In his class , a ppropriately called “Sweet! Jon’s Sugar Shack”

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I love Summer Genetti, Pastry Chef at The Cincinnatian Hotel’s Palace Restaurant. She shared her recipe for white chocolate fudge, which she has turned into gravestones for Halloween.

White Chocolate Fudge Gravestones

1 ounce unsalted butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1+2/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1+1/2 cups white chocolate
4 ounces miniature marshmallows
1/4-1/2 cup crushed oreos
1/2 cup melted dark chocolate
4 toothpicks (for writing)

Special equipment: 8×8 pan

Method:
In a heavy bottomed medium sized sauce pan, combine butter, milk, sugar and salt.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. remove from heat and immediately stir in marshmallows and white chocolate, taking care to ensure that each marshmallow dissolves into a homogeneous mixture, then fold in the crushed cookies. Pour into an 8×8 pan, cool.

To portion, use either a cookie cutter in desired shape or free hand your gravestones with a sharp paring knife. Finish the gravestones by writing the “deceased’s” name and “date of departure” on each stone with a toothpick dipped in dark chocolate and then set aside to dry. Once the gravestones are dry, you may store them for up to three days in an airtight container.

Yield: 8-12 gravestones depending on size.

Chef’s notes: Set a timer for five minutes to make sure you’ve boiled enough liquid out of the mixture, and make sure you get into the edges of the pan really well or the milk can scorch. It will take some elbow grease to get all of the marshmallows blended, but it’s quite important.

Variations: If you’d prefer to make ghosts or skulls, simply leave out the crushed oreo’s and using your favorite cookie cutters, cut your desired shapes.

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Thanks to Angie Thayer from Wilton for these decorating tips!

Filling Between Layers of a Cake:

Liv and Kaye Hansen are mother and daughter and co-authors of Kids Cakes from the Whimsical Kitchen. Liv

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Here is a book that belongs on your shelf. Pops! Icy Treats for Everyone by Krystina Castella, has inspired me no end. I love it. Even my producer, a non-cook, can’t stop thinking about the Pops featured in this pretty little book. Krystina shared her recipe for PB & Sesame Raspberry Pops.

Here are

I looooove this book: Pops! Icy Treats for Everyone by Krystina Castella. Her companion website is loaded with inspiring photos. Here’s her recipe for Mojito Pops.

Makes 24 two-ounce ice cube-tray pops, six 8-ounce pops, or eight 6-ounce pops (Note: Or be like me and make six popsicles and three nice sized mojitos to share while you

A trifle can be one of the simplest desserts to make, especially when you use purchased pound cake! Use your favorite combination of berries, preserves and liqueur to make this dessert your own.

No trifle bowl? No problem! While I highly

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David Lebovitz is a pastry chef, author, and creator of the award-winning food blog www.davidlebovitz.com. Trained as a baker in France and Belgium, he worked for twelve years in the pastry department at the famed Chez Panisse. His first book, Room for Dessert,