Makes about 2½ cups. • 4 egg yolks • 1¼ cups sugar • 3 Tbs. unsweetened powdered cocoa • ⅔ cup milk • ½ lb. soft butter 1. Beat the egg yolks until they are creamy, then beat in ¾ cup of the sugar and continue until pale and fluffy. Beat in the cocoa. 2. Bring the...

Serves 10 to 12 This wonderful cake was first made for me by my Aunt Wenia in Poland, and I immediately demanded the recipe. It is the perfect cake for a very special occasion, a baroque, luscious creation that really looks like a celebration. • 1 sponge cake, baked...

Serves 10 to 14 It means “English Soup” because its base is English custard, but it’s really a marvelous, moist Italian confection—cake soaked with rum, layered with marmalade and custard, and covered with a meringue. The curious name presumably derives from a...

Serves 8 to 10 In the restaurant Torcoloti in Verona, we ate one of the most sublime cakes in the world. After the first long moment of silent ecstasy had passed, we asked our extremely friendly waiter if he could tell us a little something about it. Well, we found...

Serves 12 to 14 You only live once, so do it. • 1½ cups fine graham cracker crumbs • ½ cup butter • 2 cups plus 3 Tbs. sugar • 1½ lbs. soft cream cheese • 3 eggs • ½ lb. semisweet chocolate • 3 Tbs. heavy cream • 2 cups sour cream • ¼ cup dark rum • ¾ tsp. cinnamon •...

Serves 10 • 1¼ cups egg whites • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar • 2 Tbs. cornstarch • ¼ tsp. almond extract • 1⅔ cups ground almonds (unblanched) • Lemon Filling • garnish: • blanched almond halves 1. Beat the egg whites with 1 cup of the confectioners’ sugar until they...

Makes 1 very large cake or 2 large layers. One of the very best basic cakes, from which any number of tortes can be made, Genoese is especially good for soaking up rum or brandy, as in a Zuppa Inglese. • 8 eggs • 1½ cups sugar • grated rind of 1 lemon • 1¾ cups sifted...

Makes 1 large cake. • 6 eggs, separated • 1 cup sugar • ¼ cup boiling water • 1 Tbs. lemon juice • ½ tsp. vanilla extract • 1½ cups flour • 1½ tsp. baking powder • pinch of salt • 4 Tbs. butter, melted and cooled 1. Beat the egg yolks until they are creamy and light,...

If there is a good bakery nearby which can supply you with cocktail-sized puffs, by all means buy them and save yourself the trouble. Your time will be better spent making the delicious filling. However, if you insist, here is a reasonably easy way to make puff paste...