• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

1

cup grated garnet yam (about 1/2 large garnet yam)

3/4

cup pumpkin seeds

3/4

cup dried cherries

juliet’s no-fail banana bread with dark chocolate chips

MAKES ONE 9-BY-5-INCH LOAF

I had long been searching for the perfect banana bread recipe when my dear friend Juliet Angus shared her version with me. It must be the soy margarine, buttermilk, and crunchy walnut topping that make this recipe stand out from all the rest. I threw in dark chocolate chips for chocolate lovers. You could also cut up a dark chocolate bar into rough, choppy bits instead of using chocolate chips; it makes the bread slices look a little more fancy.

2

cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1

teaspoon salt

1

teaspoon baking soda

11/2

cups sugar

1/2

cup (1 stick) soy margarine, melted

2

teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4

cup buttermilk

2

large eggs, beaten

3

very ripe bananas, mashed (about 11/2 cups)

1/2

cup dark chocolate chips

1/2

cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda.

3. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and margarine with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer. Stir in the vanilla and buttermilk. Add the eggs and bananas and mix well. Add the sift ed ingredients, stirring until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.

4. To make the topping, mix together the ground walnuts and brown sugar and sprinkle the mixture over the batter.

5. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the top of the bread is brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

6. Let the banana bread cool in the pan before serving.

walnut topping

1/4

cup ground walnuts

1

tablespoon light brown sugar

amy b.’s espresso chocolate pudding cake

SERVES 6

Once I completed the recipes for this book, I realized that I had not included a chocolate dessert (other than the chocolate-dipped trio on page 231). As a devoted chocolate lover, I was taken aback by the omission. Coincidentally, my chef friend and amazing recipe tester Amy Brown had just finished developing a chocolate pudding cake recipe for a contest. She brought one of these little cakes over for me to taste, and I literally fell to my knees begging her for the recipe. She obliged, and I am thrilled to include it. These little pudding cakes are sent directly from heaven—there’s no better dessert for a true chocoholic. Look for the brioche at your local bakery.

6

ounces bittersweet chocolate

2

cups heavy cream

1/2

cup plus 2 tablespoons cane sugar

4

large egg yolks

1/4

cup brewed espresso

3

cups brioche bread crumbs (about 3 small loaves brioche; see Cook’s Note)

Whipped Cream for serving (page 233)

Thinly sliced fresh mint for garnish (optional)

Edible flower petals for garnish (optional; see page 129)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease six 5-ounce ramekins with butter.

2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or a nonreactive heat-proof bowl placed over a pot of simmering water. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

3. In a small saucepan, heat the cream and sugar over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Make sure the cream mixture does not bubble over.

4. In a large bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks. Slowly add the warm cream mixture to the eggs, stirring briskly to prevent the egg yolks from curdling. Add the melted chocolate slowly, whisking constantly until the mixture is well blended. Add the espresso, stirring until well combined.

5. Add the bread crumbs to the chocolate mixture and use your hands to fully incorporate them, making sure to break up any lumps. Let the batter sit for 2 minutes.

6. Spoon the batter into the ramekins and put them in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, spacing them about ½ inch apart. Slowly pour 2½ cups of warm water into the baking dish, or enough to come halfway