Lemon pistachio cake with mascarpone frosting

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 1 hour; Serves: 8

Pistachios, roasted, shelled	¾ cup
Lemon zest	2 lemons
Flour, cake	1 ½ cups
Baking powder	1 teaspoon
Baking soda	¼ teaspoon
Sour cream	¼ cup
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Milk, whole	1/3 cup
Butter, unsalted, softened	½ cup
Sugar	1 cup
Salt, kosher	¾ teaspoon
Eggs	3 large
Frosting
Mascarpone, softened	¾ cup
Sugar, powdered	¾ cup
Cream, heavy	1 tablespoon
Lemon zest	1 teaspoon
Lemon juice	1 teaspoon
Salt, kosher	1/8 teaspoon

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. 
2. Line the bottom of a buttered 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper, then butter the paper. 
3. Place the pistachios and zest into a food processor bowl; pulse until finely ground (but not buttered). 
4. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, and add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside. 
5. Whisk together the sour cream, vanilla, and milk in a small bowl; set aside. 
6. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and salt, about 3 minutes. 
7. Add the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. 
8. With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients (in three additions) and the wet ingredients (in two additions), starting and ending with the dry. 
9. Pour the batter into the prepared pan; smooth the top. 
10. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 
11. Cool 10 minutes. 
12. Carefully remove the cake from the pan, peel off and discard the paper, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. 
13. Combine all the frosting ingredients in a medium bowl. 
14. Mix until just smooth, being careful not to overman. 
15. Frost the cake, then sprinkle on extra crushed pistachios. 

Recipe from the Costco Connection magazine.

Roasted grape crostini

Grapes, red, seedless	1 pound
Oil, extra-virgin olive	1 tablespoon +
Salt, kosher	½ teaspoon + ½ teaspoon +
Pepper, freshly ground
Thyme, halved widthwise	4 sprigs
Rosemary, halved widthwise	2 sprigs
Mascarpone cheese	2/3 cup
Cashew butter	2 tablespoons
Canna butter, room temperature	2 ½ teaspoons
Bread, focaccia or francesi	1 loaf

1. Preheat the oven to 400F; line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. On the baking sheet, toss together the grapes, 1-tablespoon oil, ½-teaspoon salt, ½-teaspoon pepper, thyme, and rosemary. 
3. Roast for 30 minutes, until the grapes are blistered and jammy, stirring once halfway through; remove and set aside. 
4. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the mascarpone, cashew butter, canna butter, and ½-teaspoon salt. 
5. Whip for 30 seconds on medium speed until well combined; do not overbeat or the mixture can separate. 
6. Preheat the broiler to high. 
7. Split the bread in half. 
8. Brush the cut sides with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
9. Place the crostini on a baking sheet and under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, until lightly golden. 
10. Spread 2-tablespoons cashew cream onto each crostini, and top with a spoonful of roasted grapes. 
11. Drizzle any juice from the pan, and enjoy immediately. 

Recipe mildly modified from Edibles: Small Bites for the Modern Cannabis Kitchen by Stephanie Hua with Coreen Carroll.

Apricot parfaits with mascarpone whipped cream

Cognac	2 tablespoons
Lemon juice, fresh	2 tablespoons
Sugar, superfine	2 tablespoons + 1 ½ tablespoons
Salt, kosher
Apricots, halved, pitted, cut into ½-inch wedges	12
Graham cracker crumbs	½ cup
Butter, unsalted, softened	3 tablespoons
Mascarpone	½ cup
Cream, heavy	½ cup
Sugar, confectioners’	2 tablespoons
Vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped	1
Mint, fresh, chopped	2 tablespoons

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the Cognac with the lemon juice, 2-tablespoons superfine sugar, and a pinch of salt until the sugar dissolves. 
2. Add the apricots, and mix well; let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. 
3. In a medium bowl, using a fork, mix the graham cracker crumbs with the butter, ¼-teaspoon salt, and 1 ½-tablespoons superfine sugar until evenly moistened. 
4. Press the mixture into clumps, and refrigerate until just firm, about 10 minutes. 
5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the mascarpone with the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla seeds until stiff peaks form. 
6. Stir the mint into the apricots. 
7. Spoon the apricots and their juices into four 4- to 6-ounce glasses. 
8. Top with the mascarpone whipped cream and the crumble; serve immediately. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, August 2016.

Pumpkin parfaits

Pumpkin puree	1 cup
Mascarpone	8 ounces + 8 ounces
Sugar, confectioners’	¾ cup + 1 cup
Pumpkin spice	1 teaspoon
Salt	¼ teaspoon
Cream, heavy	1 cup
Cookies, chocolate wafer, crushed

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, 8 ounces mascarpone, 3/4 cup sugar, spice, and salt.
2. In another bowl, beat 8 ounces mascarpone, 1 cup sugar, and cream until soft peaks form.
3. Layer in a tall glass with the crushed cookies.

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, November 2015