Raspberry Almond Kringle
Plus, my dress for the Emmy Awards, a Rum Clairin Affogoto for Haitian Heritage Month and more.
What I’m Excited About This Week
I was nominated for an Emmy Award! The holiday special, A Party with Andrew and Zoë was nominated for DAYTIME PERSONALITIES. I still can’t get over it! I found out when I was in NYC and literally danced in the street, then thought “what on earth am I going to wear?” Ha. Did you catch this Instagram reel of me trying to decide on a dress to wear to the awards ceremony in June? There are A LOT of opinions and I can’t wait to hear what you think. Thanks to my friends at MotherOf.com for helping me pick the perfect dress for the occasion.
I made a Rum Clairin Affogato in honor of Haitian Heritage Month. My friends at Saint Benevolence create rum that is the delicious essence of Haiti and they give 50% of proceeds to a longstanding nonprofit partner, Innovating Health Haiti. Click here for the Affogato recipe!
Don’t miss out on the Zoë’s Academy challenge this month, which is to make my Ultimate Blueberry Muffins by 5/31! Extra tips + tricks as well as details of the giveaway for participating can be found here. And don’t miss my video that goes along with it!
What I’m Reading
It was at Frenchette Bakery in 2021, while visiting this powerhouse group of food luminaries, that I first heard of Substack. David Lebovitz, who seems to be the first to every new platform, had shifted his focus from blogging to his newsletter and was slightly gobsmacked that I wasn’t in the know. I took his advice, as one does, and I signed up that day and have never looked back. I love creating this newsletter and have David to thank!
If you’re not familiar with David’s work, hang on tight, you are in for a real treat. He’s a pastry chef by training, his recipes are legendary, but it’s his humor and moving writing that are spellbinding. I have lived vicariously through his Substack musings about being an expat in Paris.
You may recall my trip to Paris. I didn’t get to see David on that trip, regretfully, but I did visit many of his favorite bakeries and cafes. His insider recommendations are invaluable when visiting Paris and he shares those in his newsletter.
A few of David’s Books (affiliate links):
My French Kitchen: Recipes and Stories
The Perfect Scoop: 200 Ice Cream Recipes+
What to Bake This Weekend
It’s nearly strawberry season, so check out this list of strawberry desserts to plan out how you’ll use all your perfectly ripe berries.
I love seeing how many of you have already made the blueberry muffins! If you haven’t yet, be sure to join in on the fun. I’ll be sharing all of your photos at the end of the month, they’re AWESOME!
Mini pavlovas with roasted rhubarb. I made these on the Taste Buds episode with my friend Stephanie Hansen, and it’s a perfect spring recipe. Top mini pavlovas with lemon curd and roasted rhubarb and you have an easy (truly!) and gorgeous dessert.
Fruit tart with homemade puff pastry! It’s made with nothing more than ripe fruit, lemon zested sugar and a sheet of puff pastry. Super elegant in its simplicity.
Exclusive Recipe: Almond Raspberry Kringle
It wasn’t until I moved to Minnesota that I truly understood the magnificence of Scandinavian baking. There are countless Nordic bakeries all over the Twin Cities, and each has its own special offerings. One day, my BFF excitedly brought me a pastry from one such bakery and challenged me to recreate it. I was completely smitten with this flaky, rich, puffy creation layered with sweet icing. My mind was in a swirl trying to figure how to make it. After doing some research and asking anyone who would listen, I found out it was called a kringle and is an extravagant Scandinavian pastry usually made around the holidays. I found I could create the flakiness by layering pie dough and an almond paste Pâte à Choux (cream puff dough), which I then topped off with a luxurious layer of creamy raspberry frosting. Heaven.