birthday

Our Favorite Cinnamon Rolls recipe | Epicurious.com

all-purpose flour,

yeast

sugar

eggs, room temperature, beaten

milk

unsalted butter,

cinnamon

salt

Vegetable-oil cooking spray

nutmeg

unsalted butter, room temperature

chopped, pecans

whole milk

vanilla extract

kosher salt

round cake pans

The sidecar is a classic cocktail made with Cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice. It’s equally appropriate at a backyard barbecue or a fancy dinner party! Try some of our favorite variations, too!

Sidecar Cocktail

Cognac (Rémy Martin V.S.O.P.)

Cointreau

lemon juice,

simple syrup

Lemon twist (for garnish)

Shake: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice, and shake until cold to the touch.

Strain: Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass

This exquisite recipe came to The Times in a 2001 article by Amanda Hesser about the first meal her now mother-in-law, Elizabeth Friend, prepared for her. The meal ended with this simple almond cake. Ms. Hesser wrote: “It had a crust, fragile like a dry leaf, that led to a moist, downy layer of ground almonds and sugar. It was a perfect dessert. And it punctuated one of the great meals of my life.” It's not the prettiest cake in the world – Ms. Friend called it “the Shar-Pei of cakes” because it crumbles on the edges and falls in the middle – but it is flawless otherwise. If you care about looks, dust it with confectioners’ sugar and top it with fresh berries as we've done in the picture. It also improves with age and can be made 1 to 2 weeks ahead. Store it covered in or out of the fridge. Finally, this recipe makes two 8-inch cakes, so give one away or freeze one for a rainy day.

Almond Cake

softened,

flour

almond paste

almond extract

sour cream

baking soda

Confectioners’ sugar,

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter sides and bottoms of 2 8-inch cake or springform pans; line sides and bottoms with parchment paper. Butter paper. Place pans in freezer.

Sift flour and salt into a small bowl. Set aside. In a mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter and granulated sugar at high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add almond paste, a little at a time at medium speed, and beat 8 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, and almond extract. Mix sour cream and baking soda and add to butter mixture. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, just until blended.

Divide batter between prepared pans and spread evenly. Bake about 40 minutes to an hour, until tops are golden and spring back when lightly pressed and cakes shrink from sides of the pans. Cool in pans on wire rack. Remove sides of pans and remove paper. When ready to serve, sift confectioners’ sugar on top and slice like pie.

This is a classic French dessert — impressive, but easy to make, if you are organized and get ahead on the prep work. It’s essential to make the tart dough and lemon curd in advance, up to 2 days ahead; otherwise it becomes too much of a project. The buttery cookielike dough is pressed into the pan, not rolled with a pin.

Lemon Tart With a Touch of Lime

all-purpose flour

fine sea salt

unsalted butter (1 stick), sliced thinly

egg,

lemon zest (from 2 lemons)

lime

granulated sugar

unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)

eggs

Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish (optional)

Make the dough: In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and pulse briefly until well combined. Add egg and pulse just until dough comes together. Dough will be rather soft. Wrap with waxed paper or plastic wrap, and press to make a 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or it will be too soft to handle. (Make the dough up to 2 days in advance, if desired.)

Remove dough from the refrigerator and let soften at room temperature until pliable and soft, about 15 minutes. Using your fingertips, press dough into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom, making sure it is pressed evenly across the bottom and up the sides, about 1/8-inch thick. Press the dough against the sides to the very top. Pinch off any excess and smooth the edge. You’ll have slightly too much dough — save any left over to patch cracks after blind baking. Chill the tart dough in the pan until ready to bake. (You can also freeze it at this point, if you like, for up to a week.)

When ready to blind bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the dough-lined tart pan on a baking sheet, and bake to a pale golden brown, about 30 minutes. (Pie weights shouldn’t be necessary, but check the dough during baking, to make sure sides are not slumping. If so, press the sides back up with a wooden spoon.) For even browning, turn the tray halfway through the baking. Remove from oven, and cool to room temperature.

Make the filling: Put lemon and lime zest, lemon juice, lime juice, sugar and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook until butter is melted and mixture is hot, 4 to 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, beat together eggs and yolks.

Whisk the hot mixture gradually into the eggs to temper them. Then pour everything back into the saucepan and return to heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens to a milkshake consistency, about 5 minutes. (Do not overcook, or it will curdle.) Pour through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally. Mixture will continue to thicken as it cools. (At this point, you can continue with the recipe, or cover the filling and refrigerate for up to 2 days.)

Spoon the lemon curd into the baked tart shell. Using a spatula, spread the curd evenly into the shell. Bake in a 350-degree oven until filling is set (not jiggly), about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. (This can be done several hours before serving.) Just before serving, top tart with lime zest and dust edges with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

These brownies for a crowd are made with chocolate, flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Makes enough to eat, freeze, and share.

Brownies For A Crowd

water

unsalted butter (8 oz),

semisweet chocolate, chopped

chocolate chips chocolate

Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 12-by-18-inch baking pan or a couple 9-by-13-inch baking pans with aluminum foil or parchment paper cut to fit. Lightly butter the foil or parchment. [Editor&#8217;s Note: We found that if you&#8217;re short on baking pans, it also works to divvy the batter between a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and a 9-inch-square baking pan.]

In a small saucepan, bring the water, butter, and sugar to a simmer and stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.

Dump the chopped chocolate, salt, vanilla, and baking soda in a bowl and pour the hot liquid over it. Let the mixture sit for a minute or so and then gently stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Let cool for about 5 minutes.

Add the eggs to the batter, 1 at time, mixing with a whisk just until incorporated after each addition. Add the flour and whisk just until incorporated. Add the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate and stir just until combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until a tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in the pan and cut the brownies into the desired size. (You can tuck the brownies in a resealable plastic bag and freeze them for up to a few months. Let thaw at room temperature.)

While not a 30-minute meal, this lasagna is quicker and more straightforward than most. If you're in a real time crunch, use your favorite jarred red sauce. For greater success with the lasagna noodles, which have a tendency to stick together, boil them in the largest pot possible or work in batches – they need as much water as possible to move freely so they don’t clump. This lasagna can be assembled, baked and refrigerated up to five days ahead, or frozen up to a month ahead if wrapped tightly.

Classic Lasagna

olive oil

yellow onion, finely chopped

garlic cloves, finely chopped

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

tomato paste

tomatoes

Kosher salt

mozzarella,

(2 cups) whole milk ricotta

Parmesan,

heavy cream

pepper

lasagna noodles (not the no-boil variety)

Olive oil

Make the sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add sausage, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s starting to brown but not yet crisp, about 5 minutes.

Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until the tomato paste has turned a deeper brick red color, tinting the oil and onions a fiery orange color, about 2 minutes.

Using your hands, crush the whole tomatoes into smaller, bite-size pieces and add them and the crushed tomatoes, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Fill one of the tomato cans halfway with water and add it to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come together, 20 to 30 minutes.

Make the lasagna: Heat oven to 375 degrees and set a large pot of salted water to boil.

Set aside 1 cup mozzarella. In a medium bowl, combine remaining mozzarella, ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan and cream; season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Cook lasagna noodles in the large pot of salted boiling water until just softened (before they are even aldente), about 4 minutes. Drain and separate any noodles that are trying to stick together, slicking them with a bit of olive oil to prevent them from sticking further.

Spoon a bit of sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish and top with a layer of noodles, avoiding any heavy overlap.

Top with about 1 ¼ cups of sauce, and dollop ¼ of the cheese mixture over. Top with another layer of noodles and repeat three more times, ending with the last of the noodles (depending on size of the noodle/shape of the baking dish, you may have a few extra noodles) and the last of the sauce. Top with reserved 1 cup mozzarella and more Parmesan, if you like.

Cover loosely with aluminum foil and place baking dish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (to prevent any overflow from burning on the bottom of your oven).

Bake until pasta is completely tender and cooked through and sauce is bubbling up around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and increase temperature to 450 degrees. Continue to bake until lasagna is golden brown on top with frilly, crispy edges and corners, another 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating.  

A quicker and more straightforward version of the traditional Italian-American specialty.

This pleasantly zesty lemon cake is baked in a standard 9-by-13-inch pan, no layering or trimming required, and is easy enough to bake on a weekday. Cover the cake with casual swoops of fluffy lemon buttercream for the perfect teatime or anytime treat.

Lemon Sheet Cake With Buttercream Frosting

unsalted butter

lemon juice

baking powder

finely grated lemon zest

eggs,

unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened

confectioners’ sugar

lemon zest

Make the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, butter and flour the paper.

In a measuring cup with a spout, combine the milk and lemon juice. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing for about 30 seconds after each. Scrape down bottom and sides of the mixer to ensure the mixture is well combined.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk mixture to the bowl in three additions. Mix until just combined, then use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any large air pockets. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake completely on a rack before frosting.

Meanwhile, prepare the frosting: Combine the butter, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until combined, then turn the mixer up to medium-high and stream in 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Whip the frosting until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, adding additional lemon juice as necessary until frosting is smooth and spreadable.

Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and serve. Store leftover cake at room temperature, covered for up to 2 days.

An easy cranberry jam lends its naturally pink hue and pleasantly tart flavor to this stunning cake. It's also tucked between the layers of a fluffy brown sugar buttermilk cake for an extra hit of cranberry and gorgeous color. You'll have enough jam for the buttercream and cake filling, plus some extra for your morning toast or oatmeal. This recipe might seem like a lot of steps, but you can also make and store the jam in the refrigerator up to about a week in advance. For best results and the fluffiest cake, make sure all of the cake ingredients are at room temperature before forging ahead.

Brown Sugar Layer Cake With Cranberry Buttercream

cake flour

buttermilk,

385 grams light brown sugar

unsalted butter, softened

60 milliliters neutral oil like canola

egg whites,

cranberries (3 1/2 cups)

orange juice

orange zest

ginger

200 grams granulated sugar

unsalted

Sugared cranberries, for garnish (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Flour the pans and paper.

Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Combine the buttermilk and vanilla extract in a small bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, butter, oil and salt. Beat on medium-high until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop the mixer occasionally and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add egg whites one at a time, mixing for about 20 seconds between each egg.

Set mixer to low and alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients in three additions. Mix until a few spots of flour remain. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a rubber spatula, finish folding in the dry ingredients: Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure the batter is evenly mixed.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans (about 2 2/3 cups per pan), smooth the tops and tap the pans on a countertop to release any large air bubbles. Bake cakes until golden and puffed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then use the tip of a knife to loosen the edges and carefully place them parchment-side down onto the rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the cranberry jam: Combine cranberries, sugar, 1/2 cup water, orange juice and zest, ginger and vanilla in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, and cook until the cranberries have burst and juices are thick and jammy, about 5 minutes. Cool mixture to room temperature, then use an immersion blender or food processor to purée the mixture until smooth. Set aside. (You should have about 2 1/2 cups.)

Make the buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the egg whites and sugar. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk continuously until the sugar has dissolved and mixture is hot to the touch, 5 to 7 minutes.

Return the bowl to the stand mixer, and using the whisk attachment, beat the egg white mixture until stiff, glossy peaks form and both mixture and bowl are cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.

Switch to the paddle attachment, and reduce the speed to medium. With the mixer running, add the butter a couple of tablespoons at a time and beat the buttercream until smooth and fluffy. During this step, the buttercream will likely break and look curdled: Turn up the speed on the mixer for a few seconds, and it will come back together. Continue until all the butter is incorporated, then add the vanilla and salt. Slowly add 1/2 cup cooled cranberry jam, and mix until well combined. If the buttercream is extremely soft or runny, refrigerate for about 10 minutes, then whip until smooth.

Assemble the cake: If necessary, use a serrated knife to trim the cake layers so they are flat and even. Add a small spoonful of buttercream onto a cardboard cake round or serving plate, and place the first layer of cake, cut side up, on top.

 Spread about 3/4 cup buttercream on top of the cake. Spread about 1/4 cup cranberry jam over the buttercream. Be careful not to spread the jam all of the way to the edge so it doesn't spill out the sides. Place the second cake layer on top, and repeat with buttercream and jam. Place the final layer on top, cut side down, and spread the top and sides of the cake with a thin, even layer of buttercream. (Store leftover jam in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)

Refrigerate the cake until the buttercream is firm, about 30 minutes. Then spread the remaining buttercream in an even layer over the cake. Serve at room temperature.

For 34 years, Otis Lee drew crowds to Mr. Fofo’s Deli, his midtown Detroit restaurant, with sky-high corned beef sandwiches and lemon-glazed poundcake. Mr. Lee, who died in April 2020 from coronavirus complications, passed the poundcake recipe along to his son, Keith Lee, who shared it with The Times. This moist and flavorful recipe, isn’t complicated, but it does requires more equipment and a few more steps than your average poundcake. So save it for a special occasion. It’s worth noting that the cake truly shines when the lemon glaze is poured over the warm, unmolded cake right out of the oven. (Do so on a platter, not on a rack. You want the extra icing to pool at the base of the cake, Keith Lee said.) Double the glaze if desired.

Otis Lee’s Famous Poundcake

cake flour,

cream cheese, softened

lemon extract

cornstarch

Lemon juice

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch/12-cup Bundt pan.

Make the cake: In a large bowl, combine melted butter, cream cheese and sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat on high speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Rinse the beaters and in a separate large bowl, add eggs and beat until light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (The fluffier the eggs, the fluffier the cake.) Add the beaten eggs, vanilla and lemon extracts to the rest of the butter and cream cheese mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

In another large bowl, add cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Increase the speed to high, and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the prepared pan.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. (Do not open the oven door before 20 minutes have passed. The temperature shift can flatten the cake.)

While the cake bakes, make the glaze: In a small bowl, using a fork or wooden spoon, combine cream cheese, butter and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add lemon juice, to taste, and to reach desired consistency. (Icing should be thin enough to drizzle, but still have some thickness.)

When the cake is done, remove from the oven, and unmold immediately to a plate or serving platter. Pour the glaze over the top. (Doing this when the cake is warm helps the glaze soak in.) Serve warm or at room temperature. To store, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for several months.

This is the kind of dessert worth dreaming about: a buttery yellow cake topped with a chocolate-sour cream frosting, made doubly rich with cocoa powder and melted chocolate. The batter may seem thin when you spread it in the pan, but, once baked, it rises to perfection. It’s not a towering, lofty cake — it’s not meant to be — but when it’s covered with a generous layer of frosting, it makes for the ideal cake-to-icing ratio. For a perfect cake, make sure designated “room temperature” ingredients truly are; this helps ensure that the batter is fully incorporated so the cake bakes evenly.

Yellow Sheet Cake With Chocolate Frosting

Nonstick cooking spray

unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature

eggs egg

180 milliliters whole milk

cocoa powder

bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Sprinkles, for finishing (optional)

Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with nonstick spray. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Make the cake: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the egg yolk, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix on medium speed until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine, 15 to 30 seconds.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture to the mixer and mix on low speed until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add about half the milk and mix on low speed until incorporated, about 15 seconds more. Repeat with another batch of flour mixture, the remaining milk, then the remaining flour mixture until fully incorporated.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake is golden and separating from the pan at the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting: Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the electric mixer, and sift the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa into the bowl with the butter. Stir with a spatula a few times to incorporate slightly. Return the bowl to the mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth and uniform in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sour cream and melted chocolate and mix on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and salt and mix to combine.

Spread the frosting on the cooled cake in an even layer. Garnish with sprinkles, if desired.

In the 1990s, when home bakers started putting rainbow sprinkles in their cakes, as well as on their cakes, the Funfetti craze was born.  Pillsbury introduced its Funfetti cake mix in 1989, and the idea was quickly adopted by home cooks for waffles, pancakes and cupcakes. Now, as seen on photo-friendly social media sites like Instagram and Pinterest, rainbow sprinkles are decorating everything from morning smoothie bowls to late-night martinis. But the Funfetti layer cake is still the most fun. You can buy premixed rainbow sprinkles, but professionals mix their own to get just the right color combination. (Coming up with a signature "house blend" is a good Saturday morning project for kids.) And though it may be tempting, do not use any sprinkles made with natural colorings in the cake -- they fade away, instead of leaving beautiful streaks of color.

Rainbow Sprinkle Cake

all-purpose flour, more for pans

158 milliliters whole milk

egg egg whites

rainbow sprinkles (not pastel, or naturally colored)

cream cheese, slightly softened

unsalted butter (1 stick), slightly softened

salt,

confectioners’ sugar, sifted, more to taste

rainbow sprinkles (see note)

Make the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees and place a rack in the center. Butter and line the bottoms of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Butter the parchment. Flour the pans, coating the bottom and sides, then tap out any excess flour.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, stir together milk and vanilla.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and, with mixer running, slowly add egg and whites and beat until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down bowl. Add half the flour mixture, then the milk mixture, then the remaining flour mixture, beating to blend after each addition. Scrape down bowl and blend once more. Remove bowl and use a spatula or spoon to mix in sprinkles by hand.

Divide batter evenly between the pans and bake until the tops are just dry to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking.

Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cool completely, at least 4 hours, before turning out.

Make the frosting: In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, butter and salt together at medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and, with mixer running, slowly add sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in vanilla just until incorporated. Taste frosting; you should be able to taste the cream cheese and a little bit of saltiness, as well as the sweetness. If desired, add more salt or sugar. Keep refrigerated.

Turn cooled cakes out of pans. Using a bread knife, cut off any domed or uneven parts of each cake to make flat surfaces. Place one of the cakes on a platter or a cake stand, cut side up. Using an offset spatula, frost the top. Stack the other layer on top, cut side down. Place remaining frosting on top of the cake and, working from the center outward, frost the top and sides of the cake.

Place a baking sheet under the platter or cake stand, to catch any fallen sprinkles. Sprinkle the top with a layer of sprinkles. Toss remaining sprinkles at the sides of the cake, or press handfuls of sprinkles gently up the sides to make a thicker coating. Gather fallen sprinkles and repeat until coated to your liking.

Refrigerate cake 30 minutes or longer to set. Serve cool.

This is essentially a classic double-crusted apple pie, packed tight with fruit, but it calls for a wide variety of apples, giving it far more flavor. For the most nuanced filling, use as many different types as possible: A mix of sweet, tart, crunchy and tender apples will yield complex tastes and textures. The sharp acidity of lime juice heightens the tanginess of your blend, half of which should be firm apples to keep the filling from collapsing. To ensure success with the crust, keep the ingredients cold, popping them into the freezer if needed, and work quickly with a gentle touch. A generous layer of spiced cookie crumbs prevents the bottom crust from getting soggy and lends even more warmth.

Mixed Apples Pie

cardamom

apples

lime juice

Make the crust: Whisk sugar and 1/3 cup/80 milliliters water in a small bowl until sugar dissolves, then place in the freezer. In a large bowl, whisk flour and salt, then toss the butter cubes until evenly coated. Using your fingertips, quickly flatten and rub the butter into the flour, while tossing the smushed pieces to coat until the mixture is mostly thick, powdery flakes and pebbles.

Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the chilled water all at once. Using your fingers, rake the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until mixed. Continue stirring with your fingers, occasionally squeezing the blend gently, until large, shaggy clumps form.

Press the clumps together and into the remaining dry bits to gather into a single mass. Divide the dough in half and pat each half into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

On a lightly floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll out a dough disk into a 12-inch round. Fit into a standard 9-inch pie plate, gently tucking and pressing the dough against the bottom and sides without stretching it. Sprinkle the cookie crumbs in an even layer across the bottom and gently press into the dough. Transfer to the refrigerator. Roll out the other disk into a 12-inch round, slide onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Make the filling: Place a rimmed baking sheet on the lowest oven rack and heat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, cardamom and salt in a large bowl. Cut each apple into 8 wedges, then cut each piece into 1/4-inch-thick slices crosswise. Add to the bowl and pour the lime juice over, then toss until evenly coated.

Scrape half the apples into the chilled bottom crust and press down firmly to eliminate any gaps. Top with the remaining apples, pressing firmly into a mound. Scatter the chilled butter bits evenly on top.

Flip the other dough round over the apples to cover and peel off the parchment. Using scissors, trim the edges together 1/2 inch past the plate’s rim. Fold and tuck the edges under so that they’re flush with the rim and crimp, decoratively if you’d like. Using a sharp paring knife, cut 8 (3-inch-long) slits in the center of the top dough, spacing evenly. Think of these slits as a guide for cutting the baked pie into wedges.

Place the pie on the heated baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake until the crust is brown and the filling is bubbling, 55 to 60 minutes. A thin paring knife should slide through the apples easily. Transfer the pie plate to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

For 34 years, Otis Lee drew crowds to Mr. Fofo’s Deli, his Midtown Detroit restaurant, with sky-high corned beef sandwiches and lemon-glazed poundcake. Mr. Lee, who died in April 2020 from coronavirus complications, passed the poundcake recipe along to his son, Keith Lee, who shared it with The Times. This moist and flavorful recipe isn’t complicated, but it does require a few more steps than your average poundcake. It truly shines when the lemon glaze is poured over the warm, unmolded cake right out of the oven. (Do so on a platter, not on a rack. You want the extra icing to pool at the base of the cake, Keith Lee said.) Double the glaze if desired.

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