Electric Mixer

A staple in some Texas bakeries, Chile Brownies are spicy and sweet, a combination perhaps unfamiliar to, well, other folks (aka Yankees). While kids might prefer simpler brownies, these have a peppery kick many grown-ups adore. We didn't skimp on the chocolate by an ounce. These brownies would be perfect after a barbecue dinner, a fajita supper, or a chile cook-off.

"I've always loved to cook and bake," writes Gert Schwartz of Skokie, Illinois. "When my husband worked for the kitchens of Sara Lee, I would bake about 2,000 cookies each Christmas to send to his coworkers. People thought it strange — sending coals to Newcastle — but at that time Sara Lee did not make cookies (I wasn't about to compete with the cheesecake operation), and everyone seemed to enjoy them. In your January 2001 issue, I read about the different cakes and had a desire to try the devil's food one, since my husband loves chocolate. I made the recipe as 24 cupcakes and decided to use a frosting recipe I have had since I was married, over 50 years ago. As a little girl, my favorite birthday cake was chocolate with white frosting, and when I took my first bite of your recipe, there I was: ten years old again. I thought you might like to have that frosting recipe." We took Mrs. Schwartz's advice and tried her almond cream cheese frosting on our devil's food cupcakes — it was delicious. Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 30 min

This cheesecake is very light and fluffy, unlike more traditional cheesecakes, which are creamy and dense.

A wonderfully homey cake that's equally good with afternoon tea, after a meal, or for breakfast with a cup of Italian roast coffee. Maple sugar is available at some supermarkets and at many natural foods stores.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 6 hr (includes chilling) Chillingsworth, in Brewster on Cape Cod, was one of several restaurants that caused a great deal of mail to flow into our You Asked for It department during the '60s and '70s. This homespun lemon roll is part of its legacy.

"My mother, who's affectionately called Muffin, was craving chocolate muffins, but the local bakery had stopped making her favorite ones," writes Julia Bursten of Columbus, Ohio. "I tried to re-create the recipe, and she claims these are the best she's ever had." Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

This tart is a great last-minute dessert for just about any meal, and it's quite possible you have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now. Grind your own crumbs if you've got whole graham crackers on hand.

Carey Paquette of Arlington, Virginia, writes: "When it comes to cooking, I make an effort to prepare healthful meals, but wouldn't call myself a fanatic. I believe that olive oil goes in everything and wine goes with everything; I just use them in moderation. My boyfriend and I cook almost every night as a way to unwind. It's nice to come home after a hectic day and make dinner together rather than pull something prepackaged out of the freezer."

Tuaca, a sweet, citrus- and vanilla-flavored Italian liqueur, enhances this sophisticated dessert. Tuaca is available in many liquor stores. But if you can't find it, use Grand Marnier or any other orange liqueur.

"In our family," writes Georgia I. Chletcos of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, "we have a saying that the Greek kitchen is the original twenty-four-hour diner: It never closes. And being from a Greek family, I can say unequivocally that food is the center of our lives. The great thing about these home-style dishes is that they're generous to the cook and to everyone else: You don't have to be a pro to prepare them, there's always plenty to share, and you'll have a delicious meal on the table in no time."

Because of reader demand, this recipe was published in one form or another in The New York Times almost every year between 1983 and 1995, when the then editor of the food section told me to tell my readers it was the last year it would be published, and if they lost it, it was too bad. She suggested they cut it out, laminate it, and put it on the refrigerator door. My coauthor of the first Elegant but Easy Cookbook brought this recipe to the book. Its appeal comes from its lovely old-fashioned flavor and its speed of preparation. It was originally called Fruit Torte.

A chewy coconut meringue "crust" and rich chocolate mousse filling make this delicious, inventive Australian dessert taste like a combination of coconut cream pie and chocolate cream pie.

"Needing a cake for a surprise 60th birthday party for my husband and a friend, I used my mother's favorite cake recipe," writes Doris Lindsay of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. "It turned out that most of the party guests had never had gingerbread cake. It was so well received that I was inspired to send the recipe to you." Mrs. Lindsay sometimes mixes walnuts and raisins into the batter just before baking. It's also easy to double this recipe and have enough for a party; you'll just need 2 (9- by 2-inch) round pans or a 13- by 9- by 2-inch pan. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Lavender flowers are decidedly old-fashioned, as is this not-too-rich tea loaf. You can usually find the flowers in a health food store that sells herbs and spices in bulk. Wrap the cakes in cellophane, tie them with purple ribbon, and attach a yellow lemon-shaped tag to the package. Grinding the almonds in a food processor with a little of the sugar will keep them from turning into nut butter. Used blanched whole almonds or whole almonds with their natural brown skins, depending on the effect you want. Ground unblanched almonds give the cake a homey look, while blanched almonds are less noticeable, emphasizing the flecks of lavender.

This classic cookie combines two of my favorite sweets: buttery-tender Scottish shortbread and satiny lilting English lemon curd. The problem has always been getting a firm enough topping and avoiding a soggy shortbread base. The special technique discovered for this recipe virtually guarantees success. The clean, refreshing flavor of lemon makes these the perfect sweets to follow a rich Christmas goose.

Madeleines au Chocolat Madeleines are good any time, any where. Here are some secrets to making madeleines, and a wonderful chocolate version which is guaranteed to please! • Make the dough up to three days in advance and chill it in the refrigerator.
• Heavily butter the molds and chill them so the butter hardens before the molds are filled with batter.
• Refrigerate the filled molds before baking.
• Make sure the oven is fully hot before baking the madeleines.
• Bake for no longer than 7 minutes — the madeleines should not quite spring back when you touch them. This ensures a moist result.

These are one of my signature cookies. They taste like miniature brownies — but oh, the texture! They're reminiscent of a meringue, with a soft, chewy, fudgy center and a crisp exterior that crackles appealingly. Since these cookies are smaller and less dense, they have an elegance that brownies lack. And they don't require the same commitment as a big, gooey bar. I can never eat just one of these. They are also a particular favorite of Gramercy Tavern owner Danny Meyer, who can't eat just one, either!