Notes about Recipes in this book

• Mexican wedding cookies

  • dbuhler on February 21, 2025

    This is the best iteration of this cookie that I've ever had! They so easy to make and so tender and delicious! I used a #70 scoop and got exactly 48 cookies. These will be my go-to for this cookie moving forward!

• Holiday sugar cookies

  • KCKB on November 24, 2024

    I found this recipe in the Nov/Dec 2017 issue of the magazine and decided to give it a try. This dough came together really easily in the food processor, and rolling it out between parchment makes it appealing for bakers who would like less cleanup. The only things I tweaked were to leave out the almond extract (unpopular opinion, but I dislike the flavor - it doesn’t taste anything like almonds to me!), and our oven runs slow so I had better luck baking at 325 for about 20 min. NB: there’s a discrepancy between the ingredients in this EYB entry and the one in the magazine. If you make the royal icing, you will need the egg whites and confectioner’s sugar, but if you’re only doing the cookies it’s just one (whole) egg and granulated sugar.

• Best lemon bars

  • dbuhler on August 19, 2023

    I love the filling for these bars, however, I am in the minority here because I found the crust to be too crisp for my taste...I prefer a more tender shortbread base. I had a problem with my filling as it was too runny when I spread it on the base (I did accidently add the butter at the wrong time so this may have been why) and had too cook them for 16 min. to get them to set. Next time I will do the steps in the right order, and I may cook the curd to about 170 F to ensure that it is thick enough.

• Pots de crème

  • dbuhler on May 13, 2024

    These are very rich and fudgy, almost like ganache. This was my first ever pots de creme so I want to try a version that is baked in a water bath to compare the texture to see which I like better. This was very easy to make and the flavor quite depends on the chocolate you choose. We felt like the whipped cream was a must to cut the richness of the chocolate.

• Chocolate-peanut butter crème brûlée

  • dbuhler on February 15, 2024

    These were delicious! My 7 year old son declared this to be the best dessert he had ever eaten! I halfed the recipe and baked it them in my 6 oz oval fluted ramekins. I did not have time to make the candied peanuts and I wish I had made them because I would have loved some extra crunch. The custard consistency was divine and the recommendation to check 5 minutes early was very helpful. Mine weren't done yet, but that reminder kept me checking regularly so that I caught them right between the target temperatures. I will definitely make this again!

• Flan

  • kkmatti on February 18, 2024

    This flan looks so impressive when it's unmolded! It has great flavor and texture. I will make this again. Note: This recipe takes 2 days to make.

• Chiffon cake

  • poggers on August 19, 2024

    May be worth a try since this recipe has two less eggs than the previous iteration, but may still be too sweet.

• Chocolate sour cream bundt cake

  • dbuhler on February 09, 2025

    An incredibly moist and delicious chocolate Bundt cake that I've been baking for years. I love the velvety texture and deep chocolate flavor. I'm at high altitude and the only change I make is reduce the baking soda to 7/8 tsp.

• Summer peach cake

  • kkmatti on September 05, 2023

    The almond works well in this recipe, and this is a definite make again. I didn't have peach schnapps on hand so I used dark rum which worked nicely.

• Milk chocolate cheesecake

  • dbuhler on February 21, 2025

    Delicious and a huge hit with everyone! I use Dove milk chocolate since that was their recommendation during recipe development. Despite cooking to exactly 150 degrees, I always get a huge crack in the center. Next time I am committed to try running a thin blade around the cheesecake when it comes out of the oven to see if that helps. If not, I will make this mixture but cook it according to directions that use a water bath and see if the helps. I will admit, the drizzled chocolate on the top does successfully hide the crack, so perhaps I'm being too picky!

• Deep-dish apple pie

  • dbuhler on August 04, 2023

    This has been my go-to apple pie for years! There is a reason that CI, ATK, and CC keep republishing this recipe in all their books...it is just so darn good, and loaded with apples. I made this pie for Thanksgiving (like I do every year!) but this year I decided to try the chevron lattice topping that is in ATK's Perfect Pie book and it was a stunning looking pie, and I almost didn't want to cut into it! The presentation was well worth time and effort!

• Fresh fruit tart

  • kkmatti on December 31, 2025

    The custard and fruit topping were great. The tart crust was burned when I pulled it out at 30 minutes and I didn't bother to stick it back in the oven for the extra 5-10 minutes. I'd make the custard and fruit part again but would use a different tart crust recipe next time.

• Apple tarte Tatin

  • kkmatti on January 04, 2025

    Excellent recipe! We used a cast iron pan rather than the non-stick called for in the recipe with beautiful results. Will absolutely make this again.

  • dbuhler on December 31, 2025

    Wow! This was a stunning dessert! I had a bit of trouble with the caramel being too light when I added the butter, so I continue to cook it until it dark and slightly. Also when it was finished I had a hard time knowing if it was done or not so I baked it for the full time. I think that may have been too much because the caramel turned hard and toffee like around the edges. Next time I will only cook it for the minimum time listed. I will definitely make this again!

• Portuguese egg tarts

  • kkmatti on July 08, 2023

    Really good. Close to what I’ve had at bakeries. I didn’t like the powdered sugar/cinnamon on top - preferred them without.

• Meringue cookies

  • Justagirleatingcake on January 31, 2026

    The timing is just off on this recipe. Try a different one next time.

• Churros with Mexican chocolate sauce

  • dbuhler on May 07, 2024

    I have made this recipe a handful of times and it never disappoints! This last time I made it the batter was a bit stiffer than usual, but that may have been because I let the liquid boil a bit longer than needed. To pipe I use Ateco #848 tip and it works great! It helps to get really sturdy piping bags...I like to use a 16" bag so I can put all the batter in the bag and not have to refill.

• Sweet cream ice cream

  • Justagirleatingcake on August 03, 2023

    Nice flavour but very strange texture. We wanted to like it but the gumminess was off-putting.

• Strawberry ripple ice cream

  • dbuhler on June 24, 2024

    This review is only for the strawberry ripple as that is the only part of this recipe I made. It is absolutely delicious and so easy to make! I also love that it doesn't freeze completely solid when rippled into ice cream, it stays nice and creamy. The recipe states to use fresh strawberries but I've made it multiple times using frozen berries and never had any problems. I want to experiment with other fruits that come freeze dried and see if this technique would work with them.