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I’m excited to share the banana bread recipe, from Chef Dominique Ansel’s new cookbook Everyone Can Bake. It’s the follow up to his debut book, The Secret Recipes, which featured many of his signature bakery items. I made the Cronut, Frozen S’more and Cookie Shots, but the recipes were definitely more technically involved. In his latest offering, the recipes are geared for the home cook, which is very appropriate during this pandemic. He shares takes on classics including pound cake, banana bread, brownies and more. I like how the book is structured. There are base, filling and topping recipes, and within each of those, he offers easy tweaks. Ultimately, I decided to top mine with streusel.
Peanut Butter Blossoms with Chocolate Ganache

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These peanut butter thumbprint cookies are a classic. I first made them while recipe-testing the Baked Occasions Cookbook and authors Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito kindly allowed me to share the recipe with you. It’s one of my favorites from the book.
Apple Cider Sticky Buns

I have been wanting to try Flour Bakery’s sticky buns recipe. I first discovered the iconic pastry watching an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay and Chef Joanne Chang won. I have yet to visit the Boston bakery, so, until then, this recipe will give me a taste of what I’m missing.
Hawaiian Butter Mochi

Before Aloha Kitchen became a cookbook, I was fortunate enough to have taste-tested Alana Kysar’s recipes first-hand. We met at work several years ago and became fast friends after submitting entries into a baking contest. (She won first place.) She lived near me, and one day, she brought over cute boxes of Mochiko Chicken and Butter Mochi. I intended on splitting them over the course of two meals but, as soon as I started eating, I could not stop. It was all so homey and wonderful. I’m so glad she put everything into print so I can re-create these dishes whenever I’m craving Hawaiian food.

