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• Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking pan with aluminum foil.
• Place all ingredients in a medium pot. Stirring all the while, bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to cook at a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until mixture has thickened to coat the walnuts.
• Spread the nuts evenly on the prepared baking pan. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the coating is quite thick.
• Transfer to another rimmed baking pan or plate that is heat-resistant, and use a spatula to stir and toss the walnuts for a couple minutes to break apart any large clumps and start the cooling process.
• Enjoy eating as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Let cool completely before placing in a sealed container at room temperature. Walnuts will keep for several weeks.
• Enjoy eaten straight, with cheese, in salads, on ice cream, or in various other ways.

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Preparing the crust

• Let pie dough sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out dough into a 14-inch round. Wrap it around the rolling pin to transfer it to a pie dish. Shape it into pan, cutting back overhang and crimping edges as desired.
• Set on a rimmed baking sheet and prick bottom and sides all over with fork tines. Freeze for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven with a rack in the lower third of oven. Line the frozen pie crust with parchment paper and filled to brim with pie weights. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes; check part way and cover edges with foil if they brown too quickly. At the end, the edges should look set and dry.
• Use parchment to lift out the pie weights onto another cookie sheet to cool. Put pie back in oven for another 20 to 25 minutes, monitoring it. If the crust puffs, use a flat metal measuring cup or similar device to press crust down. By the end, the bottom crust should look golden and dry. Let crust cool on baking sheet.

Assembling pie

• Reduce oven temperature to 350-degrees.
• Place pecans on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes to roast, stirring halfway through. They should be dark and fragrant.
• Place 5 ounces dates and 1/2 cup boiling water in food processor. Let sit for 10 minutes. Process until smooth, about a minute. Add eggs, brown sugar, bourbon, butter, kosher salt, vanilla bean paste/extract, and cinnamon. Process until smooth, about a minute.
• Remove bowl and blade from food processor. Stir in pecans and remaining dates. Scrape the filling into the crust.
• Bake pie for 45 to 55 minutes, rotating halfway through. If the crust is getting too dark, protect edges with foil. At the end, the filling should no longer look shiny but be dry and set. Cool pie on wire rack and then chill at least 2 hours.
• Store covered with foil in fridge. Keeps well for days.

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• In a food processor, pulse together the flour, brown sugar, espresso powder, and salt. Drop in the butter and whiskey, and pulse again until it forms pea-sized crumbs. Chill mix in fridge. Note that the streusel can be made a day ahead of the rest of the cake.
• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil to extend up all four sides. Apply nonstick spray.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and white sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time.
• In another bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a different bowl, combine the buttermilk/soured milk, whiskey, espresso powder, and vanilla, stirring gently until the espresso powder is dissolved and not clumpy.
• Gradually mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients into the butter and sugar, alternating back and forth, until everything is combined.
• Spoon about half the batter into the prepared pan; batter will be thick, and an offset spatula will make it easier to even out. Sprinkle half the streusel mix over the batter. Dollop on the remaining batter and even out again. Crumble the rest of the streusel over the top.
• Bake about 40 to 45 minutes, until the middle of the cake passes the toothpick test. Cool completely in pan. Use the foil to lift it onto a cutting board to slice.
• Cake pieces keep well in sealed container at room temperature for at least 3 days. Pieces can also be wrapped up and frozen for later enjoyment.

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• In a large pot on low heat, warm the butter, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, coffee, and Irish whiskey. Once the butter is melted, stir in the sugars until they are dissolved. Remove from heat to cool, 30 minutes at minimum.
• Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom of the springform pan. Apply nonstick spray to pan, place parchment inside, then spray again. Dust the interior with the remaining 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder to coat.
• In a big bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, pepper, and cloves. In a different bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla. Gradually stir the egg mixture into the butter-cocoa pot. Add the dry ingredients to just combine, then fold in the chopped chocolate.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake cake for 65 to 70 minutes, until the middle just passes the toothpick test. Let cool for about 20 minutes, then release sides of pan to let the cake cool completely.
• Slice into wedges to serve. Add confectioners’ sugar sprinkled on top, if desired. Keep cake covered at room temperature up to 2 days. Remaining pieces can be sliced and individually wrapped and frozen for later enjoyment.

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Make the crust:

• In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and chop until it’s pea-sized. Add the egg and pulse until it comes together; if it doesn’t, add tiny drizzles of water until it does–just make sure the dough ends up cohesive, not wet. Turn out the dough onto a big piece of plastic wrap and compress the dough to form a disc. Wrap it up and chill it in fridge for a few hours, minimum, or a few days.

Make the frangipane:

• Use a rubber spatula to combine the almond flour, sugar, flour, butter, egg, apple brandy, vanilla, pie spice and salt, making it smooth. Stash it in the fridge until ready to use.

Assembling the galette:

• Preheat oven at 400-degrees. Prepare a big cookie sheet with a piece of parchment. Bring out the dough to warm for a few minutes, then lightly flour a surface and roll it out to about a 12-inch round. Move it to the parchment paper.
• Spread the frangipane over the dough, leaving a blank 1 1/2-inch border. Set the baking sheet in the fridge while preparing the apples.

Prepare the apples:

• Peel the apples and slice to 1/4-inch thickness. In another bowl, stir together the brown sugar, sugar, lemon juice, and pie spice. Add this to the apples, and toss them to coat. Bring out the galette dough. Arrange the apples on the frangipane starting from the middle, spiraling them outward while slightly overlapping them. Fold the blank edge over the apples to form a thin, pleated crust. Brush the beaten egg over the crust, then sprinkle it with coarse sugar.
• Bake galette for 35 to 40 minutes. Apples in middle should be fork-tender when done. Cool for about 30 minutes.

Make the glaze:

• In a small saucepan on the stovetop or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, warm the honey and brandy until it is loose and spreadable. Using a clean pastry brush, brush glaze over the apples.
• Let galette cool another 30 minutes, minimum, before cutting it–a pizza slicer is great for this. The galette is best eaten the day it is made, or promptly frozen in slices to be eaten soon after it thaws.

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• In a large stock pot, cook the pancetta for 10 to 12 minutes, until it starts to turn brown and crispy. At the same time, on another stove burner, use a medium sauce pan to bring the chicken broth to a very low simmer.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside. Add dry shallots and garlic to the fat in the big pot. Sauté for two minutes. Add the Arborio rice and a pinch of salt. Sauté another 2 minutes, until the rice looks glossy with translucent edges.
• Add the white wine and stir until it is absorbed. Add chicken broth in 1/2 cup increments, stirring well after each addition until it is absorbed. After about 12 to 15 minutes, when most of the broth has been added, begin to taste the rice. The goal is a chewy, al dente consistency. Add more broth as needed, and remember to turn off the burner for the broth pot when it is empty.
• When the rice is creamy and al dente, stir in the pancetta and cheese. Taste the risotto again, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Serve with the remaining white wine.

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