Baker Without Borders

Jeera biscuits, a South Asian shortbread cookie studded with cumin seeds, and mukhwas, a popular Indian palate cleanser and digestive aid made with fennel and other seeds, are the inspiration behind these savory-sweet, entirely non-traditional biscotti.  Thanks to the addition of butter, they are a little softer in the middle than the classic twice-baked Italian…

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I developed this recipe for an online Rosh Hashanah baking class for preschoolers. The kids had fun tearing the challah into pieces, and watching it soak up a simple custard mixture sweetened with honey. Studded with apples, it’s a wonderful fall dessert (you don’t need to celebrate Rosh Hashanah to enjoy it) and it’s a…

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To celebrate the end of summer, I met up with some fellow bakers in a local park, and made this extremely fast and easy version of ice cream. There are many recipes out there on the internet (I used one from Delish.com, which turned out great) but the process is always the same: fill a…

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Chocolate balls, a casual variation on truffles made with tea biscuits, butter, milk, and melted chocolate, are a popular Israeli dessert and birthday treat. They’re typically made at home, often with help from children. My good friend from high school spent part of her childhood in Israel, where she learned this recipe from a friend’s…

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Inspiration for this snack cake – which is really more of a quick bread in consistency, with lots of moisture from yogurt and oil – came from chocolate covered strawberries. The star ingredients are chocolate chips and tangy strawberry pieces, but my favorite part is the crunchy layer of shredded coconut on top. Chocolate is…

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The other day, I simmered dried figs in water and pureed them for my six-month-old twin sons, who are just beginning to eat solid foods. I used the leftover fig jam as a filling for these beautiful, swirly challah loaves. Cinnamon makes an appearance twice, mixed in with the filling (along with walnuts, which add…

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These cookies are so gooey, buttery, and addictive, you would never guess they’re made with whole wheat flour and olive oil; there’s no butter in them at all! Those ingredients, along with maple syrup, brown sugar, and pecans, add an earthy, complex flavor to an otherwise classic cookie. Click here for the recipe, in my…

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With strawberry jam swirled into the batter, and freshly brewed coffee in what appears to be ordinary chocolate frosting, these light-as-air chocolate cupcakes are full of fun, surprising flavors. I had a jar of delicious homemade jam on hand, made by a friend who went strawberry picking at a local farm, but the store-bought variety…

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This easy one-bowl recipe came together one evening when I was craving chocolate chip cookies, but wanted to avoid the richness of butter. Gooey yet crisp, slightly salty, and loaded with tiny bursts of dark chocolate, these are just as tasty as the classic cookie, but lighter, with a subtly fruity flavor from the olive oil.…

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