Easter Dessert Recipes: Check out these favorite holiday recipes from local pastry chefs.

Rhubarb Almond Crumble

Toni Roberts, C-House
When Executive Pastry Chef Toni Roberts thinks of spring, she thinks of rhubarb. Growing up, the succulent stalks were a staple on her family's Easter table. She loves this recipe because it's simple to prepare and makes the perfect dessert for welcoming the season. Roberts notes that the Moscato wine can be left out of the recipe, but says that it really enhances the flavor of the rhubarb. And, the rest of the bottle can be an excellent accompaniment to enjoy as a nice treat with the finished crumble.

FILLING
2 1/2 lbs rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp lemon juice (zest and reserve for crumble)
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup Moscato

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine rhubarb, sugars, lemon juice, and salt in a large bowl.

3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and Moscato. Pour over rhubarb mixture and combine.

4. Fill either a 9” x 9” pan or ramekins with the filling. If using ramekins, leave an inch of space between the filling and the rim.

CRUMBLE TOPPING
1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
2 1/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup (3 oz) sliced almonds
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon
8 oz cold butter, cubed
1/2 tsp salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low until the butter is smaller than peas.

2. Sprinkle generously over the top of the rhubarb filling. Bake until the filling is bubbly and the tops are golden brown, 30-45 minutes, depending on pan or ramekins used.

3. Allow to cool a bit. Serve with vanilla or almond ice cream.

Brown Butter Carrot Cake
Stephanie Prida, one sixtyblue
When it comes to Easter Sunday, pastry chef Stephanie Prida of one sixtyblue likes to stick with the classics. "This one is a little more special," says Prida of her indulgent dessert, "because it incorporates brown butter and it gives the cake a more toasty flavor." She notes that the brown butter adds a moist consistency, as opposed to your run-of-the-mill carrot cake. And of course, it wouldn't be carrot cake without the classic cream-cheese frosting. If you're not up to the challenge, you can grab a $7 slice of the stuff during one sixtyblue's Easter brunch.

CAKE
1/2 pound butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tsp B. Powder
1 tsp B. soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla paste
2 cup carrots, grated

1. Preheat the oven to 325. Brown butter over low heat and strain. Next, sift the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

2. In a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment combine the sugars, add eggs and vanilla one at a time. Add sifted dry ingredients. Slowly stream in brown butter. Add grated carrots last.

3. Bake in mini loaf pans for 15 minutes.

VANILLA BEAN CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
115 grams butter 225 grams powdered sugar 4 grams vanilla extract 1 vanilla bean 170 grams cream cheese

1. Cream butter and vanilla bean.

2. Add sifted powder sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and cream cheese and beat until mixture is white and fluffy (no cream cheese lumps).

Lavender Scented Panna Cotta
Anna Jarosz, Birch River Grill
You won't need to worry about preheating or over-baking anything with Anna Jarosz's sweet Easter treat. The Birch River Grill pastry chef welcomes spring to the suburbs with fresh lavender and citrus elements, while adding a light sweetness and a clean, refreshing bite to the dessert.

LAVENDER PANNA COTTA
2 sheets gelatin
1 tsp. dried lavender flower
1/2 cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Bloom gelatin. Steep the rest of the ingredients, except buttermilk, together for half an hour.

2. Strain all ingredients from step 2. Add gelatin. Add buttermilk and whisk together

3. Place in ramekin and let set in cooler for 1-2 hours.

APRICOT GLAZE
1/4 cup apricot puree
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 sheet gelatin

1. Bloom gelatin. In a sauce pot heat the other ingredients. Add steps 1 and 2 all together.

2. Spoon over cooled panna cotta and place in cooler to set.

Hawaiian Sweet Potato & Golden Beet Tart with Creme Fraiche
Carol Wallack and Gerardo Villagomez, sola
Pastry novices may tremble in their non-slip kitchen-safe shoes over this one, but any skilled hand will appreciate the complexity of this Easter treat, created by sola executive chef and owner Carol Wallack and pastry chef Gerardo Villagomez. "I'm always the one who steers towards the savory dessert," says Wallack. And this alternative is no exception with its unique combination of sweet potatoes, golden beets and miso. "I absolutely love it. The beets are local and sweet from Werp Farms in Michigan. They are slow roasted and then candied a little bit more. We use Hawaiian sweet potatoes a lot here at sola and they are the perfect accent. Gerardo makes the creme fraiche in house, and folds in miso for a slightly savory finish."

BEET & SWEET POTATO CONFIT
16 oz. each, Hawaiian sweet potatoes, and golden beets, 1/4-inch dice

For each vegetable:
1 quart water
2 cups sugar
1 vanilla bean
Pinch of salt
1/2 stick of lemongrass
2 kaffir lime leaves

1. Combine water, sugar, vanilla bean, salt, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves in two separate pots. Boil sweet potatoes and beets separately in mixtures until tender (about 10 minutes each). Drain both, saving liquid from beets. Let vegetables rest in refrigerator for 24 hours.

MISO CREME FRAICHE
10 oz cream
5 oz buttermilk
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 oz white miso

1. Pour cream and buttermilk into a container. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 48 hours. Whisk, and then cool.

2. Once cooled, whip together with ginger powder, sugar, vanilla and white miso.

SAUCE
1 cup liquid from the beet confit
2 oz. white miso

1. Boil together and reduce by half.

ALMOND FLOUR DOUGH
1.4 oz butter, softened
1.6 oz powdered sugar
1.7 oz honey
1.7 oz almond flour
1 oz egg whites
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of salt

1. Combine butter, powdered sugar, and honey with a paddle in the mixer. Add whites. Incorporate the dry ingredients.

2. Roll out dough, cut out circles. Bake flat on a silpat until golden, about 12-15 minutes at 300 degrees. Remove from oven, wait about 20 seconds and lift to lay over a small bowl to get a formed shape of the bowl. Let cool.

3. To plate: put a spoon of miso creme fraiche inside the cookie bowl. Spoon beets and sweet potatoes in and add another spoon of the creme fraiche on top. Ladle a spoonful of sauce onto plate around the "bowl." Garnish with a piece of mint and crushed almonds.

Hot Cross Buns
Jove Hubbard, David Burke's Primehouse
Executive pastry chef Jove Hubbard finds his favorite Easter treat in family tradition. "My mother always makes these on Easter," says Hubbard. "She loves to bake, and this reminds me of growing up."

1 cup warm milk (105°–115°F.)
two 1/4-ounce packages (5 tsp) active dry yeast
1/2 cup plus 1 tsp granulated sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 sticks (1/2 cup plus 2 tsp) cold unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/3 cup golden raisins
2 tsp finely grated fresh orange zest
2 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest
3 tsp superfine granulated sugar
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice

1. In a small bowl stir together milk, yeast, and 1 tsp granulated sugar. Let mixture stand 5 minutes, or until foamy.

2. In a large bowl sift together flour, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Cut butter into bits and with your fingertips or a pastry blender, blend into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal.

3. Lightly beat 1 whole egg with egg yolk. Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour in yeast and egg mixture, apricots, raisins, and zests. Stir mixture until a dough is formed.

4. Transfer dough to a floured surface and with floured hands knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

5. Transfer dough to an oiled large bowl and turn to coat. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

6. Butter 2 large baking sheets. On a floured surface with floured hands, knead dough briefly and form into two 12-inch-long logs. Cut each log crosswise into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball and arrange about 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Let buns rise, covered, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

7. Preheat oven to 400°F. While buns are rising, lightly beat remaining egg with superfine sugar to make an egg glaze. Brush buns with egg glaze. Bake buns in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer buns to a rack to cool slightly.

8. Mix the lemon juice and powdered sugar. Place in a piping bag and pipe crosses onto the buns. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This article was first published on Centerstage.

Chicago's culinary queens: The city's top female chefs redefine a woman's place in the kitchen.

Charlie Trotter, Rick Bayless, Art Smith, Grant Achatz—the names of Chicago's most lauded chefs are instantly recognizable, and also noticeably masculine. But as Stephanie Izard's win on last season's "Top Chef" showed, our kitchens are full of talented women, too. Before cheering on another Chicago girl—Between Boutique Cafe and Lounge's Radhika Desai—this season, we interviewed some of the city's best female chefs (and one mixologist) to get an idea of what it's like to compete with the big boys.

Judy Contino, Bittersweet
Self-taught pastry chef Judy Contino never worked in a bakery before opening her own. Sixteen years later, Contino says she receives many compliments from guests, telling her that Bittersweet is just as pristine as it was in the beginning. She's got her strong work ethic and mostly female staff to thank for that. The dessert diva says she thinks that more women choose pastry over other culinary disciplines because it allows so much room for creativity. In Contino's case, however, pastry chose her. Before opening Bittersweet, she spent time at Ambria, where she wanted to start cooking, but says that she couldn't because during that time, "they kept the girls in pastry." She may not have mastered the hot line, but Contino has set Chicago's standard for pastry with Bittersweet.

Carol Wallack, sola
Carol Wallack has never had a problem competing against men in the kitchen; she comes from the male-dominated surfing world, after all. But she did initially have reservations about opening Sola. "I never wanted to own a restaurant," says the chef, who moved here from the West Coast to be closer to her family. But after running Lakeview's Deleece with her sister, Lynne, for several years, Wallack decided it was time to strike out on her own. So she took her self-taught, Hawaiian-tinged talents to North Center, where she continues to cook with seasonal and local products. Currently, Wallack has two other women in the kitchen with her; an assistant sous chef and a line cook. She believes that it's especially important in a male-dominated industry to create opportunities for women, but says that the real key to culinary success is "putting your nose to the grindstone."

Mindy Segal, Hot Chocolate
Hot Chocolate Chef and Owner Mindy Segal draws inspiration from the seasons, which explains why she hasn't been afraid to make changes to her concept. "Hot Chocolate is no longer a dessert-focused restaurant," says Segal, who oversees both the sweet and savory sides of the menu. Her priorities are still centered on matching decadent desserts with Hot Chocolate's main fare, but she's also taken an interest in other pairings, like beer and cheese. Segal always had aspirations of opening her own place and says that she was fortunate to have three notable chefs (Erwin Drechsler, Charlie Trotter and Michael Kornick) support her through the endeavor. She says that getting noticed in the culinary world has nothing to do with being male or female: "If you're good at what you do, it doesn't matter—the proof is in the pudding."

Carrie Nahabedian, Naha
Chef Carrie Nahabedian makes it clear that strong ties in the family lead to even stronger influences in the kitchen. Next to owning a business that she loves, the 2008 James Beard Award-winning chef (best chef in the Great Lakes region) says that sharing Naha with her cousin Michael trumps all of her other accomplishments. "The traveling and the awards, they're great— but they're just benefits," says Nahabedian. "We get to employ great people who are like-minded and share our same strong family value," she adds. Two of those great people are Nahabedian's sisters, who handle Naha's finances and business. It's those strong family ties and loyal patrons (many of whom she greets by name) that keep Nahabedian at Chicago's culinary forefront.

Bridget Albert, Southern Wine and Spirits
Southern Wine and Spirits Master Mixologist Bridget Albert comes from a long line of cocktail slingin' dames. Thanks to their imbibing influences, Albert has been a driving force in reviving Chicago's haute cocktail couture. "Once I jumped behind the bar (14 years ago) I never left," she says. Albert began studying all of the classics and still continues to study weekly, "If you don't think there's anything left to learn, it's time to get out of your profession." Countless hours of studying finally paid off in 2005 when Albert was chosen as the first female from the states ever to compete in the Bacardi Martini Grand Prix, where she took second place. Albert says that she tries to make being a woman in a male-dominated profession a non-issue. "If you love what you do and you push yourself, you can strive in any industry—male or female."

This article was first published in the Chicago Sun-Times. Photo: Bittersweet Chef/Owner Judy Contino, courtesy of Clifton Henry for Centerstage.

Prix-Fixe for Penny Pinchers

The often-mispronounced prix-fixe concept is popular for a reason: You get to taste several items on upscale menus teeming with appealing choices, and you leave feeling just right, thanks to the scaled-down portions. That is, if you can afford it. Many prix-fixe menus can run well over $100, leaving the average diner out of luck. Fortunately, some neighborhood spots have found a way to keep it cheap; these restaurants offer multi-course meals for under $35.

May Street Market
This tucked-away restaurant in West Town offers a full three-course meal every single night of the week for just $32. May Street Market's menu changes seasonally to reflect the freshest ingredients. Currently the fixed menu boasts plenty of fresh, summery foods like Sangria Summer Salad with peaches, berries and oranges. You can choose from three entrees including the Yukon Gold potato gnocchi, grilled organic pork chop or glazed Maine salmon. The most difficult part might be deciding between desserts. The strawberry shortcake with chantilly cream is a refreshing summer treat, but the Market's flight of cupcakes, including chocolate with peanut butter icing, lavender vanilla with Earl Grey icing and carrot with orange ginger icing is just too good to pass up.

La Donna
At $19.95, this just might be the cheapest three-course meal in the city. Every Wednesday night, La Donna gives its guests a chance to pick three items (appetizer, entree and dessert) straight from its regular menu. This is no easy task when the restaurant offers an entire book of traditional Italian fare. If you're not sure where to start, try the gorgonzola-stuffed mushrooms or opt for a classic caprese salad. Once you've whetted your appetite, it's time to move on to La Donna's rustic pasta dishes. Risotto is one of the more popular dishes here and La Donna offers three different takes on the stuff. We recommend the Risotto Della Donna with butternut squash, goat cheese and fresh sage (regular price, $18.95). Other essential entrees include breaded-pork chops, veal medallions and tilapia filets.

Deleece
A longtime favorite with Lakeview locals, Deleece serves its loyal patrons a steal of a meal every Monday and Tuesday night. For just $20 you get a full three-course dinner, complete with options. The restaurant provides a little something for every palate with its selection of meat, fish and veggie dishes. Past entrees have highlighted grilled salmon with avocado and jasmine rice, basil-ginger chicken with goat cheese and stuffed peppers with sweet corn, chihuahua cheese and refried beans. Deleece's sister restaurant, Shochu, also offers a prix-fixe deal on Wednesdays and Sundays for the same price. Meals to look forward to at this Japanese-inspired restaurant include teriyaki chicken with asparagus and jasmine rice and New York steak with fingerling potatoes.

Marche
Leave it to the French to do prix-fixe right. This classic brasserie can make the worst Monday better with its three-course special. For $28.95 you get full reign of Marche's regular dinner menu. The meal includes any appetizer or salad, one entree and a dessert. The special is also available Wednesday evenings. In addition to its twice-per-week dinner deal, Marche offers a fixed lunch all week long for $18.95.

Lula Cafe
Lula's idea of a good meal is one that comes straight from the farm. Stop in to this Logan Square spot on a Monday night when the restaurant cooks up a three-course, farm-inspired meal. The fixed menu is $28 per person and includes the standard appetizer, entree and dessert. Because Lula's menu changes so frequently, you never know what you're going to get. Past prix-fixe menus have included marinated cucumbers and chioggia beets in red wine vinaigrette, lamb meatballs with borlotti beans and eggplant-pepper caponata. Desserts have been just as seasonally sweet with treats like the blackberry linzer torte, prepared with candied walnuts and ice cream. Entrees from the restaurant's regular menu range from $16 to $25.

sola
Chef of Sola, Carol Wallack, likes to get crafty with her prix-fixe dishes. Every month Wallack highlights a new ingredient by incorporating it into each course on her $30 menu. Currently, she's crazy about peaches and she's serving them up in a baby arugula salad and a blueberry and peach tart. Wallack is always looking for innovative ways to use new ingredients. If you let her know your favorite, you just might see it featured on one of her upcoming menus. Sola's prix-fixe special is available Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

This article first appeared on Centerstage.