• preparation

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, dredge them in flour, dip them in egg and coat them with a mixture of the breadcrumbs and shredded coconut.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and cook the shrimp until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, before setting aside on paper towels to drain.

• preparation

Soak the salted cod fish in cold water for 12 hours.
Cook in simmering water for 5 to 6 minutes. Let cool and clean, debone and flake the fish.

In a mixing bowl , mix the flour and water to from a paste.
add the fish, scallions, Scotch Bonnet chile, garlic, onion and seasoning.
add the egg yolks and vinegar
just before cooking, add baking soda and beaten egg whites.
Meanwhile, heat 2 inches of corn oil to 350 to 375 degrees in a heavy cast-iron pot or deep fryer. Drop the acras into it by the teaspoonful. Fry until they are light brown, turning once. When done, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Serve the accras as soon as they are ready with lemon wedges and curried mayonnaise sauce.

• preparation

Mix first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.
Stir in buttermilk, oil and egg yolks.
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until medium-firm peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter.
Heat a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat; lightly brush skillet with melted butter. Drop batter by ¼ cupfuls into skillet; spread to 4 inch rounds. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons blueberries over each round. Cook until tops are covered with small bubbles and bottom are golden, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until second sides are golden, about 1 minute.
Repeat with remaining batter and blueberries, brushing skillet with melted butter for each batch.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In an electric mixer, whisk together the butter, egg, sugar, honey and milk.
Stir together these two mixtures and carefully fold in the blueberries. Spoon the batter in a greased 12-muffin tins.
Bake the muffins for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Remove muffins from cups while hot.

• preparation

Buy the oysters. When buying oysters, look for a tag with the harvest date and use them within a week of that date. Also, make sure the oysters are fresh and alive; the shells should be tightly closed or should close when tapped.
An hour before shucking, scrub the oysters with a stiff brush under cold running water to remove any grit. Set them aside to relax muscles in shell. They will open with more ease.

Shuck the oysters. Hold the oyster, curved-side down, in a towel on a cutting board. Insert an oyster knife between the shells at the narrow pointed end. (Use a real oyster knife-there is no substitute!) Press down firmly on the oyster to prevent slipping and twist the knife to pry the shells apart. Use the knife for leverage; do not use force. Cut the muscle that connects the oyster to the top shell with the knife, being careful not to pierce the meat. Remove the top shell. Slide your knife under the oyster to loosen it, keeping the meat and liquid in the shell. Use your knife to carefully scrape away any shards of shell.

Make the aioli. Blend the garlic, egg yolks, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil with the motor running and process until thick. Use a rubber spatula to transfer the aioli to a bowl, then cover and refrigerate.

Prepare the ragout. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, stirring, until crisp. Add the shallots and mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, stirring. Add the garlic, cook 3 minutes, then add the butter and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble the oysters. Preheat the broiler. Place the oysters, in their shells, in individual baking dishes or one large dish. (Put a crumpled sheet of foil underneath them to keep them steady, if necessary.) Top each with a spoonful of mushroom ragout.

Finish the dish. Top each oyster with a dollop of aeoli. Broil until the aeoli is golden, about 2 minutes, and serve immediately.

• preparation

INSTANT PANCAKE MIX
Sift all ingredients together and store in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 3 months. Shake well before each use.
PANCAKES
Heat an electric griddle to 350 degrees F or set a heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat.
Heat the oven to the lowest possible temperate (not more than 200 degrees F).
Place the pancake mix in a large mixing bowl.
Whisk the egg whites and the buttermilk in a second bowl.
Whisk the egg yolks into the cooled melted butter.
Whisk the butter mixture completely into the buttermilk mixture.
Combine the wet team onto the dry instant pancake mix and quickly bring together with a large whisk. Do not over mix.
Ladle 1 ounce (by volume) of batter onto the griddle. Spread the batter out to a disk about 4 inches in diameter. Cook for 3 minutes, or until bubbles around the upside edge set. If you wish to integrate the fruit into the pancake itself, add it after the batter has been on the griddle for about 30 seconds.
Carefully flip with a wide spatula and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom.
Serve immediately or keep warm in the oven by placing cakes on a half sheet pan and covering them with a tea towel for up to 20 minutes.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees .
Mix all ingredients except eggs and oil in a large bowl. Beat eggs and oil in a separate bowl.
Stir flour mix into eggs. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each cup. Bake for about 25 minutes.
Transfer muffins on a rack to cool. Serve warm.

• preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix the bananas, yogurt, eggs, oil, and vanilla together in the bowl of a stand mixer until combined. Add the sugar and continue to mix until combined.
2. Whisk the flours, flaxseed, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixer and beat until just combined (do not over-mix). Stir the nuts into the batter.
3. Pour the batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake in the oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Remove the bread and cool completely on wire rack.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Streusel
In a small mixing bowl, use a fork to mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Add the chopped pecans and melted butter. Continue mixing with the fork until the sugar and pecans are fully mixed and evenly moistened by the butter. Reserve; this is your streusel topping.
Muffins batter
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Cut the butter into cubes and place them in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on low speed, then medium, to cream the butter for a minute till it becomes light and airy.
Slowly add sugar to the bowl and beat for 2-3 minutes more, increasing the speed gradually and scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula periodically, until the color becomes lighter and the sugar is fully integrated into the butter.
Beat in the eggs, then the sour cream, then the almond or vanilla extract.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet and stir till evenly moistened. Do not over-mix.
Line a cupcake tin with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Fill each tin halfway with batter. I've found the easiest way to do this is with a small ice cream scoop-- use one small (not heaping) scoop per tin.
Sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp of streusel onto the top of the batter in each tin.
Fill the tins the rest of the way with batter, all the way to the top of the tin (another small ice cream scoop of batter in each tin).
Sprinkle 1-2 tsp of streusel on the top of each cupcake.
Bake the cupcakes for 30-35 minutes till they test clean with a toothpick or skewer. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
Glazing:
When ready to frost, make your vanilla glaze. In a small mixing bowl, sift the powdered sugar.
Add the rest of the glaze ingredients. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients till a creamy frosting forms. You want the consistency of thick honey; if you need a little more moisture, add milk a few drops at a time. Just a drop can take it from a thick honey to a runny texture, so add with care.
Line a glass with a plastic bag, wrapping the edge of the bag around the outer rim of the glass. This will help you fill it with frosting. Use a spatula to scoop the frosting into the bag.
Place cupcakes on top of a piece of parchment paper or paper towels to catch drips.
Work the frosting into the corner of the bag and snip off a small corner with scissors. Gently squeeze and drizzle the frosting in a zig-zag pattern across the top of the cupcakes.
Let the frosting dry for at least 30 minutes to set (it may take longer depending on the weather).

• preparation

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a small bowl, mash the banana with a fork until almost smooth. Whisk in the eggs, then add the milk and vanilla and whisk until well blended. Pour the banana mixture and the melted butter into the flour mixture. Fold the batter gently with a rubber spatula until just blended; do not over-mix. The batter will be thick and lumpy.
Set a griddle or non-stick pan over medium heat until hot. Put a pad of butter and one tablespoon vegetable oil onto the griddle, and swirl it around. Drop the batter by 1/4-cupfuls onto the griddle, spacing the pancakes about 2 inches apart. Cook until a few holes form on top of each pancake and the underside is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until the bottom is golden brown and the top is puffed, 1 to 2 minutes more. Using the spatula, transfer the pancakes to a serving plate.
Wipe the griddle clean with paper towels, add more butter and oil, and repeat with the remaining batter. Serve the pancakes while still hot with maple syrup, sliced bananas and confectioners' sugar if desired.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place oil, onion, chopped garlic, cumin cayenne pepper in a dutch.
Cook over low heat while stirring for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside.
Line a roasting pan with foil. Season pork loin with salt and pepper. Place in the roasting pan.
Spoon 1 cup of the barbecue sauce over pork. Place in oven.
Baste with additional sauce every 20 minutes until roast is done and all sauce is used, about 1 1/2 hours or until the center of roast has reached a temperature of 155 degrees.
Let roast rest 15 to 20 minutes, loosely covered with aluminum foil. Place pan juices in a bowl and set aside for 5 minutes.
Skim off any fat that rises on top.
Stir in any natural juices that are released from pork roast. Heat sauce and serve alongside pork.
Remove any fat. Slice the roast. Serve with the sauce.

• preparation

Tenderize the conch to 1/8-inch thickness, using a meat mallet.
Place the conch in a pot of water. The water should just cover the conch. Boil for 20-30 minutes.
In a large pot, add the oil and allow to heat up for a minute.
Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Let the roux simmer for about 5 minutes. Don't let the roux burn!
Add the tomatoes, onions, thyme, pepper sauce/red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and let simmer for a minute or two.
Add the potatoes, tomato paste. Stir and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, take the conch out of the water and cut it into small chunks.
Add the water, conch and the juice of 1 lime to the large pot.
Cover the pot and simmer until the potatoes are done, about 30 minutes.
Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

• preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix the bananas, yogurt, eggs, oil, and vanilla together in the bowl of a stand mixer until combined. Add the sugar and continue to mix until combined.
2. Whisk the flours, flaxseed, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixer and beat until just combined (do not over-mix). Stir the nuts into the batter.
3. Pour the batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake in the oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Remove the bread and cool completely on wire rack.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream butter, sugar, molasses then add bananas.
Add all dry ingredients with egg and buttermilk. Whisk until batter is smooth. Pour batter in greased muffin tins.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

• preparation

Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Process cheese with the flour. Add butter and spices and process until dough forms a ball. Scrape the side of bowl, and process for a few more seconds to blend.
Roll the dough into 2-inch thick cylinder. Wrap in wax paper. Chill. Slice into 1/4 -inch slices. Place on sheet pan lined with wax paper.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until wafers are crisp. Cool on rack.

Note: I also roll cylinder in ground almond.

• preparation

Buy the oysters. When buying oysters, look for a tag with the harvest date and use them within a week of that date. Also, make sure the oysters are fresh and alive; the shells should be tightly closed or should close when tapped.
An hour before shucking, scrub the oysters with a stiff brush under cold running water to remove any grit. Set them aside to relax muscles in shell. They will open with more ease.

Shuck the oysters. Hold the oyster, curved-side down, in a towel on a cutting board. Insert an oyster knife between the shells at the narrow pointed end. (Use a real oyster knife-there is no substitute!) Press down firmly on the oyster to prevent slipping and twist the knife to pry the shells apart. Use the knife for leverage; do not use force. Cut the muscle that connects the oyster to the top shell with the knife, being careful not to pierce the meat. Remove the top shell. Slide your knife under the oyster to loosen it, keeping the meat and liquid in the shell. Use your knife to carefully scrape away any shards of shell.

Make the aioli. Blend the garlic, egg yolks, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil with the motor running and process until thick. Use a rubber spatula to transfer the aioli to a bowl, then cover and refrigerate.

Prepare the ragout. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, stirring, until crisp. Add the shallots and mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, stirring. Add the garlic, cook 3 minutes, then add the butter and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble the oysters. Preheat the broiler. Place the oysters, in their shells, in individual baking dishes or one large dish. (Put a crumpled sheet of foil underneath them to keep them steady, if necessary.) Top each with a spoonful of mushroom ragout.

Finish the dish. Top each oyster with a dollop of aeoli. Broil until the aeoli is golden, about 2 minutes, and serve immediately.

• preparation

Mix first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.
Stir in buttermilk, oil and egg yolks.
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until medium-firm peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter.
Heat a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat; lightly brush skillet with melted butter. Drop batter by ¼ cupfuls into skillet; spread to 4 inch rounds. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons blueberries over each round. Cook until tops are covered with small bubbles and bottom are golden, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until second sides are golden, about 1 minute.
Repeat with remaining batter and blueberries, brushing skillet with melted butter for each batch.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat eggs, add sugar, honey, oil and carrots. Mix well. Add dry ingredients along with buttermilk.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Transfer muffins on a rack to cool.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 275 degrees; set a rack on a baking sheet and place in oven. Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturers instructions.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl whisk together buttermilk, butter, and eggs. Add flour mixture to buttermilk mixture and stir just until batter is combined; fold blueberries into batter.
Lightly coat waffle iron with cooking spray. Pour 1 cup batter (this may vary depending on size of waffle iron) in the center of iron, spreading evenly with a spatula. Close iron; cook until waffles are golden brown and crisp, 7 to 8 minutes.
Remove from iron and transfer to rack in oven; repeat with remaining batter. Serve with blueberries, creme fraiche, and a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Butter two 9-inch by 5-inch by 3-inch inch loaf pans. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add cornmeal and blend well. In a separate bowl, combine and beat milk, egg, and butter. Pour the wet ingredients over dry mixture. Stir to blend. Pour batter into pans. Bake for about 50 minutes. Cool corn bread on rack for 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack to cool completely. Refrigerate wrapped for 2 days, or freeze for 2 weeks.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly oil a baking sheet or line with parchment paper. Combine juice and zest of orange with the soy or rice milk to make 1 cup. Add oil and whisk together with a fork. Set aside.
Blend flours and baking soda together, stirring to make sure there are no small lumps of soda.
Mix in sugar, fresh and dried cranberries, and walnuts, if desired. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring until a stiff dough is formed.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead a few turns. Shape into a round loaf and place on the prepared baking sheet. With a sharp knife cut an X across the top about ½-inch deep (to allow for dough expansion when baking).
Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is browned. Remove to cooling rack. Cool 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 450°F. (For more crispiness, preheat your oven to 500°F.)
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut off the ends. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Cut each piece into wedges. Alternately, you can slice the peeled sweet potato into disks either with a mandoline or a sharp knife.
Put the sweet potatoes into a large bowl and add the oil. Mix well to combine. Sprinkle with salt, sugar and spices of your choice. Mix well, so all pieces are coated with oil and spices.
Place a baking sheet inthe oven to preheat.
Spread the sweet potatoes out in a single layer on the preheating the baking sheet, to help the fries get crisp.

Bake for a total of 25 to 30 minutes. After the first 15 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn over all of the sweet potato pieces. Return to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until they are well browned. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

• preparation

In a frying pan cook celery and onion in butter until tender; remove from heat. Stir in giblets, poultry seasoning or sage, pepper and salt.

In a large mixing bowl place dry bread and corn bread cubes; add the onion mixture. Drizzle with enough broth or water to moisten, tossing lightly to mix.
Transfer to a 2-quart casserole. Cover and bake in a 325 degree F oven for 40 minutes or until heated through.
Or, use to stuff a 10- to 12-pound turkey; see directions for Classic Roast Turkey.)

*Note: To cook giblets: Rinse giblets and neck. Refrigerate liver until needed. In a medium saucepan place the remaining giblets and neck. Add enough lightly salted water to cover. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add liver and simmer 20 to 30 minutes or until tender. Remove giblets and finely chop. Discard neck. Strain broth. Chill giblets and broth until needed.

• preparation

1. Trim broccoli: cut the last 1/4 inch from the end of the stalks and use a paring knife to trim any gnarly stumps or little branches from the stalks.

2. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the tough outer skin from the stalks, starting at the base of the flower and going to the end of the stalks. Some larger stalks have a fairly thick skin and may need two passes of the peeler. (You can tell when you got it all when the inner flesh of the stalk is exposed -- it has a softer wet-green look, with no fibers visible and a texture like a cut radish or potato.)

3. Cut the broccoli pieces crosswise into three pieces: the flower and two pieces of stalk about 2 1/2 - 3" long. Divide the flowers from each other as necessary and halve or quarter the stalk pieces lengthwise so that the pieces are all about the same size (for uniform cooking).

4. Place the broccoli in a steamer basket in a pan with about 3/4" of rapidly boiling water. Cover tightly and steam for 5 min.

5. Remove broccoli to a bowl. Add any of the optional ingredients you are using and toss with tongs briefly to mix.

6. Season to taste and allow to rest, partially covered, for a few minutes.

• preparation

Line a microwave-safe bowl with a paper towel and set the box grater in the bowl.
Working quickly, so the potatoes do not have a chance to oxidize, grate the potatoes into the bowl.
Give them a gentle press into the paper towel, then remove the paper towel. Add the salt and baking powder and mix with hands. Microwave the potatoes for 90 seconds. Add the garlic and pepper and mix again.
Melt the butter with the oil in a 12-inch cast iron or other nonstick skillet over medium heat. Divide the potato mixture into four equal portions and press each between hands to form an oblong ½-inch-thick patty. Lay the potato patties in the hot fat and cook without moving for 3 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 3 minutes. If pan looks dry, add a little more oil.
Flip and rotate the patties so they color evenly and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Serve with ketchup.

• preparation

Wash and spin dry the kale leaves and chop finely.

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, shallot, salt, pepper, and a generous pinch of hot red pepper flakes.
Pour over kale in serving bowl and toss well.
Add 2/3 of the cheese and toss again.
Let kale sit for at least 5 minutes. Toss again, and top with remaining cheese.

• preparation

In a very large bowl stir together the cabbage, the apple strips, the celery, and the walnuts.
In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, the yogurt, the mustard, the sugar, the oil, the salt, and the vinegar until the dressing is smooth.
Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture, and toss the slaw well. Chill the slaw, covered, for 2 hours.
The slaw may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.
Serve the slaw topped with the apples slices.

• preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Bake the walnuts for 5-8 minutes, until toasted and fragrant. Keep a close eye on them; they burn quickly.
Combine the brussels sprouts and kale in a large bowl.
Make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the vegetables. Add most of the walnuts and cheese, reserving some to garnish the platter, and toss well. Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours in the fridge) to allow the flavors to meld and the vegetables to soften. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a serving dish and scatter the remaining walnuts and cheese over top. Serve at room temperature.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, blend flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Add oil, egg yolks, water, orange juice, rind, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
Beat egg whites with cream of tartar. Gradually add sugar, and beat to form soft peaks. Fold egg whites into batter.
Pour into a 10-inch ungreased tube pan. Bake for about 1 hour. Test with a cake tester. Invert until cold. Loosen cake with knife. Unmold. Cover with orange fluff icing.

ORANGE FLUFF ICING

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Beat with a whisk over adouble boiler until peaks start to form.
Remove from heat, beat for 2 to 3 more minutes or icing is at a spreadable consistency.
Cover chiffon cake.

• preparation

In a saucepan combine wine, orange juice and honey. Split the vanilla bean in half, lengthwise, and scrape the seeds into the pan using the tip of the knife. Add the pod and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced to about one cup (about 15 minutes). Remove from the heat and add the raisins. Set aside to cool then remove vanilla pod. Cut off the orange peel with a knife. Separate the segments free from all membranes. Repeat with remaining citrus, removing seeds. Add all fruit to the cooled liquid. Spoon into glasses.

• preparation

In a large bowl, mix Nutella and cream cheese together until well blended and smooth. Add vanilla extract. Fold in whipped topping until no white streaks are left. Pour into Oreo Pie crust. Refrigerate or freeze at least 2 hours to overnight.
Remove cheesecake from the fridge, slice and serve immediately. If removing from the freezer, allow the cheesecake to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before slicing & serving.
Optional: Shave chocolate with veggie peeler on top of pie for garnish.

• preparation

Mix the strawberry jam with the egg yolks.
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk to a boiling point. Pour over egg mixture and stir well. Heat over low heat stirring continuously until thick. Do not boil.
Strain the custard. Blend in the jello.
Refrigerate to cool.
Whip cream until thick. Fold into the strawberry custard. Pour mixture into a decorative mold. Refrigerate to set.
To serve, immerse mold in hot water. Unmold over a serving dish. Garnish with fresh strawberries.

• preparation

1. COMBINE crumbs with butter. Press on bottom of 9 in. springform pan. Try using your favorite cookies for extra flavor - just give them a whirl in the food processor or blender and substitute for prepared crumbs.

2. MIX cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, cornstarch and sour cream and mix until just blended.

3. POUR over prepared crust and swirl in a raspberry Jam and bake at 300°F for 45-50 minutes or until centre is almost set. Cool completely and refrigerate.
Decorate with fresh raspberries.

• preparation

Partially blind-bake the pie shell: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out chilled pie dough and place in a 9-inch pie pan. (Glass is best.) Trim and flute or crimp the edges, pierce the bottom crust with a fork. then cover with a large square of parchment or foil. It should hang over the edges. Carefully pour 2 or 3 cups of dried beans or pie weights onto the foil or parchment, and spread evenly so they reach up the sides of the pie. Bake 12 to 16 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. If crust edges are browning too quickly, make a little collar from foil and cover for remaining baking time.
Make the filling:
Scald milk by placing it in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until it just begins to foam and bubble around the edges. Set aside to let cool slightly. In the top of a double boiler, or in another saucepan that will fit over a pot of boiling water, beat together egg yolks, sugar, salt and cornstarch. Stir in melted butter, then add the milk.
Place the saucepan over the boiling water and whisk until the mixture thickens. This will take 2 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and sweetened coconut until well distributed. Pour into the pie shell.
Make the meringue: Toast the unsweetened coconut lightly in a small sauté pan on the stove over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Set aside. In a stand mixer or with a bowl and whisk, mix egg whites and cream of tartar until the mixture is foamy. If using a stand mixer, keep speed on medium. Then, turn mixer to high and gradually pour in sugar, a tablespoon at a time. If whisking, make sure sugar is dissolved before each new addition of sugar. Keep beating until the meringue is glossy and forms soft peaks. Be careful not to whip into stiff peaks.
Pour the meringue over the pie filling. Using a spatula (an offset version works well), scoot the meringue to the edge of the crust so it forms a seal. Swirl the spatula through the rest of the meringue, distributing it evenly and dipping the edge of the spatula across the top of the meringue to make little peaks. Sprinkle evenly with the unsweetened coconut.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

• preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter and flour parchment and pan, tapping out excess flour.
2. Make streusel: Whisk together butter, brown sugar, and salt. Add flour and mix with a fork until large crumbs form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Make cake: In a medium bowl, combine rhubarb, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup flour. In another medium bowl, whisk 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, one at a time. With mixer on low, beat in vanilla, then flour mixture. Spread batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle with rhubarb and top with streusel.
4. Bake cake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Using paper overhang, lift cake from pan. Cut into 16 bars.

• preparation

the crust:
In a medium bowl, Mix chocolate with butter. Combine with crumbs. Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

the raspberry filling:
Combine ingredients in double boiler. Whisk until thickened. Cool and cover.
Dissolve 1 envelop unflavored gelatin with 1/4 cup water Allow to set for 5 minutes, and mix in with the raspberry filling.

the custard:

In a saucepan, combine sugar, corn starch and milk. Cook over medium heat until thick. Mix in egg yolks.
Cook one more minute. Set aside.
Cool and cover.
Mix half of the custard with 1/4 cup melted semi sweet chocolate.
Pour over crust bottom. Refrigerate until firm.
Spoon in raspberry mixture. Chill to set.
Add 1 tablespoon rum to remaining custard. Cool. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar.
Add 1/4 cup sugar. Continue beating until firm. Fold into custard.
Spoon over pie. Chill.

• preparation

To Make the Chocolate Cake:
1. Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment, and spray it with non stick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Add the butter and both sugars to the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat them together on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract, and beat well until they’re fully incorporated.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running on low, add a quarter of the sifted flour mixture. Add a third of the buttermilk to the mixing bowl. When that’s incorporated, continue to add the dry and wet ingredients in an alternating pattern, ending with the dry ingredients.
4. Finish mixing the cake by hand. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake the cake for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool the cake completely before using.
To Make the Mousse Layers:
1. Prepare your pan. You need a 9-inch pan with sides at least 3 inches tall, and the ability to remove the bottom. Either a cake pan with a removable bottom or a springform pan will work. Line the inner wall with a 4-inch high acetate cake collar or a strip of aluminum foil or waxed paper. Make sure the acetate or waxed paper is long enough so that it overlaps itself, and if you are using foil/waxed paper, make sure you cut the strip tall enough to extend at least an inch over the pan’s sides, since the cake is about 4 inches tall.
2. Place a cake cardboard in the bottom of the pan, then carefully place the baked cake on top of the cardboard. This is optional, but it makes it easy to transfer the cake cleanly and neatly to your serving plate.
3. Prepare the cinnamon mousse layer: combine the cinnamon chips, pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup of cream, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour it into a large bowl, and let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
4. While you wait for the cinnamon mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together the gelatin and the cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water. When the cinnamon is at room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin and cinnamon mixture together, and whisk in the ground cinnamon.
5. Whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the cinnamon, and once it’s incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Scrape the mousse on top of the cake, and spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate the cake for 25 minutes, until the mousse has started to set and is firm enough that a second layer can be added.
6. For the pumpkin-butterscotch mousse, combine the butterscotch chips, pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Continue to make this layer the same way you made the cinnamon layer, by melting and cooling the butterscotch mixture, whisking in the melted gelatin, and folding in whipped cream. When the pumpkin-butterscotch mousse is ready, pour it over the cinnamon mousse layer. Spread it into an even layer, and refrigerate again.
7. Finally, prepare the salted caramel layer. Combine the salted caramel chips (or white chocolate chips), 1/2 cup heavy cream, salted caramel, salt, and vanilla in a microwave-safe bowl. Continue to make this layer the same way you made the previous two layers. Pour it over the pumpkin-butterscotch mousse, and refrigerate to set the mousse layers for at least 30 minutes.
8. Make a quick chocolate ganache by putting the chopped chocolate in a small bowl and heating the cream to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and whisk gently until the chocolate melts and you have a smooth, shiny mixture. If it is very hot, let it cool slightly so it’s still warm and spreadable, but not so hot that it will melt the mousse. Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, and use a spatula to nudge it right to the edge and spread it in an even layer. Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours or overnight, so that the mousse layers can be very firm when slicing.
9. To finish the cake, push the bottom out from the pan, or unhinge the sides, and unwrap the acetate strip. Transfer the cake to your serving platter. Pipe rosettes of whipped cream around the edges, and sprinkle the cream with a bit of cinnamon. Top the rosettes with chocolate candies or chocolate curls, or leave them plain.
10. For the cleanest slices, cut the cake when it is well chilled. Use a large sharp knife, and wash it frequently between cuts. For the best taste and texture, allow the cake slices to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.