Bon Appetit Desserts

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

Strawberry and White Chocolate Mousse Tart

The pastry shell of this elegant dessert is “blind baked”—meaning it’s fully baked before being filled (in this case, with lush white chocolate mousse). Begin preparing the tart one day before you plan to serve it to allow the mousse to set. 8 servings

Crust

1¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon (or more) ice water

Mousse

6 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

1¼ cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large egg whites, room temperature

⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar

⅓ cup seedless strawberry jam

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 16-ounce container strawberries, hulled, thinly sliced lengthwise

CRUST: Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk egg yolk and 1 tablespoon ice water in small bowl to blend. Add to processor and blend until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes to soften slightly before rolling out.

Roll out dough disk on floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Trim dough overhang to ½ inch; fold in and press onto pan, forming double-thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze crust 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust sides are light brown, about 25 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Continue to bake until crust is cooked through and golden brown, about 20 minutes longer. Cool crust completely in pan on rack.

MOUSSE: Combine white chocolate and ¼ cup whipping cream in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water; cool chocolate mixture until lukewarm, about 15 minutes.

Beat remaining 1 cup chilled whipping cream and vanilla in large bowl until peaks form. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with cream of tartar in medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into chocolate mixture, then fold in whipped cream. Transfer mixture to cooled crust; smooth top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Combine jam and lemon juice in small saucepan; bring to simmer, stirring over medium heat until jam melts. Remove from heat. Arrange sliced strawberries in concentric circles atop tart. Brush berries with melted jam mixture. Chill tart up to 2 hours. Remove pan sides from tart. Transfer tart to platter.

Cherry Lattice Tart

This thin, cookie-like tart with a lattice crust is inspired by a feast-day dessert from the Mediterranean island of Malta. The recipe calls for cherry preserves and dried cherries in the filling, but apricot preserves and dried apricots would be great, too. 8 to 10 servings

Crust

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 large egg

Filling

1 cup cherry preserves

½ cup chopped dried Bing cherries or other dried sweet cherries (about 2½ ounces)

½ teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

¼ teaspoon almond extract

¼ cup unsalted natural pistachios, chopped

Glaze

1 large egg

2 tablespoons whole milk

2 tablespoons sugar

CRUST: Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg and process just until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Flatten each half into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour.

DO AHEAD: Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes to soften slightly before rolling out.

FILLING: Mix preserves, chopped cherries, lemon peel, and almond extract in medium bowl.

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured surface to 11-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of pan; trim overhang even with top of pan sides. Spread filling in crust; sprinkle with pistachios. Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 11-inch round; cut into ¾-inch-wide strips. Arrange several strips, spaced ¾ inch apart, over filling. Top with more strips at slight angle, forming lattice. Press strip ends to edge of pan, trimming overhang.

GLAZE: Beat egg and milk to blend in small bowl for glaze. Brush some of glaze over lattice crust; sprinkle with sugar.

Bake tart until crust is golden brown and cherry filling is bubbling thickly, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool tart completely in pan on rack.

DO AHEAD: Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.

Cherry Linzertorte

Although the fillings may vary, the Linzertorte always has a tender nut crust (usually made with hazelnuts or almonds). This recipe makes enough dough for the torte and for a few extra cookies. To make cookies, roll out the dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out decorative shapes and bake at 350°F on a parchment-lined baking sheet until golden, about 10 minutes. 8 to 10 servings

1¼ cups hazelnuts, toasted, husked, cooled

2⅓ cups unbleached all purpose flour, divided

¾ cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

3 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1½ cups cherry preserves (preferably imported; about 18 ounces)Powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Combine nuts and ½ cup flour in processor; finely chop nuts. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Add remaining 2 cups flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg to bowl; whisk to blend. Add butter. Using electric mixer at low speed, blend ingredients until coarse meal forms (this will take several minutes). Add egg yolks and vanilla. Beat until moist clumps form.

Gather dough into ball; press 1½ cups (packed) dough over bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Spread preserves on dough. Roll remaining dough out on sheet of parchment paper to 13×10-inch rectangle. Freeze rectangle 5 minutes to firm. Cut twelve ½-inch-wide lengthwise strips from rectangle. Arrange 6 strips across torte, spacing evenly. Arrange 6 more strips across torte in opposite direction, forming lattice. Seal ends of strips to dough edge; trim excess. Reserve all dough scraps to make cookies, if desired.

Bake torte until crust is golden brown and preserves are bubbling thickly, about 40 minutes. Cool torte completely on rack.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with foil; store at room temperature.

Push bottom of pan up to free torte from pan. Sift powdered sugar over edge of torte, if desired, and serve.

Sour Cream Tart with Santa Rosa Plum Compote

This tart combines a nutty short crust with a vanilla bean-infused, sour cream-lightened pastry cream. It then gets topped with a lovely plum compote. Alternatively, you could top the tart with fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries. 8 servings

Crust

¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour

¾ cup assorted nuts (such as walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts), toasted, cooled

¼ cup sugar

¾ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 large egg yolk

Filling

2 teaspoons water

¼ teaspoon unflavored gelatin

3 large egg yolks

¼ cup sugar

1½ tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup whole milk

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

½ cup sour creamSanta Rosa Plum Compote (see recipe)

CRUST: Butter bottom of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Finely grind flour, nuts, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, blend until coarse meal forms. Add egg yolk; blend until moist clumps form. Press dough over bottom and up sides of pan. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake crust until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely.

FILLING: Place 2 teaspoons water in very small cup. Sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes.

Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in medium bowl to blend. Pour milk into medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring milk to simmer. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into yolk mixture; return to saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until custard thickens and boils, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Scrape in gelatin mixture and stir to dissolve. Let stand 5 minutes.

Transfer custard to medium metal bowl. Discard vanilla bean. Set bowl over another bowl filled with ice and water; stir until custard is cool but not set, about 15 minutes. Fold in sour cream. Spread filling evenly in crust. Chill tart until filling sets, at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours.

Cut tart into wedges. Spoon Santa Rosa Plum Compote over and serve.

Santa Rosa Plum Compote

Santa Rosa plums are large fruits with purplish crimson skin and red-blushed yellow flesh. When stewed into a compote, they become intensely colored and flavored. The pits are left in while cooking, which also adds to the flavor. The compote is great when paired with the tart, but it’s also delicious served over vanilla ice cream. 8 servings

2 pounds red plums (preferably Santa Rosa), quartered

1⅓ cups (about) sugar, divided

2 cinnamon sticks

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Combine plums, 1 cup sugar, and cinnamon sticks in large saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Stir over low heat until plums are very tender and compote thickens, stirring often and adding ⅓ cup sugar if desired, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool completely. Transfer compote to bowl, discarding plum pits, vanilla bean, and cinnamon sticks.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Cheesecake Tart with Tropical Fruits

Mango, papaya, kiwi, and passion fruit top this cheesecake-filled tart. Guava jelly, which is found at many supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets, adds a lovely glaze and tropical perfume to the fruit. Passion fruit may not be available at your market year-round, but the tart is still wonderful without it. 8 to 10 servings

Crust

1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

⅛ teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 tablespoons (or more) ice water

1 large egg yolk

¼ cup guava jelly or crab apple jelly

Filling

2 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

⅔ cup sugar

1 large egg

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup sour cream

Topping

¼ cup guava jelly or crab apple jelly

3 small red-fleshed papayas or regular papayas, halved, peeled, seeded, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices

2 kiwis, peeled, cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds

1 large ripe mango, peeled, pitted, diced

2 passion fruits, halved (optional)

CRUST: Combine flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk 2 tablespoons ice water and egg yolk in small bowl; add to processor and blend just until soft moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

Roll out dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13- to 14-inch round. Transfer to 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press in dough overhang, forming double-thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze crust 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake crust until golden brown, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles or slips, about 30 minutes. Transfer tart pan with crust to rack. Spread jelly over bottom of crust and cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

FILLING: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, then vanilla. Add sour cream and beat just to blend. Pour filling into tart crust.

Bake until filling is slightly puffed and center moves slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 35 minutes. Transfer tart to rack and cool completely in pan. Chill tart until cold, at least 4 hours.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

TOPPING: Melt jelly in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Brush over top of tart. Overlap papaya slices atop tart in circle. Arrange kiwis in overlapping slices in center. Sprinkle diced mango around edge. Spoon pulp of passion fruits into center of tart, if desired.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Serve chilled.

Passion Fruit Tart with Crisp Meringue Top

Passion fruit has an exotic citrus flavor that makes for a luscious curd. While fresh passion fruit is abundant in New Zealand and Australia, it is still considered a specialty fruit in many parts of the States. This curd uses frozen passion fruit juice concentrate from the freezer aisle, which is always convenient. Before setting the meringue atop the passion fruit curd, don’t forget to give it a light coating of melted white chocolate. Not only does the chocolate balance the tart flavor of the curd, it also forms a protective barrier over the meringue, preventing it from becoming soggy. 10 to 12 servings

Crust

⅓ cup sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons (or more) heavy whipping cream

1 large egg yolk

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

Passion Fruit Curd

1 cup frozen passion fruit juice concentrate, thawed

8 large egg yolks

2 large eggs

⅓ cup sugar

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced

Meringue

3 large egg whites, room temperature

⅔ cup sugar

1½ ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), choppedWhite chocolate curls

CRUST: Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and salt in medium bowl until blended. Beat in 3 teaspoons cream and egg yolk. Add flour and beat until moist clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

PASSION FRUIT CURD: Whisk passion fruit juice concentrate, egg yolks, eggs, and sugar in heavy large saucepan. Add butter and whisk over medium-low heat until butter melts. Stir until filling thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 11 minutes (do not boil). Transfer to medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd. Chill until firm, at least 6 hours.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

MERINGUE: Preheat oven to 275°F. Using plate or cake pan as aid, draw 9-inch-diameter circle on sheet of parchment paper. Turn parchment over and place on baking sheet (circle will show through). Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until meringue is stiff and shiny. Spoon meringue into pastry bag fitted with ⅜-inch plain round tip. Starting in center, pipe tight spiral of meringue to fill circle. Bake meringue until pale golden and puffed but still slightly soft to touch, about 45 minutes. Cool on baking sheet.

Roll out dough disk on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Trim dough overhang to ¼ inch; fold in and press, forming double-thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork. Chill 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crust 5 minutes. Press up sides of crust with back of fork. Continue to bake crust until golden, pressing occasionally with back of fork to keep shape, about 15 to 20 minutes longer. Cool completely.

Spread curd in crust; chill tart. Place 1½ ounces white chocolate in microwave-safe cup. Microwave at low setting in 10-second intervals until softened; stir until smooth. Spread chocolate over bottom of meringue. Chill meringue, chocolate side up, until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes. Place meringue, chocolate side down, atop tart. Mound chocolate curls atop meringue.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Chill uncovered.

Release tart from pan; place on platter and serve.Technique Tip: Microwaving ChocolateChocolate is often melted in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, but melting it in the microwave provides a quick and convenient alternative. Whether you’re melting white chocolate or dark chocolate in the microwave, remember these key tips: Use a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup (such as Pyrex), use a low-power setting so that the chocolate melts gently, use 10-second intervals so the chocolate doesn’t overheat and burn, and stir the chocolate (even if it doesn’t look melted) between each interval to ensure it melts evenly.

Cranberry-Lime Tart

Lime curd and tart cranberries are balanced by a layer of sweet white chocolate cream and a rich buttery crust. The vibrant red topping and green-speckled curd make this dessert perfect for the holidays. Begin preparing the tart at least two days ahead so that the lime curd can chill overnight before it’s used and the assembled tart can chill overnight before it’s served. If you like, the cranberries can be lightly flavored with Chinese five-spice powder, which is a blend of star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, and Szechuan peppercorns; it’s available in the spice section of most supermarkets. 14 to 16 servings

Curd

½ cup fresh lime juice

½ teaspoon cornstarch

¾ cup sugar

6 large egg yolks

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

2½ teaspoons finely grated lime peel

Crust

1¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour

½ cup powdered sugar

⅓ cup whole almonds, toasted, cooled

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup (1½ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

¼ cup water

1½ teaspoons cornstarch

⅔ cup sugar

3 tablespoons honey

1½ teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder (optional)

1 12-ounce bag (3 cups) fresh or partially thawed frozen cranberries

Cream

5 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream

½ teaspoon vanilla extract White chocolate curls

8 thin lime twists

CURD: Whisk lime juice and cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk in sugar and egg yolks, then add butter. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture simmers and thickens, about 8 minutes. Strain into small bowl. Mix in lime peel. Cover; chill overnight.

CRUST: Finely grind flour, sugar, almonds, and salt in processor. Add butter and vanilla; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture just forms soft moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic. Chill 1 hour Press dough onto bottom and up sides of 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using thumb, press dough up sides to extend ⅛ inch above rim of pan. Freeze crust 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crust until golden brown, pressing with back of spoon if crust bubbles, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.

TOPPING: Whisk ¼ cup water and cornstarch in heavy large saucepan to blend. Add sugar, honey, and five-spice powder, if desired. Stir over medium-high heat until mixture comes to boil. Add cranberries; cook until mixture boils and berries just begin to pop but still maintain shape, occasionally stirring gently, about 5 minutes. Cool completely (mixture will thicken).

CREAM: Stir chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water; whisk in sour cream and vanilla. Cool completely.

Spread chocolate cream into crust; freeze 15 minutes. Spoon lime curd over; spread evenly. Spoon cranberry topping by tablespoonfuls over, then spread carefully to cover completely. Cover and chill overnight.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Remove pan sides; transfer tart to platter. Sprinkle chocolate curls around edge of tart. Garnish with lime twists.Technique Tip: Lime TwistsSugared lime twists make a pretty garnish for this tart. To make them, remove the lime peel in 2-inch lengths using a lemon stripper or the large V-shaped cutter on a citrus zester. Twist the strips to form coils, dip them into ice water, and lightly roll them in sugar to coat.

Speculaas Tart with Almond Filling

Dutch speculaas cookies are similar in flavor to gingerbread cookies. This tart combines the spiced speculaas dough with another treat—almond tart filling. During the holidays, use a 2-inch gingerbread man cookie cutter to form the cookies for the top of the tart. At other times of the year, any 2-inch cutter, such as a heart or a star, can be used instead. 12 to 16 servings

Dough

2¾ cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

1 large egg

Filling

1½ cups blanched slivered almonds

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon almond extract

Powdered sugarApricot preserves

DOUGH: Sift flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until blended. Beat in egg. Add flour mixture and beat until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; divide into 2 pieces, 1 slightly larger than the other. Flatten dough into disks; wrap separately and chill at least 2 hours.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

FILLING: Blend almonds, sugar, butter, egg, lemon peel, lemon juice, and both extracts in processor until nuts are finely chopped. Transfer to small bowl. Cover; chill at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾ inch-high sides. Roll out larger dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to prepared pan and press gently over bottom and up sides, pressing to seal any tears. Spread filling in dough. Trim dough on sides to ½ inch above level of filling. Fold dough in over filling.

Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 12- to 13-inch round. Using bottom of cake pan as aid, cut out 9-inch-diameter round of dough. Slide dough round onto plate and freeze 5 minutes to firm. Reserve dough scraps for cookies. Place chilled dough round on tart; press to adhere and seal edges.

Bake tart until crust is brown, about 50 minutes. Remove sides of springform pan; cool tart completely on pan bottom. Maintain oven temperature.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out dough scraps on lightly floured work surface to scant ¼ inch thickness. Using 2-inch gingerbread man cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer cutouts to prepared baking sheets. Repeat, using all of dough.

Bake cookies until golden, about 8 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets.

DO AHEAD: Tart and cookies can be made ahead. Cover separately and store at room temperature 1 day or chill up to 3 days.

Sift powdered sugar over top of tart. Place small dab of apricot preserves on back of 1 cookie; place at top edge of tart. Repeat with more cookies, forming border around tart. Transfer tart to platter. Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour.

Hazelnut Macaroon and Strawberry Tart

This dessert is kosher for Passover (with kosher almond extract), but don’t think of it as only a holiday treat. The nutty, cookie-like crust is the perfect foil for the strawberry filling. 12 servings

Filling

2 12-ounce containers strawberries, hulled, diced

¾ cup sugar

3 tablespoons Passover brandy

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juicePinch of ground cloves

Crust and BerriesMatzo cake meal

2 cups hazelnuts, toasted, husked

1 cup sugar

⅛ teaspoon saltPinch of ground cloves

1 large egg

¼ teaspoon almond extract

3 1-pint containers strawberries, hulled, thinly sliced

FILLING: Combine all ingredients in heavy large skillet. Stir over high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to boil. Boil until very thick, stirring frequently, about 13 minutes. Cool in pan.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Transfer to bowl, cover, and chill.

CRUST AND BERRIES: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom with heavy-duty foil, pressing firmly into scalloped sides of pan and overlapping sides. Grease foil and dust with cake meal. Finely grind nuts, sugar, salt, and cloves in processor Add egg and almond extract; process until mixture just holds together. Reserve ½ cup dough for another use. Using moistened fingertips, press remaining dough onto bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Bake until crust is golden and crinkled and feels dry, about 13 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan on rack. Remove tart pan sides. Carefully peel foil off crust. Return crust to pan.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap pan with tart tightly and store at room temperature.

Spread filling over crust. Starting at edge, cover tart with berry slices in overlapping concentric circles, with first circle leaning against crust edge.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 hours ahead. Chill.

Remove tart from pan. Cut into wedges and serve.

More to TryTurn the leftover dough from this recipe into soft, chewy macaroon cookies. Here’s how: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, place on prepared sheet, and, using wet fingertips, flatten to ½ inch thick. Bake the cookies until they begin to color, 10 to 12 minutes.

Almond Tart with Honey and Orange

This rich dessert is like almond candy in a crust. Because the crust requires no chilling or baking prior to being filled, the entire tart can be made from start to finish in a little more than an hour. If you like, you can serve it with softly whipped, honey-sweetened cream. 8 to 10 servings

Crust

1¾ cups unbleached all purpose flour

⅓ cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon (scant) salt

10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel

2 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Filling

1 cup heavy whipping cream

½ cup sugar

¼ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

¼ cup honey

2¼ cups sliced almonds, toasted

CRUST: Blend flour, powdered sugar, and salt in food processor. Add butter and orange peel. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and process until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry. Gather dough into ball. Break into small pieces and scatter over bottom of 10- to 10 ½-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using fingertips, press dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of pan. Freeze crust 25 minutes.

FILLING: Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Combine cream, both sugars, and honey in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Continue to boil until mixture darkens and thickens slightly, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in almonds. Spoon filling evenly into crust.

Bake tart until filling is deep golden brown and bubbles thickly and crust is golden, about 38 minutes. Transfer tart to rack and cool completely in pan. Carefully remove pan sides from tart. Place tart on platter.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.

Cut tart into wedges and serve at room temperature.

Chocolate and Mixed Nut Tart in Cookie Crust

The crust of this tart is like a shortbread cookie, and the rich filling is similar to a pecan pie—except that it features a variety of nuts and chocolate chips. Serve the tart warm so that the chocolate chips are nice and gooey. 10 to 12 servings

Crust

1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

½ cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon chilled salted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 tablespoons (or more) chilled heavy whipping cream

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Filling

¾ cup whole almonds, toasted, cooled

¾ cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, cooled

¾ cup walnuts, toasted, cooled

¾ cup light corn syrup

¼ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

¼ cup (½ stick) salted butter, melted, cooled

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

CRUST: Blend flour and sugar in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons cream and vanilla extract. Using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough together; break into small pieces and scatter over bottom of 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using fingertips, press dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of pan.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before filling.

FILLING: Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts in processor; using on/off turns, coarsely chop nuts. Whisk corn syrup, brown sugar, and melted butter in large bowl to blend. Whisk in eggs and vanilla and almond extracts. Mix in chocolate chips, then nuts. Transfer filling to prepared crust.

Bake tart until filling is firmly set in center and top is deep golden brown, about 50 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 30 minutes. Remove pan sides from tart. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mixed Nut Tart

Walnuts, pecans, cashews, and almonds combine in this orange-scented, caramel-colored tart. If you prefer, use any combination of two or more kinds of nuts in the filling. Just be sure to use 2⅔ cups nuts in total. This tart travels well, as the filling is firm after baking. Adding vegetable shortening and apple cider vinegar helps ensure that the crust will be tender and flaky. 12 servings

Crust

1¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup chilled non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch pieces

¼ cup (½ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

3 tablespoons (or more) ice water

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Filling

1½ cups heavy whipping cream

⅔ cup sugar

⅓ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

⅓ cup honey

1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel

⅔ cup chopped walnuts

⅔ cup pecan halves

⅔ cup roasted unsalted cashews, coarsely chopped

⅔ cup sliced almonds

Whipped creamOrange-Cranberry Compote (optional; see recipe)

CRUST: Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add shortening and butter; using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine 3 tablespoons ice water and vinegar in small bowl; pour over flour mixture. Using on/off turns, process until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes to soften slightly before rolling out.

Roll out dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of pan. Trim dough overhang and reserve. Freeze crust 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Bake crust until golden, about 17 minutes, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles. Cool on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F

FILLING: Meanwhile, mix cream, both sugars, and honey in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until mixture bubbles thickly and darkens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in orange peel. Let stand 20 minutes to cool slightly. Stir in walnuts, pecans, cashews, and almonds.

Spoon filling into crust, distributing nuts evenly. Bake tart until filling is bubbling thickly and deep amber in color, about 22 minutes. Cool completely on rack. Serve with whipped cream and Orange-Cranberry Compote, if desired.

Orange-Cranberry Compote

Almond syrup, used to flavor coffee, desserts, and cocktails, is usually found in the coffee section of most supermarkets and at specialty foods stores. You can also use sirop d’amandes (also called orgeat syrup), which is almond syrup with orange-flower water. If you prefer compote with a kick, use amaretto liqueur instead. Makes about 1¼ cups

6 oranges

1 cup dried cranberries

2 tablespoons almond syrup or amaretto

Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working over medium bowl, cut between membranes to release orange segments. Add cranberries and almond syrup to bowl. Toss to combine. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.

Chocolate-Pecan Tart

This delicious take on the classic southern dessert features an exceptionally easy crust—it’s simply stirred together, pressed into a tart pan, and baked. The bourbon adds a spirited flavor, but if you prefer something nonalcoholic, substitute two teaspoons of vanilla for the bourbon in both the filling and the whipped cream. 10 servings

Crust

1¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour

3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons bourbon

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter, melted

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ cups pecan halves and pieces, toasted

3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped into small chunks (about ½ cup)

Bourbon Whipped Cream

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

1 to 2 tablespoons bourbon

1½ tablespoons sugar

CRUST: Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Whisk flour, brown sugar, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add melted butter and stir with fork until moist clumps form. Break into small pieces and scatter over bottom of prepared pan. Using fingertips, press dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of pan. Bake crust until just golden brown, about 15 minutes.

FILLING: Meanwhile, beat brown sugar, eggs, bourbon, butter, and salt in large bowl until well blended. Stir in pecans and chocolate.

Pour filling into crust. Bake tart until just set, about 25 minutes. Cool completely.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tart loosely and keep at cool room temperature.

BOURBON WHIPPED CREAM: Using electric mixer, beat cream, bourbon, and sugar in large bowl until soft peaks form.

Cut tart into wedges and serve with bourbon whipped cream.

Mexican Chocolate Tart with Cinnamon-Spiced Pecans

Cinnamon gives Mexican chocolate its unique flavor, and combines with the sugar and cayenne pepper in the sweet-spicy pecans. Mexican chocolate, available at some supermarkets, at Latin markets, and online at amazon.com, has a granular texture; when making the filling, be sure to whisk the chocolate until the sugar dissolves and the chocolate is smooth. 8 to 10 servings

PecansNonstick vegetable oil spray

1 large egg white

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon (packed) golden brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1½ cups pecan halves

Crust

1 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (about half of one 9-ounce package cookies, finely ground in processor)

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

1 cup heavy whipping cream

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 3.1-ounce disk Mexican chocolate (such as Ibarra), chopped

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

Lightly sweetened whipped cream

PECANS: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Whisk egg white, both sugars, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne pepper in medium bowl. Stir in pecans. Spread nuts in single layer on sheet, rounded side up. Bake until just browned and dry, about 30 minutes. Cool on sheet. Separate nuts, removing excess coating.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

CRUST: Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend cookie crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in processor. Add melted butter; process until crumbs are moistened. Press crumbs into 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom to within ⅛ inch of top. Bake until set, about 20 minutes. Cool on rack.

FILLING: Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add both chocolates; whisk until melted. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking until smooth between additions. Whisk in vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour filling into crust. Chill until filling begins to set, 15 to 20 minutes.

Arrange nuts in concentric circles atop tart. Chill until set, about 4 hours.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely with foil and keep chilled.

Serve tart with whipped cream.

Chocolate-Raspberry Tart

For an extra hit of fruit flavor, the crust is spread with a little raspberry jam midway through baking. To create a glistening raspberry topping, skip the cocoa powder and powdered sugar and brush the berries with warm raspberry jam instead. 6 servings

Crust

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1½ tablespoons (or more) ice water

1 large egg yolk

6 tablespoons raspberry jam

Filling

1 cup heavy whipping cream

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

2½-pint containers raspberries

1 teaspoon powdered sugar

1 teaspoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder

CRUST: Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt in medium bowl. Add butter; using fingertips, rub in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1½ tablespoons ice water and egg yolk; mix in with fork until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into rectangle. Wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes to soften slightly before rolling out.

Butter and flour 13¾×4-inch rectangular tart pan with 1-inch-high sides and removable bottom. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper to 15×6-inch rectangle. Peel off 1 sheet of waxed paper. Invert dough into prepared pan; peel off second sheet of waxed paper. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of pan, trimming edges if needed. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 12 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Continue to bake until crust just begins to darken around edges, piercing with toothpick if crust bubbles, about 12 minutes longer. Remove from oven; maintain oven temperature. Spread jam over bottom of crust. Bake until jam is set, about 3 minutes. Transfer tart in pan to rack; cool crust completely.

FILLING: Bring cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer chocolate ganache to bowl and refrigerate until chilled but not firm, about 45 minutes.

Using electric mixer, beat ganache until very thick and semi-firm. Spread ganache over jam in crust.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Refrigerate.

Arrange raspberries atop ganache, rounded side up. Stir powdered sugar and cocoa in bowl. Sift over tart.

Mocha Custard Tart

Cream cheese gives the custard a luxurious texture. The tart needs to chill overnight, so be sure to start this recipe a day ahead. Look for chocolate-covered coffee bean candies at some supermarkets, and at candy shops and specialty foods stores. 12 servings

CrustNonstick vegetable oil spray

1 9-ounce package chocolate wafer cookies

½ cup walnuts

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

2 cups heavy whipping cream

¾ cup whole milk

⅓ cup water

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)

2 tablespoons chocolate liqueur (such as dark crème de cacao)

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 8-ounce package Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

4 extra-large eggs

2 extra-large egg yolks

Ganache

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or coffee powder

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate-covered coffee bean candies (optional)

CRUST: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray 10-inch-diameter springform pan with nonstick spray. Wrap outside of pan tightly with triple layer of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind cookies and walnuts in processor. Add melted butter; process to blend. Press mixture firmly onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Chill crust while making filling.

FILLING: Bring cream, milk, and ⅓ cup water to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Whisk in cocoa powder, chocolate liqueur, espresso powder, and vanilla.

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and beat until well blended. Add whole eggs 1 at a time, then egg yolks, beating well after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Gradually add hot cream mixture and beat until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan.

Bake tart until custard moves just slightly in center when pan is gently shaken and tester inserted into center comes out with some custard still attached, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Remove pan from water; remove foil. Cool tart in pan on rack. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

GANACHE: Bring cream, espresso powder, corn syrup, and oil to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and vanilla; whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Let ganache stand until slightly cooled but still pourable, about 10 minutes.

Run small knife around pan sides to loosen tart. Remove pan sides. Place tart on platter. Pour ganache atop tart. Using thin metal spatula, spread ganache evenly over top of tart, being careful not to allow ganache to drip down sides. Let ganache set 15 minutes. Using icing comb or tines of fork, make decorative concentric circles in wave pattern in ganache. Garnish top of tart with chocolate-covered coffee bean candies, if desired. Refrigerate until ganache is softly set, about 15 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 45 minutes before serving.Technique Tip: Is It Ready?To test if the ganache is ready to decorate, run the icing comb or fork in it: If the ganache doesn’t hold the impression from the comb, chill the tart 10 minutes and test again. Icing combs are available at cookware stores and restaurant supply stores.

Chocolate Ganache Tart with Toasted Pecan Crust

Ganache is a French pastry term for a rich chocolate filling or icing—it’s generally a simple mixture of dark chocolate and cream. Don’t use chocolate that has more than 61% cacao, as the results will be too firm and bitter. You can use toasted hazelnuts or almonds in place of the pecans in the crust. 8 to 12 servings

CrustNonstick vegetable oil spray

9 whole graham crackers, broken

½ cup pecans, toasted

¼ cup (packed) dark brown sugarGenerous pinch of salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar Generous pinch of salt

6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

1 tablespoon brandy

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

CRUST: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom with nonstick spray. Combine graham crackers, pecans, sugar, and salt in food processor and blend until nuts and crackers are finely ground. Mix in melted butter and vanilla. Press crumbs evenly on bottom and up sides of prepared pan (crust will be thick). Bake until set and just beginning to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool.

FILLING: Bring cream, sugar, and salt to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add bittersweet chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in brandy and vanilla. Pour filling into crust.

Melt white chocolate in heavy small skillet, stirring constantly over very low heat. Transfer white chocolate to resealable plastic bag; twist bag just above point where filled. Snip tip of bag to create very small opening. Or transfer chocolate to pastry bag fitted with very small pastry tip (about ⅙-inch diameter). Starting in center of tart, pipe white chocolate in 1 continuous spiral, working outward to edge, spacing lines ½ inch apart. Using small sharp knife, draw knife tip through white chocolate lines from center to outer edge. Lift knife tip and draw second line from outer edge to center. Repeat several more times, alternating direction of lines from center to edge and edge to center, spacing evenly, to create floral pattern. Chill until set, about 2 hours.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Tent with foil. Keep chilled.

Spooky DesignCreating a spiderweb design on the tart makes this an excellent Halloween treat. Starting in the center of the tart, pipe the white chocolate in one continuous spiral, working outward to the edge, spacing lines ½ inch apart. Using a small sharp knife, draw the knife tip through the white chocolate lines from the center to the outer edge [1]. Repeat about 15 more times, spacing evenly, to create a spiderweb pattern.

Chocolate Tart with Candied Cranberries

Who says cranberries are only for making relish? Here, the tangy berries get tossed with sugar and baked until they’re sweet-tart and pretty enough to top a decadent chocolate tart. 10 servings

Crust

1⅔ cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

2½ tablespoons (or more) ice water

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

½ cup heavy whipping cream

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

3 tablespoons crème de cassis (black currant liqueur)

Candied CranberriesNonstick vegetable oil spray

1½ 12-ounce packages frozen cranberries (unthawed)

1 cup sugar

CRUST: Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2½ tablespoons ice water, egg yolk, and vanilla. Blend until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by ½ tablespoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill at least 2 hours.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13- to 14-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Cut dough overhang to ¾ inch; fold overhang in and press, forming sides that extend ¼ inch above top of pan. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze 15 minutes.

Bake crust 15 minutes. If sides of crust fall, press up with back of fork. Continue to bake crust until beginning to brown, about 15 minutes longer. Cool on rack.

FILLING: Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk in crème de cassis. Pour filling into crust. Chill until filling is firm, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

CANDIED CRANBERRIES: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Toss cranberries and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Spread out mixture on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Using metal spatula, stir berries gently. Bake until berries are thawed and most sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes longer. Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Spoon berries atop filling; drizzle with syrup from sheet. Chill 1 hour.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Chocolate Truffle Linzer Heart

In this take on a classic Linzertorte, a hazelnut-based crust is filled with chocolate-raspberry ganache. The finishing touch? A pre-baked top crust that’s decorated with whipped cream and fresh raspberries. 10 servings

Crust

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted

⅔ cup sugar

1¼ cups sifted unbleached all purpose flour (sifted, then measured)

1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 ounce Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, cut into small pieces, frozen

1 large egg, beaten to blend

½ ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 egg white, beaten to blend

⅓ cup seedless raspberry jam

Filling

9 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

1½-pint container raspberriesLightly sweetened whipped cream

CRUST: Position rack in lowest third of oven. Set baking sheet on rack and preheat to 375°F. Remove bottom from 10 ½x9 ½-inch heart-shaped tart pan with 1-inch-high sides and removable bottom. Place pan bottom on parchment paper and trace heart shape.

Finely chop nuts with sugar in processor. Add flour, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and ginger. Process just to blend. Add butter and cream cheese to processor. Process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg and chocolate. Using on/off turns, process until large moist clumps form.

To form top crust, transfer 1⅓ cups dough to pastry bag fitted with No. 4 (⅜ inch-diameter) plain tip. Chill remaining dough. Pipe 7 parallel diagonal lines about ¾ inch apart across heart outline on parchment. Pipe border around edge of heart inside traced line, touching ends of diagonal lines (some dough may be left over in pastry bag). Freeze 10 minutes. Brush dough with some egg white. Slide parchment with heart onto heated baking sheet and bake until crust is golden and edges are beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Run long thin spatula between crust and parchment to loosen crust. Slide parchment with heart-shaped crust onto rack and cool completely. Maintain oven temperature.

Return removable bottom to heart-shaped pan. Press remaining dough onto bottom and ¾ inch up sides of pan, using plastic wrap if necessary to prevent dough from sticking to hands. Freeze until dough is firm, about 10 minutes. Brush lightly with egg white. Set pan on heated baking sheet and bake until crust is golden brown and sides are beginning to pull away from pan, about 23 minutes. Spread bottom crust evenly with jam. Bake 3 more minutes. Cool crust completely on rack.

FILLING: Stir chocolate, butter, and cream in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until chocolate and butter are melted and mixture is smooth. Mix in 2 tablespoons jam. Cool slightly. Pour filling evenly into bottom crust; smooth top. Chill until filling is firm, about 30 minutes.

Spread remaining ⅓ cup jam over filling and outer edge of bottom crust. Carefully place cooled heart-shaped top crust atop jam. Press gently to seal. Cover with foil and chill overnight.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Remove torte from pan. Transfer to platter. Let stand at room temperature 45 minutes. Arrange raspberries in row in first space between crust lines. Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with small star tip. Pipe row of small rosettes in second space between crust lines. Continue decorating torte, alternating rows of raspberries and whipped cream rosettes between crust lines.Recipe Tip: LinzertorteAustria is known for its delicious pastries, including the Linzertorte, which hails from the city of Linz. Some people believe that the Linzertorte—a buttery, hazelnut- or almond-based crust spread with raspberry jam and topped with a lattice crust—is the world’s oldest-known cake, dating back to the 1650s.

Dark Chocolate and Peppermint Whipped Cream Tart

There are two advantages to using a resealable plastic bag snipped at one corner to pipe the whipped cream: You can simply throw it away when you’re done, and the bag’s seam leaves behind a decorative line in the piped cream, creating a professional-looking finish. The entire tart can be assembled well in advance, but wait until just before serving to garnish it with the crushed peppermint candies, so they’ll stay crunchy and their color won’t bleed into the cream. 8 to 10 servings

Crust

1¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour

⅓ cup powdered sugar

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 ½ teaspoons chilled whole milk

Filling

1¼ cups heavy whipping cream

¼ cup light corn syrup

12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped

½ cup coarsely crushed red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies

Topping

3½ cups chilled heavy whipping cream

¾ cup powdered sugar

1¾ teaspoons peppermint extract

1 tablespoon coarsely crushed red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies

CRUST: Blend flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in processor. Add butter and vanilla; using on/off turns, cut in until butter forms pea-size pieces. Add milk; using on/off turns, blend in until mixture forms small moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap dough in plastic; chill 1 hour.

Roll out dough disk between sheets of floured parchment to 12-inch round. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of 10-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Fold dough edges over and press to form thick sides. Using thumb, press dough around sides to extend crust ⅛ inch above edge of pan. Freeze 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crust until brown, piercing with fork if bubbles form, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool.

FILLING: Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan; remove from heat. Add both chocolates; whisk until smooth. Cool 30 minutes. Pour filling into crust. Sprinkle with peppermint candies. Chill until set, about 3 hours.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

TOPPING: Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in large bowl to stiff peaks. Spread 2 cups whipped cream over filling, mounding slightly in center. Spoon remaining whipped cream into 1 bottom corner of large resealable plastic bag. Twist bag at top and grasp top firmly. Using scissors, cut ¾ inch off filled corner of bag to form opening; turn bag so that 1 seam faces up. Pipe 2-inch-long ovals of whipped cream side by side around edge of tart. Pipe more ovals to form second ring inside first, then pipe ovals in center. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. Remove tart from pan; place on platter. Sprinkle top of tart with crushed peppermint candies and serve.

Sugarplum Tart with Semisweet Chocolate Glaze

This elegant double-crusted tart evokes the kind of classic Christmas captured in Clement Clarke Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” The tart is filled with caramel, walnuts, and dried fruit—which is what sugarplums are actually made of (there are no plums in them at all). The presentation of the tart with all the components is stunning, but the tart is also fantastic without the sugarplums. 10 servings

Crust

1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

10 ½ tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream, chilled

Filling

½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

¼ cup raisins

¼ cup golden raisins

¼ cup dried apricots, cut into ½-inch pieces

¼ cup dried pineapple, cut into ½-inch pieces

3 tablespoons brandy

Caramel

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

¾ cup water

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces

Semisweet Chocolate Glaze (see recipe)Sugarplums (see recipe)

CRUST: Mix flour and sugar in large bowl. Add butter and cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix egg yolk with cream in small bowl to blend. Add to flour mixture and stir until dough comes together. Gather dough into 2 balls, 1 slightly larger than the other. Flatten into disks. Wrap separately in plastic and chill 30 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

FILLING: Combine all ingredients in medium metal bowl. Let mixture soak at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours.

Roll larger dough disk out on floured surface to 12-inch round. Roll dough up on rolling pin and transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Trim and finish dough edges. Roll second dough disk out to 10-inch round. Transfer to baking sheet. Chill tart shell and dough round 1 hour.

CARAMEL: Cook sugar and ¾ cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. Add cream and butter and whisk to combine (mixture will bubble vigorously). Continue cooking until candy thermometer registers 238°F. Pour caramel into medium metal bowl. Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Spread filling evenly in crust. Pour caramel over. Press dough round on top. Trim off excess. Pierce in several places with tip of small sharp knife.

Place tart on prepared sheet. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 35 minutes (some caramel may leak out). Cool on rack, about 6 hours.

Turn tart over onto rack. Set over rimmed baking sheet. Spoon some Semisweet Chocolate Glaze over sides of tart. Set aside ½ cup glaze. Pour remaining glaze over tart. Smooth top and sides of tart with spatula if necessary.

Line small baking sheet with waxed paper. Rewarm reserved ½ cup glaze in top of double boiler over simmering water until just lukewarm, stirring occasionally. Grasp 1 sugarplum between thumb and index finger; dip halfway into glaze. Remove from glaze and allow excess to drip back into pan. Place on prepared sheet, chocolate side up. Repeat with remaining sugarplums. Chill sugarplums until glaze is set, about 30 minutes.

Garnish top of tart with glazed sugarplums.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Cut into wedges. Serve at room temperature.

Semisweet Chocolate Glaze

Be sure to use the glaze after it has stood just long enough to cool but is still pourable. Try it on cakes and bar cookies, as well. Makes about 1½ cups

½ cup heavy whipping cream

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

Bring cream and butter to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Let glaze stand until just cool to touch.

Sugarplums

These Christmas classics are made primarily of walnuts, dried apricots, raisins, coconut, and dates. A food processor makes mixing the ingredients quick and easy; a smidgen of brandy and a little sugar add a festive touch. You might also consider adding a pinch of holiday spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, or nutmeg. This recipe can be doubled, if desired. Makes about twenty-five ½-inch balls

¼ cup walnuts

¼ cup dried apricots

2 tablespoons golden raisins

2 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut

2 tablespoons pitted dates

1 tablespoon brandy

¼ cup sugar

Using on/off turns, finely chop walnuts, apricots, raisins, coconut, and dates in processor (do not puree). Transfer to small bowl; mix in brandy. Form mixture into ½-inch balls by rolling teaspoonfuls between hands. Roll balls in sugar.

DO AHEAD: Sugarplums can be made 1 day ahead. Store at room temperature in airtight container.

More SugarplumsVarious dried fruits—raisins, apricots, and pineapple—are used in this tart, but you can substitute any dried fruit of your choice. Dried tart cherries make good alternatives to the golden raisins, and dried peaches or nectarines are good in place of the apricots. Look for the finest dried fruits at local farmers’ markets and natural foods stores.

Chocolate-Cognac Truffle Tartlets

In this decadent dessert, part of the slightly boozy chocolate truffle filling is spooned into the tartlet crusts. The remainder is turned into chocolate truffles for garnish. Any leftover truffles can be kept frozen for an instant special-occasion treat. Be sure to start this recipe one day ahead. Makes 4 tartlets (4 to 8 servings)

Crust

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powderPinch of salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1½ teaspoons vanilla extractNonstick vegetable oil spray

Filling and Truffles

1¼ cups heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter

10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

3 tablespoons Cognac or other brandy

⅔ cup pecans, toasted, finely chopped

4 ½- by 5-inch parchment paper stripsNatural unsweetened cocoa powder

CRUST: Mix flour, cocoa powder, and salt in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl until creamy. Add flour mixture and stir with fork until coarse meal forms. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes.

Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Press 1 dough piece evenly over bottom and up sides of 4 ½-inch-diameter tartlet pan with removable bottom. Repeat with remaining 3 dough pieces. Freeze 20 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep frozen.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray four 7-inch foil squares with nonstick spray. Line crusts with foil, sprayed side down. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crusts until set, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Continue baking until crusts feel dry, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to rack; cool completely.

FILLING AND TRUFFLES: Combine cream and butter in medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until butter melts. Add chocolate; stir until melted. Whisk in Cognac. Cool filling 15 minutes.

Spoon enough filling into crusts to fill (about ½ cup for each); reserve remaining filling. Refrigerate tartlets and reserved filling overnight.

Line small baking sheet with foil. Form reserved filling into balls, using generous rounded ½ teaspoonful for each. Place on prepared sheet. Freeze 15 minutes. Roll each truffle in chopped pecans, coating completely. Freeze until truffles are firm, about 1 hour.

Let tartlets stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Place parchment paper strips in lattice pattern atop 1 tartlet. Sift cocoa over. Remove strips. Repeat with remaining tartlets. Garnish each with 3 truffles.

Chocolate-Whiskey Soufflé Tarts

Two dessert favorites come together in this treat: A chocolate soufflé rises out of a tender tart crust. The tarts can be assembled and frozen up to one week ahead, making this the perfect dessert to keep on hand for unexpected guests. Makes 8

Crust

1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour

¾ cup (1½ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

¾ cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon (scant) salt

Filling

10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

¼ cup Irish whiskey

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1¼ teaspoons instant coffee crystals Pinch of salt

4 large eggs, room temperature, separated

½ cup sugar

Sweetened whipped creamChocolate shavings (optional)

CRUST: Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend flour, butter, sugar, and salt in processor just until dough gathers together. Shape dough into log; cut into 8 equal rounds. Using fingertips, press 1 dough round over bottom and up sides of 4 ½-inch-diameter tartlet pan with removable bottom. Repeat with remaining 7 dough rounds. Pierce crusts with fork; bake until pale golden, about 18 minutes. Cool in pans on rack.

FILLING: Finely chop generous ⅓ cup chopped chocolate and set aside. Stir remaining chopped chocolate in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Whisk in whiskey, vanilla, coffee, and salt, then egg yolks. Beat room-temperature egg whites in another medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold half of whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in reserved ⅓ cup finely chopped chocolate, then remaining egg whites. Divide mixture among crusts. Freeze at least 3 hours.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and keep frozen.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Release pan sides from frozen tartlets. Arrange tartlets on their pan bottoms on baking sheet. Bake until filling puffs and begins to crack, about 20 minutes.

Place tartlets on plates. Spoon whipped cream alongside. Top with chocolate shavings, if desired.

Caramel-Hazelnut Mini Tartlets

There’s a reason these are miniature in size: They are incredibly rich. Freezing the crusts before baking reduces buckling and helps the tartlets hold their shape in the oven. Silicone mini muffin pans, which make the tartlets really easy to unmold, are available online and at cookware stores. Makes 30

Crust

1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

5 tablespoons (or more) chilled heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (about) hazelnuts, toasted, husked (about 5 ounces)

Filling

1⅓ cups (packed) golden brown sugar

7 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 tablespoons water

½ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

CRUST: Butter 30 metal or silicone mini muffin cups (1- to 1½-tablespoon capacity). Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, blend until coarse meal forms. Add 5 tablespoons cream and vanilla; using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Press 2 teaspoonfuls dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of each prepared mini muffin cup. Pierce tartlet crusts all over with fork. Freeze crusts 30 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep frozen.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake frozen crusts until golden and baked through, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool in muffin cups 10 minutes. Carefully loosen crusts from muffin cups. Transfer crusts to rimmed baking sheet and cool completely. Place 2 to 3 hazelnuts in each crust.

FILLING: Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, 2 tablespoons water, and salt in heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to boil, then boil 2 minutes without stirring (mixture will bubble up and thicken slightly). Remove pan from heat. Add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously); stir until smooth. Pour caramel into medium heatproof bowl; cool 10 minutes. Spoon caramel over hazelnuts in crusts, filling crusts almost to top. Refrigerate until caramel begins to firm up slightly, about 1 hour.

Stir chocolate in small bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Using spoon, drizzle melted chocolate over top of tartlets. Chill until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Milk Chocolate-Pecan Tartlets

Milk chocolate is often relegated to the candy jar, but it’s just right for these cute little tartlets, which have an easy press-in crust. Makes 18

Crust

1¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour

⅓ cup pecans, toasted

¼ cup sugarPinch of salt

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 large egg yolk

1½ teaspoons (or more) heavy whipping creamNonstick vegetable oil spray

Filling

9 ounces imported milk chocolate (such as Lindt), chopped

⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons finely chopped toasted pecans

¼ cup (about) apricot preserves

18 pecan halves, toastedGrated milk chocolate

CRUST: Blend flour, pecans, sugar, and salt in processor until nuts are finely chopped. Add butter; using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix egg yolk and 1½ teaspoons cream in bowl. Add to flour mixture; process until moist clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 4 hours. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes to soften slightly.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray eighteen 3-inch-diameter tartlet pans with nonstick spray. Using fingertips, press 1 tablespoon dough onto bottom and up sides of each prepared pan. Arrange tartlet pans on heavy large baking sheet. Bake until crusts are golden, piercing with fork if bubbles form, about 10 minutes. Transfer pans to rack; cool completely.

FILLING: Stir milk chocolate in medium bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Bring cream just to simmer in small saucepan. Pour hot cream into chocolate; stir until smooth. Stir in chopped pecans. Transfer filling to small bowl. Cover and chill until filling is consistency of thick pudding, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.

Using small knife, loosen crusts from pans. Turn crusts out onto work surface. Spread 1 teaspoon preserves in each crust. Spoon 1 tablespoon filling over each. Garnish with pecan halves and grated chocolate. Chill until filling is firm, about 1 hour. Serve tartlets cold.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.Equipment Tip: Tartlet PansThis recipe calls for eighteen 3-inch-diameter tartlet pans, which are available at some specialty foods stores and restaurant supply stores.

White Chocolate-Raspberry Crème Brûlée Tartlets

This elegant sweet is a marriage of smooth crème brûlée and a raspberry tart. These tartlets would be perfect for a special romantic dinner. If your broiler doesn’t get hot enough, a small kitchen torch, available at cookware stores, can be used to caramelize the sugar. If fresh raspberries are unavailable, thawed whole frozen raspberries will work in a pinch. Start preparing the tarts at least one day before serving to allow the custard to set. Makes 2

Crust

¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour

4 teaspoons sugar

⅛ teaspoon salt

¼ cup (½ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1½ teaspoons minced crystallized ginger

1 tablespoon (or more) ice water

1 tablespoon raspberry preserves, stirred to loosen

Filling

6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1 ounce high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

2 large egg yolks

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons sugar

Fresh raspberries

CRUST: Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and ginger; using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1 tablespoon ice water and blend until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Flatten each half into disk and wrap in plastic. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

Roll out dough disks on lightly floured surface to 6-inch rounds. Press 1 round into 4 ½-inch-diameter tartlet pan with removable bottom. Trim dough overhang to ½ inch; fold in, pressing to form double-thick sides. Repeat with remaining dough round. Pierce crusts all over with fork. Freeze 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake crusts until golden, piercing with fork if crusts bubble, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack. Immediately spoon ½ tablespoon preserves over bottom of each crust. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

FILLING: Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat; add white chocolate and whisk until melted. Whisk egg yolks and vanilla in medium bowl. Slowly whisk cream mixture into yolk mixture to blend well. Divide custard between crusts. Bake tartlets until centers are just set, about 20 minutes. Cool on rack. Chill tartlets overnight.

Preheat broiler. Sprinkle each tartlet with 1 teaspoon sugar. Broil just until sugar melts and browns, covering crusts with foil to prevent burning, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate tartlets until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. Remove pan sides from tartlets. Arrange raspberries around edge of tartlets.

Cherry-Almond Tartlets

These tartlets have a classic French “brown butter” filling. Butter is swirled over medium-low heat until it becomes golden brown, giving it a rich, nutty flavor. The filling is slightly cakey—making the tartlets durable enough to transport to a picnic or a party. (For best results, transport the tartlets in their pans.) Morello cherries can be found at Trader Joe’s, at other specialty foods stores, and online. Sweetened whipped cream makes a good substitute for the crème fraîche. Makes 8

Crust

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

½ cup slivered almonds, toasted

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 large egg yolk

Filling

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon almond extract

⅛ teaspoon salt

1 24.7-ounce jar dark Morello cherries in light syrup, well drained, syrup reserved

Sweetened Crème Fraîche

1 cup crème fraîche

2 tablespoons sugar

CRUST: Blend flour, almonds, sugar, and salt in processor until almonds are finely chopped. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolk and process until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and freeze 15 minutes.

Butter bottoms of eight 4-inch-diameter tartlet pans with ¾-inch-high sides and removable bottoms. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Press dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of each prepared tartlet pan. Place tartlets on large rimmed baking sheet. Chill while preparing filling.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

FILLING: Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat. Continue to cook, swirling pan occasionally, until butter turns golden brown, about 12 minutes. Whisk sugar, eggs, flour, almond extract, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk in browned butter to form a smooth batter.

Divide cherries among tartlets (about 10 per tartlet). Spoon batter over cherries, dividing evenly. Bake tartlets until golden brown and set in center, about 25 minutes. Cool on rack at least 30 minutes. Remove pan sides from tartlets and cool completely.

Meanwhile, boil reserved cherry syrup in heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to ⅓ cup, about 25 minutes.

SWEETENED CRÈME FRAÎCHE: Stir crème fraîche and sugar in small bowl to blend.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tartlets and keep at room temperature. Transfer reduced cherry syrup to small bowl and chill. Return sweetened crème fraîche to container; cover and chill.

Transfer tartlets to plates. Spoon crème fraîche alongside. Drizzle with reduced cherry syrup and serve.

Nectarine Tartlets with Puff Pastry and Almond Filling

Frozen puff pastry makes an instant crust for the nectarines. Look for delicious all-butter frozen puff pastry (in 1-pound packages) in some markets and at specialty foods stores, or use regular puff pastry. Marzipan can be found in the baking aisle of most supermarkets. Makes 6

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 16-ounce package all-butter puff pastry or half of 17.3-ounce package regular puff pastry), thawed

1 large egg, beaten to blend

6 ounces marzipan, very thinly sliced

3 firm but ripe nectarines, halved, pitted

8 teaspoons sugar, divided

⅔ cup chilled heavy whipping creamDrop of almond extract

Line heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Roll out puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 18×11-inch rectangle with about ⅛-inch thickness. Cut pastry into six 6×5 ½-inch rectangles. Cut off ½-inch-wide strip from each side of 1 rectangle. Brush strips with beaten egg. Place 2 long strips, egg side down, atop long edges of 1 rectangle. Place short strips, egg side down, atop short edges, trimming to fit. Repeat with remaining rectangles. Place pastries on prepared baking sheet.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Divide marzipan into 6 equal portions. Press marzipan to fit and cover bottom of pastries. Thinly slice each nectarine half. Slightly fan slices in center of each pastry atop marzipan. Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon sugar. Bake tartlets until crusts are golden brown, about 35 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool slightly.

Whisk cream, remaining 2 teaspoons sugar, and almond extract in medium bowl until thick and fluffy. Serve tartlets with whipped cream.Technique Tip: Added BeautyTry making the tartlets with a combination of yellow and white nectarines. For a pretty finishing touch, brush melted peach or apricot preserves over the nectarines when the tartlets come out of the oven.

Mango Meringue Tartlets

These tartlets are tropical throughout: Coconut adds flavor and texture to the crust, while pureed ripe mangoes enhanced with spices and lime create a velvety filling. Makes 6

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 cups powdered sugar, divided

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted, lukewarm

3 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut

3 large ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, sliced, divided

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

⅓ cup fresh lime juice

1¼-ounce envelope unflavored gelatin

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

6 large egg whites, room temperaturePinch of coarse kosher salt

6 fresh mint sprigs

Using fork, mix flour, ½ cup powdered sugar, melted butter, and coconut in medium bowl until dough forms. Divide into 6 equal pieces. Press onto bottom and up sides of six 4 ½-inch-diameter tartlet pans with removable bottoms. Chill crusts 30 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crusts until golden, pressing down with spoon if bubbles form, about 25 minutes. Cool.

Puree 2 mangoes in processor. Measure 1¾ cups puree; mix in allspice and cinnamon. Transfer to bowl; cover and refrigerate.

Pour lime juice into small saucepan; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Stir over low heat just until gelatin dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in condensed milk, then spiced mango puree. Divide filling among cooled crusts. Chill at least 3 hours and up to 5 hours.

Using electric mixer, blend egg whites and coarse salt in large bowl. Gradually add remaining 1½ cups powdered sugar; beat until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.

Spoon meringue atop tartlets or pipe atop tartlets using pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Using kitchen torch, lightly brown meringue. (Alternatively, place tartlets in 500°F oven until meringue is golden in spots, watching carefully to prevent burning, about 3 minutes.) Garnish with remaining mango slices and mint sprigs.

Apple, Goat Cheese, and Honey Tartlets

Dessert and cheese courses combine for one sophisticated dessert. If you want to serve the tartlets warm but don’t want to do the assembling and baking immediately before serving, bake them up to six hours ahead and store at room temperature. Rewarm the tartlets in the oven at 350°F for five to ten minutes and drizzle with honey just before serving. Look for dark honey (such as forest honey) at natural foods stores and specialty foods stores. Makes 8

2 17.3-ounce packages frozen puff pastry (4 sheets), thawed

1 egg, beaten to blend

6 ounces soft fresh goat cheese

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

3 medium Gala apples, peeled, quartered, cored, cut into ⅛-inch-thick slices

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

¾ cup honey (preferably dark), divided

½ teaspoon (scant) ground allspice

Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out each puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 11-inch square. Using 5-inch-diameter cookie cutter or bowl, cut out 4 rounds from each pastry sheet, forming 16 rounds total. Divide 8 pastry rounds between prepared baking sheets; pierce pastry all over with fork. Using 3½-inch-diameter cookie cutter or bowl, cut out smaller rounds from center of remaining 8 pastry rounds (reserve 3½-inch rounds for another use), forming eight 5-inch-diameter rings. Brush outer 1-inch edges of 5-inch rounds on baking sheets with beaten egg; top each with 1 pastry ring. Freeze at least 30 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep frozen. Do not thaw before continuing.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix cheese, lemon juice, and coarse salt in small bowl; spread mixture inside rings on frozen pastry rounds. Overlap apple slices atop cheese. Mix butter and ¼ cup honey in small bowl; brush over apples. Sprinkle with allspice.

Bake until apples are tender and pastry is golden, about 35 minutes. Place tartlets on plates. Drizzle 1 tablespoon honey over each and serve warm or at room temperature.

Lemon Tartlets with Fresh Blueberries

Lemon and berries are a classic (and delicious) combination. Blueberries are great with the tangy lemon curd filling, but blackberries or sliced strawberries would be nice, too. Makes 8

Crust

2½ cups unbleached all purpose flour

½ cup sugar

¾ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 large egg

Filling

1 cup sugar

¾ cup (1½ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

½ cup fresh lemon juice

5 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

1 cup blueberries

CRUST: Mix flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg and blend until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball. Place scant ⅓ cup dough in each of eight 4 ½-inch-diameter tartlet pans with removable bottoms. Using fingertips, press onto bottom and up sides of pan. Trim edges. Place on baking sheet. Chill 15 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake crusts until golden brown, piercing with toothpick if crust bubbles, about 15 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.

FILLING: Combine sugar, butter, lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks, and lemon peel in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until mixture thickens, about 9 minutes (do not boil). Pour lemon curd into bowl. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd. Chill until cool, about 2 hours.

Spoon lemon curd into crusts, dividing equally. Chill until curd sets, at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.

Remove tartlets from pans. Top each with some berries.

Spiced Plum and Caramelized Apple Tartlets with Calvados Cream

Dried plums—otherwise known as prunes—get dressed up with spices and Calvados, an apple brandy from France. If you can’t find Calvados, Armagnac or Cognac would also be delicious. Makes 8

Spiced Plum Spread

½ cup (packed) pitted prunes

½ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

½ cup water

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons Calvados (apple brandy)

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

Apples and Pastry

¼ cup (½ stick) butter

¼ cup sugar

4 medium Granny Smith apples (about 2 pounds), peeled, quartered, cored

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 16-ounce package all-butter puff pastry or half of 17.3-ounce package regular puff pastry), thawed

Calvados Cream

8 large egg yolks

⅔ cup plus 4 teaspoons sugar

⅔ cup Calvados (apple brandy)

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

SPICED PLUM SPREAD: Stir prunes, brown sugar, ½ cup water, and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Cover and simmer until prunes are very soft, about 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer over low heat until mixture is reduced to ¾ cup, about 4 minutes. Add Calvados, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves; mash prunes in pan into thick jam-like spread.

DO AHEAD: Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover with plastic and refrigerate.

APPLES AND PASTRY: Melt butter in heavy medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sugar. Cook until sugar melts and turns deep amber, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add apples. Cook until just tender and browned, occasionally shifting and turning apples, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool in skillet.

Roll pastry out on lightly floured surface to thin 13×13-inch square. Using 4-inch-round cookie cutter, cut out 8 pastry rounds. Transfer to parchment-lined heavy large baking sheet. Using fork, pierce pastry rounds all over, leaving ⅓-inch border around edge. Chill pastry until firm, about 15 minutes.

Spread 1 slightly rounded tablespoon plum mixture evenly over center of each round, leaving ⅓-inch plain border. Slice each apple quarter into 5 thin wedges. Fan out 10 apple slices atop plum mixture on each round, forming rosette. Reserve any juices in small bowl.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tartlets and any juices separately and refrigerate.

CALVADOS CREAM: Whisk egg yolks, ⅔ cup sugar, and Calvados in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over pan of gently boiling water. Whisk constantly until mixture thickens and instant-read thermometer registers 165°F, about 5 minutes. Cool, stirring occasionally. Whip cream until soft peaks form. Fold cooled egg mixture into whipped cream. Cover and chill.

DO AHEAD: Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Drizzle each tartlet with reserved juices and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon sugar. Bake until crust is deep golden brown, about 18 minutes. Serve tartlets warm or at room temperature with Calvados cream.

Warm Banana Tartlets with Peanut Crunch Ice Cream

An utterly decadent treat: peanut and banana tartlets paired with homemade peanut brittle ice cream. And because the tartlets use purchased puff pastry, they come together in no time. To take these completely over the top, serve with caramel sauce. Peel and slice the bananas just before using them to prevent browning. If you’re running short on time, skip the homemade ice cream and simply stir the chopped peanut brittle into your favorite vanilla ice cream. Makes 8

Ice Cream

1½ cups heavy whipping cream

1½ cups half and half

1¼ cups chopped lightly salted roasted peanuts

½ cup sugar

7 large egg yolks

⅔ cup chopped peanut brittle

Tartlets

⅔ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour

⅔ cup finely chopped lightly salted roasted peanuts

1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

1 egg, beaten to blend

4 bananas, peeled, thinly sliced into rounds

ICE CREAM: Bring cream and half and half to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Add peanuts. Cover; remove from heat and let stand 30 minutes.

Strain cream mixture through sieve set over large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard peanuts. Whisk in sugar and egg yolks. Return to saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across and instant-read thermometer registers 160°F to 165°F when inserted into custard, about 4 minutes (do not boil). Strain into medium bowl. Chill uncovered until cold. Transfer custard to ice-cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer ice cream to container. Mix in brittle. Cover and freeze until firm.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep frozen.

TARTLETS: Preheat oven to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat ⅔ cup sugar and butter in medium bowl until well blended. Beat in egg yolks. Mix in flour, then nuts. Set peanut cream aside.

Unfold pastry onto work surface. Cut each pastry sheet into 4 squares; pierce all over with fork. Place 4 pastry squares on each of 2 baking sheets, spacing apart. Brush egg over pastry. Spread 2 tablespoons peanut cream over each, leaving ½-inch plain border. Arrange bananas in overlapping slices atop peanut cream. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake tartlets until crusts are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to plates. Serve warm with ice cream.

Cappuccino Éclairs

A great twist on the traditional vanilla cream-filled éclair: The custard filling is flavored with coffee and the éclairs are topped with milk chocolate for a delicious mocha treat. Makes about 12

Filling

2 cups water

1 cup finely ground dark-roast coffee beans (such as French roast)

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

5 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 large egg yolks

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, diced

Éclair Dough

1 cup water

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, diced

¾ teaspoon salt

1 cup bread flour

4 large eggs

4 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), meltedPowdered sugar

FILLING: Brew 2 cups water and ground coffee in standard coffeemaker. Pour 1 cup brewed coffee into heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean, then cream. Bring mixture to boil.

Whisk sugar and cornstarch in medium bowl; whisk in egg yolks. Gradually whisk hot coffee mixture into yolk mixture. Return to same saucepan and cook until cream thickens and boils, whisking constantly, about 3 minutes. Add butter; whisk to blend. Discard vanilla bean. Transfer cream to small bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface; chill until very cold, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

ÉCLAIR DOUGH: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Bring 1 cup water, butter, and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour all at once; using wooden spoon, stir vigorously until dough forms ball and thick film coats pan bottom, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Using handheld electric mixer, add eggs 1 at a time, beating until dough is smooth after each addition.

Spoon dough into pastry bag fitted with ½-inch plain round tip. Press dot of dough under each corner of parchment to anchor. Pipe 4-inch lines of dough onto paper, about 1½ inches apart and parallel to each other.

Bake éclair shells 15 minutes (do not open oven). Reduce temperature to 350°F; bake until crisp, about 20 minutes. Cool shells on baking sheet.

Using serrated knife and starting at 1 long side, cut each shell in half. Fill each shell bottom with 2 tablespoons filling; cover with top. Spread melted chocolate over. Chill until ready to serve, up to 2 hours.

Arrange éclairs on platter. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and serve.

Profiteroles with Caramel Sauce

This dessert combines two popular confections: custard-filled cream puffs and a rich caramel sauce. Makes about 4 dozen

Sauce

1⅓ cups sugar

⅓ cup water

⅔ cup heavy whipping cream

¼ cup (½ stick) butter, diced

Cream Puffs

1 cup water

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

Filling

1 tablespoon water

½ teaspoon unflavored gelatin

2 cups whole milk

⅔ cup heavy whipping cream

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

6 large egg yolks

⅔ cup sugar

½ cup unbleached all purpose flourPinch of salt

SAUCE: Stir sugar and ⅓ cup water in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Add butter and whisk until smooth.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before using.

CREAM PUFFS: Bring 1 cup water and butter to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until butter dissolves. Reduce heat to low; add flour and salt all at once. Stir vigorously until dough is smooth, forms ball, and leaves film on pan bottom, about 2 minutes. Transfer dough to large bowl. Using handheld mixer, add eggs 1 at a time, blending well after each addition. Cover dough loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand until cool, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly butter 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Spoon dough into pastry bag fitted with ½-inch plain tip. Pipe 1-inch rounds onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Using moistened fingertips, smooth tops.

Bake puffs until golden brown and puffed, about 23 minutes. Remove puffs from oven; turn off heat. Pierce side of each puff with tip of small knife. Return puffs to hot oven; let stand 10 minutes with door ajar. Remove puffs from oven and cool completely.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

FILLING: Place 1 tablespoon water in custard cup. Sprinkle gelatin over. Bring milk, cream, and vanilla bean to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, flour, and salt in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into yolk mixture. Return to same saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until pastry cream thickens and boils, about 1 minute. Add gelatin mixture to hot pastry cream and stir until dissolved. Transfer filling to medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface and chill until cold, about 3 hours.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Spoon pastry cream into pastry bag fitted with ¼-inch plain tip. Insert tip into cut on each puff and pipe in filling.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Arrange on rimmed baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Place 4 puffs on each plate. Drizzle puffs with warm caramel sauce.

Chocolate Croquembouches

French for “crunch in the mouth,” a classic croquembouche is made with vanilla custard-stuffed cream puffs stacked into a dramatic cone-shaped tower and held together with crunchy caramel. Here, the presentation is scaled down for fun individual servings, and the pastry cream filling and silky drizzling glaze are both chocolate. Makes 8

Pastry Cream

⅔ cup sugar

⅓ cup unbleached all purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

4 large egg yolks

5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

Cream Puffs

½ cup water

¼ cup whole milk

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder

4 large eggs

Glaze

10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

PASTRY CREAM: Whisk sugar and flour in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in milk, then egg yolks. Cook over medium heat until cream thickens and boils, whisking constantly, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer to medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream; chill until cold and firm, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

CREAM PUFFS: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine ½ cup water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, whisking until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Remove from heat. Add flour and cocoa all at once; whisk until smooth and blended (dough will form ball). Stir over low heat until dough leaves film on pan bottom, about 2 minutes. Transfer dough to large bowl; cool to lukewarm, about 8 minutes. Using electric mixer, beat in eggs 1 at a time.

Drop batter by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets in at least 64 scant 1-inch mounds. Using moistened fingertips, smooth any pointed tips on mounds. Bake puffs 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and continue to bake until puffs are firm and beginning to crack and dry on top, about 23 minutes longer. Transfer puffs to rack. Using small knife or chopstick, poke hole in side of each puff near bottom to allow steam to escape. Cool puffs completely.

Spoon pastry cream into pastry bag fitted with ¼-inch plain round tip. Pipe into each puff through hole in side.

GLAZE: Place chocolate in small microwave-safe dish. Microwave at low setting in 10-second intervals until beginning to melt; stir glaze until completely melted and smooth.

Dip bottom of 4 filled cream puffs into glaze. Arrange puffs, spaced about ¼ inch apart, in square on plate. Dip bottom of 3 more puffs into glaze. Arrange in triangle atop first 4 puffs, pressing slightly so glaze holds puffs in place. Dip bottom of 1 more puff into glaze; place on top. Drizzle mound of puffs with some of glaze. Repeat with remaining cream puffs, forming 8 desserts. Chill until glaze sets and holds puffs together, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.Technique Tips: Secrets of Perfect PuffsThe tops of the cream puffs need to be tapped down slightly to create a smooth top and to prevent any browned, hard nubs from forming during baking. Wet your fingertips when you pat down the top of the puffs to prevent the dough from sticking to your skin. Poking a hole in the puffs when they come out of the oven serves two purposes: It allows the puffs to cool quickly, which helps dry out the centers, and the small hole is just the right size for the tip of the pastry bag you’ll use to fill the puffs with the chocolate pastry cream.

Mango-Filled Cream Puffs with Spiced Mango-Mojito Sauce

The mango sauce for these cream puffs is spiked with the flavors of the popular Cuban cocktail: rum, lime, and mint. For the lightest, crispiest texture, be sure to let the cream puffs dry 15 minutes in the oven after you’ve turned it off. 12 servings

Cream Puffs

1 cup whole milk

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

5 large eggs

Filling

2 cups ⅓-inch cubes peeled pitted mango (from about 4 large)

1 cup chilled sour cream

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

1 cup powdered sugar, divided

Spiced Mango-Mojito Sauce (see recipe)

CREAM PUFFS: Position 1 rack in top third of oven and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring milk, butter, and salt to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until butter melts. Add flour all at once. Reduce heat to medium and stir with wooden spoon until dough forms ball and some batter films bottom of pan, about 4 minutes. Transfer dough to medium bowl and cool 5 minutes. Using handheld electric mixer on medium speed, beat in eggs 1 at a time.

Drop dough by generous tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets, making 24 cream puffs. Smooth tops with wet fingertips.

Bake cream puffs 15 minutes. Reverse baking sheets and continue to bake until cream puffs are deep golden, about 10 minutes longer. Using small sharp knife, cut small slit in side of each cream puff. Return to oven, turn off heat, and let dry 15 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

FILLING: Stir mango and sour cream in medium bowl to blend. Beat whipping cream and ½ cup powdered sugar in large bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into mango mixture. Cover bowl and chill filling at least 30 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Using serrated knife, cut cream puffs horizontally in half. Spoon filling into bottom halves; cover with tops. Sift remaining ½ cup powdered sugar over cream puffs.

Divide cream puffs among 12 plates. Spoon Spiced Mango-Mojito Sauce onto plates and serve.

Spiced Mango-Mojito Sauce

This refreshing dessert sauce would also be delicious on angel food cake with a tropical fruit compote. Makes about 1⅔ cups

2 large mangoes, peeled, pitted, diced

6 tablespoons plain whole-milk yogurt

4 tablespoons (or more) sugar

3 tablespoons spiced rum

1 tablespoon fresh Key lime juice or regular lime juice

1½ teaspoons (packed) finely chopped fresh mint

Puree mangoes in processor until smooth. Transfer 1½ cups puree to medium bowl (reserve remaining puree for another use). Mix yogurt, 4 tablespoons sugar, rum, lime juice, and mint into puree. Sweeten sauce to taste with more sugar, if desired.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Strawberry Cream Puffs with Strawberry Sauce

Chances are you already have everything you need to make these cream puffs-water, butter, salt, sugar, flour, and eggs. Together, these staples create puffs that are delicately crisp and golden on the outside, and hollow and tender on the inside. The cream puffs should be a rich golden brown when done and the centers should be slightly eggy and moist but no longer doughy. Makes about 18

Cream Puffs

¾ cup water

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon sugar

¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour

3 large eggs

Filling

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon kirsch (clear cherry brandy)

⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract

6 large strawberries, hulled

Strawberry Sauce (see recipe)Powdered sugar

CREAM PUFFS: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine ¾ cup water, butter, salt, and sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring to melt butter. Add flour all at once; using wooden spoon, stir vigorously until mixture clumps together, forming ball. Stir 1 minute longer. Transfer dough to medium bowl. Using electric mixer, add eggs 1 at a time, beating until dough is smooth after each addition (dough will be slightly soft and shiny).

Using 1 rounded tablespoon dough for each cream puff, spoon dough onto prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart and forming mounds about ¾ inch to 1 inch high and 1¼ inches in diameter. Using moist fingertips, gently press tops of cream puffs to flatten any peaks. Bake until golden brown, about 37 minutes. Using small sharp knife, cut small slit in side of each cream puff. Transfer baking sheet to rack; let cream puffs cool.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

FILLING: Beat cream, 1 teaspoon sugar, kirsch, and vanilla in medium bowl until firm peaks form. Combine strawberries and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in small bowl. Using fork, crush berries. Fold crushed strawberry mixture into cream mixture.

Using serrated knife, cut top third off each cream puff. Place cream puff bottoms, cut side up, on plates. Spoon filling into bottoms, mounding slightly. Ladle Strawberry Sauce over, allowing sauce to spill onto plates. Cover with cream puff tops. Dust with powdered sugar

Strawberry Sauce

This classic dessert sauce, known also as a coulis, is delicious with the strawberry cream puffs. It’s also good over vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, with crepes or waffles, or in a trifle layered with sponge cake, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries. Makes about 2½ cups

2 1-pint containers strawberries, hulled

3 tablespoons sugar

Puree 1 container strawberries with sugar in processor. Transfer to bowl. Quarter remaining strawberries; add to sauce.

More Cream Puff FillingsWhen it comes to cream puffs, the filling options are endless. Replace the strawberries with raspberries and add some finely grated orange peel or minced crystallized ginger to the whipped cream; or simply spoon a scoop of your favorite ice cream into the cream puffs and drizzle them with chocolate sauce to make profiteroles.

Fried Lemon-Scented Ricotta and Mascarpone Cream Puffs

Pâte à choux, the same dough used to make traditional cream puffs and éclairs, is deep-fried in this recipe, adding some crunch to the cream-filled pastries. Makes 3 dozen

¾ cup whole milk

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, diced

1 tablespoon sugarPinch of salt

¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour

4 large eggsVegetable oil (for frying)

1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

⅓ cup mascarpone cheese

¾ cup powdered sugar, divided

½ teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

Bring milk, butter, sugar, and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Add flour all at once. Stir vigorously until dough is smooth, forms ball, and light film forms on pan bottom, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in eggs 1 at a time.

Add enough oil to heavy large saucepan to reach depth of 2 inches. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of pan and heat oil over medium heat to 350°F Working in batches of 4 or 5, drop 1 tablespoon batter into oil for each cream puff. Fry until golden brown and puffed, adjusting heat to maintain temperature, about 5 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer cream puffs to paper towels to drain.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Stir ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese, ¼ cup powdered sugar, and lemon peel in medium bowl to blend for filling. Cut cream puffs in half horizontally. Spoon 1 rounded teaspoon filling into bottoms; cover with tops. Sift remaining ½ cup powdered sugar over. Arrange on platter. Refrigerate cream puffs until ready to serve, up to 3 hours.

Rhubarb-Raspberry Jalousie

These French rectangular pastries, similar to turnovers, are often filled with poached fruit or jam. This modern version saves time by using frozen puff pastry and combines fresh rhubarb with raspberry preserves. Cutting slits down the center of the jalousie not only makes the pastry look pretty, it also allows steam to escape, which maintains the filling’s thick, jammy consistency. 6 servings

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter

4 cups ½-inch pieces trimmed rhubarb (from about 1 pound)

1 cup raspberry preserves with seeds

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed

1 large egg, beaten to blendVanilla ice cream

Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add rhubarb. Cover and simmer until rhubarb is tender and falling apart, about 10 minutes. Add preserves and ¼ cup sugar. Cook uncovered until mixture is very thick and reduced to 2 cups, stirring frequently, about 35 minutes. Chill filling uncovered until cold, at least 1 hour.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out pastry on lightly floured surface to 16×12-inch rectangle. Cut pastry in half lengthwise, forming two 16×6-inch rectangles. Place 1 rectangle on prepared baking sheet. Spoon filling onto pastry and spread out in even layer, leaving 1-inch plain border. Brush border with egg. Top with second pastry rectangle; press edges firmly to seal. Brush edges with egg. Fold edges over, forming ½-inch border. Press border with tines of fork to seal. Brush top of pastry with glaze; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Using sharp knife, cut 1½-inch crosswise slits down center of pastry at 2-inch intervals, exposing filling.

Bake pastry until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool pastry on sheet to lukewarm, about 45 minutes. Cut jalousie crosswise into 6 pieces. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Raspberry Napoleon

A touch of honey added to the melted butter that’s brushed over phyllo sheets creates crisp, golden brown pastry with a shiny, candy-like glaze. 6 servings

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

3 tablespoons honey

4 17×12-inch sheets or sixteen 14×9-inch sheets fresh or thawed frozen phyllo pastry

1 12-ounce package frozen raspberries, thawed

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

2 tablespoons brandy, divided

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ½-pint containers raspberries or one 1-pint container strawberries, hulled, slicedAdditional powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter large rimless baking sheet. Cover 2 racks with waxed paper. Combine butter and honey in heavy small saucepan; stir over medium-low heat until butter melts.

If using 17×12-inch phyllo, place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface (cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap, then damp kitchen towel). Brush phyllo with honey butter. Top with second phyllo sheet. Brush with honey butter. Repeat layering with remaining 2 phyllo sheets, brushing each with honey butter. Cut stacked phyllo lengthwise into 3 strips, each approximately 17×4 inches.

If using 14×9-inch phyllo, place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface (cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap, then damp towel). Place second phyllo sheet at end of first sheet with 1 short side overlapping first sheet by 2 inches. Brush with honey butter. Repeat layering with 6 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with honey butter. Trim phyllo stack to 17×14-inch rectangle, then cut stack lengthwise into two 17×4-inch strips (discard excess trimmings). Make second phyllo stack by repeating procedure with remaining 8 phyllo sheets and honey butter. Trim second stack to 17×14-inch rectangle, then cut second stack into one 17×4-inch strip (reserve remaining phyllo for another use).

Using 2 metal spatulas, transfer phyllo strips to prepared baking sheet. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 8 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning. Carefully slide knife under phyllo to loosen from sheet. Transfer to prepared racks and cool completely.

Puree thawed raspberries in processor. Strain into bowl, pressing on solids in strainer to release as much puree as possible. Discard solids in strainer. Stir ¼ cup sugar into raspberry puree. Chill.

Beat cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon brandy, and vanilla and beat until peaks form.

Mix fresh raspberries, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and remaining 1 tablespoon brandy in medium bowl. Arrange 1 phyllo strip, shiny side up, on platter Spread half of whipped cream over. Top with half of berries. Top with second phyllo strip, pressing gently to adhere. Spread remaining cream over. Top with remaining berries. Cover with third phyllo strip, shiny side up.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 hour ahead. Chill uncovered.

Using serrated knife, cut pastry crosswise into 6 equal sections. Sift additional powdered sugar over. Serve with pureed raspberries.Recipe Tip: NapoleonThis elegant French dessert features delicate layers of flaky pastry spread with whipped cream or pastry cream and jam, then topped with icing or powdered sugar. The dessert can be made with either phyllo dough or puff pastry, and it can be prepared as individual rectangles or as one large pastry and carefully sliced into servings.

Working with PhylloPhyllo dough is paper-thin, which creates that ultra-flaky pastry goodness in a host of desserts. But because it’s so delicate, it dries out easily. Here are tips to handle it with ease.Before removing the phyllo pastry from the box, clear off the counter to give yourself plenty of space, and have all of your other ingredients and equipment ready. Once the phyllo is unwrapped, you’ll want to work with it quickly and without any interruptions.Lay the phyllo pastry sheets on a baking sheet and cover them with plastic wrap and a slightly damp kitchen towel to keep them moist. Remove one sheet at a time and arrange it on the work surface, re-covering the stacked sheets each time. Immediately brush the phyllo sheet completely with melted butter or oil to keep it from drying out.

Strawberry Napoleons with Lemon Cream

These individual napoleons, made with phyllo dough, are light, crisp, and flaky; they’re a nice foil for the rich and creamy lemon filling and the fresh strawberry sauce. Makes 10

Lemon Cream

2 tablespoons cold water

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

¾ cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

6 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

4 large egg yolks

1 large egg

½ cup chilled heavy whipping cream

Pastries

5 17×12-inch sheets or ten 14×9-inch sheets fresh or thawed frozen phyllo pastry

6 tablespoons (or more) unsalted butter, melted

5 tablespoons sugar, divided

Strawberry Sauce

4 ½ cups sliced hulled strawberries, divided

6 tablespoons sugar

Powdered sugar

10 whole strawberries

LEMON CREAM: Spoon cold water into small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Combine lemonade concentrate, sugar, butter, egg yolks, and egg in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over sauce-pan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk constantly until instant-read thermometer inserted into mixture registers 160°F, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from over water; add gelatin mixture and whisk until dissolved. Strain mixture into large bowl. Set bowl over larger bowl filled with ice water. Stir until mixture is cool and begins to thicken but not set, about 10 minutes. Beat cream in medium bowl to firm peaks; fold into lemon mixture. Cover and chill at least 4 hours.

PASTRIES: Preheat oven to 350°F. If using 17×12-inch phyllo, place 1 sheet on work surface (cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap, then damp kitchen towel). Brush phyllo with some melted butter; sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over. Top with second phyllo sheet. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle with sugar. Repeat with remaining phyllo, melted butter, and sugar. Cut phyllo stack into twenty 3-inch squares.

If using 14×9-inch phyllo, place 1 sheet on work surface (cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap, then damp towel). Brush phyllo with melted butter; sprinkle ½ tablespoon sugar over. Top with second phyllo sheet. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle with ½ tablespoon sugar. Repeat with 3 more phyllo sheets, melted butter, and sugar. Cut phyllo stack into twelve 3-inch squares. Make second phyllo stack by repeating procedure with remaining 5 phyllo sheets, melted butter, and sugar. Cut second phyllo stack into eight 3-inch squares for 20 squares total.

Transfer pastry squares to rimmed baking sheets. Bake until deep golden, watching closely, about 12 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool.

DO AHEAD: Lemon cream and pastry squares can be made 1 day ahead. Keep lemon cream chilled. Store pastry squares airtight at room temperature.

STRAWBERRY SAUCE: Simmer 2¼ cups sliced strawberries and sugar in heavy medium saucepan until strawberries are soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer to processor and puree. Strain into small bowl. Chill until cold.

Place 10 pastry squares on work surface. Transfer lemon cream to pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe lemon cream over squares, leaving ½-inch plain border on sides. Arrange remaining sliced strawberries in single layer over lemon cream. Pipe small rosette of lemon cream atop berries. Top each with pastry square and pipe rosette of lemon cream atop pastry. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish each with whole strawberry. Serve with sauce.

Fresh Plum Napoleon

Unlike many napoleons, this one holds together well when sliced, making it a great choice for a special dinner. The plum jam in this recipe is excellent on its own, so make a double batch-it keeps in the fridge for a good week-and slather it on toast in the morning. 8 to 10 servings

Pastry Cream

5 tablespoons sugar

2½ teaspoons cornstarch

1 cup whole milk, divided

1 large egg yolks

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

6 ounces Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes, room temperature

Plum Jam

½ cup sugar

¼ cup water

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

12 ounces small plums (about 5), halved, pitted, cut into ½-inch-thick slices (about 2 cups)

2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel

Napoleon

1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

1 pound small plums (about 6), halved, pitted, cut into ¼-inch-thick slicesPowdered sugar

PASTRY CREAM: Whisk sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan to blend. Add ¼ cup milk; whisk until cornstarch dissolves. Whisk in remaining ¾ cup milk and egg yolks. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Place over medium heat and whisk until mixture is smooth and thick and comes to boil, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Strain pastry cream into small bowl; discard solids in strainer. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream and chill until cold, about 4 hours.

PLUM JAM: Combine sugar and ¼ cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and syrup begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Add plums and orange peel; reduce heat to medium and simmer until mixture is very thick and reduced to ¾ cup, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Cool. Discard vanilla bean.

DO AHEAD: Pastry cream and plum jam can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.

NAPOLEON: Preheat oven to 375°F. Place 1 puff pastry sheet on work surface. Brush 1 edge of sheet with cold water. Place 1 edge of second pastry sheet atop wet edge of first sheet, overlapping by 2 inches; press to adhere, forming 18×10-inch rectangle. Using rolling pin, roll out pastry to 1 large sheet, 19 to 20 inches long and 11 inches wide. Transfer pastry to ungreased 18×12×1-inch baking sheet. Pierce pastry all over with fork. Using sharp knife, trim pastry to fit baking sheet. Bake until golden, occasionally piercing pastry with fork to deflate slightly, about 25 minutes (pastry will shrink to about 15×10-inch rectangle). Cool pastry completely on sheet.

Carefully transfer pastry to cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut pastry into three 14×3-inch rectangles. Trim any puffed portions of pastry to flatten and even slightly.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover with foil; let stand at room temperature.

Place 1 pastry rectangle on long serving platter. Stir pastry cream to loosen. Spread 1 cup pastry cream over pastry rectangle, leaving ½-inch plain border at all edges (reserve remaining pastry cream for another use). Place second pastry rectangle, flat side up, on cardboard rectangle or 18-inch-long ruler. Spread with half of jam (generous ⅓ cup) to cover. Top with sliced plums in neat lines, skin side facing out. Using cardboard rectangle or ruler as aid, slide pastry with plums atop pastry cream layer, plum side up. Spread remaining plum jam over flat side (underside) of third pastry rectangle; place jam side down atop plums on second pastry layer. Dust top of pastry with powdered sugar.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let napoleon stand at room temperature (do not chill).

Cut napoleon crosswise into 8 to 10 pieces and serve.

Banana-Caramel Napoleons

In this rich napoleon, the usual pastry cream filling is replaced with a decadent blend of mascarpone cheese and homemade caramel. 8 servings

1 cup plus 1½ tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

⅔ cup heavy whipping cream

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed

12 ounces chilled mascarpone cheese

3 large bananas (about), peeled, thinly sliced on diagonalPowdered sugar

Combine 1 cup sugar, 6 tablespoons water, and lemon juice in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Carefully add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Place pan over low heat; stir until mixture is smooth and any caramel bits dissolve. Transfer caramel to small bowl. Cover and chill until thick, about 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out puff pastry on lightly floured surface to 15×12-inch rectangle. Cut crosswise into three 12×5-inch strips. Transfer pastry strips to prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Pierce pastry all over with fork. Chill 10 minutes.

Bake pastry until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to racks and cool pastry on sheets.

DO AHEAD: Caramel and pastry can be made 1 day ahead. Keep caramel chilled. Wrap pastry in foil and store at room temperature.

Set aside ½ cup caramel for decoration. Using electric mixer, beat mascarpone and remaining 1½ tablespoons sugar in medium bowl just until smooth. Add remaining caramel and beat until caramel cream is well blended, about 1 minute.

Using sharp knife, trim pastry layers so that they are flat and even. Place 1 pastry strip on work surface. Spread with ¼ of caramel cream. Arrange half of banana slices in single layer over caramel cream. Spread second pastry strip with ¼ of caramel cream. Place pastry, caramel cream side down, atop bananas. Spread top of second pastry strip with ¼ of caramel cream. Arrange remaining bananas in single layer over. Spread remaining pastry strip with remaining caramel cream. Place pastry, caramel cream side down, atop bananas. Using serrated knife, cut pastry crosswise into 8 equal pieces. Sift powdered sugar over.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Tent with foil and chill.

Place napoleons on plates. Drizzle reserved caramel around napoleons and serve.Equipment Tip: Bread KnifeA bread knife—a long knife with a serrated edge—has many functions in the kitchen, besides cutting bread, of course. It’s the best tool to use when cutting through delicate desserts that have multiple layers of pastry, fruit, and cream, such as napoleons (use a sawing motion for the best results).

Rhubarb Napoleons

This modern, more casual rendition of the napoleon boasts a delicious jam-like rhubarb filling that’s accented with orange. The crisp, caramel-glazed pastry is cut into triangles rather than the usual rectangles. Makes 4

Pastry

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed

2 tablespoons sugar

Filling

3 cups ½-inch pieces trimmed fresh rhubarb (about 13 ounces)

⅔ cup sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel

1 tablespoon red currant jelly

Powdered sugarVanilla ice creamOrange peel strips (optional)Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

PASTRY: Preheat oven to 400°F. Using ½ tablespoon butter, generously butter 1 rimmed baking sheet. Unfold pastry on work surface; sprinkle with sugar. Roll out pastry to 11-inch square. Trim edges to form 10-inch square. Cut square into four 5-inch squares, then cut squares diagonally in half to form 8 triangles. Transfer pastry triangles, sugar side up, to prepared baking sheet. Using remaining 1½ tablespoons butter, generously butter underside of second rimmed baking sheet. Place second sheet, buttered side down, atop pastry triangles.

Bake pastry triangles 15 minutes. Press top baking sheet down to flatten and continue to bake until pastries are golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Remove top baking sheet. Using metal spatula, transfer pastries to rack and cool completely.

FILLING: Combine rhubarb, sugar, orange juice, cornstarch, and grated orange peel in medium saucepan; stir to blend. Let stand until juices form, about 10 minutes. Cook over medium-high heat until rhubarb is tender but still intact, stirring gently, about 7 minutes. Gently stir in red currant jelly. Cool 5 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Pastries and filling can be made 1 day ahead. Store pastries airtight at room temperature. Cover and chill filling. Rewarm filling before using.

Arrange 1 pastry triangle on each of 4 plates; top with rhubarb filling, then remaining 4 pastry triangles. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Scoop ice cream alongside each napoleon. Garnish with orange peel strips and mint, if desired. Serve napoleons immediately.Technique Tip: Puff Pastry, UnpuffedSometimes you want to allow puff pastry to do its thing and puff as high as it can, as when you’re making tartlets. But other times, as when making napoleons, it’s best to keep the pastry layers more condensed. Sandwiching the pastry between two baking sheets while baking prevents it from rising out of control. Be sure to butter the baking sheets very well to prevent sticking.

Maple Mousse Napoleons with Macadamia Nut Brittle and Passion Fruit-Mango Sauce

These contemporary individual napoleons add a few delicious twists to the classic version: maple mousse in place of the traditional pastry cream, macadamia nut brittle between the layers, and a tropical fruit sauce. The mousse must chill overnight, and most of the other components for this impressive dessert can be made at least one day ahead. Makes 6

Brittle

⅔ cup sugar

½ cup water

½ cup dry-roasted macadamia nuts

Mousse

4 tablespoons water, divided

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

⅔ cup chilled heavy whipping cream, divided

⅓ cup pure maple syrup

2 large egg yolks

1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ teaspoon maple extract

Sauce

1½ cups frozen passion fruit juice concentrate, thawed

1 15- to 16-ounce mango, peeled, pitted, chopped (about 1⅓ cups)

½ cup (about) water

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Pastry

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed

Powdered sugar

BRITTLE: Place sheet of foil on work surface. Stir sugar and ½ cup water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Increase heat and boil until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down pan sides and swirling pan, about 8 minutes. Mix in nuts. Immediately pour out onto foil. Let stand until cold and hard. Coarsely chop brittle.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead; store airtight at room temperature.

MOUSSE: Place 1½ tablespoons water in small cup; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes. Whisk 3 tablespoons cream, maple syrup, egg yolks, and remaining 2½ tablespoons water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until custard thickens and forms path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat. Add gelatin mixture to hot custard. Stir until gelatin dissolves. Add butter and maple extract; stir until butter melts. Cool to room temperature. Whisk remaining cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Fold into custard. Cover; chill mousse overnight.

SAUCE: Puree juice concentrate and mango in blender. Thin, if desired, by adding up to ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; blend 2 seconds.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to bowl; cover and chill.

PASTRY: Preheat oven to 450°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out pastry on lightly floured surface to 12×12-inch square. Let pastry rest 5 minutes, then if necessary, roll again to 12×12-inch square. Cut pastry into six 2-inch-wide strips, then cut each strip in half crosswise. Arrange strips on prepared sheet. Cover with more parchment; weigh down with another baking sheet.

Bake pastry strips 14 minutes. Remove top baking sheet and top piece of parchment. Bake strips until golden, about 5 minutes longer. Cool on sheet.

Place 6 pastry strips on work surface. Spoon mousse into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe mousse onto pastry strips in rows, covering completely. Sprinkle some nut brittle over mousse. Top with second pastry strip, pressing lightly to adhere.

DO AHEAD: Napoleons can be made 4 hours ahead. Chill. Return to room temperature before serving.

Sift powdered sugar over napoleons. Spoon sauce onto 6 plates. Arrange napoleons atop sauce. Sprinkle additional nut brittle around and serve.

Caramelized Banana Purses with White Chocolate Sauce

Here’s a good choice for an elegant dinner party: Delicate “purses” of phyllo pastry hold a banana-hazelnut filling and are served with white chocolate sauce and a crunchy hazelnut crumble. Everything can be made ahead; just slide the purses into the oven before dinner. Makes 10

CrumbleNonstick vegetable oil spray

1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup hazelnuts, coarsely choppedPinch of salt

Filling

¾ cup sugar

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

¼ cup fresh lime juice

6 medium bananas (about 2 pounds), peeled, cut into ¾-inch-thick slices

2 tablespoons Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) or amaretto

Purses

10 17×12-inch sheets or twenty 14×9-inch sheets fresh or thawed frozen phyllo pastry

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted

White Chocolate Sauce (see recipe)

CRUMBLE: Preheat oven to 300°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; spray with nonstick spray. Stir brown sugar and butter in medium saucepan over low heat until butter melts. Remove from heat. Mix in flour, nuts, and salt; spread on prepared sheet. Bake until dry and golden, about 30 minutes. Cool. Peel off foil and break crumble into small pieces.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

FILLING: Stir sugar, butter, and lime juice in large nonstick skillet over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and stir until mixture begins to brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Add bananas and liqueur; stir until sauce is thick enough to coat bananas, about 2 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and cool. Mix 1 cup hazelnut crumble into banana mixture.

PURSES: If using 17×12-inch phyllo, place 1 sheet on work surface (keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap, then damp towel). Brush phyllo with some melted butter. Fold phyllo in half crosswise, brush with melted butter, then fold in half again, forming square; brush with more butter.

If using 14×9-inch phyllo, place 1 sheet on work surface; brush with melted butter. Top with second sheet of phyllo; brush with butter. Fold phyllo sheets in half crosswise and brush with more butter.

Place generous ¼ cup filling in center of phyllo square. Bring all edges of phyllo square up toward center and squeeze firmly at top, forming purse. Place on baking sheet. Brush purse with butter. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets, melted butter, and filling, forming 10 purses total.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Chill.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover phyllo purses loosely with foil. Bake until purses begin to color, about 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until phyllo is golden, about 15 minutes longer. Place 1 purse on each of 10 plates. Spoon 3 tablespoons warm White Chocolate Sauce around each. Sprinkle remaining hazelnut crumble over and serve.

White Chocolate Sauce

Some pleasures in life are simple—here’s one. Because white chocolate can burn very easily, the cream is heated and then poured over the chocolate to melt it gently. With just two ingredients, you’ll want to use high-quality chocolate for best results. Fine white chocolate is found in the baking aisle or candy aisle of supermarkets and at specialty foods stores. Makes about 2 cups

6 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

1½ cups heavy whipping cream

Place chocolate in small bowl. Bring cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; whisk until smooth.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and chill. Before serving, rewarm in saucepan over low heat, stirring often.

Pear and Fig Strudels with Ginger Cream

This recipe makes two strudels that are divided into four servings each. The recipe calls for 17×12-inch phyllo sheets, but if only 14×9-inch phyllo sheets are available, make three strudels instead of two, dividing the filling among three phyllo stacks. 8 servings

Filling

1½ pounds fresh figs, stemmed, each cut into 6 wedges (about 5 cups)

1½ pounds firm but ripe pears (about 3 large), peeled, cored, cut into ½-inch pieces (about 3½ cups)

½ cup sugar

½ cup frozen cranberry-raspberry concentrate, thawed

1½ teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

Strudels

6 tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs

4 tablespoons sugar, divided

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

10 17×12-inch sheets fresh or thawed frozen phyllo pastry

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted

Ginger Cream (see recipe)

FILLING: Preheat oven to 450°F. Generously butter large rimmed baking sheet. Place figs and pear pieces in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Roast until fruit pieces are tender and beginning to brown around edges, about 20 minutes. Transfer fruit and any juices from baking sheet to medium bowl. Cool. Stir in cranberry-raspberry concentrate and lemon peel. Chill until cold.

STRUDELS: Butter another large rimmed baking sheet. Mix breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl. Place clean kitchen towel on work surface. Place 1 phyllo sheet atop towel with short end toward edge of work surface (cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap, then damp kitchen towel). Brush phyllo sheet with some melted butter; sprinkle with ⅛ of breadcrumb mixture. Top with second phyllo sheet. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle with ⅛ of breadcrumb mixture. Repeat with 2 more phyllo sheets, melted butter, and breadcrumb mixture. Top with fifth phyllo sheet; brush with melted butter (do not sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture).

Using slotted spoon, place half of fig mixture along 1 short side of phyllo stack; spread in 3-inch-wide strip, leaving 1-inch plain border on long sides. Sprinkle ½ tablespoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon over fig mixture. Fold long sides of phyllo over filling; brush folded sides with melted butter. Starting at filled short side, roll up phyllo, enclosing filling completely. Brush all over with melted butter. Place strudel, seam side down, on prepared baking sheet. Repeat assembly process to make second strudel.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and chill.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Brush strudels lightly with melted butter. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Using serrated knife, cut each strudel on diagonal into 4 pieces; discard ends. Place 1 piece on each of 8 plates. Dollop Ginger Cream alongside. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ginger Cream

This topping is also great served with plum, pear, or peach crisps and pies, and it makes a nice addition to tropical fruit compotes. It’s even delicious with pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. Makes about 1½ cups

¼ cup water

3 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

1½ tablespoons sugar

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

Combine ¼ cup water, ginger, and sugar in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer until mixture is syrupy, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Using electric mixer, beat cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Fold in ginger mixture.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk to thicken, if necessary, before serving.

Apple Strudel with Cranberry Sauce

Sheets of phyllo pastry replace strudel dough in this great alternative to holiday pumpkin pie. Gingersnap crumbs are a clever addition: They lend a warm spice flavor to the apple filling while thickening the juices and create a tasty separation between the layers of phyllo. Use a food processor to grind crisp—not chewy—gingersnap cookies into fine crumbs, or enclose the cookies in a resealable plastic bag and use a rolling pin or meat mallet to crush them. Serve the strudel with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. 6 servings

Sauce

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (about 8 ounces; unthawed)

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

3 tablespoons kirsch (clear cherry brandy)

Strudel

¼ cup raisins

1½ tablespoons kirsch (clear cherry brandy)

3 medium Granny Smith apples (about 18 ounces), peeled, cored, cut into ⅓-inch pieces

½ cup plus 9 teaspoons gingersnap cookie crumbs

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

9 17×12-inch sheets or eighteen 14×9-inch sheets fresh or thawed frozen phyllo pastry

Powdered sugar

SAUCE: Combine cranberries, sugar, 1 cup water, and kirsch in heavy medium sauce-pan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and cook until most of berries burst, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer to processor and puree.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over low heat before serving.

STRUDEL: Combine raisins and kirsch in small bowl. Let soak 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine apples, ½ cup gingersnap crumbs, sugar, and raisin mixture in bowl. Brush large rimmed baking sheet with some of melted butter.

If using 17×12-inch phyllo, place 1 sheet on work surface with 1 long side parallel to edge of work surface (cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap, then damp kitchen towel). Brush phyllo with melted butter; sprinkle 1 teaspoon gingersnap crumbs over. Top with second phyllo sheet. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon gingersnap crumbs. Repeat with some melted butter, remaining phyllo sheets, and gingersnap crumbs. Spoon apple mixture in 3-inch-wide log along 1 long side of phyllo, leaving 2-inch plain border at long and short edges. Fold long side over filling, then fold in short sides and roll up jelly-roll style.

If using 14×9-inch phyllo, place 1 sheet on work surface with 1 long side parallel to edge of work surface (cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap, then damp towel). Brush phyllo with melted butter; sprinkle with ½ teaspoon gingersnap crumbs. Top with second phyllo sheet. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle with ½ teaspoon gingersnap crumbs. Repeat with 7 more phyllo sheets, melted butter, and gingersnap crumbs. Spoon half of apple mixture in 2-inch-wide log along 1 long side of phyllo, leaving 2-inch plain border at long and short edges. Fold long side over filling [1], then fold in short sides and roll up jelly-roll style [2]. Make second strudel by repeating procedure with some melted butter, remaining 9 phyllo sheets, crumbs, and filling.

Carefully transfer strudel(s) to prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Brush top of strudel(s) with melted butter.

Bake strudel(s) 15 minutes. Brush with remaining melted butter. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Cool on baking sheet.

Lightly sift powdered sugar over strudel(s). Cut strudel(s) crosswise into thick slices. Transfer to plates. Spoon sauce around strudel(s) and serve.

Dried Cherry and Walnut Strudel Bundles

These flaky phyllo bundles can be made with either dried tart cherries or dried Bing cherries, which are sweeter. Both are available at most supermarkets and at specialty foods stores. Don’t brush melted butter on the tips of the phyllo bundles—the tips brown quickly on their own. Makes 6

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons dried cherries

¾ cup boiling water

¾ cup walnuts, ground

6 tablespoons apricot preserves

24 14×9-inch sheets or 17×12-inch sheets fresh or thawed frozen phyllo pastry

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted

6 6-inch-long pieces kitchen stringPowdered sugar

Place cherries in small bowl. Pour ¾ cup boiling water over. Let stand until cherries soften, about 30 minutes. Drain well. Pat cherries dry with paper towels. Mix cherries, nuts, and preserves in medium bowl.

Lightly oil heavy rimmed baking sheet. Stack phyllo sheets on work surface. Trim to 9-inch square if using 14×9-inch sheets, or 10-inch square if using 17×12-inch sheets (save scraps for another use). Cover phyllo stack with plastic wrap, then damp kitchen towel. Place 1 phyllo square on work surface. Brush lightly with melted butter. Arrange another phyllo square atop, with corners at slight angle. Brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat with 2 more squares, arranging corners at slight angle. Spoon ¼ cup cherry mixture in center of phyllo stack. Lift edges of phyllo and bring together around filling, forming bundle. With string, carefully tie bundle just above filling. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining phyllo and filling, forming 6 bundles total. Brush phyllo on outside of filled portion (but not tops) of each bundle with melted butter.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover carefully and chill.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake until phyllo is golden, about 35 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to rack and cool phyllo bundles on sheet. Carefully cut string from each bundle. Sift powdered sugar over bundles and serve.

More to TryTry using your favorite liqueur, such as amaretto, in place of half of the boiling water. And don’t hesitate to mix up the combination of nuts and fruit—hazelnuts and dried figs plumped in Port would make a tasty alternate filling.Wondering what to do with all those phyllo trimmings? Toss them with melted butter, then cinnamon sugar; form them into mounds and bake until golden. Serve with fresh ripe peach wedges or poached pears and vanilla ice cream.For something savory, toss trimmings with melted garlic butter and grated Parmesan cheese, then mound and bake. Serve with soup.

Chocolate Chunk and Apricot Cannoli

“Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.” If a dessert is good enough to be immortalized in The Godfather, it’s worth making at home. And it’s easy to prepare these tube-shaped, cream-filled Italian pastries, since cannoli shells are readily available at Italian markets. Typically the ricotta and mascarpone cheese filling is studded with candied fruit, but we’ve used a winning combination of apricot preserves and chopped bittersweet chocolate. Makes 6

1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

¼ cup mascarpone cheese

½ cup apricot preserves

3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

6 purchased cannoli shellsGround coffee beansPowdered sugar

Puree ricotta in processor. Add mascarpone and process to blend. Add preserves; process until incorporated but some small chunks remain. Add chocolate. Using on/off turns, mix until just blended (do not puree).

Transfer filling to pastry bag without tip. Pipe into shells. Sprinkle ends of cheese filling lightly with ground coffee. Arrange cannoli on platter; chill until cold.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Sift powdered sugar over cannoli and serve.Market Tip: Fresh RicottaFor best results, use fresh ricotta cheese. Avoid packaged brands that include preservatives, as these can be watery and have a grainy or gelatinous texture. Fresh ricotta is sometimes available at well-stocked supermarkets; otherwise, buy the ricotta at an Italian market, where the cannoli shells can also be found.

Dried Cherry and Ginger Cannoli

Serve these delicious and colorful cannoli for brunch or to end an Italian feast. Makes 25

4 cups fresh ricotta cheese (2 pounds)

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup mascarpone cheese

1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup minced crystallized ginger

¾ cup minced dried tart cherries

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

25 purchased cannoli shellsChopped pistachiosAdditional powdered sugar

Working in 2 batches, blend ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, mascarpone, orange peel, and vanilla in processor until smooth. Add ginger and cherries and process until well incorporated. Using on/off turns, mix in chocolate just until blended (do not puree). Transfer filling to large bowl.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before continuing.

Working in batches, transfer filling to pastry bag without tip. Pipe filling into cannoli shells. Sprinkle ends with pistachios. Chill at least 2 hours.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Sift powdered sugar over cannoli and serve.

custards & puddings

stirred puddings

Double-Chocolate Pudding

Lime and Lemon Posset

Butterscotch Puddings with Whipped Cream and Crushed English Toffee

Chocolate-Espresso Puddings with Espresso Whipped Cream

pots de crème

Chocolate and Butterscotch Pots de Crème

Chocolate-Orange Pots de Crème with Candied Orange Peel

Cappuccino Creams

Chai Pots de Crème

Honey-Cardamom Custards with Strawberry-Orange Compote

flans

The Perfect Flan

Vanilla-Lime Flans

Mocha Crème Caramel

Mango Flans

Sweet Potato Flans

crèmes brûlées

Caramel Crème Brûlée

Ginger Crème Brûlée

Cherry Crème Brûlée

Coffee-Brandy Crème Brûlée

White Pepper Crème Brûlée with Fig and Prune Compote

Pumpkin and Brown Sugar Crème Brûlée

rice, tapioca & corn puddings

Vanilla Rice Pudding with Dried Cherries

Rice Pudding with Cream Sherry

Warm Jasmine Rice Puddings with Passion Fruit

Caramelized Mango-Lime Tapioca

Indian Pudding

panna cottas

Vanilla Panna Cottas with Mixed Berry Compote

Pomegranate Panna Cottas

Panna Cottas with Black Mission Figs in Syrup

Piña Colada Panna Cotta

bread puddings

Caramel-Banana Bread Puddings

Dulce de Leche and Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding

Spiced Cranberry Bread Puddings

Gingerbread Puddings with Candied Apples

Sticky Date and Almond Bread Pudding with Amaretto Zabaglione

Lemon-Spice Bread Pudding with Sautéed Peaches

mousse

Classic Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate-Cinnamon Mousse with Cherries

Spiced Coffee Mousse

Whiskey-Kissed White Chocolate Mousse with Strawberries and Lemon Shortbread Squares

Lemon Mousse with Fresh Berries

Chilled Lemon Mousse with Caramel Sauce

Gianduja Terrine with Hazelnut Custard Sauce

fools

Blackberry-Cassis Fool

Raspberry Fool

tiramisu

Berry Charlotte

Classic Tiramisù

Individual Raspberry Tiramisùs with Raspberry-Framboise Sauce

parfaits & trifles

Chocolate Cranachan

Mascarpone and Berry Parfaits

Raspberry-Nectarine Parfaits with Warm Peach Sabayon

Champagne Parfaits with Pears and Raspberries

Cranberry and Lemon-Ginger Parfaits

Tuaca Zabaglione with Sautéed Vanilla Pears

Tiramisù Eggnog Trifle

White Chocolate Trifle with Spiced Pears

Chocolate-Cherry Trifle

soufflés

Chocolate Soufflés with White Chocolate Cream

Dark Chocolate Soufflés with Cardamom Crème Anglaise

Toffee Soufflés with Chocolate Sauce

Maple Gingerbread Soufflé

Lemon Soufflés with Boysenberries

Ricotta Soufflés with Blackberry Compote

Pear Soufflés with Chocolate Sauce

Salzburg Soufflé with Strawberry-Kirsch Sauce

Double-Chocolate Pudding

This is just as quick to make as packaged pudding, but it tastes much, much better, thanks to the double dose of chocolate from both cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate. And there are no fancy tools required—just a whisk and a saucepan. 2 servings; can be doubled

⅓ cup sugar

2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder

4 teaspoons cornstarchPinch of salt

1 cup whole milk

½ ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in heavy medium saucepan until no lumps remain. Gradually add half of milk, whisking until mixture is smooth. Whisk in remaining milk. Cook over medium heat until pudding thickens and comes to boil, whisking constantly, about 5 minutes. Continue to boil 1 minute longer, whisking constantly.

Remove pudding from heat. Add chocolate and vanilla; whisk until chocolate melts and pudding is smooth. Divide between 2 dessert dishes. Chill puddings until cold, about 3 hours.

Lime and Lemon Posset

This dessert delivers great results with little effort. There is no need for eggs or gelatin to set the pudding; the acid in the lemon and lime juice does the trick all on its own. Makes 6

2¼ cups heavy whipping cream

¾ cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon finely grated lime peel

Bring cream and ¾ cup sugar to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly and adjusting heat as needed to prevent mixture from boiling over. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and lime juice; cool 10 minutes. Stir pudding again and divide among six ½-cup ramekins or custard cups. Cover and chill puddings until set, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

Mix lemon peel, lime peel, and remaining 1 teaspoon sugar in small bowl. Sprinkle over puddings and serve.

Butterscotch Puddings with Whipped Cream and Crushed English Toffee

This is butterscotch pudding for grown-ups: It gets a splash of Scotch whisky. Whisking the hot half and half into the egg yolks gradually (instead of all at once) keeps the yolks from curdling; straining the pudding helps provide the smoothest, silkiest result. Makes 6

3 cups half and half, divided

2 large egg yolks

⅓ cup cornstarch

¾ cup (packed) dark brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon Scotch

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup chilled heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 1.4-ounce chocolate-covered English toffee bar (such as Heath), crushed with mallet or finely chopped

Whisk 1 cup half and half, egg yolks, and cornstarch in large bowl until blended and cornstarch dissolves. Combine remaining 2 cups half and half, brown sugar, and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Bring just to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Gradually whisk hot half and half mixture into egg yolk mixture. Strain mixture back into same saucepan. Whisk over medium-low heat until mixture thickens and boils, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in butter, Scotch, and vanilla.

Divide pudding mixture among six ¾ cup ramekins or custard cups. Cover ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.

Whisk cream and powdered sugar in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Spoon large dollops of whipped cream atop puddings. Sprinkle with crushed toffee and serve.Technique Tip: Toffee CrushCrushing the toffee bar with a mallet while the bar is still in its wrapper helps keep the crushed pieces contained. Or unwrap and place in a resealable plastic bag to crush.

Chocolate-Espresso Puddings with Espresso Whipped Cream

Chocolate-coated coffee beans would be a fun garnish for these easy-to-prepare puddings. Makes 6

6 tablespoons sugar, divided

2 tablespoons cornstarch

4 teaspoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder, divided

2 cups whole milk

1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup chilled heavy whipping cream

Whisk 4 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and 3 teaspoons espresso powder in heavy medium saucepan until no lumps remain. Gradually whisk in milk. Whisk over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips, butter, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Divide pudding among 6 small ramekins or goblets. Cover and chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Using electric mixer, beat cream, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon espresso powder in medium bowl until peaks form. Top each pudding with dollop of espresso whipped cream.

What’s WhatWhile many custard and pudding desserts start with the same basic elements, each has its own unique, delicious personality.CRÈME BRÛLÉE: a chilled custard topped with a hard sugar crust made by sprinkling sugar over the top of the custard and caramelizing it with a kitchen torch or under the broiler.FLAN (CRÈME CARAMEL): custard with a caramel topping. The custard is baked in a custard cup or ramekin with the caramel on the bottom, chilled, then inverted onto a plate so that the caramel coats the top and sides.FOOL: a simple and delicious English dessert in which pureed fruit (sweetened or unsweetened) is folded together with whipped cream.MOUSSE: a rich yet airy dessert lightened with the addition of whipped cream or beaten egg whites or both.PANNA COTTA: a classic Italian dessert—cold, silky, eggless custard that’s often embellished with fruit and sometimes flavored with liqueurs.PARFAIT: Parfait (“perfect” in French) has two different culinary interpretations. The classic French parfait is a frozen custard, often layered in goblets or parfait glasses with fruit or nuts. The other, more common usage of the word refers to a layered dessert based on some sort of custard, ice cream, yogurt, or sabayon. It can be layered with anything from fruit and nuts to candy and granola.POSSET: a simple British pudding that is thickened by the acid in the citrus fruit.POT DE CRÈME: a rich custard, usually vanilla or chocolate, named for the small lidded pot it is traditionally served in.

Chocolate and Butterscotch Pots de Crème

Because each pudding layer needs to set overnight on its own, make sure to begin preparing this dessert two days ahead. Use clear glass ramekins to display the colored layers. Makes 12

Butterscotch Pudding

3½ cups heavy whipping cream

¼ teaspoon salt

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

6 ounces butterscotch chips

6 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon Scotch

Chocolate Pudding

6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

½ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powderPinch of salt

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy whipping cream

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

3 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING: Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine cream and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add butterscotch chips and whisk until smooth. Whisk egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk cream mixture into yolks. Return mixture to same saucepan. Discard vanilla bean.

Stir brown sugar, 1 tablespoon water, and Scotch in heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil; whisk brown sugar syrup into butterscotch mixture.

Divide pudding among twelve ¾-cup custard cups or ramekins. Place cups in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cups. Cover pan with foil and bake until puddings are set, about 1 hour. Remove cups from pan. Place on rimmed baking sheet and chill uncovered overnight.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING: Stir chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Cool to lukewarm.

Sift sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt into heavy medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in milk and cream. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Whisk in egg yolks, then melted chocolate. Place saucepan over medium heat and whisk constantly until thick and edges are bubbling, about 10 minutes. Remove chocolate pudding from heat and strain into 4-cup measuring cup. Whisk in butter. Let pudding stand at room temperature 10 minutes.

Pour warm chocolate pudding over chilled butterscotch puddings, dividing equally. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Chocolate-Orange Pots de Crème with Candied Orange Peel

This intense chocolate pudding is the perfect finish for a romantic dinner for two—or an elegant dinner for four; the recipe doubles easily. Covering the dishes with foil before baking helps prevent a film from forming on top of the pudding as it cooks. Makes 2

Candied Orange Peel

1 orange

1 cup sugar, divided

¾ cup water

Pots de Crème

⅔ cup whole milk

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

4 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons sugar

Lightly sweetened whipped cream

CANDIED ORANGE PEEL: Using vegetable peeler, remove orange part of peel from orange in long strips. Cut peel lengthwise into ⅛-inch-wide strips. Stir ¾ cup sugar and ¾ cup water in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Add orange peel; simmer 15 minutes.

Place remaining ¼ cup sugar in small bowl. Using slotted spoon, remove peel from syrup and transfer to sugar. Toss to coat. Cool, tossing occasionally. Cover bowl and let stand at room temperature overnight.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep covered.

POTS DE CRÈME: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring milk, cream, Grand Marnier, vanilla, and grated orange peel to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in medium bowl until pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Whisk egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Strain into 2-cup measuring cup.

Divide mixture between two 8-ounce custard cups. Place cups in small baking dish. Add enough hot water to baking dish to come halfway up sides of cups. Cover dish tightly with foil. Bake until custard is set, about 40 minutes. Remove cups from water. Refrigerate uncovered until cool. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 6 hours.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.

Top with whipped cream, garnish with candied orange peel, and serve.

Cappuccino Creams

What could be better than a hot cappuccino topped with white chocolate cream? This cold dessert version, which features sweet espresso and white chocolate custards, comes very close. For a more playful take, bake and serve the custards in pretty coffee cups. Makes 6

1 2½ inch piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1¾ cups heavy whipping cream, divided

2 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), finely chopped

5 tablespoons sugar

4 large egg yolks

1 large egg

¼ cup sour cream

4 teaspoons light (white) rumPinch of salt

4 teaspoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place ramekins in 13×9×2-inch metal baking pan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into heavy small saucepan; add bean. Mix in ½ cup cream and white chocolate. Stir over low heat just until smooth. Set aside.

Whisk remaining 1¼ cups cream, sugar, egg yolks, egg, sour cream, rum, and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Strain white chocolate mixture into egg mixture and whisk to blend. Pour ¼ cup custard mixture into each ramekin; reserve remaining custard. Add enough hot water to baking pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake until custards set, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Add espresso powder to remaining custard mixture; stir until dissolved. Spoon espresso custard over white chocolate custards, dividing equally.

Bake custards until set, about 30 minutes. Remove from water. Refrigerate uncovered until cold.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.Technique Tip: RamekinsThis recipe calls for wide, shallow ramekins, but the custards can also be made in 3-inch-diameter ramekins with 1¼-inch-high sides. They will need to bake a little longer, about 50 minutes instead of 35.

Chai Pots de Crème

Spiced chai tea is ubiquitous in the Indian subcontinent and in coffeehouses everywhere else. It’s a blend of black tea boiled with milk and water and spiced with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and ginger. That combination is the inspiration for these exotic pots de crème. Makes 6

Custard

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon loose-leaf English Breakfast tea or jasmine tea

1 cinnamon stick

8 whole cardamom pods

6 whole cloves

3 ¼-inch-thick rounds peeled fresh ginger

4 large egg yolks

½ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

¼ teaspoon finely grated orange peel

Topping

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons sugar

CUSTARD: Combine cream, milk, tea, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and ginger in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat; cover and let steep 15 minutes to allow flavors to develop.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Place six ¾-cup custard cups or ramekins in 13×9×2-inch metal baking pan. Pour cream mixture through fine strainer into medium bowl. Discard solids in strainer

Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and orange peel in 4-cup measuring cup to blend well. Gradually whisk in cream mixture. Pour custard mixture into custard cups, dividing equally (cups will not be full). Add enough hot water to baking pan to come halfway up sides of custard cups. Cover pan with foil. Pierce foil in several places with skewer to allow steam to escape.

Bake custards until softly set (center will move slightly when cups are shaken gently), about 30 minutes. Remove custards from water. Cool slightly on rack. Chill uncovered until cold.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.

TOPPING: Beat cream and sugar in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Place dollop of whipped cream atop each pot de crème and serve.Ingredient Tip: Jasmine TeaUsing jasmine tea instead of English Breakfast will lend a delicate floral note to the pots de crème.

Honey-Cardamom Custards with Strawberry-Orange Compote

Simple baked custards get a honeyed sweetness and a spicy cardamom boost. They’re served straight out of the ramekins, topped with spiced sliced strawberries and orange segments. To amp up the flavor, use whole cardamom seeds, straight from the pod and freshly ground in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Makes 4

2 cups whole milk

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

2 2×1-inch orange peel strips [orange part only)

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

⅛ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup honey

4 large egg yolks

1 large eggStrawberry-Orange Compote (see recipe)

Combine milk, cream, vanilla bean, orange peel strips, cardamom, and salt in heavy small saucepan. Cook milk mixture over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear around edge of saucepan. Remove from heat. Cover and let steep 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove softened vanilla bean from milk mixture. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into milk mixture; add bean. Heat milk mixture again until tiny bubbles appear around edge of saucepan. Remove saucepan from heat, add honey, and stir until honey melts. Using fork, beat egg yolks and egg in medium bowl just until blended. Gradually mix hot milk mixture into egg mixture. Strain custard into large measuring cup with spout.

Pour custard into four 1¼-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups. Place dishes in 13×9×2-inch metal baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of dishes. Cover pan loosely with foil. Bake custards until knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer dishes to rack and cool. Cover custards and refrigerate until cold.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.

Place custards in dishes on plates. Top each custard with Strawberry-Orange Compote and serve.

Strawberry-Orange Compote

Compotes are usually cooked—the fruit is stewed until it reaches a syrupy consistency. Here, the strawberries and orange segments are simply combined with honey and the juice from the oranges and spiced with a little cardamom. In classic French cooking, to suprême a citrus fruit is to segment it, removing the pith, peel, seeds, and membranes (see page 35 for more information on how to do this). The resulting slices are known as supremes. If you don’t have the time (or perhaps the patience) for such a task, you can also cut off the peel and pith, slice the orange crosswise into rounds, and cut the rounds into pieces. 4 servings

1 1-pint container strawberries, hulled, sliced

2 oranges, peel and white pith removed

1 tablespoon honey

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Place strawberries in medium bowl. Using small sharp knife, hold oranges over same bowl and cut between membranes to release segments, allowing juice and segments to fall into bowl. Squeeze orange membranes over same bowl to release any juice. Mix in honey and cardamom.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

The Perfect Flan

This extraordinary flan starts with a few humble ingredients: eggs, cream, milk, sugar, vanilla. But with the right techniques, the results are incredible: a silky-smooth vanilla custard coated with sweet homemade caramel. Note that the flans need to chill overnight before serving. Makes 6

1¾ cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup whole milkPinch of salt

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 cup plus 7 tablespoons sugar

⅓ cup water

3 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Combine cream, milk, and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and let steep 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 1 cup sugar and ⅓ cup water in another heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. Immediately pour caramel into six ¾-cup ramekins or custard cups. Using oven mitts as aid, immediately tilt each ramekin to coat sides. Place ramekins in 13×9×2-inch metal baking pan.

Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and remaining 7 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl just until blended. Gradually and gently whisk cream mixture into egg mixture without creating lots of foam. Pour custard through small sieve into prepared ramekins, dividing equally (mixture will fill ramekins). Add enough hot water to baking pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.

Bake flans until center is gently set, about 40 minutes. Transfer flans to rack and cool. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and chill overnight.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Run small sharp knife around sides of 1 flan. Place plate atop ramekin. Invert flan onto plate. Shake gently to release flan. Carefully lift off ramekin, allowing caramel to run over flan. Repeat with remaining flans and serve.

Vanilla-Lime Flans

Bright lime flavors pair beautifully with vanilla in this creamy dessert. You’ll want to start these one day ahead: They need to chill overnight. Makes 8

1⅓ cups plus ½ cup sugar

½ cup water

4 teaspoons finely grated lime peel

3 large eggs

5 large egg yolks

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1½ cups whole milk

2½ teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon saltLime slices

Preheat oven to 325°F. Place eight ⅔-cup ramekins or custard cups on work surface. Stir 1⅓ cups sugar and ½ cup water in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 8 minutes. Immediately pour caramel into ramekins, dividing equally. Using oven mitts as aid, pick up each ramekin and tilt and rotate to coat sides with caramel. Place ramekins in large roasting pan.

Using back of spoon, mash remaining ½ cup sugar and lime peel in large bowl until sugar is moist and fragrant. Add eggs and egg yolks; whisk to blend. Bring cream and milk to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk cream mixture into egg mixture. Whisk in vanilla and salt. Ladle custard into caramel-lined ramekins. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.

Bake flans until just set and beginning to color on top, about 45 minutes. Remove from water; let cool 45 minutes. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Run small sharp knife around sides of 1 flan. Place plate atop ramekin. Invert flan onto plate, allowing caramel to run over flan. Remove ramekin. Repeat with remaining flans. Garnish with lime slices.

Mocha Crème Caramel

A nice chocolate-coffee take on traditional crème caramel: The custard is prepared with milk chocolate and instant coffee crystals, and then topped with a layer of mocha ganache. Makes 6

Custard

⅔ cup plus ¼ cup sugar

3 tablespoons water

1½ cups heavy whipping cream

½ cup milk

4 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

2½ teaspoons instant coffee crystals

3 large egg yolks

1 large egg

Ganache

1½ teaspoons instant coffee powder

½ teaspoon water

4 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

CUSTARD: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Place six ½-cup ramekins or custard cups in baking pan. Stir ⅔ cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to boil. Boil without stirring until mixture turns deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 9 minutes. Immediately pour caramel into ramekins, dividing equally. Carefully tilt ramekins just to coat bottom (not sides) with caramel.

Bring cream, milk, and remaining ¼ cup sugar to boil in heavy medium saucepan, whisking until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Whisk in coffee crystals, egg yolks, and egg. Divide custard mixture equally among caramel-lined ramekins. Add enough hot water to baking pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.

Bake custards until set around edges and center moves only slightly when baking pan is shaken, about 30 minutes. Remove custards from water and cool. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, about 4 hours.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.

GANACHE: Dissolve coffee powder in ½ teaspoon water in small bowl. Combine chocolate and cream in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in coffee mixture. Cool until just warm to touch.