Homemade version of McVitie’s Digestive Biscuit. Since they’ve become hard to find (at least, during the pandemic) I’ve made my own; they’re a component of another recipe in our home.

• 1 2/3 cups flour (whole wheat)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• (up to) 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (cut into little cubes)
• 1/8 cup coconut milk
• 1/8 cup heavy cream

Prepare a baking sheet, lay down some parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Mix in butter cubes thoroughly; you’re kind of making pie crust here. At least, that’s how it should feel. Mix the coconut milk and heavy cream (really, you just need about 1/4 cup of milk-ish liquid) slowly into the mixture. (You want dough, not dry crumbles, and not soup.) Roll the dough so it’s about 1/8″ thick (like the aforementioned Digestives). Cut them into whatever size and shape you want (the mouth of a drinking glass works well). Put them onto your prepared baking sheet. Use a fork to poke holes part-way into the dough. Bake for 20-25 minutes (depending on your oven). They should be firm and slightly browned when done.

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla

Mix ingredients well. Bake in bread pan at 350 degrees F for 55 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

If you want to get really fancy, you can start the caramelization process for the sugars in the bananas by baking them before mixing them into the batter. Put the bananas in an oven-safe pan, stab a few holes in each, and bake them for 20 minutes at 325 degrees F. You’re really just melting the sugar at this point, but it makes the bread better, dammit. Be careful you don’t cook the eggs in the mix before you mean to!

• 3 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp loose tea
• 3/4 cup baker’s sugar
• 8 egg yolks
• raw brown sugar (and a torch) for topping

Bring milk and cream to a boil. Add tea leaves and infuse, covered, for no more than 4 minutes.

Mix sugar and egg yolks. Add to infused milk. Strain.

Refrigerate mixture until cool. (at least an hour)

Divide custard among ramekins and place ramekins in a baking dish.

Fill baking dish with hot water until water reaches 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up the ramekins. Cover dish with a cookie sheet (don’t use aluminum foil).

Bake at 350 degrees F until the center of the custards is set (70 to 75 minutes). Allow baking dish to cool. Remove ramekins and refrigerate at least 3 hours. If water condenses on top, blot with a paper towel.

Just before serving, sprinkle with brown sugar and caramelize with torch.

(I think next time, I should try to infuse the sugar with the tea, which would consist of putting the sugar into a small container and mixing the tea into it, then letting it sit.)

• 1 9″ pie crust
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 2 eggs
• 1 15oz can Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 12fl oz can Carnation evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in small dish. Beat eggs gently in large bowl. Stir in spice mixture. Stir in pumpkin. Gradually stir in milk. Pour mixture into crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F, bake for additional 45 minutes. (knife inserted at center should come out clean) Cool on wire rack for at least 2 hours.

• 2 1/2 cups flour (not high-protein)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 sticks butter, cold, diced into small cubes
• 1/2 cup cold water

Combine the flour and salt, quickly mix. Add butter, keep mixing. Don’t let the butter crumbles get too small. Add 1/2 cup of cold water, keep mixing. Put the dough on parchment paper, shape into a big puck. Chill for at least an hour. Makes enough for 2 pies.