Our favorite cake is probably the Mille Crêpe Cake from Lady M Confections, a cake boutique with six locations in Manhattan and more around the country.

We say probably, because if you put us in front of a cake buffet, the first thing we’d eat would be the Mille Crêpe Cake.

The name translates to “thousand crêpes cake,” although there are only 20 layers.

Other pâtisseries and recipes call it Gâteau de Crêpes, for “cake of crêpes.” Some recipes use 30 crêpes or more.

We call it Crêpe Cake for short.

This classic French cake requires no oven: It is composed of layers of paper-thin crêpes made on the stove top.

(American “cake cousins” include the 12-layer, oven-baked Smith Island Cake and Thousand Layer Cake (also called Twelve Layer Cake).)

Lady M’s Crêpe Cake is ethereal, light and lush, all at the same time. It’s like eating the food of the angels—a heavenly experience (not to disparage Angel Cake/Angel Food Cake, which is delightful without achieving heavenly heights).

Lady M’s Crêpe Cake became so popular, that it is made in every flavor one could wish:

 
Although we have had six of the flavors flavors—and would gladly accept a gift of all of them—we keep returning to the original Signature as our favorite. It’s Crêpe Cake in its purest form.

Lady M’s repertoire is not limited to Crêpe Cakes. There are layer cakes, mousse cakes and Gâteaux Nuage, or “cloud cakes,” light and dreamy cheesecakes.

And, great news: They’re all sold online!

[1] Lady M’s Green Tea Mille Crêpe Cake (all photos © Lady M).

[2] Lady M’s Signature Mille Crêpe Cake. It’s the plainest-looking, but it’s our favorite flavor. The top is gently caramelized until golden.

[3] Lady M’s Chocolate Mille Crêpe Cake, topped with chocolate curls.

Lady M Mille Crêpe Cakes are available in 6″ ($55) and 9″ ($95) sizes. Order the big one: It may be more expensive, but you’ll be very happy if there are leftovers.

Head to LadyM.com.

[1] Pie and ice cream: Think outside the box for your à la mode (photo © Good Eggs).

[2] Apple pie with honey ice cream (photo © Golden Blossom Honey).

[3] Talenti Vanilla Cinnamon gelato, great for apple pie. Talenti also makes Vanilla Caramel ice cream gelato, Brown Butter Caramel gelato, and Caramel Apple Pie gelato (photo © Talenti Gelato).

[4] A holiday favorite: Rum Raisin ice cream (photo © Häagen-Dazs).

Thanks to Brian Klonoski of Good Eggs for this inspiration for à la mode on Thanksgiving pies.

Here’s our own tip: Turn vanilla ice cream into boozy vanilla. Soften the pint and stir in 2 tablespoons of bourbon or rum. Return it to the freezer until you’re ready to serve it.

(Of course, you’ll need to test out a few pints first—bourbon versus rum, 2 tablespoons vs. 1/4 cup [4 tablespoons] etc., etc. wink, wink.)

> The history of pie à la mode is below.
 
 
PUMPKIN PIE & SWEET POTATO PIE

Pumpkin pie is traditionally topped with whipped cream instead of ice cream because the pie filling is so rich and custardy.

But how about trying ice cream this year?

 
 
APPLE PIE

Warm up the apple pie, and pair the spiced apple filling with:

 
 
PECAN PIE

 
THE HISTORY OF PIE À LA MODE

Pie à la mode, French for pie “in the current fashion,” is a slice of pie with a scoop of ice cream on top or at the side.

The dessert did not originate in France but in the U.S.

The term à la mode has been used in English since the mid-1600s as an adjective to mean fashionable. In food circles, it gave its name to Beef à la Mode,” braised beef with vegetables and wine, served in a rich sauce [source].

But pie à la mode?
 
Although the dish originated in the relatively-recent timeframe of the 1890s, there is no one clear written record.

 
At The Cambridge Hotel

At some point in the 1890s, a guest in the dining room of the Cambridge Hotel, Professor Charles Watson Townsend, ordered a slice of apple pie with a scoop of ice cream.

Apparently, pie served with ice cream was a new concept!

Mrs. Berry Hall, a diner seated next to Townsend, asked what it was called. He said it didn’t have a name, and she promptly dubbed it Pie à la Mode. Townsend liked the name so much he asked for it each day by that name [source].

Townsend subsequently ordered it by that name every day of his stay.

He ordered it by that name at a later visit to the Delmonico Restaurant in New York City. They hadn’t heard of it, of course.

The professor then chastised him. He was quoted as saying, “Do you mean to tell me that so famous an eating place as Delmonico’s has never heard of Pie a la Mode, when the Hotel Cambridge, up in the village of Cambridge, NY serves it every day? Call the manager at once, I demand as good service here as I get in Cambridge.”

Delmonico’s, not wanting to be outshone by any other restaurant, immediately put it on the menu.

The newspapers immediately picked up the story of the dessert, and in short order, it was on menus across the nation [source].

The Cambridge Hotel placed an information folder in each guest room, that included a page entitled “The History of the Pie à la Mode.” Here it is.

Townsend died in 1936 at the age of 87, and his New York Times obituary (which we were unable to access) notes that he “inadvertently originated pie à la mode.” He would have been in his 40’s when he “invented” it.

Apple Pie Trivia

“As American as apple pie” is an oft-heard expression. While Americans love their apple pie, the dish itself isn’t American. Apple pie was long-made in Britain, and variations were made across Europe, wherever apples were grown.

The French had a long investigation of apple growing, and the Norman Conquest of 1066 brought their skills—and many new apple types—to Britain.

There were no apple trees in America before British immigrants brought seeds or rootstock and planted orchards. The first apple orchard on the North American continent was planted in Boston by Reverend William Blaxton in 1625.

Feel free to change the saying to, “As American as apple pie à la mode.”

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

What a treat it was to be able to wake up on a Sunday morning, weary of the usual weekday cycle of granola-eggs-granola-eggs, and pop a bagel into the toaster!

A gluten-free bagel.

Little Northern Bakehouse offers a selection of gluten-free/vegan/non-GMO bagels. The texture, though unremarkable straight from the bag, evolves into the perfect blend of crispy, pillowy and chewy once toasted.

The bagels are pre-cut and available in varieties that cover all the bases:

 
 
WHAT’S ON YOUR BAGEL?

As a vehicle for cream cheese bagels are quite serviceable, with a flavor that is only slightly sweet, but very compatible with a sliver of tomato.

The same applies to Little Northern’s Everything bagel. It may be a bit heavy on the garlic for those four people who don’t particularly love garlic; but toasted, these bagels will fill your house with a pungent, earthy aroma and provide a savory compartment for your choice of fillings.

My gluten-loving husband used his on an egg sandwich and was quite content, even recommending we seek these out as a regular addition to our repertoire.
 
 
MORE LITTLE NORTHERN PRODUCTS

Bagels are not just for breakfast anymore, as any of us who have had (or seen) a lunch sandwich on a bagel, knows.

But Little Northern also offers a selection of breads and buns that will carry you through the day and the week.

There are seven different sliced loaves, including white, seeded, whole- and multi-grain.

Thought my tastes land a bit more on the buckwheat spectrum, their Sprouted 7 Grain bread is a good multi-purpose option.

I have high hopes for their buns, which I can’t wait to take to my favorite local burger and egg sandwich spots.

The company also sells GF artisan pizza crusts and a variety of rolls and buns.

[1] Gluten-free cinnamon raisin bagel (all photos © Little Northern Bakehouse).

[2] Blueberry bagels.

[3] A gluten-free hamburger bun.

Here’s a store finder.

Also look online, at Amazon, Fresh Direct and other e-tailers.

Discover more at LittleNorthernBakehouse.com.

— Georgi Page-Smith

[1] In this recipe, baklava is moved from its original pan recipe to a fusion with tart shells, which are a Medieval European invention (photo © Hannah Kaminsky).

[2] For comparison, a classic piece of baklava, which is made in a sheet pan like brownies, but cut on the diagonal (photo © Recchiuti Confections).

[3] An easy way to have a baklava experience: buy pre-made phyllo cups and add the nut filling. Phyllo cups are available at many markets, plus online at Gourmet Food Store (photo © Gourmet Food Store).

[4] Want more vegan desserts? Get this book. It’s so beautifully photographed, you’ll want to make everything (photo © Skyhorse Publishing).

November 17th is National Baklava Day.

Unless you have the touch for working with phyllo dough, baklava can be a chore to make.

Our colleague Hannah Kaminsky, of Bittersweet Blog, has a suggestion.

Here, from Hannah Kaminsky’s new book, Sweet Vegan Treats (photo #4), is a novel Baklava Tart (photo #1).

Hannah created the recipe as a way to use up remnants of phyllo after a little pastry mishap.

Here, the phyllo is merely crumbled over the top; no careful layering is necessary to produce an impressive dessert.

The amount of phyllo sprinkled on top is very imprecise, allowing a lot of wiggle room to use however much you want.

In fact, instead of a package of phyllo, you can purchase the mini frozen shells (photo #3) and only crush up as many as necessary.

Here’s the history of baklava and a recipe to make conventional baklava (photo #2).
 
 
RECIPE: BAKLAVA TART

Hannah created this as a vegan recipe, but you can make it conventional by substituting the vegan butter and cream cheese for regular, and can substitute honey for the agave nectar.

Editor’s Note: When in Greece, you can enjoy baklava made with honey instead of sugar syrup. The baklava has a soul-satisfying honey flavor.

We also prefer our baklava to be made with pistachios (authentic Greek), not walnuts.

By the way, the original version of baklava, called gastrin—used honey, and olive oil instead of butter. Here’s the recipe and a photo that shows how similar the recipes are.

For yourself or a vegan friend, check out Hannah’s latest book, check out Sweet Vegan Treats. It has 90 recipes, each as scrumptious as this one.

An impetus to buy it: November is National Vegan Month.
 
Ingredients

For The Crust

 
For The Filling

 
For The Glaze

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 13×4-inch rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom. If you don’t have one, you can use a 9-inch round fluted tart pan with removable bottom, but your cut shapes will be triangles rather than rectangles.

2. MAKE the crust: Blend together the cream cheese and both sugars in a stand mixer, creaming until well combined. Stir in the vanilla, lemon and agave or maple syrup.

3. ADD in 1 cup of the flour, the baking soda and salt, and mix until fully incorporated. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour and mix well. Press the resulting mixture into the tart pan, bringing it evenly and smoothly up the sides. Prick the bottom all over with a fork, creating vents for steam to escape and preventing big bubbles from getting trapped inside.

4. BAKE for 15 to 17 minutes, until lightly golden brown in color. Remove the pan from the oven but leave the heat on.

5. STIR together in a medium bowl the walnut pieces, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pour the melted butter or coconut oil over everything in the bowl, stirring to coat.

6. GENTLY PRESS the nut mixture into the crust so that it fits in an even layer. Crumble enough phyllo over the top to cover the nuts completely. Return the pan to the oven, and bake for an additional 20 to 22 minutes, until the phyllo becomes nicely browned.

7. REMOVE the tart from the oven. Melt the final measure of butter for the glaze in a small bowl. Stir in all the remaining ingredients and pour the mixture evenly over the top of the tart while it is still warm. This will help bind everything together and sweeten the tart a bit more.

8. COOL for at least two hours before slicing.

There are numerous ways to garnish hot chocolate.

The latest to catch our eye is this beauty from La Rose Noire.

You can approximate it at home.

Unfortunately, consumers can’t purchase from La Rose Noire: It is a wholesaler to professional pastry chefs.

But if you like beautiful chocolate embellishments, pastries and other desserts, there’s a lot of enjoyment to be had in perusing Chef Gérard Dubois’ beautifully-photographed product catalogs.

It provides almost as much satisfaction as actually eating them!
 
 
MAKING THE HOT CHOCOLATE

It’s not too difficult to find solid chocolate leaves locally—or chocolate flowers, turkeys, Santas and other shapes.

[1] Chocolate leaves garnish cups of (counter-clockwise) traditional hot chocolate, curried white hot chocolate and white hot chocolate (photo © La Rose Noire).

Just can make hot chocolate (hopefully from scratch—not instant) and pop a leaf on top right before serving.

The lucky recipients can remove the chocolate with a spoon and pop it into their mouths, or watch it dissolve to create even richer hot chocolate.
 
 
CHECK OUT 25+ OTHER WAYS TO GARNISH HOT CHOCOLATE
 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COCOA & HOT CHOCOLATE