We initially used almond milk in this chocolaty avocado dessert, but we swapped in coconut milk and loved the result, which is still vegan and dairy-free.
Dessert
STAR HOME COOK: Sally Searby’s Lemon Drizzle Cake
Star Home Cook Sally Searby of Greenport, NY, shared a lemon cake recipe so vibrant and lemony, we couldn’t keep the recipe to ourselves.
Red Truck Bakery’s Madeleines (for Jacques Pépin)
It was a gutsy move baking these for the best French chef around, but I learned to make them from chef Mark Ramsdell of L’ Academie de Cuisine. I was elated when Jacques pronounced them “terrific!” and his daughter (and TV costar), Claudine Pépin said they were the best she’s ever had.
Red Truck Bakery’s Double-Chocolate Moonshine Cake
Luckily, moonshine isn’t overpowering when you bake with it, and I wanted to offer up some kind of hooch cake as a Virginia treat. Its vanilla-like flavor pairs well with chocolate, and the orange zest and nutmeg complement both.
The Instant Pot Bible: Classic Cheesecake
We’ve seen a lot of techniques over the years — and written a lot of pressure-cooker cheesecake recipes, too — and we can tell you we heartily don’t get why people tend to overcomplicate what can be a fairly simple process for a rich, mousse-like (not New York–style) cheesecake.
Nik Sharma’s Spicy Chocolate Chip–Hazelnut Cookies
Black pepper and ginger add a kick of spicy heat, which intensifies the taste of the chocolate. If you want these even spicier, double the amount of pepper. The hazelnut extract amps up the hazelnut flavor of the nut meal. The end result is a chocolate chip cookie that’s irresistible.
