Silky, lightly spicy chocolate custards.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1 ½ cups heavy cream

• ½ cup whole milk

• 6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• Pinch cayenne or chile powder

• 4 egg yolks

• ⅓ cup sugar

• Pinch salt

• Whipped cream + sea salt for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Heat cream, milk, cinnamon, and cayenne in a saucepan until steaming.

3. Remove from heat; add chocolate and whisk until melted.

4. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a bowl.

5. Slowly pour warm chocolate mixture into yolks while whisking.

6. Strain through a fine sieve for extra smoothness.

7. Divide into 6 ramekins.

8. Place ramekins in a baking dish; pour hot water around them halfway up.

9. Bake 30–35 min, until centers are set but still jiggly.

10. Cool, then refrigerate 2 hours.

11. Top with whipped cream and sea salt.

Meyer Lemon & Olive Oil Cake

Bright, citrusy, and very California.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup sugar

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 3 large eggs

• ¾ cup high-quality extra virgin olive oil

• ½ cup whole milk or almond milk

• Zest of 2 Meyer lemons

• ⅓ cup Meyer lemon juice

• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9″ round pan.

2. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. In another bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, olive oil, milk, lemon zest, juice, and vanilla.

4. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until smooth.

5. Pour into pan and bake 40–45 min, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Cool, then dust with powdered sugar or serve with whipped mascarpone.

Persimmon Pudding Cake

Perfect if you can get soft Hachiya persimmons.

Ingredients

• 2 very ripe Hachiya persimmons (about 1 cup purée)

• 1 ½ cups sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 ½ cups flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 cup milk

• 1 tbsp melted butter

• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F.

2. Scoop flesh from persimmons and purée until smooth.

3. Mix persimmon purée, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla.

4. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and spices; fold into wet mixture.

5. Pour into a greased 8×8 dish.

6. Bake 45–55 minutes, until set and golden.

7. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Tres Leches Pumpkin Cake

Mexican + Thanksgiving in one.

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 cup flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• ½ tsp ginger

• 4 eggs

• 1 cup sugar

• ¾ cup pumpkin purée

• 1 tsp vanilla

Three-milk soak:

• 1 cup whole milk

• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

• 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

Topping:
Whipped cream + cinnamon

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 pan.

2. Whisk dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, spices).

3. Beat eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes).

4. Mix in pumpkin and vanilla.

5. Fold in dry ingredients gently.

6. Bake 25–30 minutes.

7. Cool 10 minutes, then poke holes all over with a fork.

8. Pour milk mixture slowly over the cake.

9. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (overnight is best).

10. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon.