Claire Saffitz
Contributing Editor
A former senior food editor at Bon Appétit, Claire Saffitz was the host of the popular series Gourmet Makes before leaving the company in 2020. She is the bestselling author of Dessert Person and What's for Dessert and currently hosts a companion series to her books on YouTube, also called Dessert Person. After graduating from Harvard University, she received a master’s degree in culinary history from McGill in Montreal and then studied pastry in Paris at École Grégoire Ferrandi. She lives in New York City with her husband and two cats. dessertperson.com
Recipes
Spiced Pear Upside-Down Cake
Consider this nutty, spiced-sweet fruit tart the dessert equivalent to a big, comfy sweater.
Recipes
Chamomile Panna Cotta with Quince
If you want a shortcut for this quince and chamomile panna cotta recipe, purchase quince paste at a specialty shop and heat it slowly to create a syrup, then simply spoon it over the custards.
Recipes
Caramelized-Honey Nut and Seed Tart
This press-in crust is easier to make and handle than a buttery dough that you have to roll out.
Recipes
D.I.Y. Apple Mille-Feuille
Sandwiching the puff pastry between two baking sheets ensures that the pastry rises perfectly even.
Recipes
The BA Fines Herbes Blend
Use the sharpest knife you can find when slicing the herbs to ensure you're not tearing them.
Recipes
Mixed Citrus "Gratin"
Suprêming citrus may be a labor of love, but there really is nothing more refreshing than taking a bite into one of these segments.
Recipes
Red Snapper with Sambal
Be sure to pat the snapper fillets dry with paper towels to remove as much moisture as you can before slicing.
Recipes
Scallion Salad
Slicing the scallion greens and chile at an extreme diagonal makes for a pleasing presentation.
Recipes
Hasselback Carrots
Perfectly thin, uniform slices make any dish a showstopper. Try this cutting technique on other vegetables, such as skin-on potatoes before they're roasted.
Recipes
Potato Salad With 7-Minute Eggs and Mustard Vinaigrette
Egg salad and potato salad: Unite! We like how the still-soft yolks dress the salad, but you can cook the eggs a minute or two longer if you like them more set.
Recipes
Snap Peas and Green Beans with Arugula-Mint Pesto
When not using this pesto to dress this very green salad, you could schmear it on just about any sandwich, or stir it into scrambled eggs.
Recipes
Sweet-and-Spicy Ribs
These meaty ribs are purposely precooked until very tender but not yet falling off the bone so they don’t shred when it’s time to grill them.
Recipes
Cucumber and Charred Onion Salad
Somewhere between a condiment and a side; this would be great spooned right onto a burger.
Recipes
Caramel and Root Beer Float
Pour in the root beer slowly, allowing it to cascade over the ice cream, then top off until the glass is full.
Recipes
Green Tea and Ginger Beer Float
Chill glasses in the freezer for 5–10 minutes to keep the ice cream from melting into the ginger beer too quickly.
Recipes
Peach and Fizzy Grapefruit Float
In case of sunshine and happiness, make this colorful ice cream float! Spiking it with some booze makes it even tastier.
Recipes
Vanilla Float With Bitters and Cherries
To guarantee perfect scoops, temper your ice cream on the counter for 5–10 minutes.
Recipes
Coconut and Cream Float
Pour in the soda slowly, allowing it to cascade over the ice cream, then top off until the glass is full.
Recipes
Iceberg Wedges with Grilled Bacon and Croutons
Who doesn’t love a wedge? Ask your butcher to cut slab bacon into thick slices (about ¼") to yield nice meaty pieces once they’re crisped on the grill.