eat dessert first
This key lime cheesecake is the Diva version of a favorite dessert: Key Lime Pie! She’s a little over the top and a showstopper with all the layers standing tall. The ingredient list is very similar to the pie, it’s just a punched-up ratio. This isn’t just a cheesecake with […]
I originally created this recipe for Easter. Around Easter, the tulips are starting to make their way out of the frozen earth and the trees are hinting at color. It’s usually been a long winter and all of these little changes are so very welcome. It seems fitting to make […]
If you start typing “is cheesecake” into Google, the first suggestion is “is cheesecake a pie?” You’ll get mixed results, including adamant ones from the likes of Alton Brown proclaiming cheesecake is a pie. Others say it’s a tart. And some stand by it being a cake. No matter where […]
There seem to be two schools of thought about Thanksgiving desserts. Those who must have pumpkin pie and those who avoid anything pumpkin, other than the spice mix. I am squarely in the pumpkin camp and so is my whole family, but if you or someone you love is not, […]
The title of Maida Heatter’s new book sums up why I love my job, Happiness is Baking. When I am sad, I bake! When I am celebrating, I bake! No matter where my mood starts out, I’m always carried to a place of joy as I make my way through […]
This Strawberry Rhubarb Fool Cheesecake was a happy mistake. You know how they say you learn from your failures? Well, I was going for a tourteau fromage and it went wrong in a big way.
The first cheesecake I recall eating was from Junior’s in Brooklyn. I’d go there with my grandparents and my aunts, Sylvia and Rose, when I was little. There was always a ton of food and loud conversation, but the only thing I remember clearly is the cheesecake. It was tall […]
Don’t be fooled by the picture, this is a cheesecake, not a sponge cake. I have seen Japanese Cotton Soft Cheesecake all over the internet for years, but hadn’t come around to trying it until now. My fellow instagram baker, Silvia Colloca, just sent me her latest cookbook, Love Laugh […]
This is my homemade version of a 1960s dessert. The original strawberry cheesecake recipe could have been found on Strawberry Jell-O package or Cool Whip containers. This is a homemade version that is just five simple ingredients and requires no baking. I thought the packaged version was brilliant, despite the fact […]
There are many styles of cheesecake. I often go for a super dense, silky smooth, custardy cheesecake, but other times I want something a bit lighter with more of a soufflé texture. This cheesecake falls into that second camp.
I have a bunch of classes on Craftsy, including “Show-Stopping Cheesecakes!” To find any of my classes on the platform, just type Zoe Francois in to the search bar and you will find all three of my courses. I’ve done an “Artisan Bread in Minutes” baking class based on the Master recipe […]
This is a classic cherry cheesecake. It’s shaped like a heart for Valentine’s day, but you can make it any time of year in a regular pan. It has all the classic cheesecake flavors, with a graham cracker crust creamy filling. The addition of fresh cherries for a topping gives […]