Chocolate

This recipe is (very slightly) adapted from the second St. John restaurant cookbook, Beyond Nose to Tail (if you don't already have both the St. John books, buy them now as not only are the recipes brilliant but the turn of phrase is a joy). I would recommend you buy one or two 12-hole madeleine pans for this, if you don't already have one, as once you've made these you'll be sure to make them again. You can serve the first batch while the second batch is in the oven; you'll need both.

Any strong spices or herbs have to be used with caution and a light touch, even with an ingredient as intensely flavored as chocolate, as the aim is to achieve balance, where everything can be tasted and nothing dominates. Richard Bertinet, of the UK's Bertinet Kitchen, has managed this superbly with his chocolate and cardamom ice cream, with a dose of vanilla seeds to add depth, complexity, and richness.

These rich treats aren't cookie-jar cookies—they're best the day they're made.

The batter for this classic chocolate soufflé can made the day before, so all you have to do is bake and serve.

Crispy, oversize cookies with a hint of butterscotch flavor.

Season: Anytime. I like to make several batches of these sweets in November or early December. A dozen or so, wrapped in cellophane, are a charming gift. Needless to say, you don’t need to stop at oranges: lemon and grapefruit peel work equally well, and you can use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate for dipping. The corn syrup is optional, but does prevent the sticks from becoming too hard. It is best to keep the candied sticks in an airtight container and only dip them in chocolate shortly before you want them.

I got a perplexing message from someone who made these biscotti: “They were good, but full of big chunks of chocolate.” I’m not sure if that was meant as a compliment or a criticism, but I do know for sure that it wasn’t a mistake—that’s exactly what I had in mind when I came up with these superchunky chocolate biscotti. They’re perfect for dipping in a large cup of dark coffee or alongside a glass of Cognac after dinner. They’re also great travel cookies—I’m always happy when I pull out a bag midway through a flight or train trip. I make sure to bring extras because when I see the longing looks of passengers around me, I feel pressured to share—and I do, reluctantly.

If your prefer, chopped toasted walnuts or almonds can be substituted for the macadamia nuts here. Either way, the result is an elegant, easy-to-prepare candy. Pack the bark, between layers of waxed paper, in decorative tins for holiday gifts.

The Product: Earthy-fruity spice powder with a mild kick.
The Payoff: Hot chocolate with complex, subtle flavor and an intriguing, gentle spiciness.

Peppermint ice cream and chocolate cake are rolled up into the quintessential holiday treat.

No soiree is complete without a scrumptious dessert, and these low-cal treats are diet-approved, so dig in—twice!—without the guilt.

You get a very big bang for remarkably little work in this fabulous pairing of chocolate and orange. These candy-like cookies are mostly fruit, nuts, and chocolate, with just a bit of flour to hold them together. Easy, elegant, and irresistible, they keep very well before they are iced. Once you add the chocolate glaze, be sure to refrigerate them.

Crushed peppermint candies make a festive, crunchy topping for these pretty cookies.

This dessert is as easy as it is delicious—put it together in the morning and let it chill in the fridge until dinner time.

If making the candy ahead, let it stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

When I was gathering the recipes for this chapter, my daughters, Jennifer and Tina, reminded me of an almost ridiculously chocolate pound cake that I hadn't made in years. How I let this one slip through the cracks, I'll never know. I did some searching, and there it was, tucked away in my treasured recipe book. It was splattered with chocolate batter, a clear indication that it was a favorite that I made again and again. I received this recipe from Mrs. Stein, a Hungarian beauty who was a relative of my father-in-law, Joe Firestone. Welcome back, old friend.