To quote Gnomologia, the 1732 compendium of “wise sentences and witty sayings” by Thomas Fuller, “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” It’s still cold and the local chickens aren’t laying eggs. So, until the warm weather arrives, and eggs are more plentiful, I will share eggless recipes that are delicious desserts.

Tiramisu

Although tiramisu generally has eggs it can be made just as enjoyable without them. The cookies you need are Savoiardi (also called ladyfingers) and can be bought almost anywhere. The idea is that they soak up the cream and syrup overnight and become cake-like in texture. This recipe does not require baking, which makes it easier. The name means “pick-me-up” as it refers to eating a dessert after a heavy dinner.

Use a 9x13 glass or ceramic pan for this recipe.

28-30 Savoiardi biscuits

2 cups mascarpone cheese

2 cups heavy cream whipped

6 tbsp white sugar

1–1 ½ cup strong instant coffee (I keep a small jar of Medaglia Doro in my pantry. Any strong instant coffee works well.)

3 tbsp Coffee liqueur or Amaretto liqueur

3–4 tbsp cocoa powder for the top

Chocolate shavings from a good quality chocolate bar

Dissolve the instant coffee in two cups hot water. Mix with liqueur, stir to combine. Allow to cool.

In a mixer bowl, beat the mascarpone and sugar beat until smooth and creamy. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and gently fold into the mascarpone mixture ½ at a time until well combined. Pour coffee in a shallow bowl, and dunk the biscuits one at a time into the coffee mixture, sugar side up, for 3 to 5 seconds.

Arrange them in one flat layer in your baking dish (you will have 2 layers). Spoon half of the mascarpone cream mixture. Repeat with a second layer of coffee-soaked biscuits and the last half of the mascarpone mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. When ready to serve, use a sieve to dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder until well covered. Shave some chocolate from a chocolate bar over the top.

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

This is a recipe my mother made when I was very young. We were out of eggs at home. It’s easy to make and even more delicious to eat. The cake batter will rise to the top and leave a pudding below. I should note that the recipe calls for brown sugar, but we didn’t have any in the house and white sugar works just fine. I also find it hard to locate “dutched” cocoa, so I use any regular unsweetened cocoa I have in the house.

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup white sugar

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup milk

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted.

1 cup chopped pecans

Topping:

1 cup packed brown sugar.

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder.

1 ¾ cups boiling water.

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Also prepare an 8x8 baking pan by greasing it with cooking spray or oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.

In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix into a thick batter. Pour that batter into your prepared 8x8 pan. Spread it so that it covers the bottom of the pan.

In another bowl, mix together the topping. This will look like chocolate water, don't worry, that is what it is supposed to look like! Gently pour the hot chocolate liquid over the batter in the 8x8 pan. Carefully place it in the 350-degree preheated oven for 35 minutes. Remove it from the oven. The cake should have risen to the top and the fudge sauce is bubbling underneath. Let it cool for about 10 minutes and then serve warm.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream.

Apple Crisp Vegan/Gluten Free

For my health-conscious and vegan readers, here’s a gluten-free vegan dessert.

Crisps are wonderful desserts. They can be made with almost any kind of fruit – berries and especially apples. Using almond flour makes them gluten free. If you don’t want to use butter, use coconut oil. This time of year, apples are the best fresh fruit that can be bought. I always prefer fresh fruit to canned or frozen.

6 granny smith or firm apples peeled and chopped

½ tsp cornstarch

2 tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp grated nutmeg

For the crumb topping:

1 cup old fashioned oats

½ cup almond flour

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup golden raisins soaked in hot water

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup coconut oil, melted

¼ cup pure maple syrup

Peel and chop apples into small cubes mix with drained raisins and coat with cornstarch. Mix in maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Place in a greased baking dish.

In a separate bowl, mix oats, almond flour, nuts, melted coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, maple syrup. Sprinkle over the apple mixture.

Bake in a greased 8x8 pan 350-degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes until brown on top.