Parmesan garlic soup simmers a whole half-head of garlic into a mellow, sweet broth, then thickens it silky with a tempered egg, parmesan, and olive oil liaison. Ladled over a crouton, it's rustic comfort in a bowl.
Cream puff swans made from choux pastry piped into S-shaped necks and oval bodies, filled with sweetened whipped cream and mandarin oranges. A classic French pastry showpiece.
Chewy pecan date squares with brown sugar and vanilla, baked low and slow then dusted with powdered sugar. No butter needed, the dates keep them moist.
Spiced applesauce ring cake with oats, dark and golden raisins, and chopped nuts. Warm cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a moist, old-fashioned baked ring mold dessert.
Pan di Spagna, the classic Italian sponge cake with eggs whipped to a ribbon, cake flour and cornstarch folded gently to preserve air. The foundation for tiramisu, zuppa inglese, and fruit-layered tortes.
Chocolate domino cookies made with cocoa powder, cut into rectangles, and decorated with vanilla buttercream dots and lines. A fun baking project for kids.
Sourdough doughnuts made with active sourdough starter, buttermilk, nutmeg, and cinnamon, fried until golden. Virtually greaseless, freezer-friendly, and dusted with powdered or cinnamon sugar.
Van's Faves are crisp lace-thin oat cookies scented with orange zest and finished with a chocolate drizzle. Eight ingredients, big crunch, and an old-fashioned tin-cookie feel.
Double chocolate oat cookies with melted chocolate in the batter and chocolate chips stirred in. Chewy, fudgy, and ready in 30 minutes from start to cooling rack.
Peanut butter chocolate chip mini loaves made with chunky peanut butter, buttermilk, and brown sugar. Bakes into 5 small gift-ready loaves that freeze beautifully for up to a month.
Sour cream pound cake with a vanilla-sugar crust sprinkled on top before baking. Rich, dense, and buttery with a tender crumb that tastes even better the next day.
Classic vanilla spritz cookies with rich buttery flavor from whole eggs. Press into festive shapes for Christmas cookie exchanges or year-round celebrations.
Festive cocoa cards are large chocolate-molasses cookies cut into rectangles and decorated with frosting to look like greeting cards. A fun holiday baking project for kids and adults.
Tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries mingle under a golden lattice crust with a nutmeg-kissed custard that sets this classic spring pie apart from all the rest.
Classic hermit cookies with dates, golden raisins, walnuts, brown sugar, and warm spices, topped with a simple milk glaze. A chewy, old-fashioned spiced drop cookie.
Crustless broccoli cheese pie with Swiss and Parmesan, eggs, nutmeg, and a dash of hot sauce. An easy impossible pie with no pastry to fuss over.