Chocolate

Sarah Lockerbie of Indianapolis, Indiana, writes: "When I visited my sister, Jessica, in Los Angeles, she showed me a fabulous time. One of the highlights was dinner at her favorite French restaurant, La Cachette. She's visiting me next month, and I'd like to surprise her by making the delicious dessert that we shared — okay, fought over."

A classic combination of tender shortcrust pastry and soft, candy-like caramel filling.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Lime curd and tart cranberries are balanced by a layer of sweet white chocolate cream. For best results, use imported white chocolate, such as Lindt or Perugina. Begin preparing the tart two days before you plan to serve it.

You might be tempted to bake 2 sheets of bars at a time in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Don't give in to this urge—they must go in the middle of the oven to cook through and brown evenly.

The streusel here is both a filling and a topping — for twice the crunch and flavor.

There are no eggs in this recipe — it's the cornstarch that gives the gelato a smooth, silky texture. Fine-quality chocolate provides its rich flavor. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 5 hr (includes chilling and freezing)

Coffee cakes rank among the most popular of comfort foods, welcomed at breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and as the name indicates, coffee breaks. A coffee cake batter is generally more liquid than a quick bread one and contains a bit more sugar, and as a result, the final product is lighter and moister. On the other hand, coffee cakes tend to be less sweet than butter cakes. There are many versions of kuchen, this streusel-topped sour cream type being a very popular one. It is commonly served at the meal following Yom Kippur, or Shavuot, and on Sabbath afternoons or the melaveh malcha ("accompanying the queen") party following the Sabbath. For the later occasion, spices are added to the batter and topping, reflecting those used during the havdallah ceremony signaling the end of the Sabbath.

A generous glug of stout gives this snackable loaf a malty depth.

This sheetcake version of Italian cassata houses a booze-soaked spongecake and sweet ricotta under a blanket of green marzipan dotted with candied fruit.

Pavlova meets Black Forest cake in a holiday dessert designed to steal the spotlight.

A riff on the New York classic black-and-white cookie, featuring refreshing peppermint extract and a sprinkle of festive crushed candy canes.

A swirl of marshmallow fluff melts into the tops of these hot chocolate cookies while a pinch of cinnamon imparts the taste of a wintry mug of warm Nesquik.

A crisp cookie base, a silky dark chocolate filling, and a glossy ganache top make this the ultimate chocolate cheesecake.

With tender buttermilk cake layers, a cranberry jam so good you’ll want it on toast, and a silky white chocolate frosting, this is a cake that’s equal parts impressive and achievable.

A rich and tender pumpkin cake that uses a whole can of pumpkin puree. No stand mixer needed and ideal for holiday gatherings.

Nutty and deeply chocolatey, these brownies just so happen to be gluten-free.

Olive oil gives these cookies robust, sophisticated flavor (and makes them secretly vegan).

Not your grandma’s bran muffins, these fiber-rich baked goods are loaded with dates, almonds, and slivers of dark chocolate.