MAKES: One 2-layer cake (about 12 servings) TIME: About 1 hour, plus time to cool Though usually viewed as opposite flavors, chocolate and vanilla combine beautifully. Vanilla's perfumy and musky aroma and flavor provide a wonderful backdrop for the earthiness of the...
MAKES: 3 to 4 dozen TIME: About 30 minutes Thin, light, crisp, and chocolaty, these cookies are spread onto the baking sheets instead of being mounded and dropped. They're showstoppers, but this version is super-easy to make. When the cookies are still warm, they are...
MAKES: About 11/2 cups TIME: 15 minutes Ganache, one of the most useful of all dessert sauces, sounds far more difficult than it is, thanks to its French name. But it's a snap to make and can take on a number of different guises. You can use milk or white chocolate in...
MAKES: 3 to 4 dozen TIME: About 21/2 hours, largely unattended Finely chopped nuts, sugar, and egg whites are the base of this cookie; the nuts add flavor and texture, while the sugar and egg whites make them crisp and chewy, sort of like a flat macaroon. Don't let...
MAKES: About a dozen squares TIME: About 1 hour A baked crust topped with walnuts coated in a rich and buttery caramel; it's simultaneously crunchy, chewy, and soft not to mention completely delicious. Any nuts will work here. 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter,...
MAKES: 8 to 12 servings TIME: 45 minutes with a prepared crust, plus time to chill A lovely custard pie that is at once rich, tangy, and sweet. I love the whole berries that float to the top and become almost jammy. The recipe makes enough to fill a deep-dish pie...
MAKES: 3 to 4 dozen TIME: About 11/2 hours, largely unattended With their slightly salty finish and subtle sweetness, these cookies offer the best of both worlds. Semolina makes the texture tender and crumbly, almost shortbreadlike with buttery richness. It's best to...
MAKES: 1 rectangular cake (12 to 16 servings) TIME: About 1 hour This toffee-style soaked cake is gooey, fruity, and relatively familiar, whether you finish it with the bourbon or vanilla cake soak. (If you'd prefer a more traditional approach, simply substitute...
MAKES: About a dozen squares TIME: 40 minutes These are essentially brownies sans chocolate. If you don't want to use whole wheat flour, that's okay: all all-purpose flour is fine too. If you like, toss in chocolate chunks, bits of butterscotch candy or peanut butter,...
MAKES: Enough for an 8- to 10-inch tart or pie TIME: 20 minutes A simple crust that is great when you want to whip something together without having to chill, rest, or roll a more traditional crust. It has a slightly crumbly texture that is lovely with more structured...
