Shortbread Cookies

Flaky, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies from Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery cookbook, made for a summertime porch BBQ at David and Cuong's.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Fresh fruit pies are my favorite desserts! This strawberry rhubarb pie was made as a going-away gift for Jane, my former Arnold coworker.

Red Velvet Cake

Courtesy of Joanne Chang's Flour Bakery cookbook: Red Velvet Cake with Creamy Vanilla Frosting. Made for my family's Easter celebration.

Coconut Macaroons

Perfectly balanced between crispy and chewy, these coconut macaroons are from Joanne Chang's Flour Bakery cookbook. Made for my last week of working from home.

Zeppoli

A traditional pastry in my Italian family, these custard-filled cream puffs are made for St. Joseph's Day.

Strawberry Ice Cream

Fresh fruit ice cream is my second favorite dessert, right behind fresh fruit pies. This was made to accompany a dinner party with friends.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Gluten free peanut butter cookies turn out to look, feel, and taste exactly like non-GF cookies.  Made these for Scott and Sarah, my gluten intolerant friends down in Florida.

Raspberry Macarons

Thomas Keller's raspberry macaron cookies are HUGE.  Practically a meal replacement.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Sweetened peanut butter filling sandwitched between two crunchy, chewy peanut butter cookies. Recipe from CooksIllustrated.

Ginger SassaFluff Cake

Hot n' sassy gingerbread on a graham cracker crust with 7 minute marshmallow fluff frosting and an "f" shaped cookie, made for Somerville's annual "What the Fluff?" Festival, celebrating the invention of Marshmallow Fluff.

I took home the trophy for Most Creative Presentation!

Pictured above are the judges, contest winners, and... a gorilla in a fluff t-shirt.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Turns out you can bake cupcakes into canning jars and send them in the mail!  These were for my Cincinnati friend Justin's birthday.  The red velvet cake with creamy vanilla frosting recipe comes from the Flour Bakery cookbook (what a surprise!)

Cherry Massacre

This is what happens every time I make a cherry pie.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Two strawberry rhubarb pies, made on a rainy day in my brother's kitchen in Brooklyn.  One to celebrate my friend Koleen's new baby boy (for her first child I baked an apple pie, so now the whole baby = pie thing is a tradition), and the other went to a BBQ on Bradley Beach.

Strawberry Parfait

Layers of moist olive oil cake, pastry cream whipped with butter cream (called mousseline), fresh strawberries, creme fraiche and raspberry jam make up this phenomenal dessert, which comes from Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery cookbook.  This was made for a number of coworkers' recent birthdays, but turned out to also be part of my own send-off from Arnold!

Hazelnut Almond Dacquoise

Hazelnut and almond meringue layers with creamy espresso buttercream and a chocolate ganache filling.  Recipe from Flour Bakery. Made for Erika Hakansson's departure from Arnold.

Brown Butter Crispy Rice Treats

These vanilla bean-laced Rice Krispy Treats made with brown butter are the brain child of Joanne Chang and her glorious Flour Bakery cookbook. Made for coworkers for Valentine's Day.

Polvorones

Polvorones, Spanish cookies that are popular during the Christmas season in Spain. Prepared to follow a paella dinner.

Raspberry Napoleon

A layer of puff pastry, a layer of pastry cream, repeat, add fresh, tart raspberries, and top it all off with another layer of puff pastry and a dusting of confectionary sugar.  Voila!  Millefeuille!  From Thomas Keller's Bouchon cookbook.

Rum Cake

From the Bouchon bakery cookbook-- bundt pans make everything so easy!  This is for Chris Kantos' birthday.

Pumpkin Pie

From Farmers' Market Desserts: Roasted Pumpkin Pie in  Maple-Pecan Crust. This was made for a pumpkin pie contest with Jane Schlech, who made her pumpkin pie with Libby's canned pumpkin, while this was made with fresh, roasted pumpkin.  All who tasted them both agreed they were equally delicious.  Good to know for situations when I don't have the time to cut up and roast the squash!