Recipes

These Russian tea cakes are rolled in powdered sugar for a sweet finish and a snowball-like appearance. My grandmother "Bubba" brought this Russian tea cake recipe with her when she came from Lithuania, and now my family has made it for many generations. I pass it on in the true spirit of the holiday season!

Jessamyn Waldman, founder of Hot Bread Kitchen, grew up in Canada eating challah, the Jewish Sabbath bread. Unlike the eggy challahs of the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe, this version comes from the Sephardic Jews of the Mediterranean, who flavored their challahs with caraway and anise. Many challahs are braided, but this one is twisted into a round, turban-shaped loaf.

This rich, buttery toffee is layered with smooth chocolate and topped with crunchy almonds. The recipe is easy to make and perfect for holiday gift giving or bake sales. I always get compliments and requests for more of this toffee candy.

The trick to these crisp, chewy bagels is the poolish, a fermentation starter (also known as a mother dough) made with bread flour, yeast, and water. It is quickly assembled the night before the bagels are made.

I made these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies by modifying Beatrice's Excellent Oatmeal Cookies recipe. My boyfriend went crazy over them! I've never seen him enjoy cookies to that extent! He said I blew his mother's recipe away.

Sour cream, cocoa powder, and melted butter take this from breakfast banana bread to a decadent dessert chocolate banana cake.