Potluck Desserts Giveaway, Quick Bites and Recipes

Enter our US/CA giveaway to win one of two copies of Potluck Desserts: Joyful Recipes to Share with Pride by Justin Burke.

Justin Burke credits his first queer potluck with changing his life. Gathering around a table piled high with homemade food evoked a sense of unity that bridged individuals beyond societal norms, sparking within him a passion for food that launched his career as a baker. Now a potluck pro, Justin shares his playful, delicious recipes in Potluck Desserts. Refined yet approachable, these stylish sweets are organized by baking dish – sheet pans, rectangular pans and foil tins, loaf pans, casserole dishes, and bowls, Bundts, and other round things and tagged by time to further simplify the process.

Complete with charming personal anecdotes, reflections on the social importance of potlucks particularly in the queer community, and stunning photography of an abundance of good food, this book gives the home baker the tools, confidence, and pride to serve beloved, nostalgic dishes that everyone will love – colleagues, friends, families, and chosen families included.

When I first received this book, I was so excited that I reached out to Justin to tell him how much I loved it! These are recipes we can make for any event – easily while still impressing our family and friends. With holiday season approaching and with another month or two of backyard gatherings possible here in the US, these are desserts to share – easily transportable and sure to be hit.

Justin provides detailed instructions and tips throughout. For example, see the recipe shared below with tips for blooming cocoa powder and tempering eggs. He wants us to have successful results.

I made the Wacky cake recipe pictured above. It was great to have a recipe that you mix right up in the baking pan! Justin lets us know that we do not need to grease the pan – in case we were wondering about that! The cake was a hit with a tender, moist crumb, wonderful taste from the cocoa powder and vinegar mix, and lovely tang from the cream cheese frosting.

If you own this book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon and other sites to increase awareness. Justin would appreciate this very much – as would any author.

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There are four online recipes including the one shared below for our Members to try now:

• NSFW poke cake
• Hummingbird blondies
• Orange creamsicle icebox cake

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Grasshopper brownies
Add this recipe to your Bookshelf (click the blue +Bookshelf button)

Timing: An hour or so
Makes 12–16 servings

For the brownies

• 1 cup ( 200 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (120 g) dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1¼ cups (156 g) all-­purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter
• ½ cup (52 g) vegetable oil
• ⅔ cup (65 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee
• One 12-­ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the filling:

• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups (226 g) powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 or 3 drops green food coloring
• ½ cup (85 g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the topping:

• ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (175 g) dark chocolate chips

During summers as a kid, I couldn’t get enough of Schwan’s Silvermint bars (now Yelloh!)—­those mint ice cream bars coated in rich chocolate were my ultimate treat. Even in high school, I’d jazz up boxed brownies with crushed mints on top for that extra minty kick. To this day, if Andes mints are offered after a meal at a restaurant, you can bet I’m grabbing a handful on the way out. Chocolate and mint speak to my soul.

These brownies are a variation of my Saucepan Brownies (page 29), but with a few changes: I’ve reduced the sugar to balance out the sweetness of the buttercream, and I’ve switched from cake flour to all-­purpose flour to support the weight of the buttercream and ganache topping. The result? A decadent chocolate brownie with a sweet, minty topping complemented by a rich dark chocolate ganache and mini chocolate chips for added texture.

1. Preheat your oven to 350° F. Spray a 9-­by-­13-­inch baking pan with baking spray, then line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides of the pan. Spray the parchment. Set aside.
2. Make the brownies. In a medium bowl, add the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk together to combine. Add the eggs and whisk vigorously until fully incorporated and the mixture is light yellow and frothy. Set aside.
3. In a separate medium bowl, add the flour and salt and whisk together to combine. Set aside.
4. In a medium saucepan, add the butter and oil and melt over medium heat. Once melted, add the cocoa powder and instant coffee, whisking vigorously until smooth with no visible clumps.
5. Reduce the heat to low and add the semi-sweet chocolate chips, stirring to melt with a wooden spoon. If the chocolate mixture starts to boil, remove the pan from the heat and continue stirring until smooth and glossy.
6. Moving quickly, slowly pour the hot chocolate mixture into the sugar-­egg mixture while whisking continuously. You are tempering the eggs; pouring the hot mixture in too quickly will cook the eggs. Once all the hot mixture is poured, begin whisking vigorously to incorporate and fully dissolve most of the sugar—­a few grains of sugar are fine.
7. Add the flour mixture into the chocolate-­egg mixture and, with a wooden spoon, fold in the dry ingredients to combine until no visible flour streaks remain—­do not overmix.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth it evenly, and give the pan a few taps to release any air bubbles. Bake until the top is dry and slightly cracked, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs. Edges should look firm and the center moist but not gooey, 25 to 30 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and immediately place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
10. Meanwhile, prepare the filling . In a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and add the heavy cream and peppermint extract. Mix on medium until evenly combined and the mixture is fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the green food coloring and mix until evenly blended and pale green. With a rubber spatula, fold in the mini chocolate chips until evenly combined.
11. Remove the brownies from the refrigerator and evenly spread the buttercream over the brownies and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes for the buttercream to firm up.
12. Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate topping. In a small heatproof bowl, add the butter and dark chocolate chips. Using a microwave, melt in 30-­second intervals, stopping and stirring, until the butter and chocolate are melted. Whisk together to evenly combine.
13. Remove the brownies from the refrigerator and pour the chocolate over the buttercream layer. With an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread into an even layer. Return to the refrigerator and chill for another 30 minutes.
14. Once the chocolate is set, remove the brownies by pulling them up from the overhang. Cut the brownies into servings.

Baking Tip: Getting the Most Flavor Out of Your Cocoa Powder

The technique of blooming cocoa powder is a little baking secret that can seriously up your chocolate game. It’s a trick pastry chefs swear by for getting intense flavors and perfect textures.

So, what’s the deal with blooming? Cocoa powder is made from dehydrated cocoa solids ground into powder. However, a thin membrane can stick to these cocoa solids during processing, hiding between the bean and its shell. Blooming helps break down this membrane, exposing more cocoa solids and increasing the flavor. It can also improve the texture of your baked goods, giving them a smoother, more velvety finish. It’s perfect for cakes, brownies, and any chocolatey treats.

To bloom your cocoa powder, pop it into a heatproof bowl and add a hot liquid like water, coffee, melted butter, or oil (warmed not boiling)—­whatever liquid the recipe calls for. Stir until smooth, then let it cool while you prep everything else. Cooling is crucial here unless the recipe calls for adding hot liquid.

A quick tip: Don’t let your cocoa powder bloom too long, or it might turn bitter. This isn’t an all-­night process—­just a few minutes will do. And don’t worry; whether you’re using natural or Dutch-­processed cocoa powder, you can still give it a bloom. So go ahead and give your cocoa powder a little extra love!

_{Excerpt with permission: Potluck Desserts, 2025 Countryman Press}

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Justin was kind enough to do a Quick Bites for us:

Justin Burke is a food writer, recipe developer, queer food activist, and award-winning pastry chef and baker with over a decade of experience. He was the Executive Pastry chef for the nationally acclaimed restaurant Kindred in Davidson, NC. He has contributed to publications including Eater, Food & Wine, Garden & Gun, Simply Recipes, Bake from Scratch, and more. Burke makes his home in Columbia, South Carolina, with his husband and son.

Q: What first triggered your interest in cooking/baking and tell us about your first cooking memory.

I grew up in what felt like a pretty unique setup – at least for the ’80s and ’90s. My parents divorced when I was three, and I lived with my mom, but we shared property with my dad’s side of the family. My grandparents lived in one house, and my dad and stepmom lived in another. We all did our own thing during the day—work, school, life—but every night, my grandmother made dinner, and we all gathered around the same table.

Despite the complexities and tensions that came with a blended family, food was the one thing that brought us together. That ritual, everyone showing up for dinner, left a deep impression on me. It taught me early that food has the power to connect people, even when everything else feels fractured. That sense of belonging and togetherness is what sparked my love for cooking and baking, and it’s what continues to drive me to share food with others—family, friends, and strangers alike. 

Q: If you had to describe your style, what would it be?

I’m a self-taught pastry chef, and I naturally gravitate toward nostalgic, homey desserts. Someone once described my style as “American Comfort,” which isn’t wrong, but it doesn’t fully capture it either. Over time, I’ve taught myself other culinary techniques and found joy in borrowing from different approaches to reimagine desserts. I love the challenge of introducing unexpected flavors or tweaking presentation to make something familiar feel brand new.

I’m not a “smoke and mirrors” kind of pastry chef. What you see is what you get, but what you get is going to surprise you in flavor, texture, and detail. And more importantly, it’ll invite you to try it yourself. My goal is always to make desserts that feel both special and accessible.

Q: Are you a cookbook collector? If so, tell us about your collection – number of books, favorite genre, favorite author? What you look for in a cookbook.

Absolutely. I started collecting cookbooks for practical reasons—purely to learn. I wasn’t baking at home yet; I was focused on building the skills I needed to work in professional kitchens. My shelves looked like something out of that scene in The Bear—strictly functional, serious, reference-heavy.

Now, though, I collect cookbooks that tell a story. Books that explore culture, identity, and tradition. Cookbooks that my husband and I can cook from together, that we can use to introduce new dishes and ideas to our son, family, and friends. I look for conversation starters, recipes with roots, context, and love.

I’m especially drawn to books written for the home cook, the ones that show lived-in meals and new uses for familiar ingredients. And I’m a big cheerleader for my friends and peers in the industry. If you write a book, I’m buying it.

My favorite genre? Comfort food, in all its forms. However you define comfort, I want to learn about it. Some of my favorite authors are Rick Martinez, Eric Kim, and Paola Velez. I deeply admire how they use food to connect with others and tell their stories. I also love cookbooks with lots of photos—not overly styled, but real, warm, and inviting. To me, that says: these recipes are made with care, and they’re meant to be shared.

Q: What is the best part of your job? Do you sometimes feel like working with food all day keeps you from wanting to get creative in the kitchen?

I really love what I do. When I started in restaurants, I thought that was it, the one lane for building a food career. But I wanted more. I wanted to explore, to grow, to use food as a way of telling deeper stories.

After my son was born, I took six months off and asked myself what I really wanted. That’s when I tried food writing. I fell in love with it and I worked hard to find my voice, to figure out how to share knowledge in a casual, clear way. Most importantly, I discovered how to speak proudly and intentionally to my queer and trans community through food—my food, our food.

Cooking and baking are their own form of storytelling. They’re sensory, intimate, and often quiet. Food lets me tell stories without always needing words, and writing allows me to go one step further and preserve those stories.

Do I get burnt out? Sure. Working in food all day means that sometimes the last thing I want to do is make dinner. I definitely go through phases. Some nights, it’s chicken tenders and fries. But my husband and I have a rhythm that works. We trade off, we support each other. When he finds a recipe he’s excited about, I play sous chef. Other nights, I’m in full restaurant mode and tell him to stay out of the kitchen so I can cook for him. Our son joins in too—he’s already making a mean scrambled egg. Cooking is part of our relationship and our family, and that keeps it from feeling like just work.

Q: What is your go-to for a quick dinner (and for dessert)?

Some folks might laugh, but I swear this is a quick dinner: simple pork chops. Salt and pepper, seared until crispy. Then I make a quick mustardy pan sauce, usually with whatever fruit is in season. It’s my shortcut version of a mostarda. Serve it with lightly dressed greens, and dinner is done. It’s fast, satisfying, and full of flavor.

For dessert, I whip heavy cream with dark cocoa powder and powdered sugar—almost like a mousse. I pipe it into individual cups or bowls, and just before serving, I whip up a quick meringue to dollop on top. Add some berries, and that’s it. Fast, delicious, and still feels a little special.

Tell us about your book: 

Potluck Desserts: Joyful Recipes to Share with Pride is more than a collection of recipes; it’s the beginning of a story told in parallel: the journey of finding your place in the world, and the journey of finding your confidence in the kitchen.

One thread follows the queer experience—when we first leave home, sometimes by choice, sometimes not. It’s that moment of stepping into ourselves, of navigating newness and vulnerability, and eventually finding comfort and belonging in chosen family. For so many of us, that belonging takes shape at a potluck, spaces where we show up as we are, bring what we can, and find joy in sharing. Those moments are sacred, and they’re what inspired the heart of this book.

The other thread is the journey of becoming a home baker. We all start by reaching for what we know—recipes from family, from childhood, from memory. That familiarity becomes the foundation we build on as we begin to explore, try new things, and develop our own kitchen confidence. This book honors that learning curve, offering desserts that are approachable and nostalgic, but also playful and surprising.

The recipes are meant to be shared: layered cakes, no-churn ice creams, bar cookies, and puddings that travel well and feel at home on any potluck table. But they’re also written to grow with you, to meet you where you are and give you the tools to stretch your skills.

Potluck Desserts is the first in what I hope will be a three-part series, each book continuing to explore queer life and community through the lens of food, while also guiding home bakers to deeper confidence and creativity. This is just the beginning of the story, and I can’t wait to keep telling it.

Follow Justin on Instagram and subscribe to Justin’s Substack Taste This (a Safe Space to Cook and Share).

Special thanks to the publisher for providing two copies of this title in our promotion open to Members in the US and Canada. Entry options include answering the following question in the comments section of this blog post.

Which recipe in the index would you like to try first?

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