Baking

This recipe was created to accompany Spiced Beef in Mini Yorkshire Puddings with Mustard Dressing.

An inspired cherry-chocolate dessert.

Italian fruitcakes with Frangelico chocolate sauce If you don't have the mini Bundt molds called for, oversize muffin cups (about one-cup capacity) can be used instead. Begin preparing this at least a week ahead.

We tried several different brands of whole-wheat and found that Pepperidge Farm loaves have a slight sweetness that works especially well in this torte.

Chinese bean thread noodles (also called cellophane noodles) are often used in Moroccan dishes, like this starter. Their use stems from the influence of a small Vietnamese community in North Africa.

The yield for these cutouts varies depending on the size and shape of the cookie cutters you use. We chose 4- to 5-inch cutters for the cookies on the cover, which makes the yield much smaller and increases the baking time by a few minutes. Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 4 hr (includes decorating)

Serve this beautiful starter with Champagne or sparkling wine.

Tender biscuits that are rich and flavorful.

Rightfully this cake belongs in the chapter with the other cakes that contain dried fruit, but to me it is the quintessential coffee cake. It is a quick and easy version of a cake that I remember from my childhood, made by the mother of my school friend, the late Noel Giles. Noel and I consumed about a ton of this cake per year between the ages of twelve and eighteen — a taste of it still makes me feel like a teenager.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

"My boyfriend and I were vacationing in Boulder, Colorado, when we discovered Dot’s Diner, a cozy place that serves wonderful breakfasts," writes Kimberly McClain of Harris, Iowa. "The biscuit that came with my meal was baked to perfection. I would drive all the way to Colorado just to go to Dot’s again." This classic recipe produces biscuits with a lovely light texture.

Make the cheesecake up to two days before serving (it must chill at least four hours).

Country tart meets city topping; the streusel is revved up with nutty-tasting brown butter — a popular flavoring in this year's desserts.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

(Tartelettes Feuilletées à la Rhubarbe et au Ricotta) At La Bastide Odéon, these are served with almond ice cream. Begin making the dessert one day ahead so that the rhubarb can drain overnight.

Cranachan is Scotland's traditional harvest-time pudding, a blend of Crowdie (an artisanal cottage cheese), cream, toasted oats, berries, whisky, and honey. Here, it's updated with crème fraîche (instead of the Crowdie), toasted hazelnuts, and grated chocolate, and served parfait-style in individual goblets. To allow the flavors to meld, assemble the parfaits ahead of time and chill them overnight before serving.