Electric Mixer

White Chocolate Tartlets with Strawberries and Bananas These irresistible sweets feature a hazelnut crust that is lined with dark chocolate and filled with white chocolate mousse.

"Last spring I went to New Orleans for the Crescent City Classic, an annual road race. One night I had dinner at Andrew Jaeger's House of Seafood in the French Quarter," says Gina Squires of St. Louis, Missouri. "The coconut cream pie was great." A toasted coconut topping adds texture and flavor to this old-fashioned dessert.

This turns a terrific gingerbread—created by Rick Rodgers, an accomplished baker and food writer—into a layer cake. Let the stout stand, opened, at room temperature overnight so that it’s flat when you add it to the batter.

Here, buttermilk replaces nearly all of the oil. Very ripe bananas give the best flavor.

These crisp, low-fat cookies are just right for dipping into dessert wine or cappuccino.

This ultra-rich dessert is inspired by the classic Rigó Jancsi cake, named for the legendary Hungarian Gypsy violinist. Make it one day ahead to allow the flavors to meld.

We have transformed this classic dessert from Blum's coffee shops, which used to grace the streets of San Francisco, into a low-fat luxury. We use caramel and Rice Krispies in the crust instead of fat-laden nuts — and you'd never guess that the rich chocolate coffee filling has no butter in it.

Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 9 hr

Marcel Desaulniers, owner of The Trellis in Williamsburg, Virginia, is known as a master of chocolate. This recipe shows why.

To make graham cracker crumbs, add the crackers (broken into small pieces) to processor and blend until finely ground. For best results, use Philadelphia-brand cream cheese. Bake the cheesecake at least one day and up to two days before serving.