This cake is one of my favorites because it’s simply delicious. When I have good pears — and really, there is nothing much better than a ripe pear — I make this frequently because it’s simple to prepare and elegant in presentation. I use gluten-free ingredients. Buckwheat flour is naturally gluten-free, and Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free flour is readily available at most supermarkets. If you didn’t know the ingredients, you’d never guess by taste alone that it was gluten-free.

Nocino is a traditional Italian brandy made from green walnuts. Combined with melted butter, it makes a distinctive, flavorful glaze that complements the sweetness of the pears. You can find it at most stores that carry liquor. If you’re up for an island adventure, my Vashon neighbor Steven Buffington makes the best Nocino right next door to my farm. It’s labeled Shawnee Hill Farm and is available on Vashon at the Ruby Brink restaurant, the Burton Store, or the Vashon Wine Shop. Come visit us this fall!

Printable PDF of this recipe here.

Makes one 9-inch cake; Serves 6-8

1 cup walnuts, roasted and coarsely chopped

¼ cup buckwheat flour

1¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour

¾ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp kosher salt

12 Tbsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 Tbsp Nocino, divided

½ cup + 2 Tbsp sour cream

2 ripe pears, peeled, cored and sliced ¼-inch thick

1 Tbsp salted butter, room temperature

¼ cup walnuts, raw and coarsely chopped

Sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush oil on a 9-inch by 2-inch cake pan, and line with a parchment base and 2-inch collar. If you have a hard time getting the parchment to stick, add a little more oil to the pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the roasted walnuts, buckwheat flour, gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the unsalted butter and sugar. Using the paddle attachment, cream for 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the contents from the side of the bowl to combine evenly.

Add the eggs one at a time, waiting until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. You can’t scrape the bowl too often! This is the key to the best cakes! Add 1 Tbsp of the Nocino and mix well.

Add the flour mixture and sour cream in 3 additions, alternating between both. Mix until well combined.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and scoop the dough into the prepared cake pan. Smooth the top with an offset spatula. Begin laying out the sliced pear slices around the perimeter of the cake pan in a shingle-like pattern to create a full circle. Fill in the center with smaller slices, all in one direction.

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Once melted, remove from the heat and add the remaining Tbsp of Nocino. Be aware that Nocino is a high-proof brandy and may ignite when added to the hot pan and butter. Let the flames subside or cover with a lid. Swish the two ingredients together and brush the mixture over the pear slices. Finish by sprinkling the raw walnuts around the border of the pan.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 45 minutes. Invert the cake from the pan, remove parchment, and place on your presentation plate. Serve at room temperature with sweetened cream — and a shot of Nocino! Enjoy!

I call this backyard pizza because you can make the entire recipe on your BBQ or in your outdoor pizza oven, which are becoming increasingly popular. Cooking outdoors on these long summer evenings is the best. This hand-mixed dough can be used within 8 hours, but it’s best after resting for 24 to 48 hours. The extra time allows the flavors to develop and makes the dough much easier to roll out. Enjoy!

Printable PDF of this recipe here.

Makes four 8 oz dough balls

¾ cup milk (or water to make it vegan)

¾ water, warm (approx. 80°F)

1½ tsp sugar

2 tsp dry active yeast

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp kosher salt

Semolina for sprinkling on the pizza peel (if using)

Extra flour for dusting

Your favorite pizza toppings

Extra virgin olive oil for finishing

Leslie’s Topping Recommendations:

Marinara sauce, fresh sliced mozzarella, pepperoni, and Mama Lil’s peppers.

Pesto, sliced prosciutto, burrata cheese, and fresh basil.

Olive oil base, green olive tapenade, roasted cherry tomatoes, roasted zucchini, and goat cheese.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, warm water, sugar, and yeast, until the yeast dissolves. Let it sit for 3 minutes to bloom the yeast. Add the olive oil, flours, and salt, and mix using a wooden spoon for 2 to 3 minutes. The aim is to dissolve all the lumps of flour and mix until all the liquid is absorbed. To clean up the shaggy mixture, perform a “four direction turn.” First, wet your hands. Grab a 4-inch section of dough from the far edge of the bowl and stretch it 5 to 6 inches upwards, laying it over the center mass of dough. Rotate the bowl 180 degrees and repeat the stretch from the opposite side. Continue this process for the remaining two directions. Finally, place your fingers under the mass of dough and invert it. The dough should form a ball-like shape, though it will not be smooth.

Cover with plastic and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours. Do another “four direction turn,” finishing by inverting the mass of dough, re-covering it with plastic, and allowing it to rest at room temperature for 1 more hour. Finally, refrigerate it for 3 hours (or more) before rolling it out. This allows the flavors to develop and the gluten to relax, making it easier to roll out.

Brush olive oil on a rimmed sheet and set aside. Pull the refrigerated dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape it into a square and cut it into 4 equal pieces. The dough may be sticky, so lightly dust your hands with flour and pull the four corners of the dough pieces into the center. Invert the dough and roll it in a circular motion to form a ball. Place the 4 dough balls onto the oiled rimmed baking sheet, leaving a 2-inch space around each ball. Brush their tops with olive oil, cover with plastic, and refrigerate again. They need to chill for a minimum of 45 minutes but will improve in flavor and become easier to work with if you use them 24 to 48 hours later.

Remove the dough balls from the refrigerator and allow them to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before using. Simultaneously, preheat your pizza oven or BBQ for 30 minutes. Grab a dough ball and flatten it on a floured surface. Lift the dough, letting it stretch under its own weight while maintaining a thicker 1-inch border for the pizza rim. Rotate the dough in a circular motion. The base should be thin, about 8 inches wide, without any holes. If holes develop, pinch them together. You’ll soon master the technique: cup your hands, place them on the center of the dough, and rotate it in a circular motion on the work surface until you have an evenly thick, round disk.

If you’re grilling your pizzas, oil the grill first to prevent the dough from sticking. Carefully lift the stretched dough and place it on the preheated grill at 450°F. Bake for 2 minutes until the rim rises. Use a spatula to release the dough from the grill and flip it over. Grill for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. The second side will be the pizza top and won’t gain more color after it’s topped and returned to the grill. Top the crust with pizza sauce (if using), cheese, and your favorite toppings. Reduce the grill heat to 350°F and return the topped pizza to the grill for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted. The base crust will be delightfully crispy.

If you’re using your oven or a backyard pizza oven, preheat it to 450°F. Sprinkle semolina on your pizza peel to prevent sticking. Flatten the dough as described earlier, then top with pizza sauce (if using), cheese, and your favorite toppings. Gently shake the peel to ensure the pizza isn’t sticking, then transfer it onto the preheated brick base. Baking time will vary depending on your oven’s intensity, so watch for the crust to brown and the cheese to bubble. You may need to rotate the pizza for even cooking. Remove the pizza when the crust is golden brown.

Before serving, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to the top. Serve the pizzas with a big garden salad and a bottle of wine. Enjoy!

This cake is inspired by the Norwegian cake known as verdens beste, “the world’s best.” The story behind it is almost as good as the cake itself. In the 1930s, Hulda Ottestad, a café owner in Harstad, a town on Norway’s largest island, Hinnøya, bought two recipes from a Danish pastry chef. She transformed one of them into what’s known today as Kvæfjordkake. Over the years, the cake’s popularity surged, and in 2002, it was crowned Norway’s National Cake. I’d never baked a sponge cake and meringue in the same pan and was intrigued. I tried several variations, settling on the following recipe, which uses sweetened whipped cream in place of custard. The luscious combination of sponge cake, almond meringue, berries and cream comes together with surprising ease, making it a great addition to any Mother’s Day brunch!

Printable PDF

Makes 8 servings.

Cake Layer
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar 1
tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup King Arthur cake flour (or a gluten-free equivalent like Bob’s Red Mill GF One-to-One Baking Flour)
1 tsp baking powder
4 egg yolks (reserve egg whites for the meringue)
1/3 cup milk

Meringue Layer
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2/3 cup sliced raw almonds

Cream Filling
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, 1/2-inch dice

Garnish
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
12 whole strawberries

Cake Layer
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Prepare a 9-inch square baking pan by brushing it with neutral flavored oil and lining it with a 12-inch square piece of parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together for 3 to 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract, mixing well to combine.

Sift together the flour and baking powder. With the mixer running at low speed, gradually add the sifted ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until you have a smooth paste.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and milk together. With the mixer set to medium speed, gradually add the egg yolk mixture to the batter in three additions, mixing for 30 seconds after each addition. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, ensuring all ingredients are well combined.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan.

Meringue Layer
Clean and dry the mixer bowl. Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed. Sprinkle in the salt and cream of tartar. Once the egg whites become foamy, gradually add the sugar, and continue to whisk on high speed for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the meringue becomes shiny and holds firm peaks.

Scoop the meringue onto the top of the cake batter, smoothing it so it covers the cake. Sprinkle the sliced almonds evenly over the meringue.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the meringue is dry to the touch and almonds are golden brown.

Let cool for 15 minutes. Run a paring knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Carefully lift the cake out of the pan using the overhanging parchment paper and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.

Cream Filling
Clean and dry the mixer bowl. Fit the stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whip the heavy cream on medium-high speed. Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip until the cream is firm but not curdled in texture.

Fold the diced strawberries gently into the whipped cream. Keep the mixture chilled until you’re ready to assemble the cake.

Assembly
When the cake has completely cooled, remove the parchment liner and cut the cake in half, to make two 4½-inch x 9-inch pieces.

Place one piece of the cake, almond-side down, on your serving plate. Spread the strawberry whipped cream evenly over this layer. Top with the second cake half, almond-side up. Chill the assembled cake for 30 minutes to firm it up for slicing.

Using a serrated knife, gently cut the cake into 1½-inch slices, taking care not to squeeze out the filling. Before serving, dust the top of each slice with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh strawberries. Enjoy!