Fig Ras el Hanout Clafoutis

The spicy aromas wafting out of our storefront next to Pike Place Market bring in all sorts of curious noses off the street. There's no one spice that exactly mimics that unique scent, but Ras El Hanout is probably the next best thing! Our signature recipe for this classic Middle Eastern blend has twenty four ingredients, easily making it our most complex spice blend. Ras el Hanout is traditionally used more in savory dishes, but its medley of spices are sweet, aromatic and perfect for baking.Beautiful ripe figs found in the market next door were the inspiration for this delectable creation! Clafoutis are an overlooked brunch gem, easier to make than pancakes or waffles with a custardy texture similar to crepes. Here, we caramelized the figs in Ras el Hanout and baked them into the custard. The resulting Clafoutis is rich, indulgent, and perfect for a decadent weekend morning.

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Chocolate Conchas

Conchas hold a special place in my heart. Growing up blocks away from a Mexican bakery, I always looked forward to heading over and picking out a rainbow of sweet breads every Sunday. Conchas get their name, which translates to seashell, from the patterns stamped on the sugary crust. The sugar topping is can be flavored in many different ways, and is often dyed in vibrant colors. These pastries are a labor of love, but are totally worth making fresh. The possibilities for conchas are infinite! In this recipe, we made chocolate conchas, my childhood favorite, using rich and smooth Valrhona cocoa powder. These delicious little pastries are typically dunked in milk, coffee or hot chocolate. For a breakfast treat, try spreading them with sour cream, or use day-old conchas to make great French toast and bread pudding.

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World Spice Birthday Cake

Let's see....how do you celebrate a quarter century milestone 2020 style? Go with the flow! This cake has all the flavor worthy of a 25th birthday spice cake and all the ease that comes with working with what's at hand. We spiced everyday cake mix with our Roast Chai blend and added Turmeric to a delicious tub of frosting to take it over the top. Coconut orange curd made up the filling of this 5-tier tower of sweet, bold flavor. You only turn 25 once, and it was a fun cake to make. We hope you are inspired to make this or use what you have on hand to experiment with your own version, because sneaking in spice into any celebration should be delicious and easy. Enjoy!

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Vanilla Bean Cashew Cream

With all sorts of fruits and berries in season, it's a time of year when we've often found ourselves looking for new recipes to take advantage of a bountiful summer harvest. Looking for a break from pies and other baked goodies, we decided to try out a rich vanilla cream to complement a variety of fresh fruit.After making it once, we wondered where it had been all our lives.The fresh Madagascar 3 Count Vanilla Bean is the star of the show in this elegant vegan topping. There's no added sugar, because we found it wasn't needed! The dates in the cream provide plenty of sweetness, and a rich, caramel-like aftertaste. Consider carefully before making this recipe, because this stuff is addictive! One taste, and you'll want it on every fruit in sight.

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Vegan Cardamom Strawberry Creamsicles

As the summer heats up, it's nice to have some cold treats on hand to keep you cool. These strawberry creamsicles are fruity and sweet, with just a hint of floral flavor. This taste of summer vacation is vegan, so they can be enjoyed by all.Fresh strawberries do the heavy lifting in this recipe, with coconut milk and cashews teaming up to keep the cold treats creamy. Their addition makes the strawberry base almost like custard. Cardamom Seed, commonly used in both coconut curries and fruity pastries, brings the flavors together with a delightful twist.

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Sumac Strawberries with Jasmine Pearl Pound Cake

In college, a friend from Azerbaijan first introduced me to Sumac. The deep reddish-purple spice is sour and bright, and makes for a beautiful garnish. Ever since then, I've always thought of it as a curious and versatile alternative to lemon.That substitution takes center stage in this luscious summer desert. Sumac and strawberries make an excellent flavor pairing, with the tartness of the spice balancing the berries. As a subtle twist, we added the delicate floral taste of Jasmine Pearl green tea to the syrup and cake batter. The tea adds some complexity to the dish, and scents your whole house with a flowery aroma as a bonus. For no mess plating we dished these up like a trifle, to display the beautiful layers.

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Orange, Cinnamon and Cranberry Tart

Spring 2020. I was craving pie. Sadly, I had no flour and no fresh fruit, aside from an old orange. Thus, the Cranberry and Orange Tart was born out of pure necessity. Dried cranberries were used here, but dried tart cherries can easily be substituted. For this, the crust is made out of saltines, and so the sweet-tart-salty complexity is a flavor explosion. Adding a touch of Indonesian cinnamon and ginger powder enhances these flavors. The saltine crust is just fun, and much less labor intensive to make than tart dough. This is what you get when you play with your food!

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Lavender Dulce de Leche Stuffed Crepes

We love an excuse to eat dessert any time of day. These decadent crepes are bursting with spring flavors, and look amazing on a brunch buffet. Each crepe is stuffed full of Lavender Dulce de Leche. French Lavender is bright, floral and woodsy; it's best with assertive flavors. To complement it, we spiked the batter with Moroccan Meyer Lemon Paste, and ran it through a blender. You can do this the night before for a breezy morning. Tastes like spring is here!

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Lavender Dulce De Leche

If you've never had dulce de leche you're in for a treat. Making this is as easy as boiling water, but it does require patience. The process takes three hours of monitored boiling followed by an overnight wait but the results are worth it. The texture of dulce de leche is velvety smooth and not as tacky as caramel, but with and equally rich flavor. The French Lavender shines and is brightened with the salty crunch from the Fleur de Sel. Swirl some into your lattes, dollop on desserts or ice cream, and even go savory on glazed ham. Or just eat it on bread as shown here. It's all good.

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