Electric Mixer

Start in the morning so mousse has time to chill and granita has time to freeze.

The simple addition of orange zest adds a delightful dimension to this French classic, with tangy citrus notes enhancing the creamy-sweet custard. Home cooks who don't have a chef's blowtorch can easily use their broiler/grill to caramelize the sugar topping. But remember to leave the oven door slightly open and keep watch. A golden sugar crust can quickly turn black if left too long under the flame.
This dessert was born of a collaboration between the cellar and the kitchen. Some years ago during the creation of Chandon Riche—our off-dry sparkling wine, which has a hint of sweetness—our winemaker recalled the aromatics issuing from the orange tree that grew not far from the wine cellar. He ran to the kitchen with a bottle of the new wine and asked if the chefs could produce a dessert that evoked the same citrus impression. Bitter Orange Crème Brûlée is now a signature dish at the restaurant.
For a nice pairing with this dessert, add the classic ladyfinger sugar cookies, if you like; they bring a crisp element to join the silky custard and the crunch of the sugar. Make them in advance of the crème brûlée.

Charlie Trotter, Charlie Trotter's, Chicago, Illinois
Lee Jones, The Chef's Garden, Huron, Ohio (carrots) A semifreddo is basically an ice cream cake, and Chef Trotter uses carrots, chocolate, and spices as unexpected partners in his version. Star anise enhances the sweetness in the carrots and adds a distinctive hint of licorice to the rich chocolate. There are no egg yolks in this recipe—it's the meringue that gives the semifreddo a smooth texture.

In this delicious dessert, tender spice cake is layered with maple-sugar frosting, candied pecans, and a salty-sweet caramel sauce

When you're an American in Paris, there's nothing more flattering than to have French people ask you to share your recipe for one of their national treasures. Of all the things I make for my French friends, this is the one that gets the most requests. The easiest way to describe gougères is to call them cheese puffs. Their dough, pâte àchoux, is the same one you'd use for sweet cream puffs or profiteroles, but when the pâte àchoux is destined to become gougères, you fold in a fair amount of grated cheese. In France, I use Gruyère, Comté, Emmenthal, or, just for fun and a spot of color, Mimolette, Gouda's French cousin; in America, I reach for extra-sharp cheddar, and sometimes I add a little smoked cheese to the mix. Gougères are made everywhere in France (and can be bought frozen in many stores), but their home is Burgundy, where they are the first thing you get when you sit down in almost any restaurant. In Burgundy, gougères are often served with the local aperitif, kir; chez Greenspan, where I serve them no matter what I'm pouring as a welcoming glass, my favorite sip-along is Champagne. I love the way Champagne's toastiness and gougères' egginess play together. Although you must spoon out the puffs as soon as the dough is made, the little puffs can be frozen and then baked straight from the freezer, putting them in the realm of the doable even on the spur of the moment.

There are so many variations on mashed potatoes—but this combination of potatoes and basil is a marriage made in heaven. Creamy potatoes and the fresh peppery basil really complement each other, and the Parmesan doesn't hurt, either. Everyone asks for seconds!

This recipe is inspired by a cranberry pie from Sarah Chase's book Cold Weather Cooking. My friend Barbara Liberman calls it "easy cake"—I call it delicious. When cranberries are in season, serve it with vanilla ice cream and your friends will love you.

"My fiancé and I just love the coconut cake at the Shubox Cafe in nearby Cedar Grove," Tammy L. Drukker of North Caldwell, New Jersey. "The cake is tender and moist, and the cream cheese frosting is tangy and rich. I have yet to find a comparable recipe, so I hope the restaurant will share theirs." At Shubox Cafe, this dessert is known as Awesome Coconut Cake, aptly named by one of the cafe's best customers. To make this recipe, you'll need to buy one 15-ounce can of sweetened cream of coconut. Some of it is used in the cake; be sure to save the rest for the Cream Cheese Frosting.

Once you start eating this rich, salty-sweet pie with its oat cookie crust, you won't be able to stop.

These intense, ultra-rich cookies are a dark chocolate lover's dream.

The combination of chocolate and cinnamon gives this treat its Mexican flavor. The cake needs to freeze overnight, so be sure to plan ahead.

Layers of tangy lemon curd, fresh berry compote, rich mascarpone whipped cream, and purchased gingersnaps come together beautifully in this dessert.

Carrot cake was the inspiration for this delicious dessert. Grated zucchini, which makes the cake extra-moist, takes the place of the carrots.

This simple cake can be sliced and served or toasted before serving. For the best texture, use a medium-fine polenta.

The base for this fun frozen dessert cocktail can be prepared up to one month ahead. Keep a batch in your freezer for an almost-instant treat.

Almond-flavored cookies make up the crust; broiled peaches are mixed with ice cream to create the delicious filling.