Checkerboard Cake
Jul 14, 2005
Special occasions call for special desserts, and this one fills the bill. Moist lemon cake, a bright lemon custard and a simple lemon icing come together to create the ultimate springtime dessert. Look for edible flowers at cake-supply stores. If unavailable, use sugar-coated gumdrops instead.
What's not to love about coconut-covered marshmallows? Easy to make and decorate, these little monsters will disappear by the mouthful. For an extra treat, cut the marshmallow trimmings into bitesize pieces and toss with icing sugar.
Resembling snowy holly berries, the sugared cranberries add a wintery touch. They take 12 hours to soak, so be sure to start them a day ahead.
Resist the urge to steal a sip or two of the Champagne—between the batter and the icing, you'll need an entire bottle for this recipe. If you prefer, serve Meringue Kisses on the side of each slice instead of arranging them on top of the cake.
Barbara Reiss, husband, Ed, and daughter, Pam, are the owners and operators of Desserts Plus, a popular restaurant and catering firm in Winnipeg. Here they share a favourite Rosh Hashanah dessert, which we've adapted slightly for the home kitchen. This impressive torte has the winning combination of hazelnut, chocolate and coffee and goes well with a dairy lunch or dinner.
We've added a little Christmas-light flair to this classic holiday treat that fully celebrates the spirit of the festive season. If you prefer gingerbread, check out our Christmas Light Gingerbread Cookies.
Our classic fig cookies become even softer with time, so they're ideal for making ahead. Dried Calimyrna figs are lighter in colour than the more common Mission figs, and have a subtle nutty flavour, which works well in the cookies. Find them in the dried fruit section of your grocery store.
Pretty in pink with a delightful sweet-tart taste, these marshmallows add a nice pop of colour to your holiday dessert table. Using frozen berries makes this recipe convenient and inexpensive.
