Russian Tea Cakes

Adapted from the vintage 1950 Betty Crocker’s Picture Cook Book. We always add more nuts than the original. Pecans or walnuts are our favorites, but almonds would be great too. To grind nuts, place shelled nut pieces into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade. Process until nuts are finely ground, though still in discernible (albeit very fine) pieces and not yet paste-like. For a fantastic variation try adding 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder and an extra teaspoon of vanilla (2 teaspoons total) to the butter and sugar mixture.

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Chocolate Beet Cake

We’ve made this cake for years — it’s sneaky fun and invariably fools even the most astute taste buds. It’s not overly sweet. With a dusting of powdered sugar (perhaps some whipped cream) for serving it’s just right for most tastes, but if you prefer a sweeter cake, add another ¼ cup of sugar (either kind). You can also increase the cinnamon to one teaspoon if you like a stronger taste of spice. Prepare the beet purée by roughly chopping peeled, cooked beets, then processing with a scant amount of water in a blender or food processor until smooth.  For cupcakes, bake at 375 degrees in prepared muffin tins (greased or lined with paper cups) for about 20 minutes (makes 18).

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Persimmon Spice Cake

I don’t consider myself a baking sort of cook. My loose style is more suited to the stovetop, but when I find a simple cake with a moist crumb that turns out well without a lot of fuss, I’m eager to make it over and over. This is one such cake. The original calls for Hachiya persimmons (normally used for baking), but you can easily substitute Fuyus.  Just let them sit on the counter or in the fridge until they’ve matured to an ultra-soft consistency, then cut out the stem and scoop the gelatinous flesh out with a spoon. The fruit skin will look shrunken and bright lava orange when they’re ready.

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Peach and Raspberry Crisp

Summer Fruit Crisp

My all-time favorite dessert is a fruit crisp topped with vanilla ice cream, and there’s no better filling than fresh peaches with bursts of sweet, red raspberries. Crisps are among the loosest, easiest desserts to pull off in a hurry, especially if you keep some of the topping ready in the fridge. It will store well in an air-tight container for a week or more.

Mixed Berry CrispThis crisp is easy to vary.  Try blueberries instead of raspberries.  Nectarines instead of peaches.  Or a mound of mixed berries, such as raspberries, strawberries and blackberries.

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Espresso Brownies

This recipe comes courtesy of my friend, Jane, who has a natural instinct in the kitchen. I’ve always admired the way she whips up a piping hot batch of chocolate chip muffins for breakfast – on a school day. I treasure fond memories of cooking together from a farm bag in our California kitchens.  Collaboration has never been more gratifying—to the stomach as well as the soul.

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