It’s rhubarb season! If you are a gardener and have a whole stash of the tart fruit (or vegetable, if you live outside of the U.S.), I am here to offer you a great recipe to use it all up! There are three parts to this recipe, so please read through the whole thing before attempting to make it! This is in a different format than my typical recipe, because it’s easier this way. The recipe makes a pan (pictured below), and I also included a picture of a single slice (farther below).

RHUBARB DESSERT

Part One:
1 cup butter
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp. sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend butter, flour and sugar and pat into a 9×13 pan. Bake 10 minutes. Remove crust and keep oven on.

Part Two:

6 egg yolks
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup whipping cream
4 Tbsp. flour
Pinch salt
5 1/2 cups rhubarb

Combine yolks and cream; set aside. Combine flour and sugar; add cream mixture and combine. Spread over baked crust (step one), and bake 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees.

Part Three:

6 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Whip egg whites until more-than-frothy. Add sugar and vanilla slowly. Spread over baked dessert and bake again for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

An authentic French recipe for crème brûlée is hard to come by, but today I have a delicieux recipe for you that I think rivals that of any French restaurant. Straight from the Williams-Sonoma cookbook on Parisian foods, this indulgent recipe is a winner and I wouldn’t change a thing.

1 large whole egg plus 7 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar

In a bowl, whisk together the whole egg, egg yolks, and granulated sugar. Set aside.

Pour the cream into a small saucepan and add the split vanilla bean. Place over medium heat and cook until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, 5-10 minutes; do not let it boil. Remove from the heat.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the split vanilla bean to a plate. When the bean is cool enough to handle, using the tip of a knife, scrape the seeds into the cream; discard the bean pod. Gradually whisk the hot cream into the egg mixture. Let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or for up to 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve and pour into eight 3/4-cup round or oval baking dishes or ramekins, dividing it evenly. Place the dishes in a large baking pan and pour hot water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the dishes. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.

Bake the custards until they are just set at the edges but the centers still tremble slightly when the ramekins are gently shaken, about 1 hour. Remove the pan from the oven and remove the custards from the pan. When they are cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour or preferably overnight. The custards must be very cold before they are topped with sugar and the sugar is caramelized, or they will soften.

Just before serving, remove the custards from the refrigerator and arrange on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the tops. Using a kitchen torch, and holding it 2-3 inches from the surface, caramelize the sugar by constantly moving the flame over the top until the sugar bubbles, about 30 seconds. Alternatively, preheat the broiler. Place the custards under the broiler 1-2 inches from the heat source and broil until the sugar melts and caramelizes, 1-2 minutes.

Return the custards to the refrigerator for 10 minutes to allow the melted sugar to harden and crisp, then serve at once.

Yield: 8 servings

I had always heard that Bahama Breeze was famous for their key lime pie, but I didn’t get to try it until recently because I never had room for dessert after one of their meals. Well, I finally held my appetite back on the main course so that I could order a slice of this creamy dessert.

The verdict? 5 stars.

Bahama Breeze’s key lime pie is more than deserving of its fame. The creamy texture is reminiscent of rich cheesecake, and paired with the subtle lime flavor, tangy meringue,  and sweet, thick graham cracker crust, the dessert slides right down your throat. Even better, this fabulous restaurant gives you the most enormous dessert portions I have ever seen! When I ordered my dessert (pictured above), literally a fourth of the pie was placed in front of me on a huge plate, and it was decorated to look like a sailboat on the water with sunny skies. I have never been more impressed with a dessert in my life! I will definitely be ordering more sweets from this restaurant in the future, and I advise you to do the same.

I have more cupcakes for you! Today’s posting is not exactly a recipe, but it’s an example of how to take a few easy ingredients, throw some creativity into the mix, and produce a cute treat that’s festive and fast. Parisian chefs might not endorse the use of boxed mixes, but I say when you’re in a hurry, why not take advantage of today’s conveniences? Cake mixes from a box might not taste quite as delicious as Grandma’s recipe from scratch, but they come pretty darn close, and they take a fraction of the time. Here’s a holiday recipe for those of you without a spare minute.

You can tailor your cupcakes to the time of year–these are for springtime, but you can tint the frosting orange and sprinkle with Reese’s Pieces for fall, shape cupcakes into an evergreen tree and decorate with mint M&Ms for Christmas, and cover pink cupcakes with Sweethearts for Valentine’s Day. If you’re not a fan of canned frosting and have the time, make your own using cream cheese or any flavor you prefer. Whatever the holiday, these cupcakes are simple yet can be turned into clever creations.

EASY SPRINGTIME CUPCAKES

1 box cake mix (For spring, I recommend strawberry or Funfetti)
1 can frosting (I would use strawberry or vanilla)
Gumdrops, skittles, or M&Ms

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Line two muffin tins with cupcake papers and pour cake mix into papers. Bake according to directions. Remove cupcakes from oven and let cool. Smooth frosting over cupcakes and decorate. Form gumdrops, Skittles or M&Ms in the shapes of flowers.

To give as a gift, place a cupcake in the center of a square sheet of plastic wrap. Pull corners up and tie with a pastel ribbon.

Yield: 24 frosted and decorated cupcakes

These cute cupcakes are perfect for a pool party or tropical-themed get-together. Banana cupcakes made with wheat flour give the illusion of sand, while blue buttercream frosting provides the “waves” for Teddy Grahams to float in. There are several variations of this recipe, but I combined a few of my favorites. Cream cheese frosting would also taste delicious with the banana cupcakes.

BANANA CUPCAKES

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs (best if at room temperature)
1 tsp. vanilla
3 bananas, mashed
1 cup milk (best if at room temperature)

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar; add bananas and mix. Add eggs and vanilla; mix again. Add dry ingredients and milk; stir until combined.

Fill baking cups 3/4 full with cupcake mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

WILTON BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1 cup shortening
1 cup butter
1 Tbsp. vanilla
8 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk

Cream butter and shortening; add vanilla. Beat on medium speed and gradually add sugar, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Add milk and beat on high speed until frosting is creamy. Frost cupcakes immediately or refrigerate frosting until needed.

TO DECORATE:

Teddy Grahams
Lifesavers Gummies
Goldfish crackers
Rectangular-shaped bubble gum
Paper umbrellas

1) Place a teddy graham in a lifesaver “tube” and place on cupcake.
2) Use a dab of frosting to stick backs of a teddy graham to a piece of gum, as if the teddy graham is sunbathing on a pool mattress or beach towel. Place on cupcake.
3) Place swimming goldfish on cupcakes.
4) Use paper umbrellas to shade swimming teddy grahams.

Use your imagination to create other tropical scenes!

Yield: about 24 frosted cupcakes