Cookbooks

Talk about having your cookie and eating it, too! Be sure to try this crust with classic Chocolate Cream Pie (page 102), Coffee–Heath Bar Crunch Pie (page 118), Chocolate–Peanut Butter Dream Pie (page 104), and Candyland Pie (page 137). For an especially simple treat, you can fill this crust with vanilla ice cream—it’s the easiest ice cream pie you could ever hope for.

In my family my grandmother set the bar very high for the perfect, flaky piecrust. Throughout my childhood, I watched her deftly form balls of dough and then flatten them out into what would ultimately be a flawless, golden crust. This recipe is based on my grandma’s time-tested recipe, with a few minor alterations I’ve made over the years. The two biggest tricks to making a great crust are to not overhandle the dough and to carefully monitor the dough mixture as you add ice-cold water, to ensure you achieve the desired consistency. I prefer to make crust by hand, rather than using a food processor because a processor can overblend the shortening which can prevent the water from being evenly absorbed. The result is a tougher crust. Throughout this book, recipes will call for unbaked, prebaked, and partially baked piecrusts, but all will follow the recipe below, with varying specific cooking instructions.

Syrup can be made up to one week in advance; refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.

We use a very similar crumb mixture to make the Torta Sbrisolona (page 99) and the Jam Crumb Bars (page 122).

This recipe is a perfect way to use day-old or store-bought croissants.

If fresh corn is not in season, you can use frozen corn instead; be sure to thaw and drain the kernels well before using.

This cake, with its alternating white and pistachio-flavored layers, was originally created for the wedding of Fraser Lewis and Matthew Edwards. All components of the cake—the cake layers, pastry cream, and buttercream—can and probably should be made at least a day in advance. If you plan to transport the cake, assemble the individual tiers first, giving them their final coat of buttercream, then stack them. Place the bottom tier (still on its cardboard round) on a wooden cake board at least four inches wider than the tier. To keep the cake from slipping, line the wooden board with a rubberized nonslip mat, or secure the cardboard round to the board with hot glue. If possible, pipe the decorations once you have reached your location; wait to garnish the cake with the flowers until it is positioned on the serving table.

This spectacular cake, created for Martha’s birthday several years ago, has since made memorable appearances at company events.

Store shaped caramels in layers between sheets of parchment or waxed paper that have been lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray; keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one day. For the best results, avoid making these on a humid day.

Tortes are common throughout central Europe, and Dobos is a popular one, named for the Hungarian chef who invented it in 1887.

Salted nuts balance the sweetness of caramel in these candy-like cookies. These bars are quite rich, so feel free to cut them in half.