Desserts and Sweet Treats

A nice and moist cake with a tropical twist of toasted coconut and tangy lemon-coconut milk glaze. Perfect with a freshly brewed tea or coffee. A rainy afternoon pick-me-upper for sure!

Torta de Ameixas e Amêndoas, a lovely recipe from the Confeitaria Tavi in Oporto. The original recipe uses fresh plums or apricots in season, but it works equally well with dried ones. Serve with crème fraîche.

A light and fruity cake, studded with juicy nectarines that comes easily together. Terrific on its own, irresistible with icing sugar on top and a dollop of cream on the side. Anything else? A nice cup of coffee or tea. Blissfulness on a Sunday afternoon!

An enticing recipe for a light and fudgy cake that comes out of the oven with a cracked top. Hence, it looks like it has been in an earthquake. It’s scrumptious.

Zucchini camouflaged as a sinful fudgy and chocolaty dessert. Best of all, it’s a one-bowl recipe and very easy.

A cake that is pure comfort and joy. Dense and moist, studded with candied ginger and topped with a honey and apple brandy glaze. A perfect dessert for any occasion.

A simple cake recipe which is always a winner no matter what occasion. Impressive, yet easy. Let it ripen in the fridge overnight and for up to 3 days. The taste will improve tremendously. That is to say, if it survives that long.

This quick and easy brownie will let you have it all – ready in 20 minutes and only two dishes to wash.

Try to find the ripest apricots in your local market They should have deep orange flesh and a red blush on the skin. Avoid unripe ones. This tart is all about flavor!

Tarte au Citron is served mostly as a dessert It makes a perfect ending to any meal with its tart, sweet flavor and lightness of texture. I am using the traditional French recipe here.

I am always on the lookout for ideas using very ripe bananas. After having baked quite a few banana bread last year I tried this delicious recipe – oatmeal muffins with bananas and chocolate chips. The trick here is to adjust the amount of sugar to the sweetness of the banana and to place the chocolate chips on top. I know, coating the chips lightly with flour avoids that they sink to the bottom. Yet I rather prefer to have them on top – it gives you a nice chocolate jolt on your first bite.

The key to this recipe is to use high-quality baking chocolate with a cocoa content of 60% or more. I like to use the Dutch unsweetened cocoa powder, like the ones from Droste, Ghirardelli, and Scharffen Berger.

I have been meaning to replicate this recipe for many years. It’s probably one of the best lemon cakes I have eaten. It can still taste it after so long. Where did we encounter this marvel? At 140 years old and still “baking” Dunvegan Bakery & Coffee Shop, on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Homemade, utterly scrumptious, moist, and with that tangy kick of lemon. After many trials and so-so results, I think I’ve got it – the secret is the butter, only the best will do. I let the cake ripe overnight for extra lemony flavor.

A buttery light cake with pears nestled in gooey nutty caramel. Looks impressive and begs to be eaten immediately. Perfect for that afternoon tea or as dessert after a light lunch. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side will not be out of place. No wonder it is one of my favorite cake recipes.

A cake recipe done in 15 minutes? Hard to believe but possible. This deliciously sinful cake is a breeze to make. Dense, rich, with consistency between a cheesecake and a chocolate mousse. A superior quality bittersweet chocolate with a proportion of at least 70% cocoa is an absolute must. After all, it is a really, really, chocolaty cake.

This glorious cheese tart recipe is inspired by the Tarte au Fromage blanc a la Alsacienne. It uses cream cheese instead of Fromage Blanc which is difficult to find in the US. It is nevertheless delicious on its own and a stunning dessert when crowned with glazed strawberries.

A light, crisp, and tasty apple tart with a rich and creamy custard. Can be served on its own but also makes for a delicious dessert. A gratifying recipe! The tough part is to get ripe, juicy apricots.

A delicious and light apricot tart with an intense flavor of apricots. It combines well with an old-time favorite – baked custard. A traditional recipe from the Provence, Tarte aux Abricots à la Crème d’Amande. Doing your own pastry adds 1 hour to the preparation. A good quality store-bought pastry will shorten the time.

A cross between a chocolate mousse and a cake. Lusciously moist and a sinful chocolate taste in every bite. There is no flour at all in it, just ground almonds and chocolate. An all-time favorite recipe of mine from the island of Capri near Naples, Italy. I serve it with crème fraîche, Mascarpone, or vanilla ice cream.