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!

Homemade Poptarts

Another fantastic recipe from Joanne Chang. Pâte Brisée filled with raspberry jam and drizzled with simple vanilla glaze. A hit at a Sunday morning brunch with coworkers.

Coconut Macaroons

Simply flying through Joanne Chang's Flour cookbook.  Brought these in to work for an afternoon coffee break.

Swedish Pear and Almond Cream Cake

I brought this cake in to the office for our weekly Human Nature department status meeting. I had just purchased a bundt pan, so I was looking for an excuse to use it!  The recipe comes from Rose's Heavenly Cakes (authored by Rose Levy Beranbaum).

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Thank you Cooks Illustrated, March 2012.

Macarons

Not to be confused with macaroons. I accomplished these thanks to the book i heart macarons, by Hisako Ogita.

King Cake

For Mardi Gras! Complete with baked-in baby figurine.

Chocolate Raspberry Genoise

Another heavenly recipe from Rose Leve Beranbaum, this cake was made for my friend (Blade's) 40th birthday.  His party theme was "Around the World," and the final destination was "The Future"... hence the stars and rocket ship.

Chocolate Banana Cake

Birthday cake for my brother, which we shared with him right after he ran a 1/2 marathon!  The recipe comes from Rose's Heavenly Cakes.