eat dessert first
Want to try something new for Passover? This lemon poppy seed roulade is a wonderful addition to your table. It’s a gorgeous, light and fluffy dessert with a little Matzo Meal. This is a beautiful lemon sponge cake made with Matzo Cake Meal, topped with Poppy Seed Buttercream, rolled into a […]
This roasted carrot upside down cake is a riff on a classic carrot cake. You can serve it with some cream cheese whipped cream for a fun way to enjoy a pared down version of my Ultimate Carrot Cake! Carrots make for a wonderful upside down cake. It’s a simple […]
These carrot muffins are delicious take on carrot cake. Plus, they are much healthier! I love these as a quick, energy boosting breakfast, and you can omit the cream cheese frosting to make them extra healthy. These muffins are a direct influence from my childhood in Vermont. When I was […]
It’s like a Shamrock Shake on fire! This simple, no-churn, eggless ice cream is creamy, and minty. It makes for a gorgeous St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Baked Alaska. The rich texture comes from whole fat ricotta cheese and whipped cream that’s folded into the mixture just before freezing. To get […]
This Galette Des Rois (French King Cake) is puff pastry filled with almond cream (or frangipane) and a trinket or dried bean.
If you are looking for a standout cookie for the holiday tray, these get extra points for indulgence. Fluffy mint buttercream is sandwiched between rich dark chocolate brownies, which are then rolled in crushed candy cane for a festive look and an extra little satisfying crunch.
I’m obsessed with meringue! Soft on a cake, crisp and cakey as a pavlova. I love it in every form for its magical whimsy. These “cloud cookies” are easy to make and can end up a little rustic-looking, which I love. They are crunchy, light, and a bit chewy in […]
When I moved into my house, it reminded me of a brick wedding cake or confection found on the banquet tables in Elizabethan times. I wanted to re-create it in sugar. I found the original blueprints of the house from 1902, and the fate was sealed. I scaled down the […]
These cookies are a tribute to the Garibaldi biscuit I used to eat in the 1970s. This is one of the few store-bought cookies I remember having at home. I think my folks—who never had sugar in the house—made an exception for this raisin-crammed cracker-like cookie. The sweetness of the […]
You may have noticed that we’re entering into the new cookbook season. It is my very favorite time of year. We got things kicked off with Chocolate Mousse and Cookie recipes from David Lebovitz’s newly revised classic, Ready for Dessert. This week I get to share another one of my […]
These apple and honey desserts are perfect for your Rosh Hashanah celebrations!
It’s hard to beat molasses cookies! Soft, chewy and perfectly spiced, it’s a must-have treat for the holidays, but I recommend keeping this in your rotation year round.
I'm Zoë François and I love to bake. This is where I play with sugar and take the mystery out of baking everything from cookies to wedding cakes. I studied pastry at the CIA (the culinary school, not the spy agency), worked in restaurants, have written 10 cookbooks and you can find more of my creations in my Substack Newsletter and YouTube videos. More...
