Baking

Honey and dried fruit sweeten oats and nuts to make this easy stir-and-bake breakfast.

Fresh ginger and pear infuse a robust old-world favorite with newfound vibrancy.

Jacques Maximin claims he never served these tartes fines aux pommes at Chantecler restaurant at the famed Hôtel Négresco. Jacques Torres, Maximin’s pastry chef for eight years, insists they were consistently on the menu. All that matters to us, though, is that the classic combination of warm apple and flaky pastry becomes new again in these light, simple tarts.

These individual cakes, from Lantern pastry chef Monica Segovia-Welsh, are moist, tender, and not remotely fussy. If you don’t want to fool with the suggested accompaniments, serve the cakes with a dollop of whipped cream instead.

Think of it as a cracker version of rosemary-flecked flatbread. But these are the easiest crackers you'll ever make: Rather than cutting the dough into small pieces, you bake three large pieces, then break them into smaller ones to serve. The jagged edges invite nibbling.

Bartlett, Anjou, and Bosc are all great pears. Just be sure they are not overripe.

Avoid the temptation to add too many toppings; a pizza should be more bread than topping. In fact, the basic dough in this recipe may be used to prepare a delicious grilled bread as well as the base for pizza. Shape the dough as you would for individual pizzas, and then grill it over hot coals for about 2 minutes on each side, until it is blistered and browned. After the dough is turned, drizzle with olive oil and scatter it with fresh herbs such as oregano, basil, thyme, or rosemary.

This irresistible honey cake is moist, lightly spiced, and scented with coffee, fresh orange juice, and rye whiskey.

Dylan's Candy Bar owner Dylan Lauren created these brownie pops as a fun way to use leftover Halloween candy. To watch Lauren create these brownies, and to take a tour of Dylan's Candy Bar, check out our videos. The instructions below are just for inspiration—feel free to experiment with different kinds of candy and decorating supplies. Most of the candy can be found in the candy aisle of supermarkets or at Dylan's Candy Bar.

Editor's note: This recipe is adapted with permission from Cakes for Kids, by Matthew Mead. Bake this cake for a Halloween party and your guests will be trick-or-treating at your house for years to come. If you wish to serve this cake in a compote or other shallow bowl as we did, be sure to place it on a cardboard base first so you'll be able to set it in the compote without disturbing your work. Skill Level: Medium

Editor's note: This recipe is adapted with permission from Cakes for Kids, by Matthew Mead. Use this recipe to make Mead's <epi:recipelink id="350068">Jack-O'-Lantern</epi:recipelink> cake.

A well-baked honey cake was beloved in my family, and when I was growing up my aunt was the baker supreme. We all looked forward to visits to her house and thick slices of the cake for dessert. I think this honey cake is better than my Aunt Fannie's—and that's saying something. Of course, when she reads this, she may well disagree. Still, I think that the inviting aroma of the spices as the cake bakes and the added touch of a slightly crusty glaze at the end will win her over.

Cut the bread into cubes to offer with aperitifs, or serve it cut into strips with a salad. It tastes best the day it's made. The day after, try it toasted and topped with butter. For best texture, make sure the dried pears you use are plump and moist.

This retro favorite was popularized by the Hawaiian Pineapple Company and Gold Medal Flour in the 1920s. Here, the classic goes autumnal with the addition of pumpkin, molasses, and a mix of warming spices.

Not as rich as pecans, hazelnuts make for a delicious new spin on a southern classic. Use Grade B maple syrup for intense maple flavor.

Dried dates, cranberries, and figs become an almost-effortless filling for this elegant tart.

Serve a platter of cookies alongside the pears and ice cream. The night before you make the cookies, place the dried cherries in a small bowl of crème de cassis. The soaking will infuse the fruit with the flavor of the black-currant liqueur.

They look like sticky buns, but these sweet, gooey treats are actually made from biscuit batter. They're great with brunch.

Pomegranate juice adds tartness to this famous French dessert.