chocolate chip gingerbread cupcakes with cardamom infused frosting

this recipe started as a far cry from what it ended up as.  it began with a gingerbread persimmon upside-down cake that was a true disaster.  all the persimmons stuck to the pan, the cake wasn’t sweet or moist enough, and most of all it had no chocolate.  but 4 or 5 tries later and the result is an amazingly fluffy and moist squad of cupcakes with little chocolate chips tucked inside of them. to top them off is a recipe i’ve been playing... Read More

mini asian pear pies with a hazelnut crust

although plums and pluots are at the end of their season, the asian pears are just starting to get good.  i grabbed some from the silver lake famers’ market to make this tiny and seasonally-spiced dessert. Read More  Read More

persimmon oat muffins

persimmons are so adorable.  they look like tiny little pumpkins, except they are tender and sweet. they have a unique–some would say unpalatable–taste if just eaten fresh, but they are irresistible when baked into treats or dried. they are most definitely in season right now so you can find them at the farmers’ market or even in some grocery stores. Read More  Read More