Bake Noir: Where Food Meets Art

Makes about 40 truffles. If you enjoy both chocolate and wine, these truffles are the perfect dessert for you. The dominant flavor in these truffles is chocolate, but you can taste the lovely fruitiness of the wine as the dark chocolate melts on your tongue. The addition of red wine enhances the sweetness and freshness…

Yields one 24cm tart. The buckwheat olive oil crust is less flaky and crumbly than the all-butter crust, but it has a lovely depth of flavor and a rustic feel to it. It’s also quite light, which is ideal for those trying to lose weight. The key is not to overwork the dough, as this…

Yields 12 muffins. Every chocolate lover’s dream, these muffins. They’re moist, chocolatey, and absolutely delectable. When fresh raspberries are in season, use them in this recipe; otherwise, use frozen raspberries. Just make sure to thoroughly drain them or the muffins will be soggy and mushy. You may need to cook them for a couple of…

Makes one small loaf. This Finnish bread is extremely simple to make. It is also known as Hätäleipä in Finland (Hätä means emergency and leipä means bread). The procedure is as simple as combining all of the ingredients in a bowl. The dough doesn’t need to be kneaded in the traditional sense, and it’s ready…

Yields 8 small tarts. This is a delicious, healthier version of the classic Lemon Meringue Pie. The whole wheat crust gives these tarts a lovely rounded flavor and that rustic homemade feel. For the crust. Ingredients: Directions: Combine flour, icing sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Pulse in the butter…

Makes 40 buns. Lussekatter are traditionally eaten on Saint Lucia’s Day, also known as the Festival of Lights, in Sweden. Saint Lucia’s Day is celebrated on December 13, but I think these buttery saffron buns are perfect all year. Ingredients: Directions: Melt the butter, then add the saffron, milk, and cream and heat until just…

Makes one 18cm cake. The pink ombre frosting adds a delicate and elegant touch to this raspberry cake, making it suitable for any special occasion. The cake layers are made with raspberry jam, which adds a lovely raspberry flavor while also keeping them moist. Add red food coloring to the cake batter to make pink…

Serves 1 as a light meal. This light and refreshing salad works well as an appetizer or as a light summer meal. Add cooked quinoa or bulgur wheat for a more substantial meal. Ingredients: Directions: Cook the broad beans for 2 minutes in a pot of boiling water. After straining the beans, immerse them in…

Makes 8 ice pops. This simple refreshing treat is ideal for those hot summer days. It’s basically frozen yogurt on a stick and only takes a few minutes to make. It’s important to weigh the cherries after they’ve been pitted, but they can easily be replaced with any other summer fruit. Raspberries are an excellent…

Makes one 22cm pie. This stunning summer pie celebrates and highlights the beauty of raspberries. Because I like the tartness of raspberries, I didn’t add much sugar to the filling. Add more sugar if your raspberries are very tart or if you have a sweet tooth. You can also use a combination of raspberries and…