eat dessert first
“Lightning!” That’s the literal translation from French I got when I put éclair into google translate. I’ve read a couple of explanations for this name, but only one makes any sense to me. “They disappear in a flash, quicker than a bolt of lightning.” This is the absolute truth. Eclairs […]
I first made this fun pumpkin cake with my kids for Halloween (they’re adults now!). It’s a fun and festive cake that can be dressed up for adults or made just for kids. Pumpkin season is here, which is the only reason I can send this short summer off with […]
By the time I became a pastry chef in the mid 1990s tiramisu, the decadent Italian dessert that defined the 80s, was banned from all high-end restaurants. It was a matter of bad PR, not because it wasn’t well liked or frequently requested. In fact, it was its very popularity […]
It is the end of the growing season in Minnesota and time to harvest all the last hanging fruit from the tomato vines. Any day now we’ll get a killing frost, and I’m bracing myself for it.
Last year I bought a new house. It had 4 kitchens. I thought I would use one for cooking with my family, one for my “studio/work space” and the others were, well I wasn’t quite sure what to do with them. There is a decent explanation for all of these […]
Peanut Butter Cookies are a classic for a reason. This is a fun throwback post that features my now adult son when he was little! Plus, you’ll find a gluten free peanut butter cookie recipe variation using peanut flour. For more amazing cookie recipes, order my cookbook, Zoë Bakes Cookies, […]
This easy rhubarb jam recipe uses orange for sweetness, so you can try something different than a standard (but still tasty!) strawberry rhubarb jam. It’s one of my oldest recipes and the first jam I ever made! My Jam Story From 2013 When I moved last year, I left behind […]
Last week, and the week before that, I got emails from my brother Carey, with pictures of puffy popover pancakes he’d made. One was stuffed with mulberries and the other with pear & apple compote. I adore that he makes stuff like this for himself and his wife. His emails […]
This strawberry shortcake recipe is made using my scone dough. It creates a perfect cake for fresh strawberries and whipped cream for a simple and delicious homemade dessert. You get the same flaky layers as with a biscuit dough, but the scones add a fun little twist on the classic […]
Last week my husband got a craving for scones. Instead of turning to me, or making them himself, he asked our 12-year-old son to bake them. He challenged Charlie to have hot scones ready by the time he left for work the next morning. 7:30 a.m. is an hour my […]
I’m not sure anyone would describe me as a perfectionist? My house is neat enough, but it is clearly lived in. I’ve always wanted to be the kind of person who irons my sheets, my table clothes or even my clothes, but so far it’s just a fantasy. The only […]
Recently I stopped at Whole Foods to pick up some stinky cheese and taste-test all their gluten-free crackers, for research. On the way to the cheese counter these velvety little apricots shouted across the room at me and I was powerless over their beauty. I am a little embarrassed to […]
I'm Zoë François, Emmy-nominated host of Zoë Bakes on HBO and a New York Times best-selling author sharing bakery-quality recipes that are doable for everyone! More...
