Author: Stella Parks

The most important thing a stand mixer has to offer isn’t convenience, it’s power.

A brief look at the unique capabilities of a stand mixer (spoiler alert, it’s about power, not convenience), and which model our resident pastry wizard prefers.

A brief guide to the world of cake frostings, with recipes and tips for how to use and customize them.

When not baking away for her work at Serious Eats, our resident Pastry Wizard still needs to eat. Here are the recipes she loves to make most at home.

The secret to this flavorful chocolate roulade is a combination of bread flour and the best quality unsweetened chocolate you can find.

However charming the idea, homemade vanilla extract isn’t an extract at all. It’s an infusion, and one that lacks the nuance and complexity of those made by commercial producers.

With toasted sugar and vanilla in the meringue, a lush dusting of high-fat cocoa powder on the outside, and your favorite dark or milk chocolate to serve as the “glue” for the caps and stems, these meringue mushrooms taste as good as they look!

Made with cream cheese, fresh ricotta, and plenty of lemon, this cheesecake is light, cottony, and tart.

Mastering the jelly roll is part of any baker’s journey, and will naturally involve a learning curve, but a finely tuned formula, unfussy technique, and bold flavors will make the process enjoyable to say the least. Our recipe represents a huge departure from tradition, with a cake that doesn’t need to be flipped from the pan, rolled with a towel, or handled in any special way.

This no-bake cheesecake gets its tart flavor from Greek yogurt (or skyr!) and its airiness from Swiss meringue, making it a light and tangy dessert that’s the perfect conclusion to any hearty meal. Because it won’t compete with other recipes for a spot in the oven, and can be refrigerated up to one week, it’s also a strong contender for any holiday menu.