#desserts

#desserts

Red Velvet Bundtlet ranked 10th due to its light and moist texture but lacked flavor depth, failing to meet the expectations set by its visual appeal.

The month-long menu is a maximalist love letter to cream cheese in all its forms, whether folded into babka, piped into buns or baked into Basque-style rounds.

The top four are amazing, and they're varieties I'd be more than pleased to have stocked in my pantry at all times. The rest are pretty tasty, and the bottom two had the most issues.

Chrissy Teigen's banana bread is incredibly sweet, with dark chocolate chunks that don't quite balance the sweetness, resulting in a cake-like, chewy texture rather than the tender crumb typical of banana bread.

You can just use a little bit of sugar and brandy. Flambé with a little bit of brandy if there's not banana liqueur for sure.

There are two types of people in this world: Those who always ask for the dessert menu, and those who rarely do. If you're a dessert person, you know that a good one can really make or break the overall restaurant experience, and that some places are more likely to have better desserts than others. For example, a Michelin-starred restaurant is almost guaranteed to have high-quality pastries or homemade ice cream,

It's no surprise that anyone would want Garten cooking their last meal, but the simplicity of De Laurentiis' menu is shocking. "She makes this chocolate espresso cake with this special sea salt, and there's caramel in it too. Espresso, caramel, and chocolate. It has that perfect combination of sweet-salt smooth, sticky but rich, fudgy kind of flavor. That would be my last meal. That's all I would want," she said. But that's not the only one of Ina Garten's chocolate cakes that De Laurentiis loves.

Claud is the oldest restaurant in Joshua Pinsky and Chase Sinzer's trio that includes seafood spot Penny and wine bar Stars. Here, you'll find sophisticated cooking, worthwhile desserts, and a lengthy list of bottles, in addition to surprisingly affordable by-the-glass selections ($14). Come here for a lowkey solo dinner, an intimate date, or a wine-fueled group outing; there are roomy booths toward the center of the restaurant.

Toothsome bucatini in vibrant marinara. Clams and mussels in garlicky broth. Red sauce, white sauce. Brodo! A nice glass of vino and, of course, some dreamy focaccia to scoop up whatever's left. Oh, and some boozy tiramisu and crunchy cannoli, too. When it comes to comfort food, it's exceptionally hard to top Italian cuisine, whether it's rooted in Old World tradition or East Coast diaspora.

Start with our cover star, food director Chris Morocco's one-hour bolognese that uses a pantry shortcut, Chinese black bean sauce, to kick up the umami. Then make his Green Chile Puttanesca Pork Chops where jarred jalapenos and guindillos offer buzzy heat and brightness to counterweight the rich meat. Senior Test Kitchen editor Shilpa Uskokovic also shared wintry vegetable dishes that can stand on their own.

Illustoria is a print magazine for creative kids and their grownups. The magazine celebrates visual storytelling, makers, and DIY culture through stories, art, comics, interviews, crafts, and activities. This high-quality triannual publication is geared toward readers ages 6-12 and the young at heart. Illustoria is the official publication of the International Alliance of Youth Writing Centers, publishing writing and art by young people alongside accomplished professionals.

The taste of a fresh, juicy strawberry is incomparable. When these delicious berries aren't in season, you might think you're out of luck, but thanks to the technology of freeze-drying, you can still enjoy your favorite tastes and glean much of the same nutrients in a crunchy and more compact format. You should always keep freeze-dried fruit in your pantry for snacking, cooking, baking, and more. And crushed freeze-dried strawberries are a perfect complement to elevate a number of different desserts.

When it comes to throwing parties, the world falls into two quite distinct camps: those who love to do so, and those who would rather do almost anything else. Getting organised early is key, and finding a few delicious recipes to start the proceedings will amuse your guests while you try to keep the show on the road. Fennel, lemon and smoked paprika almonds Photograph: Yuki Sugiura/The Guardian

The holiday season brings plenty of reasons to gather in San Jose, and one standout option awaits at Signia by Hilton San Jose. The hotel's Fountain Restaurant hosts a special Christmas Day buffet on December 25, offering a relaxed way for families and friends to savor the day. This experience focuses on high-quality dishes that highlight seasonal flavors, all without the usual kitchen duties at home.

The American South is dotted with cities celebrated for their food specialties, from New Orleans to Charleston, Nashville, and Miami, and their stellar reputation attracts domestic and international visitors alike. Artisan coffee shops, lively dive bars, and soul food and seafood restaurants abound there, but so do top-tier bakeries that offer bliss in every bite. There are so many scrumptious baked staples to try in the South, such as pies, cobblers, hummingbird cakes, king cakes, beignets, biscuits,

Cooking a new recipe for Thanksgiving is a risk. An uncle might complain. An aunt might forbid it. The recipe could take longer than expected. Chaos ensues. Straying from tradition can also feel emotionally loaded. But it's worth it to try something new, especially if you're a first-time host looking for your own version of Thanksgiving. Here are our Food staff's tried-and-true Thanksgiving keepers. With these recipes, you're in good hands.

For the generation that grew up in the '90s, it can feel like it was worlds apart from how we live in the present. Steeped in nostalgia and a general sense of optimism about the world, it was the decade that holds good, or perhaps romanticized, memories of a time gone by. Along with the music, the style, and the retro technology that marked the '90s, the food also played a huge role in so many of our memories.

2. A 24-pack of macarons because is a Girl Dinner *really* complete without *INHALES* chocolate, vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, espresso, pistachio, raspberry, and cassis-flavored sugary goodness to top it all off? I think not.