Chocolate

We used an empty 1/2-gallon cardboard milk carton as a mold for this cake to keep the checkerboard pattern even.

I made these cookies for my son's class at school as part of France's annual week of taste, or semaine du gout. The idea was to show how sweet and salty flavors complement each other.

A thick layer of pure white chocolate truffle separates the amaretto-brushed layers, and a bit more truffle filling is used to flavor the whipped cream icing.

This recipe was created to accompany Chocolate Hazelnut Pound Cake with Chocolate Glaze.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe originally accompanied Chocolate Mint Layer Cake .

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. We love this velvety sauce as a topping for ice cream and for fruits such as strawberries and bananas. There's also something to be said for sampling it by the spoonful, straight from the fridge.

This recipe originally accompanied Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Glaze .

Because this cake has a special place in my husband's heart, I named it after him. It's best warm, so bake it as you eat dinner.

In these sweet tartlets, sliced bananas are sprinkled with brown sugar and caramelized under the broiler. Make the chocolate custard a day ahead to allow it to chill and thicken.

An updated version of Scottish shortbread.

"Recently my future in-laws came to dinner for the first time. My fiancé had mentioned their love of chocolate and coconut, so I knew I had to dazzle them with a sensational dessert," writes Sarah Smythe of New London, Connecticut . "This cheesecake worked beautifully."

Jennifer Smith of Tyler, Texas, writes: "Now that I'm a stay-at-home mom, I cook more than I used to. My husband and I have discovered that dining out with a 16-month-old is messy at best, so we tend to eat in. Even then, cooking is a challenge, since my daughter is always underfoot. My husband and I like simple comfort foods, so I don't have to spend too much time preparing elaborate meals."

Gianduia, a ground hazelnut and chocolate confection from the Piedmont, inspired this spectacular terrine.

The traditional French "Christmas log" is accompanied by meringue mushrooms; the ones here—formed out of marzipan (a paste made from almonds, sugar and egg whites)—are much easier to do. Look for marzipan at specialty foods stores and in the baking products section of supermarkets.