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This Recipe Makes the Most of Stale Pastries

Frank Guerriero

January 23, 2019

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Photo: Keirnan Monaghan and Theo Vamvounakis

This #WasteNotWednesday, we’re taking a look at the sweeter side of leftovers. Those pastries your dinner party guests toted along last night don’t have to harden up on the countertop. Instead, try turning to Lisa Carlson and Carrie Summer, the talented women behind Chef Shack, for inspiration. The Chefs Boot Camp alums transform the stale remnants of a batch of their famous Indian-spiced donuts into a luscious dessert, and you can do the same with whatever starchy delights you have on hand.

They start by mixing up a quick custard infused with Indian-inspired flavors like coriander and rose water. Then, they allow the stale donuts—you can use croissants, challah, brioche, or any sweet treat you like—to soak up the liquid before heading to the oven. Served warm with a dollop of whipped cream or eaten cold straight from the fridge, it’s an ingenious—and delicious—way to bring new life to leftover goodies. Get the recipe.

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The James Beard Foundation's new cookbook, Waste Not: How to Get the Most from Your Food, offers up a host of delicious solutions to the pressing problem of food waste. Featuring 100 recipes from alumni of our Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change, Waste Not will teach you how to turn every root, bone, rind, and stem into an irresistible dish.

Waste Not: How to Get the Most from Your Food, published by Rizzoli,​ is on sale now.​ Order your copy today!

Frank Guerriero is the media assistant at the Beard Foundation. Find him on Instagram.