Pudding

Scandinavians simply adore black licorice; the selection available in their grocery stores rivals that of chocolate bars in ours. But you don't have to be crazy about it to enjoy this pudding, which is wonderfully smooth and tantalizingly tinged with molasses and anise. We found that Panda brand black licorice works best in this particular recipe.

This recipe was created by chef Ryan Hardy of the Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado. It's part of a special menu he created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

This wintertime favorite, a great way to use up the leftover rice in your fridge, gets a surprise lift from lemon zest. For added crunch, sprinkle it with slivered almonds or pistachios before serving. This recipe was originally part of a feature on slow cooking. For additional recipes and tips for using a slow cooker, click here.

Try replacing the raisins with a different dried fruit, such as apricots. A pinch or two of cinnamon or nutmeg would also be a nice touch.

Editor's note: The recipe below is from Alex Jamieson's book, The Great American Detox Diet.

This recipe was created by Melissa Walnock, the pastry chef at New York's Tabla. It's part of a special menu for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

Brunch and dessert collide in this delicious dish.

Kutia This lightly sweetened pudding is the first of 12 traditional dishes served on Christmas Eve in Eastern Europe. Countries such as the Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania each have their own version, sometimes chilled, sometimes served as a warm porridge. (The dish used to be a tradition in Russia as well, but because of the communist Soviet Union's official atheism, it has become extinct there.) Our version is based on the baked Ukrainian style, which is traditionally made with wheat berries, which require overnight soaking and long cooking. For convenience, we've substituted quick-cooking barley, which packs the same nutty-chewy punch. For the best results, prepare the pudding a day ahead: Let it cool, cover it, and chill it overnight to let the flavors meld. Serve it chilled, plain or sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar.

Julgröt Chef Magnus Ek uses Arborio rice for a rich pudding with a consistency that's creamier than most. It's barely sweetened, but we've found that most people like to stir in warm milk and sprinkle some turbinado sugar and cinnamon on top.

This recipe yields extra gingerbread — enjoy it with a cup of tea or coffee.

This rich, custard-like stuffing is also a great main-course option for vegetarians at the Thanksgiving table; it would be nice with a salad for brunch or lunch, too.

This comforting side would also be great for brunch.

Dallas chef Kent Rathbun created this fabulous dessert for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

Brown sugar, made by combining white sugar with molasses, adds a distinctive and irresistible flavor to this silky pudding.

White bread is perfect for bread pudding—as long as it's hand-formed and (preferably) unsliced, like the old-fashioned white here.