I found wonderful local Texas peaches at the market the other day. I got a little carried away and bought more peaches than we could possibly eat, so I used a good portion of them to make a crisp for dessert.

I love a good fruit dessert and this one is no exception. The topping is nutty and crunchy, while the peaches are sweet and perfected cooked. And the great thing about crisps is that they are essentially foolproof. I used almond flour in mine, making it gluten-free, but you could easily use all-purpose flour. Also, feel free to experiment with different fruits, spices, and nuts. This recipe is nothing but a rough guideline, so get creative and adapt it to what you like and what’s in season.

Peach Crisp
Loosely adapted from Cook’s Illustrated: The Best Make Ahead Recipes

Crisp Topping:
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup whole almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

Fruit Filling:
2 1/2 to 3 pounds peaches, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/3 cup sugar (add more or less depending on how sweet your peaches are)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

In a food processor, pulse the almond flour, turbinado sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together until combined, about 4 to 5 pulses. Add the cold butter pieces and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal, about 15 pulses. Add the almonds and the oats, and pulse until the mixture looks like crumbly sand, about 5 pulses.

Spread the mixture onto a small rimmed baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 1 hour. Gently break apart the frozen crisp into large individual crumbs and transfer to a freezer bag until ready to use. The crisp topping can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees with the oven rack in the lower-middle position. In a medium bowl, toss the peach chunks with the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Transfer the fruit mixture to a 9-inch pie plate (or similar sized dish) and sprinkle with the frozen crisp topping. Bake for 40 minutes, until the fruit is bubbly and the top is nicely browned. Cool for a few minutes before serving. Best eaten warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Makes enough for about 6 people.

While I was in Sydney, I was introduced to a wonderful little cookie called the Anzac biscuit. The cookies are an Australian tradition and are associated with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) because they do not spoil easily and were able to be sent to soldiers abroad during World War I. I was happy to sample some while I was in Sydney and could not resist baking a batch when I got home.

Along with these cookies, I thought I would add in a few highlights from my time in Australia and share some non-food photos for the first time. So before I go on about the Anzac biscuits and share the recipe, here is a little recap of what I loved most about my trip:

Sydney itself – Over my three week visit I really fell in love with Sydney. With great sites, beautiful waterfront, good food, and lovely people, it is now on my list of favorite cities.

Seeing Australian wildlife – I am an animal lover, so of course I loved all the wildlife. My favorites were the ibis birds in Sydney, the cockatoos on Hamilton Island, everything I saw at the Great Barrier Reef, and the koalas at the Taronga zoo.

A weekend trip to Hamilton Island and the Great Barrier Reef – Hamilton Island is part of the Whitsunday Islands, a group of islands off the coast of Queensland, Australia, which for the most part are untouched, undeveloped, and therefore incredibly beautiful. I will always remember visiting Whitehaven Beach (it is absolutely stunning), snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef, and seeing the reef from above in a helicopter.

Meeting Amanda, the blogger of Chew Town – When I found out I was going to Sydney, I instantly thought, “Hey, I follow a food blogger that lives there.” I reached out to Amanda for some foodie advice and not only did she send me a list of recommendations, but she also took me out to lunch. Could she be any sweeter? We had a great time talking about blogging, food, and Sydney and I’m so happy we met. If you haven’t seen her blog, Chew Town, I suggest you take a look. Her food and her photos are amazing.

All the good food – Thanks to Amanda’s list and a hefty use of Urbanspoon, I ate really well on this trip. I will always remember the fresh seafood, quality Australian beef, authentic Asian cuisine, good coffee, and good wine that I had in Sydney.

I could go on and on about my trip in greater detail, but those are the things that really stand out as the highlights for me. So if I haven’t lost your attention yet, I will get back to what this post is really supposed to be about–the Anzac biscuits.

Much like there are many versions of chocolate chip cookies, there are also many versions of Anzac Biscuits. The basic ingredients are all the same (flour, oats, coconut, sugar, butter, golden syrup, and baking soda) but the amounts seem to differ slightly from recipe to recipe. From what I have gathered, it’s all about personal preference–some like their Anzac biscuits nice and crunchy, while others prefer them soft and chewy.

In my haze of jet lag, I couldn’t bear to do any measurement conversions or follow any one recipe, so I whipped up this version after reading several different recipes online. My recipe yields an Anzac biscuit that is chewy in the center and slightly crispy on the edges. I would eventually like to replicate the super crunchy ones that I had at a coffee shop in Sydney, but alas, that will have to wait for another day.

Anzac Biscuits
Inspired by Chew Town, Best Recipes, BBC Good Food, and The Sydney Morning Herald

Golden syrup is a classic ingredient in these cookies, but can be difficult to find here in the U.S. I bought a bottle of it while I was in Sydney, but you can order it online if you have trouble hunting it down in stores.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup desiccated coconut or unsweetened finely shredded coconut
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon golden syrup
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, coconut, sugar, and salt and set aside.

In a small saucepan melt the butter, then add the golden syrup and stir to combine. Place the 2 tablespoons of boiling water into a small bowl, stir in the baking soda, and then stir that into the melted butter mixture. Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets with a small cookie scoop, about a tablespoon or so of batter per cookie. The cookies will spread so leave some space between them (I fit 12 cookies per baking sheet). Bake for about 7 to 9 minutes until lightly browned. The cookies will go from browned to burnt quickly, so watch them carefully. Cool for 10 minutes on the pan before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen small cookies.

I made this batch of pancakes a few weeks back for dinner. It was a breakfast for dinner situation—something that I like to do every once in awhile. I also cooked up some breakfast sausage to go alongside and let me tell you, I didn’t hear one complaint from my husband about the lack of vegetables on the dinner table that night. If you haven’t had breakfast for dinner in awhile, you are missing out!

This was maybe my third time making these pancakes (my first time making them for dinner though) and the recipe has quickly become one of my favorites. The pancakes are banana-y without being too banana-y and light enough that I can easily eat a whole stack on my own.

If the pictures don’t convince you that these are delicious, I don’t know what will.

Also, just to give you an update, I am headed back to the states tomorrow. I meant to post this recipe a bit sooner, but I got a little sidetracked here in Sydney. The last three weeks have just flown by! I will be back to blogging more once I’m home and have a kitchen again.

Simple Banana Pancakes
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

I like adding a little oat flour to these pancakes for some whole grain, but feel free to use whole wheat flour or all all-purpose flour if you prefer.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup oat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 small very ripe banana
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Unsalted butter for the pan
Confectioners sugar for dusting
Maple syrup for serving
Banana slices for serving

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oat flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In a medium bowl, mash the banana with a fork or the end of a rolling pin until almost smooth. Add the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla to the mashed banana and whisk together until well combined. Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and gently stir with a rubber spatula until just combined (the batter will be a bit lumpy).

Butter a hot non-stick pan or griddle and ladle 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Cook about 1 to 2 minutes a side until the pancakes are puffed up and golden brown. You will know when the first side is done when the pancakes are dotted with holes and the edges look set. Serve with a dusting of confectioners sugar, real maple syrup, and a few banana slices.

Makes 12 medium sized pancakes.

I’m writing this post from Sydney, Australia! I probably forgot to mention it, but I’m going to be here for 3 weeks. Lucky me, right? I’m still getting adjusted to the time, so forgive me if this post isn’t totally coherent. Since I’m out of the country and without a kitchen, I won’t be posting much in the next few weeks, but I do have a couple of posts that I got ready before I left so as not to abandon you.

This kale quiche came about while I was trying to empty my fridge before we left. I had kale, eggs, milk, a little Gruyère cheese, and leftover pâte brisée in the freezer, so a quiche was inevitable. Plus, after seeing this quiche awhile back, I’ve been dying to put kale in a quiche.

The great thing about quiche is that you can put anything you want in it and it’s a great way to use up any leftover veggies or cheeses that you have. These days, I always seem to have a little kale in my fridge. Any lonely leaves usually get tossed in my juicer, but this time I tossed them in this quiche. Not only is the kale tasty and nutritious, but also you can plop it in raw, which I love.

If I had had some fresh thyme, cream, or more cheese in my fridge, I would have used it, but I made due with what I had and it still hit the spot. It’s wonderfully simple, rustic, and delicious and was the perfect last dinner before heading to Australia.

Quiche with Kale
Inspired by alexandra’s kitchen, Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Pies and Tarts

1/2 recipe Pâte Brisée (recipe here) or your favorite pie dough
1 cup whole milk (or if you have it 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup cream)
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
1 cup packed chopped kale leaves

On a lightly floured surface or in between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, roll out the Pâte Brisée dough to a 12-inch round, about 1/4 inch thick. Fit the round of dough into a 9-inch tart pan, being careful not to stretch or pull the dough. Trim any excess dough by rolling a rolling pin over the edges of the pan. Pierce the bottom of the tart shell all over with a fork and then place in the fridge or freezer until firm, about 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 375 degrees while the tart shell chills.

Once firm, line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights (I used dried beans). Bake for 30 minutes, until the shell has set. Then remove the pie weights and parchment paper and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the bottom of the crust looks dry, but is not yet golden. Set aside on a wire rack and let cool slightly.

In a medium bowl (I use a glass measuring cup, which makes it easy to pour the custard into the tart shell), whisk together the milk, eggs, and yolk until combined. Then whisk in the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.

Place the tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the bottom of the tart with half of the Gruyère cheese, then with the chopped kale leaves, and then with the remaining half of Gruyère. Carefully pour the custard over the cheese and kale. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the center is just set. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes one 9-inch quiche.

This is the kind of treat that once you start eating you can’t stop. It’s addictive and many people have appropriately nicknamed it “matzo crack.” It’s basically crackers covered in homemade toffee, chocolate, and any toppings you want. I keep my version simple by topping mine with a sprinkling of Fleur de Sel French sea salt.

Because the matzo isn’t salted, adding salt on top really balances things out. It seems like a lot of salt at first, but don’t be tempted to use less. The toffee is so sweet that it really needs it. Make sure to use a delicate sea salt like Fleur de Sel or Maldon—whatever you do don’t use table salt.

This simple version is pretty perfect on its own, but if you want you can add other toppings like nuts, dried fruit, or shredded coconut. Also, I used matzo keeping in mind that Passover begins later this week, but I have also made a similar treat using saltine crackers (minus the sea salt topping).

Matzo Toffee with Fleur de Sel
Adapted from Serious Eats

5 sheets matzo
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 12-ounce bag (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon Fleur de Sel or flaky sea salt

Heat the oven to 275 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the matzos on the lined baking sheet, breaking them if needed to fit the pan.

In a medium sized thick-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter on medium-low heat. Once melted, turn the heat to low and add the dark brown sugar. Continue cooking and stirring the mixture until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture starts to boil. Pour the toffee over the matzos and use a rubber spatula or offset palette knife to spread it evenly over all the matzos.

Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until the surface of the toffee is shiny. Once out of the oven, sprinkle the chocolate chips on top and let it stand for 5 minutes so that the chocolate can melt. Then use a rubber spatula or offset palette knife to spread the melted chocolate evenly all over the toffee. Sprinkle the top with Fleur de Sel.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Once chilled, break the matzo toffee into pieces and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Makes 1 large batch.

My mother and father-in-law were in town for a week and just left this past Tuesday. We had a lot of fun taking them around Houston and showing them our new life here. Just last April they were visiting us in our tiny one-bedroom apartment in New York, so their visit really brought to life how much things have changed for us in the past year (I hadn’t even built this blog yet).

Anyways, one of the first things I did after they left was make a new batch of granola. We were running a little low and homemade granola is one of those things that I like to have in my pantry at all times. I usually reach for my go-to recipe, but this time around I decided to switch things up a bit.

Sliced almonds, shredded coconut, and almond extract give this simple granola a separate identity from my usual recipe. The coconut really comes through and even my husband loves it–every other time I have tried a new granola recipe he insists that I should just stick to the one that we know and love. I have a feeling my mother-in-law would like this version too. Louann, if you are reading this, I wish I had made this while you were still here!

This might sound kind of weird since granola is usually a breakfast food, but I discovered last night that this almond coconut granola is perhaps the world’s best ice cream topping. I don’t know what compelled me to sprinkle it on top of my after-dinner scoop of vanilla ice cream, but boy was it a good idea. It’s equally good with milk or yogurt, but I have to say that having it with ice cream was probably the best idea that I’ve had this week.

Almond Coconut Granola

4 cups old fashioned rolled oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill’s Extra-Thick Rolled Oats )
1 cup blanched sliced almonds
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 275 degrees and line 1 baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine the oats, almonds, coconut, and salt. Set aside.

In a microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup, combine the brown sugar and water. Microwave the brown sugar mixture for 1 to 2 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved; be careful not to overcook or burn the syrup and be sure to watch it while it is in the microwave because the mixture tends to bubble up. Add the vanilla and almond extracts to the brown sugar syrup and stir to combine.

Pour the brown sugar syrup onto the dry ingredients and stir until all of the oat mixture is coated with the syrup. Spread the granola onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the granola is lightly golden on top and crunchy. Let the granola cool completely and then use your hands to break it up into pieces. Store the granola in an airtight container.

Makes about 8 cups of granola.

I have some family in town, so I thought I would make some quick and simple honey roasted cashews to have around for snacking. All you need is a handful of ingredients and about 20 minutes of time to whip up a batch.

I love cashews and I usually like them raw, but these honey roasted ones have a sweet and salty thing going on that makes them undeniably delicious.

If you are into sweet and salty snacks, I suggest you try this recipe! Walnuts and almonds also work well if you don’t love cashews like I do.

Happy snacking!

Honey Roasted Cashews
Adapted from Cooks.com

2 cups raw cashews
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons sunflower oil

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the cashews on an unlined rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cashews are lightly golden and you can smell them. Let the nuts cool. Meanwhile, whisk together the sugar and salt in a large bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the honey, water, and sunflower oil. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and then add the roasted cashews. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the cashews are coated and there is no excess honey-water-oil mixture in the pan.

Transfer the honey coated nuts to the bowl with the reserved sugar and salt mixture and mix until all the nuts are coated. Spread the nuts out in a single layer on a piece of wax paper or a Silpat mat and let the nuts cool completely.

Makes about 2 cups.

I know there was some Guinnes in my last post, but since St. Patrick’s Day is on Saturday, I figured I might as well break out the Baileys Irish Cream too.

This was my first time baking liquor into brownies and let me say that it won’t be my last. The Baileys Irish Cream is killer in these and the combination of chocolate and Baileys is absolutely heavenly.

The brownies themselves are rich, dense, and fudgy… just typing about them gets me excited. So take it from me, if you like chocolate, brownies, and/or Baileys, you have to try these.

Hope everyone has a fun and safe St. Patrick’s Day!

Baileys Irish Cream Brownies
Adapted from gimme some oven

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional but recommended)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
heaping 1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup Baileys Irish Cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners sugar, for dusting

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan lined with aluminum foil (dull side up), and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, instant espresso, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

Place a glass bowl over simmering water to create a double boiler (making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water), and melt the chocolate and butter together. Take the chocolate mixture off the heat and set aside to cool for a couple of minutes.

When the chocolate mixture has cooled enough so that it doesn’t cook the eggs, add the eggs to the chocolate mixture, one at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition. Then add the sugar, Baileys, and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the reserved flour mixture and fold it in with a rubber spatula until just combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs. Cool completely before dusting with confectioners sugar and cutting into squares (things will get messy if you attempt to cut them while they are still warm). Store them in the refrigerator and let the brownies come to room temperature before eating.

Makes one 8-inch square pan or 9 good-sized brownies.

I had some leftover cheddar from making mac and cheese last week, so I thought I’d make some gougères, a.k.a. French cheese puffs or “goo chairs” if you are my husband (he and French words do not mix). These gougères are a little special because there’s Guinness beer in the batter.

The Guinness in these puffs pairs beautifully with the cheddar, but they don’t particularly taste like Guinness. It’s more like a wonderful secret ingredient that helps balance everything out, giving these puffs a certain je ne sais quoi.

While I was taking some close up shots of the ingredients, I thought I’d take a step back and also let you get a better idea of what my kitchen looks like. I live in a rental right now, so who knows how long I’ll be cooking here.

A few things in this part of my kitchen that I love: the open shelves filled with dry ingredients, the vintage brass owls that perch on those shelves, my cookbook stand and food scale (well-loved gifts from my in-laws), the pink ceramic knife in my knife block (a gift from my friend Katie), and the ceramic jars with wood lids (the large one is filled with tea, the small one with treats for my pups).

I love seeing other people’s kitchens, so maybe I’ll do another post showing you the rest of mine someday. Remind me if I forget.

Anyways, back to gougères. One thing I will say about these, is that they are best when eaten warm and right out of the oven, so bake them off when you plan to eat them and no sooner.

Lucky for us, gougères can be assembled ahead of time, frozen, and then baked off whenever. If you aren’t going to eat them right away, all you need to do is get a batch ready and instead of putting the tray in the oven, put it in the freezer for about 30 minutes, until the puffs have frozen, and then transfer them to a freezer bag. From there they can go right from the freezer to the oven when you need them—just bake for a couple of extra minutes.

I baked these before my husband came home from work yesterday. We paired them with some wine and had ourselves a nice little after-work/pre-dinner snack.

Gougères {with Guinness and Cheddar}
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Make sure your ingredients are measured out and ready to go before you start this recipe. You don’t want to be measuring flour or grating cheese at the moments you are supposed to be adding them. Also, it’s important that you use large eggs–not extra-large, jumbo, or any other size.

2/3 cup beer or water (I used Guinness)
1/3 cup milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, thickly sliced
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
scant 1/2 cup (65 grams/2.25 ounces) all-purpose flour
scant 1/2 cup (65 grams/2.25 ounces) whole wheat flour
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cup (90 grams/3.25 ounces) sharp white cheddar, grated on a box grater

Heat the oven to 425 degrees and position the oven rack in the top third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large thick-bottomed saucepan, bring the beer, milk, butter, and salt just to a boil. Turn the heat down a bit, add the flours to the pot, and stir vigorously for a couple of minutes, until the dough comes together smoothly. Remove the pot from the heat and let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to help cool it down (you want the mixture to cool enough so the eggs don’t cook when added).

Add the eggs to the dough, one at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition. Then stir in 1 cup of the cheese. Immediately, spoon the gougère dough onto the prepared baking sheet in heaping tablespoons, leaving 1 1/2 inches between each. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining cheese and bake for 5 minutes, then turn the heat down to 375 degrees and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the gougères have puffed up and are a deep golden color (they need to be browned all the way up the sides to ensure that they don’t deflate). Serve immediately and eat them while they’re still warm.

Makes about 2 dozen 3-inch gougères.

I was looking at Easter stuff in Target the other day and ended up coming home with this mini Bundt pan. It was one of those good impulse purchases (the kind you instantly feel good about, not the kind you end up regretting). I love it because anything you bake in it comes out looking adorable–these lemon olive oil cakes included.

These cakes are not only cute, but are also really delicious. The combination of extra virgin olive oil and lemon works well in this recipe. The olive oil keeps the cakes moist and flavors them ever so slightly, while the lemon brightens everything up.

For me, the glaze is what really makes these cakes. It’s lemony, tart, and the perfect finishing touch. Some people might want to drizzle it on, but I like to coat the cakes completely as if they were glazed donuts.

If you like lemon desserts, this recipe is for you. There’s lemon zest in the batter, lemon juice in the glaze, and more lemon zest on top for garnish–very lemony and very delicious!

Mini Lemon Olive Oil Cakes
Adapted from Food Network

The type of olive oil you use in this recipe matters since it helps flavor the cake. Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil that’s on the fruity side (versus one that has grassy or peppery notes).

Pan:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
All-purpose flour for dusting

Cakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (2 to 4 lemons depending on size)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup fruity extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup milk

Glaze and Garnish:
3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
5 to 6 tablespoons lemon juice (2 to 4 lemons depending on size)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Lemon zest for garnish (optional)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle position. Brush a 12-cup mini Bundt pan with melted butter and dust it with flour, shaking out any excess flour.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

In a food processor or blender, pulse the sugar and lemon zest together until combined. Pulse the eggs in one at a time, then gradually pour in the olive oil and milk, pulsing until the batter has emulsified into a thin batter, about 30 seconds (be careful not to over-blend a this point or else the cakes will be too puffy).

Add the reserved flour mixture to the food processor or blender in two batches, pulsing until just combined both times. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, filling each cup only 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cakes start pulling away from the sides of the pan and spring back when touched. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting them onto a rack to cool completely.

Make the glaze by whisking together the confectioners sugar, lemon juice and melted butter—if you find that the glaze is still too thick to work with, add more lemon juice or water until you get the right consistency. Coat each of the cakes with glaze and sprinkle with lemon zest if using. (Note: You will have leftover glaze. Starting out with a large amount of glaze makes it easier to coat the cakes). Let the glaze harden before serving.

Makes 12 mini cakes.