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Ina Garten has divulged many of her favorite foods over the years, much to our delight. She adores her tomato crostini with whipped feta appetizer, one of her favorite hors d’oeuvres, and savory cauliflower toast for lunch, topped with prosciutto and two kinds of cheese. She’s also a fan of the cheeseburger at Bourbon Steak, a high-end restaurant located in the Four Seasons in Washington, D.C.’s ritzy Georgetown neighborhood. Then, for Garten’s ideal last meal, it would have to be a hot dog from a (now closed) Paris café called Frenchie To Go. As for her most beloved desserts, a decadent dark chocolate tart and simple pound cake land at the top of her list.
The Barefoot Contessa’s favorite chocolate tart was inspired by a recipe from chef Erin French’s cookbook, “The Lost Kitchen.” It features a crumbly cookie crust, creamy chocolate filling, and a chocolate coffee glaze sprinkled with flaky sea salt on top. Meanwhile, in her 2012 cookbook “Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust,” she discussed her passion for pound cake, calling herself “a pound cake aficionado.” Here’s what makes both desserts so special.
A rich, indulgent chocolate tart to share
Ina Garten explained on Food Network that she included her own version of Erin French’s tart in her 2022 cookbook “Go-To Dinners” because she “just had to share it” with her fans, describing it as an unforgettable dessert that will wow guests. To create the crust, Garten used to use an unexpected ingredient: Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers. However, since they’re no longer available, Dewey’s Bakery brownie crisp cookies or Oreos will work, too. With the latter, you’ll need to scoop out the icing, though, so be prepared to put in a little extra effort. Meanwhile, she prefers to use Lindt bittersweet chocolate for the filling and glaze. Both Garten and French sprinkle flaky Maldon sea salt on top for a finishing touch.
French, who owns and operates The Lost Kitchen restaurant in Freedom, Maine, characterizes the tart on her website as “so rich that you want just a sliver,” making it ideal for sharing with a group, and recommends serving it with whipped cream. Of course, you can also eat with some vanilla ice cream. Chocolate lovers should definitely give it a try.
A buttery pound cake with orange zest
In “Barefoot Contessa Foolproof,” Ina Garten says of pound cake, “I love the simplicity of it: flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.” She has more than one recipe for the iconic dessert, including an orange pound cake with added orange zest and a honey vanilla pound cake, which she was inspired to make on “Barefoot Contessa” after picking up some local honey at her farmer’s market. For the former, which she also made on her show, she adds an orange syrup on top once it’s baked, drizzling it over the buttery cake when it’s still warm so it absorbs it and makes every bite extra moist (via YouTube).
With pound cake, Garten does say that the sifting involved means it takes more time, but doing so results in a better texture that’s light and fluffy. There are a variety of ways you can jazz up the simple cake, from adding fruity jam like Jacques Pépin to topping it with bourbon glaze. The Barefoot Contessa suggests serving it with fresh berries, crème fraîche, and a cup of tea.
