Baking

A classic chocolate layer cake with a new-fashioned, thick, and rich frosting. This treat can be made up to two days ahead.

A layer of white chocolate-peppermint icing is sandwiched between the chewy brownie cake and a thick chocolate ganache glaze. To make this treat, you'll need an eight-inch square metal cake pan and parchment paper, sold at cookware stores and well-stocked supermarkets. For convenience, prepare the dessert a day ahead.

Look for malted milk powder alongside the dry milk products in the supermarket.

The recipe for this bread pudding was created by the Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania's Central Bar & Grill's former pastry chef, Alison Barshak. She is now the executive chef at Striped Bass in Philadelphia.

"The scones from Bon Bonerie in Cincinnati are moist, light and sweet," says John Van Eeckhout of Norfolk, Virginia. "When I lived in the area, one of my favorite ways to spend a Saturday morning was to read the newspaper in the bakery's adjacent tearoom while enjoying a raisin scone with clotted cream, preserves and a cup of coffee." Raisin Scones are also delicious served with butter and jam.

A quick one-bowl cake perfect for a last-minute birthday celebration or part dessert. Use the Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting recipe that follows or your favorite purchased one.

The following recipe makes 120 cookies. Any excess raw dough may be kept, frozen, 3 weeks. You'll find these delicate wafers so delicious that they'll disappear in no time.

We asked pastry chef Michael Laiskonis if we could compare two versions of the custard in his tart: one made with fresh pumpkin, the other made with canned, which he likes for its reliable consistency. When we tested the two tarts, we were surprised to find that we also preferred the custard made with canned pumpkin — but the choice is yours.

"While in Vancouver, we had a wonderful meal at Diva at the Met. The star of the show was the Stilton cheesecake. Could you persuade the chef to part with the recipe?" asks Mark Horne of Laurel, Mississippi. Editors' note: Pairing Stilton and rhubarb may sound like a joke, but we had to try it. It turns out that the joke's on us — the combination is terrific. Chef Michael Noble caramelizes the top with a blowtorch, but we think the cheesecake is also delicious without the crackly crust.

"This recipe for Swedish drommar, meaning 'dreams,' comes from my grandmother," writes Elizabeth Wigg Maxwell of New Providence, New Jersey. "She and my mother made these every Christmas when my siblings and I were growing up. As children, we were amazed that my mother had to go to the pharmacy to obtain one of the ingredients: ammonium carbonate. Equally incredible was the fact that something which smelled so horrible helped make such delicious cookies!" "Years ago, I began baking drommar for my own family. I called the local pharmacy to request the unusual ingredient and was delighted when the pharmacist said, 'You must be making those Swedish cookies!'" Ammonium carbonate, used by European bakers, makes especially crisp cookies. Its smell, which you may find off-putting while making the dough, disappears completely in the baking process.

This dairy bread pudding–like custard baked between layers of matzo is delicious for brunch or dessert.

These cakes are slightly underbaked so that the chocolate center oozes when cut into.