Carrot-beet olive oil cake
This is carrot cake taken to a whole new level. Two colorful batters are swirled together, studded with walnuts and topped with a rich buttercream frosting.
Heirloom apple tart
Stephanie Klassen created this French-style apple tart recipe for Gold Ridge Organic Farms. It looks particularly appealing when made with a mixture of pink and white fleshed apples. Look for firm, tart heirloom apples that will hold their shape during baking, such as Pink Pearl, Calville Blanc (used in French pastries since the 17th century), Cinnamon Spice or Esopus Spitzenburg.
Carrot cake
“This is the only recipe that I don’t make a lot anymore. It’s my favorite cake recipe from one of my favorite pastry chefs, and this is exactly how she made it,” says chef William Eick.
Persimmon and orange cheesecake
This light yet indulgent dessert blends the tangy brightness of citrus with the rich creaminess of farmer’s cheese, all atop a buttery graham cracker crust.
Pear and almond clafoutis
This French-style dessert comes with a bonus: It looks more difficult to make than it really is. “It can be impressive, particularly if you use a nice serving vessel,” chef Michael Hung says.
Lemon ricotta cannoli
Store-bought cannoli shells make it easy to create this gorgeous Italian dessert, which provides balance to the other items on Fabrizio Cercatore’s spring menu.
Strawberry cream cheese tart with an easy pistachio crust
“This tart recipe makes the best of California-grown goodness, is impressive for guests and really simple to pull together. I often add a bit of orange zest when serving for an easy added flourish, and it seems fabulous, too,” digital marketer and recipe developer K.C. Cornwell says. She warns that once you try this “ridiculously easy” pistachio crust, it will be difficult to go back to regular pastry.
Avocado chocolate chipotle mousse
Chef Andie Hubka says salt is one of a cook’s most important ingredients. This dessert, for example, “completely changes when you add salt, especially sea salt, which has a high salinity.”
Dragon Delights dragon fruit banana sherbet
Here’s one of the favorite recipes from Dragon Delights farm in Ramona.
Grilled peaches with whipped cream and masa crumble
Elevate your peaches and cream by topping it with masa crumble. This addition gives you another layer of texture, and the earthy flavor helps balance the sweetness of the fruit and whipped cream. Alternately, feel free to serve the peaches and cream as is!