Cocoa

In the '80s and early '90s, chocolate cheesecake was at the top of our list. The simple ingredients in this rich, dense version let a good boutique chocolate shine.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Nick Malgieri's and David Joachin's Perfect Light Desserts. To read Epicurious's review of the cookbook, click here. These moist, chewy cookies are so good, it's hard to believe that they're low in calories and fat. Many thanks to my friend and cookbook dealer Bonnie Slotnick for sharing the recipe.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Jennifer Appel's Buttercup Bakes at Home. To read Epicurious's review of the cookbook, click here. While most of my customers seem to live for the icings and toppings on my cupcakes, this "black bottom" cupcake is sure to please just as it is. It's become my all-time personal favorite.

A chocolate-infused whipped cream tops a caramel-filled chocolate crust in this elegant—but still single serve—dessert, reminiscent of the classic candy.

The famous coffee flavors both the brownies and their ganache topping. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is prized for its bold, clean flavor, but good espresso beans and strong brewed espresso work well, too.

Brandi Neuwirth of Cary, North Carolina, writes: "My family and I moved here from Los Angeles last year, and my new surroundings have really influenced my cooking. There's a great farmers' market nearby where I get lots of local ingredients. The produce there inspired me to create this dish, which is a real taste of the South."

Editor's note: This recipe is from Michele Adams's and Gia Russo's book Wedding Showers: Ideas & Recipes for the Perfect Party. This recipe originally accompanied Double Chocolate Raspberry Cake. You can enhance the flavor of this frosting recipe with extracts of orange or mint if frosting a plain chocolate cake. Make this frosting up to two days in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to use.

We are happy to announce that Jeanne Brophy has won our December 2005 "Cook the Cover" contest with her delicious variation on our Mini Black-and-White Cookies . Jeanne Brophy explains her variation:
My variation is in the frosting. I'm not super crazy about the traditional approach. So thinking that this cookie is really a petite cake in disguise I developed a chocolate (Black) and peanut butter (Tan) buttercream frosting. Dee-licious!

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Jacques Torres's Dessert Circus at Home. To read more about Torres and his chocolate factory, click here. This is a candy everyone likes. Truffles are quite simple to make, and the process will be more fun if you have a friend to help you. Time is the biggest element in this recipe. It will be easier if you have the tempered chocolate ready and all the desired toppings spread out on parchment paper-covered baking sheets. Be sure to use a good bittersweet chocolate. Once I was giving a class on truffles. Most places have the big professional immersion blenders available for me to use. I started making the ganache, and while it was mixing I pulled the mixer up a little too far, which caused the chocolate to be sprayed everywhere by the blade. I quickly dropped the blade back into the chocolate and looked down at my clothes. I was in my white chef's coat, but when I saw my clean coat, I started to smile. I like to be clean when I'm working. Then I looked at the audience in the front row. They were all licking themselves! Be careful when working with chocolate!

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein's book, Raw.

Peppermint buttercream is sandwiched between homemade chocolate cookies; then the sandwiches are rolled in crushed candy canes.

Healthy bonus: 1 serving of fruit per slice, protein and riboflavin from eggs, calcium from yogurt, fiber, and nearly 1/3 of the RDA for vitamin C from berries

Healthy bonus: 1/2 serving of fruit per slice, potassium from bananas, iron from walnuts

Healthy bonus: 1 serving of fruit per 1/2 cup of sliced fruit, magnesium, and selenium from nuts, vitamin C from strawberries, fiber from nuts and fruits

For Kill Bill, Uma Thurman had 10 weeks to lose 50 post-baby pounds. "I was being trained from every angle. Nine to five, five days a week. Every part of me hurt," she says. Easier to take: no-deprivation diet changes that Jackie Keller, founder of L.A. food-delivery service NutriFit, masterminded. Her dried-fruit nougats satisfied Thurman's chocolate yen.