven.)

Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Tell us all about it at podcasts@food52.com!

Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Oatmeal for so long has left us with full stomachs for the day ahead but also left us with a full sink when we get home. This quick and easy recipe is the perfect hack for making oatmeal fast, with a super easy cleanup, that doesn't skimp on an ounce of flavor.

Be sure to order your copy of Simply Genius to find this and so many other simply genius recipes

Recipe
Serves 1

• 1/2 cup (50g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 1/4 cups (300ml) unsweetened almond milk, plus more for serving
• Salt
• 4 teaspoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons creamy or chunky almond butter
• Maple syrup (optional

1. Simmer the oats: To a medium nonstick skillet, add the oats, almond milk, a pinch of salt, and the cocoa. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom and sides with a silicone spatula, until the oats are tender and creamy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat if it starts boiling too wildly, and don't wander away or it might boil over on you. Stop cooking when the oatmeal is a little looser than you want, as it will thicken as it cools.
2. Top and eat: Swirl in the almond butter and maple syrup. Add more milk if you'd like. Serve hot and clean up fast.
3. Store: Leftover oatmeal will keep well in a container in the fridge for a few days though it will thicken as it cools. Reheat in the microwave or in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring in a splash of milk or water.

Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Tell us all about it at podcasts@food52.com!

Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Cook along with Jesse Szewczyk to make these crunchy, perfectly spiced, and understated shortbread cookies that are as delicious dunked into hot coffee as they are eaten all on their own.

Recipe
Makes 24 bars
 

Shortbread Base

• 1 2/3 cups (214g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks/170g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Salted Speculoos Caramel

• 3/4 cup (175 grams) packed light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick/57g) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup (59 ml) light corn syrup
• 1 14-ounce can (414 ml) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup (90 grams) speculoos cookie butter (see Note)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Topping

• 1/2 cup (about 3 ounces/85 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (about 3 ounces/85 grams) white chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons (59 ml) whole milk, divided
• 2 tablespoons (36 grams) speculoos cookie butter, divided
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

1. Make the shortbread base: Heat the oven 325°F. Grease an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with nonstick pan spray and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all four sides. In a large bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir together until a soft dough forms. Transfer the dough into the lined baking pan and press into an even layer. Prick the top several times with a fork and bake until the shortbread is slightly puffed and golden brown in the center, 33 to 38 minutes. Remove from the oven and use the bottom of a measuring cup or a metal spatula to press down on the shortbread to compact it slightly. (This will prevent the bars from crumbling when sliced.) Let the shortbread cool for 30 minutes.
2. While the shortbread is cooling, make the caramel: In a medium saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, speculoos cookie butter, vanilla, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often to prevent burning, until the mixture is smooth, glossy, and registers 240°F on the candy thermometer, about 8 to 11 mins. Pour over the shortbread base, spread into an even layer, and transfer into the fridge. Let cool for 1 hour.
3. As the caramel is cooling, make the topping: Place both the white and semisweet chocolate chips in two separate medium, microwave-safe bowls. Add 2 tablespoons whole milk and 1 tablespoon cookie butter to each bowl. Microwave each bowl on high power in 10 second increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth, about 30 seconds total. Transfer the white chocolate ganache into a piping bag or zip-top baggie.
4. Working quickly, pour the dark chocolate ganache over top of the caramel and spread into an even layer. Pipe thin, straight lines of the white chocolate ganache all going the same way. (You might not need all of the ganache.) Use a toothpick to drag it through the lines, alternating the direction you go each time to create a rough chevron pattern. Transfer the bars into the fridge and let set for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Sprinkle the top of the bars with flaky sea salt and cut into a 3 by 8 grid to make 24 bars. (For cleaner edges, feel free to trim off the border of the pan before slicing.) Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Tell us all about it at podcasts@food52.com!

Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Cook along with Jesse Szewczyk to make these crunchy, perfectly spiced, and understated shortbread cookies that are as delicious dunked into hot coffee as they are eaten all on their own.

Recipe
Makes 24 bars
 

Shortbread Base

• 1 2/3 cups (214g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks/170g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Salted Speculoos Caramel

• 3/4 cup (175 grams) packed light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick/57g) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup (59 ml) light corn syrup
• 1 14-ounce can (414 ml) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup (90 grams) speculoos cookie butter (see Note)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Topping

• 1/2 cup (about 3 ounces/85 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (about 3 ounces/85 grams) white chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons (59 ml) whole milk, divided
• 2 tablespoons (36 grams) speculoos cookie butter, divided
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

1. Make the shortbread base: Heat the oven 325°F. Grease an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with nonstick pan spray and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all four sides. In a large bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir together until a soft dough forms. Transfer the dough into the lined baking pan and press into an even layer. Prick the top several times with a fork and bake until the shortbread is slightly puffed and golden brown in the center, 33 to 38 minutes. Remove from the oven and use the bottom of a measuring cup or a metal spatula to press down on the shortbread to compact it slightly. (This will prevent the bars from crumbling when sliced.) Let the shortbread cool for 30 minutes.
2. While the shortbread is cooling, make the caramel: In a medium saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, speculoos cookie butter, vanilla, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often to prevent burning, until the mixture is smooth, glossy, and registers 240°F on the candy thermometer, about 8 to 11 mins. Pour over the shortbread base, spread into an even layer, and transfer into the fridge. Let cool for 1 hour.
3. As the caramel is cooling, make the topping: Place both the white and semisweet chocolate chips in two separate medium, microwave-safe bowls. Add 2 tablespoons whole milk and 1 tablespoon cookie butter to each bowl. Microwave each bowl on high power in 10 second increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth, about 30 seconds total. Transfer the white chocolate ganache into a piping bag or zip-top baggie.
4. Working quickly, pour the dark chocolate ganache over top of the caramel and spread into an even layer. Pipe thin, straight lines of the white chocolate ganache all going the same way. (You might not need all of the ganache.) Use a toothpick to drag it through the lines, alternating the direction you go each time to create a rough chevron pattern. Transfer the bars into the fridge and let set for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Sprinkle the top of the bars with flaky sea salt and cut into a 3 by 8 grid to make 24 bars. (For cleaner edges, feel free to trim off the border of the pan before slicing.) Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Tell us all about it at podcasts@food52.com!

Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

It's time we take stock of whats in our fridge and make some soul-filling stock for the winter with Food52's food editor, Emily Ziemski on this bonus episode featuring our sister-show Play Me a Recipe

Stock is endlessly versatile so we're not following a specific recipe for this episode, but here are a few to get you started if you need that extra boost! 

• Beef Stock
• Chicken Stock

And here are a couple super useful tools to help you make the best stock possible. 

• Hestan Roasting Pan
• Five Two Roasting Pan
• Souper Cubes for Stock Storage

Listen along as Aleksandra Crapanzano, author of Gateau: The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes, cooks through a simple-yet-delicious pound cake which can become the foundation for endless variations for any occasion.

Recipe

Makes 1 Cake

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup / 200 grams granulated sugar
• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• grated zest of one lemon or orange
• 1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon / 200 grams cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan
2. Separate the eggs and let them come to room temperature. In a good-sized mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks to break them up a bit. Add the sugar and whisk until they are thick and pale. Add the melted butter, vanilla and lemon zest and whisk until smooth. Add the flour and stir with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain.
3. Using electric beaters or in a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the salt and beat until they form stiff peaks. Stir a quarter of the whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Then gently fold the remaining egg whites into the batter.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out nearly clean. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a wire rack.
5. Serve at room temperature. If not eating the cake until later, allow it to cool all the way to room temperature, then wrap in plastic and store at room temperature.

Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Tell us all about it at podcasts@food52.com!

Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

There're enough stressors around the holidays to let your dessert be one of them, so we sat down with Erin Jeanne McDowell to get some tips on ways to bring flawless pies to the table. 

Referenced in this episode 

• Savory Baking Cookbook
• Clover Rolls
• Pâte Brisée
• Double crust chicken pot pie

Genius-Hunter Extra Credit

• Erin Jean McDowell's Bake It Up A Notch Youtube channel
• Erin Jean McDowell's Instagram
• Order Kristen's newest book, Simply Genius 

Have a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it at genius@food52.com.

Theme Music by The Cabinetmaker on Blue Dot Sessions

Perfect, pillowy gnocchi in a luxurious pomodoro sauce is never not a perfect dinner so listen along as Odette Williams cooks her way through this beautiful recipe from Simple Pasta. 

Find more incredible pasta recipes in a copy of  Simple Pasta 

If you're cooking along, here's the recipe we're making today. Go ahead and grab the ingredients below before starting the episode.

Recipe
Serves 4
Gnocchi with Luxurious Pomodoro

• 1 recipe Potato Gnocchi (see below) or 1½ to 1¾ pounds store-bought potato gnocchi
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 to 6 anchovy fillets, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tablespoons oregano leaves
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving

Potato Gnocchi

• 1 1/2 pounds unpeeled russet potatoes
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour or tipo 00 flour

Pomodoro

1. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the anchovies to the skillet and cook them slowly, mashing with a wooden spoon until they melt into the oil. (Don’t let the oil get too hot or it will fry the anchovies rather than melt them.)
2. Add the garlic and oregano to the anchovies and sauté for a few minutes. (Get your face in there and take a whiff of that glorious aroma.)
3. Finally, add the tomatoes to the skillet, season with the salt and pepper, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Serve while warm, or let cool and then keep in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
4. To serve: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add half the gnocchi and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or according to package instructions if using store-bought. When they float to the surface, it’s a good indication they’re done. Pop one in your mouth to make sure it’s cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked gnocchi into the warm sauce. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi.

Gnocchi 

1. In a large wide pot, add the potatoes and enough water to cover them (you’ll also cook the gnocchi in this pot). Bring to a boil and cook until a sharp knife poked into a potato meets only a little resistance, 35 to 40 minutes. Turn off the heat. Remove the potatoes from the water and, when cool enough to handle, remove the skins.
2. Using a ricer, box grater, or Microplane, pass or grate the potatoes into a fine consistency, making sure there are no lumps. Spread the potatoes out on a baking sheet to dry out and cool a little.
3. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, egg, pecorino, salt, and pepper. Gradually add the flour and use your hands to combine everything and bring the dough together.
4. Place the dough on a clean, dry, lightly floured work surface and knead just until the dough comes together in a smooth ball. If the dough feels a little sticky, add a bit more flour. If you won’t be rolling out immediately, cover with a piece of plastic wrap.
5. Dust a large baking sheet with flour. Lightly flour a large wooden cutting board or work surface. Take a small piece of dough and roll it into a snake about 3⁄4 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut the snake into pieces about a thumb’s width. (If you’d like to give your gnocchi a little flair, roll the cut pieces along the tines of a gnocchi paddle or a fork.) Place the gnocchi on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
6. If cooking within a couple of hours, leave the baking sheet on the counter. To store, freeze in a single layer of gnocchi on the baking sheet, transfer the frozen pasta to a ziplock bag or airtight container, and freeze for about 1 month. To cook, don’t defrost, just boil frozen; otherwise, they will fall apart.

Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Tell us all about it at podcasts@food52.com!

On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. 

Recipe
Serves 24

Cake

• Unsalted butter or nonstick cooking spray
• 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup canola oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 4 cups chopped peeled apples (about 3 large; I like a
  mix of Granny Smith and Golden Delicious)

Glaze

• 4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter
• 3⁄4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon whole milk

1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the center position. Grease a sheet pan with butter.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, melted butter, and oil until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract and whisk well to combine.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until the dough just comes together. Fold in the apples until evenly distributed.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly to the corners with a large offset spatula. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cake is deeply golden and the edges just start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Set the sheet pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool for 20 to 25 minutes
6. Make the glaze: Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring often with a rubber spatula, until the butter turns a toasted, amber color (it will bubble and spit; when it quiets down, check for browning). Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and milk until smooth.
7. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Let set for 5 minutes.
8. Slice the cake into pieces and serve. The cake is best the day it’s made, but will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Sheet Pan Sweets by Molly Gilbert (‎Union Square & Co., October 2022). Photography by Dana Gallagher.

Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Tell us all about it at podcasts@food52.com!

Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Nothing is better in summer than some delicious, creamy, fudgy ice cream. The only thing that can improve it is being able to make it yourself. In this episode, Joy the Baker cooks her way through the perfect summer treat which you can whip up in no time at all.

Recipe
Makes 3 cups

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

2 tablespoons espresso liquor (optional) 

2 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 - 3/4 cup fudge (store-bought or recipe that follows)

Mocha Hot Fudge Sauce

Makes 11/2 cups

• 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces good bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, cup into 4 cubes
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1 tablespoon hot water

Mocha Hot Fudge Sauce 

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat,  stir together cocoa powder, brown sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, salt and half of the chopped chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted.  Cook mixture at a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve the espresso powder in hot water.
3. Remove the sauce from heat, add remaining chocolate, butter, espresso mixture and vanilla.  Stir until smooth.  Cool slightly before serving.
4. Cooled sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.  Reheat over low heat, stirring to serve after it’s been chilled.

No Churn Coffee Fudge Ripple Ice Cream 

1. In a medium bowl whisk together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, salt, instant espresso powder and espresso liquor (optional). Set aside. 
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat cream cheese until well softened and spread around the bowl.  Add the heavy cream and whip on medium high until stiff peaks form.  
3. Spoon a third of the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk and whisk to combine.  Add another third of the whipped cream to the sweetened condensed milk and use a rubber spatula to fold to combine.  Add the final third and fold to combine. Swirl 1/2 - 3/4 cup fudge. Spoon into a 9x5-inch loaf pan and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight. Cover and freeze for up to 1 week. 

Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Tell us all about it at podcasts@food52.com!

Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/