Persian Ice Cream (Bastani, A Saffron and Rose Water Custard Ice Cream)

Hello friends! I posted the recipe below several years ago at a time when I didn’t see any other recipe online for how to create bastani, the golden saffron laced, pistachio speckled, delight of a Persian custard ice cream. For the upcoming Bahá’í and Persian new year of Naw-Rúz, I updated the recipe slightly to increase egg yolks by one to add a bit of richness I thought the recipe needed. For Bahá’ís across the globe, this day marks the end of our 19 day fasting period, so a bit of moderate indulgence on this celebratory day is welcomed.

This is a fragrant, luscious, creamy custard-base ice cream made with the most expensive spice in world, saffron. And yes, it tastes just that rich. Short of crossing an ocean or two or hopping a plane to the second best alternative, Persian prolific Los Angeles, it is virtually impossible to get this delectable rose water anointed and saffron speckled Persian ice cream worth the caloric splurge. Until now, that is.

posted in Bakes, Cookies, Dairy, Eggs, Ice Cream, Recipes, Techniques on March 20, 2026 Read more →

Salted Caramel Banana Pudding & The Resolution Revolution

Happy New Year my friends, it feels way too long since we have chatted! While I am always baking, creating recipes and sharing pictures and posts of my adventures in the million and one social media sites out there, (okay, so only on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook…sorry Snapchat, I’m still trying to find time for you!), it has been a bit since I have shared a blog post with you here.

In light of this latency period, I knew that what I posted next had to be good. Like really really good. As in, this Salted Caramel Banana Pudding Good! First take a moment to imagine the best banana pudding you’ve ever had. It’s okay, take your time, I’ll wait…Now imagine how infinitely better it would be made with homemade vanilla pudding, luscious swoon-worthy salted caramel, and fresh-whipped pillowy whipped cream. Yes, it’s that good.

posted in Bakes, Custard, Eggs, Pudding, Recipes on January 9, 2026 Read more →

Citrus Berry Naked Cake

I am not from the South, so I never knew there were varying degrees of nakeness! A few years after moving to my adopted home state of Tennessee, a kind and sweet as back porch iced tea, Southern, young-at-heart friend explained that there most certainly are.

“Now dear, there’s “naked” and then there’s “nekked,” she explained with an oh so lovely drawl that toggled on that line between sincerity and syrupy sweet Southern sarcasm. There was no mistaking here, she was down right serious. She continued, “naked is when you don’t have clothes on, and nekked, well…nekked, is when you don’t have clothes on and you’re doin’ something you’re not supposed to be doin’!” I am not exactly sure when the snorting laughter ensued, but at one point I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard and distinctly remember thinking that her explanation made perfect sense. That is the moment my friends, I knew I was a Southerner at heart.

The moment I began thinking of making this recipe for you all, I thought of this story and knew this cake had to be the perfect combination of “naked” and “nekked.” Classic enough to be presentable, but with just a bit of sass to make you wonder! A cake where you can see all of the beautiful baked cake layers, stacked high with perfect pillowing frosting peeking through and crowned with an indecent amount of seasonal fruit.

posted in Bakes, Cake, Dairy, Eggs, Fats, Flours, Frosting/Icing/Glaze/Syrup, Leaveners, Recipes, Seasonal, Sugars, Techniques on August 25, 2025 Read more →

Roasted Milk Ice Cream

Sometimes I feel like the boy who cried wolf. At the time I create and blog about a recipe, I am beyond excited and want to share it with the world. I promise, that fervent energy is genuine and in that moment, I feel like it’s the most remarkable pastry. So, when I create a recipe that I categorically, emphatically and truly believe is just the best ever, I can imagine you all silently rolling your eyes and thinking, “I’ve heard this before.” But this recipe, really is special. This is also one of those moments in recipe development where I think to myself, holy moly, me oh my, Roasted Milk Ice Cream! What?

posted in Bakes, Dairy, Eggs, Ice Cream, Recipes, Techniques on July 23, 2025 Read more →

Milk, Tea & Honey Crème Caramel

Perhaps I was still in that hazy, sleep deprived, beyond exhausted, new mom phase when I thought it was a good idea to board an airplane with a weary three month old clinging to my chest, a doe-eyed toddler nervously gripping my leg, and the cumulative weight of the reality of heading to a city I had never stepped in, to walk into a house that I hastily agreed to buy sight unseen, resting uneasily on my shoulders. What had I done? Eight years later, the answer is as clear as the sunlight streaming through the honey jars lining a bee farm wall.

posted in Bakes, Custard, Dairy, Eggs, Recipes, Techniques on May 29, 2025 Read more →

Flourless Chocolate Cake (A Gluten-Free Decadence)

I am not a gluten-free baker. Then what the heck am I doing posting this gluten-free recipe, right? The answer is quite simple actually, this a decadent, rich and elegant dessert that happens to also be gluten-free. I am often asked about making gluten free cakes, cookies, etc., and my response is that while I don’t recreate bakes that traditionally have gluten, what I do love to do is create recipes for bakes that naturally do not contain gluten, like this luscious chocolate cake, French macarons, caramels, pate de fruits, etc. Fair warning, this is a dense and rich dessert that’s perfect for sharing. So bake it with love and send out the evites!

posted in Bakes, Candy, Chocolate, Eggs, Recipes on September 19, 2025 Read more →

Anniversary Rose Macarons (A Simplified Macaron Tutorial)

A year ago I launched this blog as a birthday gift to myself. It was something that I had thought of for a long time that had finally come to fruition. I could not predict just what a fulfilling and joyous journey it would turn out to be and how truly grateful I am for each and every reader. It is a privilege to share this passion and my heart with you all. So in the spirit of celebration, I cannot think of a better way to mark this milestone of a blog meant to teach and inspire you to bake than to tackle perhaps the most feared and intimidating bake of all, the French macaron. This recipe is for my intoxicating rose scented macaron with a silky dark chocolate ganache filling.

posted in Bakes, Chocolate, Cookies, Eggs, Meringue, Recipes, Techniques on June 5, 2025 Read more →

Meringue Cookies

Meringue cookies are one of my children’s favorites. They are light as air with a satisfying crunch and delicate flavor. They are also perfect for kids with food allergies, like my sweet boy, as they are gluten free, nut free and dairy free. I’ve made these meringue bones and ghosts for the last few years at Halloween and they are a favorite among family and friends, which is why I wanted to share them with you all.

posted in Bakes, Cookies, Eggs, Fun!, LOB Kids, Meringue, Recipes, Techniques on October 23, 2025 Read more →

Mocha Faux de Crème

Custards are traditionally thickened with eggs and range in flavor and consistency, from a pourable crème anglaise sauce to a thick and rich crème brûlée. This custard recipe is a nontraditional take on pots de crème (pronounced poh-de-krem), which is a fancy shmancy French word for a custard made with milk and cream and baked in a water bath. Together, you and I are going to fake our way through this one with my faux de creme recipe, which is just as sumptuous as the original with significantly less effort. C’est magnifique!

posted in All, Bakes, Chocolate, Custard, Dairy, Eggs, Recipes on October 10, 2025 Read more →

Vanilla Wafers

We all at some point have had the ubiquitous vanilla wafer, more than likely it was probably half disintegrated in some version of a banana pudding. I have always found the name ill fitting. To my mind they should have been called Nonillas as they never truly taste like real vanilla; and that belly that protrudes up is certainly not reminiscent of the lightness associated with a wafer. It was time for a makeover!