When you call Dorie Greenspan to say you’re coming over, this is what she bakes. “It takes longer to preheat the oven than to put these cookies together,” she wrote to me. “I love them for a million reasons, but chiefly because they're a simple pleasure that can be shared on the spur of the moment.” She includes a perfectly round variation in her book using muffin tins (and plenty of baker's spray to help them break free), but we preferred the ease and charm of the freeform version. Adapted slightly from Dorie's Cookies (Rux Martin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016).
The classic combination of meringue and strawberries gets a new twist in this recipe. Pistachios and brown sugar add a depth of flavor to the meringue, rose water perfumes the whipped cream and mascarpone filling, and everything comes together to highlight the luscious taste of ripe strawberries. This recipe was originally inspired by Nigella Lawson's Gooey Chocolate Stack. Summer, and leftover ingredients from a recent tryst with kheer (Indian rice pudding) inspired this version. You can locate pistachios and rose water at any Indian or Middle-Eastern store; if not, I'm sure the combination of almonds and pure vanilla would be equally delightful. This delicious dessert also happens to be gluten-free. - Heena
