Copyright © 2006 by Dorie Greenspan
Photographs copyright © 2006 by Alan Richardson

All rights reserved

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, New York 10003.

Visit our website: www.hmhbooks.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Greenspan, Dorie.
Baking : from my home to yours / Dorie Greenspan ;
photographs by Alan Richardson.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN (print): 978-0-618-44336-9
ISBN (ebook): 978-0-547-34806-3
1. Baking. I. Title.
TX765.G8155 2006
641.8'15—dc22 2006003101

Book design by Anne Chalmers
Food styling by Karen Tack
Prop styling by Deb Donahue

v1.0713

FOR JOSHUA,
my all-time favorite
cookie muncher

Acknowledgments

THIS IS MY NINTH COOKBOOK. It is different in almost every way from my previous books, with one grand exception: as with all my other books, I worked with great people.

From the start there was my agent, David Black. David is smart, funny, fiercely supportive and crazy about brownies—a quality not to be underestimated. He is also spot-on about people, and it was David who brought me to Rux Martin, my editor.

I had known Rux and admired her work for years and was thrilled to be working with her. And I can’t emphasize the word “with” strongly enough—in Rux I found a true partner, something wonderful and rare in any endeavor. Baking is a far better book for having passed under her keen eye.

I was also privileged to work with the remarkable team at Houghton Mifflin, including Michaela Sullivan, who created the cover; Anne Chalmers, who designed the interior; Shelley Berg, who saw the book through production; Jacinta Monniere, who skillfully deciphered editorial hieroglyphs; and Rux’s terrific assistant, another brownie lover, Mimi Assad.

That Baking is both beautiful and welcoming is thanks to the extraordinary talents of the dream team of food photography: photographer Alan Richardson and his assistant, Roy Galaday; food stylist Karen Tack and her assistant, Ellie Ritt; and prop stylist Deb Donahue. Working with any of them would have been an honor; working with all of them was a gift.

Once again, I was lucky enough to work with Judith Sutton, the best cookbook copy editor on the planet. We’ve been together on every book I’ve written, and I hope never to break this streak.

I have an equally long-running streak with Bon Appétit magazine and its exceptional editor in chief, Barbara Fairchild. We’ve worked together happily, creatively and deliciously for fifteen years and I hope we’ll be working together for many more years to come. At Bon Appétit, I’ve been made to feel like a treasured member of the family, and I’m incredibly grateful. Extra thanks to Kristine Kidd, who, as director of the test kitchen, encouraged me to develop several recipes that debuted in the magazine and now appear in Baking.

I was fortunate to have the unflappable Judith Marshall testing recipes with me in New York. Judith is a gifted baker and a wonderful kitchen companion. We worked as a duo when she was pregnant, and we finished as a trio, with Olivia, her adorable daughter, taking up residence at the end of the kitchen. We’re not certain what Olivia will do when she grows up, but we’re sure she’ll love chocolate.

Special thanks to my pastry SOS team, Pierre Hermé in Paris and Nick Malgieri in New York.

And, as always and for always, my deepest love and greatest thanks to the men who make my life so sweet, my husband, Michael, and our son, Joshua.

Contents

Introduction

UNTIL I WAS A JUNIOR IN COLLEGE, my sole cooking experience consisted of burning down my parents’ kitchen when I was thirteen, after I tossed frozen French fries into boiling oil and covered the pot. For the next half-dozen years, I remained blissfully clueless about all things culinary. I didn’t bake so much as a chocolate chip cookie. But as a nineteen-year-old newlywed, I developed an abundance of curiosity, enthusiasm and, most important, need—our budget didn’t allow for dinners out, and it certainly didn’t cover store-bought desserts.

To my surprise, I found that I enjoyed cooking and loved baking. In fact, I loved it so much that, years later, when I was finishing a doctorate in gerontology and expecting to find a research job or a quiet spot in a university, I realized that baking was all I really wanted to do. With my husband’s encouragement, I decided to trade in academe for an oven, even though most everyone else I knew thought I was nuts.

At my first job interview to become an apprentice pastry chef in New York City, the chef rattled away in French, without asking me if I spoke the language, punctuating his monologue repeatedly with the words “Je cherche un garçon”—“I’m looking for a boy.” When I pointed out I was not a boy, he said, “Yes, and that is why you will not work in my kitchen.”

I did finally beg my way into a couple of great kitchens—all owned by women—and began writing about baking. Eventually I was asked by Julia Child to write Baking with Julia and turn what the chefs did on camera during her PBS television series into workable recipes the rest of the world could make at home. One afternoon when we were playing hooky from a prep session, Julia put her arm around my shoulders and said, “We make such a good team because we’re really just a pair of home bakers.”

I hadn’t thought about myself that way, but Julia was right: I was a home baker. In all the years I’d spent writing, teaching and explaining the elaborate recipes of pastry chefs, I was still baking crisps, crumbles, kids’ cupcakes and the homey desserts of my heart in my own narrow kitchen.

I had become a professional, but I had never stopped enjoying the satisfactions of baking at home. I still love the fragrance of fresh, sweet butter and pure vanilla, the feel of dough, the sound a wooden spoon makes against a pottery mixing bowl, the smell of cookies when they’re almost ready to come out of the oven and the remarkable sense of accomplishment every time I make something with my own hands. And I still love simple sweets: chunky cookies that can be packed in lunch boxes, pies for the holiday table, loaf cakes dusted with powdered sugar, Bundt cakes that are good keepers and tall all-American layer cakes, swirled with creamy frosting and big enough to support a battalion of birthday candles.

It’s been more than thirty years since I started baking at home, and rarely a day goes by that I don’t bake. This book is a record of those years. In some ways, it’s a recipe scrapbook, filled just as I would fill a kitchen journal to pass along to our son when he gets ready to start his own home. It’s a collection of my favorite recipes, the ones I love and the ones I’ve shared with my family and friends—a compendium of all that I’ve learned about home baking. At its heart are the treasured recipes that have proved to do one thing very well—make people happy.

—DORIE GREENSPAN
New York City, 2006

ORANGE BERRY MUFFINS

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THE ORANGE flavor in these delicate, cakey and generously blueberried muffins is in the background, like a play’s prompter—present, but only to encourage the performance of the star. In this case, the blueberries.

For a little extra sparkle, you can sprinkle the tops of the muffins with granulated sugar before sliding them into the oven; for a lot of extra sparkle, sprinkle them with decorating sugar, the coarse sugar that is often used to decorate Christmas cookies.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

SERVING: The muffins are great warm or at room temperature and they’re particularly great split, toasted and spread with butter or jam.

STORING: Like all muffins, these are best eaten the day they are made. If you want to keep them, wrap them airtight and pop them into the freezer, where they’ll keep for up to 2 months; rewarm in a 350-degree-F oven, if you’d like, or split and toast them.

• Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• About ¾ cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup blueberries—fresh, preferably, or frozen (not thawed)
• Decorating sugar, for topping (optional)

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

Pour the orange juice into a large glass measuring cup or a bowl and pour in enough buttermilk to make 1 cup. Whisk in the eggs, honey and melted butter.

In a large bowl, rub the sugar and orange zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of orange strong. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough—the batter will be lumpy and bubbly, and that’s just the way it should be. Stir in the blueberries. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. If you want to top the muffins with decorating sugar, sprinkle on the sugar after the muffins have baked for 10 minutes. When fully baked, the tops of the muffins will be golden and springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins will come out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

CORNIEST CORN MUFFINS

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THESE MUFFINS have an alluringly old-fashioned look. They’re flat, firm-topped and cheerfully yellow, with an equally old-fashioned texture—grainy with small holes running through the crumb—and a wholesome, straight-from-the-farm flavor. They’re tangy from the buttermilk and sweet from both the cornmeal (try to find stone-ground) and the corn kernels. You can make these muffins with canned or frozen corn kernels, but if you scrape fresh kernels off the cob, you’ll have something even more delightful: because the niblets will get only semisoft in the oven, every bite will offer just a little resistance, a little more “cornfulness” and a lot more pleasure.

If you’re using fresh corn kernels, the easiest way to get them off the cob is to cut the cob in half crosswise, then, working with one piece at a time, hold the cob upright in a deep bowl and use a chef’s knife to release the kernels from the cob. Position the knife at the base of the niblets and cut straight down the cob, turning the cob after each cut so you can de-kernel it completely. Separate the niblets with your fingers—you’ll get about 1 cup from each ear of corn. If no one is around, lean over the sink and suck on the cob—corn juice is famously sweet and very satisfying.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

SERVING: The muffins are great warm or at room temperature and particularly great split, toasted and slathered with butter or jam or both.

STORING: Like all muffins, these are best eaten the day they are made. If you want to keep them, wrap them airtight and pop them into the freezer, where they’ll keep for about 2 months. Rewarm in a 350-degree-F oven, if you’d like, or split and toast them—do that, and they’ll be that much more delicious with butter.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3 tablespoons corn oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 cup corn kernels (add up to ⅓ cup more if you’d like)—fresh, frozen or canned (in which case, they should be drained and patted dry)

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg, if you’re using it. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, oil, egg and yolk together until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough—the batter will be lumpy, and that’s just the way it should be. Stir in the corn kernels. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

SAVORY CORN AND PEPPER MUFFINS

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SOUTH-OF-THE-BORDER-STYLE muffins have the spunk, spice and potential to be as good a partner to soup and salad as to huevos rancheros or a mild-mannered four-minute egg. Think of them as mini corn breads—they’ve got that kind of tight crumb and light crumbliness—and enjoy the cilantro and chiles that give them such a distinctive Southwestern twang. (For a more traditional version of these muffins, see Playing Around.)

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

SERVING: These are particularly good served warm and still very good at room temperature. As a morning muffin, they’re good with butter; for brunch or supper, try them with red pepper jelly or salsa.

STORING: Best served the day they are made, these can be kept covered overnight and split and toasted the next day. They can also be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months. Rewarm in a 350-degree-F oven, if you’d like, or split and toast them.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons chili powder, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 large egg yolk
• ¼ cup corn kernels (add up to 3 tablespoons more if you’d like)—fresh, frozen or canned (in which case, they should be drained and patted dry)
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded, deveined and finely diced
• ¼ red bell pepper, seeded, deveined and finely diced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, chili powder, salt, baking soda and black pepper. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted butter and egg yolk together until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough—the batter will be lumpy, and that’s just the way it should be. Stir in the corn kernels, jalapeño, red pepper and cilantro. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

CITRUS-CURRANT SUNSHINE MUFFINS

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SMALL, FAIRLY flat-topped and, as their name suggests, a sunny yellow color, these have a bright, fresh, wake-you-up flavor, the happy result of a mix of fresh orange juice, lemon juice and a dash of lemon extract, which makes the orange flavor even more orangey.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

SERVING: I like these best at room temperature, when their texture is pleasantly chewy. I also like them most with a little swipe of soft sweet butter.

STORING: These are at their prime the day they are made, good the following day (just keep them well wrapped overnight) and fine packed airtight and frozen for up to 2 months. Rewarm the muffins in a 350-degree-F oven, if you’d like, or split them, toast them and butter them while they’re hot.

• ½ cup sugar
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon pure lemon extract
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup moist, plump dried currants

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, rub the sugar and orange zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of orange strong. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together the orange and lemon juices, lemon extract, melted butter and eggs. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough—a few lumps are better than overmixing the batter. Fold in the currants. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

GREAT GRAINS MUFFINS

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MADE WITH three different grains and plenty of buttermilk, eggs and maple syrup, these have character, great texture and a heartiness that satisfies without a trace of heaviness. I like to add quartered prunes to the mix, but the muffins are also good with raisins, dried apricots, dried cranberries, a few chopped pecans or nothing additional at all. Ditto when it comes to spreads—they’re great with butter, cream cheese, a slice of cheddar, some jam or plain.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

SERVING: These muffins are great warm or at room temperature.

STORING: Like all muffins, these are best eaten the day they are made, although they’re fine the next day, particularly if you split and toast them. If you want to keep them, it’s best to wrap them airtight and pop them into the freezer, where they’ll keep for up to 2 months. Rewarm in a 350-degree-F oven, if you’d like, or split and toast them.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup whole wheat flour
• ⅓ cup yellow cornmeal
• ⅓ cup old-fashioned oats
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 large eggs
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• ¾ cup quartered moist, plump prunes or other dried fruits (cut up as necessary) and/or chopped nuts (optional)

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, cornmeal, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, maple syrup, eggs and melted butter. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough—if the batter is a bit lumpy, that’s fine. Stir in the fruit or nuts, if you’re using them. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then carefully lift each muffin out of its mold and onto the rack to cool.

LEMON POPPY SEED MUFFINS

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I CAN give you four good reasons for wanting to single-handedly polish off a basket of these muffins: their resemblance to your favorite sour cream cake, their surprisingly tender texture, the haunting flavor of the poppy seeds that fleck their crumb and the exhilarating jolt that comes from lots of lemon juice in both the batter and the icing. Need another reason? Bake them with a little blueberry jam or a spot of lemon curd in the center (see Playing Around).

Poppy seeds, like nuts, are naturally oily and therefore prone to rancidity. To guard against spoilage, store them in a tightly sealed container in the freezer, and taste a few before using them to verify their freshness.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

SERVING: These muffins are best at room temperature, served plain or with jam.

STORING: Kept in a tightly covered container, the muffins will be fine for a day, although they are at their best the day they are made. Because of the confectioners’ sugar icing, they cannot be frozen.

FOR THE MUFFINS

• ⅔ cup sugar
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

FOR THE ICING

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of lemon strong. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and melted butter together until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough—a few lumps are better than overmixing the batter. Stir in the poppy seeds. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold. Cool the muffins completely on the rack before icing them.

TO MAKE THE ICING: Put the confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl and add about 1½ tablespoons of the lemon juice. Stir with a spoon to moisten the sugar, then add enough additional lemon juice, a dribble at a time, to get an icing that is thin enough to drizzle from the tip of the spoon. You can then drizzle lines of icing over the tops of the muffins or coat the tops entirely, the better to get an extra zap of lemon.

PUMPKIN MUFFINS

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THE BEST pumpkin muffins in New York are made by Sarabeth Levine, the mistress of Sarabeth’s jams and the founder of Sarabeth’s restaurants. Her muffins are big and spicy, packed with raisins and topped with sunflower seeds. They’re so good they ought to be the standard for all pumpkin muffins in the world. Like the originals, these are a beautiful orange-gold color and have a moist and tender cakey crumb, a gentle spiciness and the hallmark sprinkling of sunflower seeds across their crowns. They are good minutes out of the oven, at room temperature or split and toasted. And while they’re luscious on their own, they’re even better with a little butter and a lot of orange marmalade or apricot jam.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

SERVING: Serve these warm or at room temperature, or split and toasted, plain or with butter and jam.

STORING: Like all muffins, these are best eaten the day they are made, but they can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months. Rewarm in a 350-degree-F oven, or split and toast the muffins before serving.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch of ground allspice
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• ½ cup moist, plump golden raisins
• ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• About ⅓ cup unsalted raw sunflower seeds, for topping

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until soft. Add both the sugars and continue to beat until light and smooth. One by one, add the eggs, beating for a minute after the eggs are incorporated, then beat in the vanilla. Lower the mixer speed and mix in the pumpkin and buttermilk. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients in a steady stream, mixing only until they disappear. To avoid overmixing, you can stop the machine early and stir any remaining dry ingredients into the batter using a rubber spatula. Stir in the raisins and nuts. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle a few sunflower seeds over the top of each muffin.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the pan, then carefully remove each one from its mold and finish cooling on the rack.

CARROT SPICE MUFFINS

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CARROT MUFFINS, sometimes called Morning Glories, can be tricky—they should have the spiciness of the all-American carrot cake they’re based on, but not the full sweetness, and they should have the cake’s moistness, but not its dense, substantial texture. In other words, they should be just like these carrot muffins, which have enough spice and sweetness to keep you coming back for more, but not so much that you think you’re eating dessert at the crack of dawn. Because they’ve got such a great mix of add-ins—along with the carrots, there are coconut, currants and toasted nuts—every bite delivers a different combination of tastes and textures.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

SERVING: These muffins are delicious warm, but they’re even better after they’ve had at least half an hour to cool. Like many sweets with spice, their flavor intensifies with time.

STORING: These are best the day they are made, but still good (and even a little spicier) 1 day later—just keep them well covered overnight and, if you’d like, give them a quick warm-up in a 350-degree-F oven, or split them and pop them into the toaster. You can also wrap the muffins airtight and freeze them for up to 2 months; rewarm them the same way.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ⅔ cup flavorless oil, such as canola, safflower or corn
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded carrots (about 3, peeled and trimmed)
• ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut
• ⅓ cup moist, plump currants or raisins
• ⅓ cup pecans or walnuts, toasted, cooled and chopped

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and salt. Stir in the brown sugar, making certain there are no lumps. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the oil, eggs, milk and vanilla extract together until well combined. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough—a few lumps are better than overmixing the batter. Stir in the carrots, coconut, currants and nuts. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

COFFEE-BREAK MUFFINS

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RATHER THAN moistening the batter for these muffins with milk, I use a cup of full-bodied coffee. The coffee, reinforced with a spoonful of espresso powder and softened with sugar, half of it caramely brown, turns out a not-very-rich muffin that is exceedingly flavorful and silky, almost puddingish, in texture. Pair the muffins with your morning coffee for an extra shot of caffeine—or go the calm route and make these decaf.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

SERVING: These are delicious warm, but I think they’re more flavorful at room temperature. I also think that, as good as they are with butter, they’re great on their own.

STORING: Wrapped well, these will keep at room temperature overnight; they can be given a quick warm-up in a 350-degree-F oven, or just split and toast them. Wrapped airtight, they can be frozen for up to 2 months. Rewarm in a 350-degree-Foven, if you’d like, or split and toast them.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1 cup strong coffee, cooled
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir in the brown sugar, making certain there are no lumps. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the coffee, melted butter, egg and vanilla extract together until well combined. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough—a few lumps are better than overmixing the batter. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

ALLSPICE CRUMB MUFFINS

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SLIGHTLY CROWNED and covered with a tender brown-sugar-and-spice streusel, these muffins have the look and texture of old-fashioned crumb cake and the taste of allspice, a flavor that will probably be unguessable to most of your fellow muffin munchers.

Like mace and nutmeg, allspice is so often used in a supporting role—a pinch here, a speck there—that it’s difficult to distinguish it on its own. Dark, round and the size of a pebble, the spice is called Jamaican pepper in some languages (it is not a full-fledged member of the peppercorn family, but it is most commonly grown in Jamaica) and allspice in ours, because it is thought to taste like a combination of spices, specifically cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. For me, the flavor is closest to cloves, but you might get more cinnamon, nutmeg or even pepper—it’s the fun of a spice that is so complex.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

SERVING: While the fragrance of these muffins makes it almost impossible not to want one straight from the oven, it’s better to wait—the flavor of the allspice doesn’t really settle in until the muffins have cooled.

STORING: These are best the day they are made, but they are good (and even a little spicier) a day later—just keep them well covered overnight and, if you’d like, give them a quick warm-up in a 350-degree-F oven. Alternatively, you can wrap them airtight and freeze them for up to 2 months; reheat in the oven.

FOR THE STREUSEL

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

FOR THE MUFFINS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup whole milk
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE STREUSEL: Put the flour, brown sugar and allspice in a small bowl and sift them through your fingers to blend. Add the bits of cold butter and toss to coat, then use your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until you’ve got irregularly shaped crumbs. Set aside in the refrigerator for the moment. (You can make the crumbs up to 3 days ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator.)

TO MAKE THE MUFFINS: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, allspice and salt. Stir in the brown sugar, making certain there are no lumps. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the melted butter, eggs, milk and vanilla extract together until well combined. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough—the batter will be lumpy, and that’s just the way it should be. Stir in the lemon zest, if you’re using it. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Sprinkle some streusel over each muffin, then use your fingertips to gently press the crumbs into the batter.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

CHOCOLATE–CHOCOLATE CHUNK MUFFINS

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THESE SLIGHTLY sweet goodies straddle the divide between cupcakes and muffins and can be served as easily for tea as for brunch—although I think any time you can get away with calling chocolate a breakfast food, you should.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

SERVING: These are delicious warm, served on their own or with some good black cherry jam.

STORING: Wrapped well, these will keep at room temperature overnight; they can be given a quickwarm-up in a 350-degree-F oven, or just split and toast them. Wrapped airtight, they can be frozen for up to 2 months. Rewarm in a 350-degree-F oven, if you’d like, or split and toast them.

• ¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1¼ cups buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

Melt the butter and half the chopped chocolate together in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water; or do this in a microwave. Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract together until well combined. Pour the liquid ingredients and the melted butter and chocolate over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough—a few lumps are better than overmixing the batter. Stir in the remaining chopped chocolate. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

BASIC BISCUITS

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HERE’S THE biscuit you’ll make year-round for breakfast, as a sopper-upper for good gravy or, layered with butter and ham, dill and smoked salmon or soft herb-flecked cheese, as a nibble with champagne. It is everything a good biscuit should be: flaky, rich, top-hat high and down-home scrumptious.

MAKES ABOUT 12 BISCUITS

SERVING: Ideally biscuits should go from oven to table—burned fingers are part of the ritual. These are rich enough to serve plain, but they’re so, so good spread with cold sweet butter.

STORING: You can keep the biscuits in a plastic bag overnight and give them a quick warm-up in the oven the next day, but you won’t recapture their freshly made flakiness.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1¾ cups all-purpose flour and ⅓ cup cake flour)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
• ¾ cup cold whole milk

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Get out a sharp 2-inch-diameter biscuit cutter, and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Whisk the flour(s), baking powder, sugar and salt together in a bowl. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingerstips (my favorite method) or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You’ll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between—and that’s just right.

Pour the milk over the dry ingredients, grab a fork and toss and gently turn the ingredients until you’ve got a nice soft dough. Now reach into the bowl with your hands and give the dough a quick, gentle kneading—3 or 4 turns should be just enough to bring everything together.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Dust the top of the dough very lightly with flour and pat the dough out with your hands or roll it with a pin until it is about ½ inch high. Don’t worry if the dough isn’t completely even—a quick, light touch is more important than accuracy.

Use the biscuit cutter to cut out as many biscuits as you can. Try to cut the biscuits close to one another so you get the most you can out of this first round. By hand or with a small spatula, transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet. Gather together the scraps, working them as little as possible, pat out to a ½-inch thickness and cut as many additional biscuits as you can; transfer these to the sheet. (The biscuits can be made to this point and frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight and kept for up to 2 months. Bake without defrosting—just add a couple more minutes to the oven time.)

Bake the biscuits for 14 to 18 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden brown. Transfer them to a serving basket.

SWEET CREAM BISCUITS

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SOFT, RICH and so satisfyingly mouth-filling, these are more sumptuous than Basic Biscuits and more substantial too—the delicious result of trading in the traditional butter and milk for lots of heavy cream. These lend themselves to the usual sweet spreads—honey, jam, butter or any combination thereof—and are good with salty savories, like ham, sausages, bacon or smoked salmon.

MAKES ABOUT 12 BISCUITS

SERVING: Ideally these biscuits should go from oven to table and be served with cold sweet butter.

STORING: You can keep the biscuits in a plastic bag overnight and give them a quick warm-up in the oven the next day, but you won’t recapture their freshly made flakiness.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1¾ cups all-purpose flour and ⅓ cup cake flour)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1–1¼ cups cold heavy cream

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Get out a sharp 2-inch-diameter biscuit cutter, and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Whisk the flour(s), baking powder, sugar and salt together in a bowl. Pour about 1 cup of the cream over the dry ingredients, grab a fork and start tossing the ingredients together. If necessary, add more cream, a spoonful at a time, until you’ve got a nice soft dough. Now reach into the bowl with your hands and give the dough a quick, gentle kneading—3 or 4 turns should be just enough to bring everything together.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Dust the top of the dough very lightly with flour and pat the dough out with your hands or roll it with a pin until it is about ½ inch high. Don’t worry if the dough isn’t completely even—a quick, light touch is more important than accuracy.

Use the biscuit cutter to cut out as many biscuits as you can. Try to cut the biscuits close to one another so you get the most you can out of this first round. By hand or with a small spatula, transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet. Gather together the scraps, working them as little as possible, pat out to a ½-inch thickness and cut as many additional biscuits as you can; transfer these to the sheet. (The biscuits can be made to this point and frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight and kept for up to 2 months. Bake without defrosting—just add a couple more minutes to the oven time.)

Bake the biscuits for 14 to 18 minutes, or until they are tall, puffed and golden brown. Transfer them to a serving basket.

MAPLE-CORNMEAL DROP BISCUITS

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THIS IS not the most well-behaved biscuit you’ll ever come across—all that sticky maple syrup and slip-through-your-fingers cornmeal produce a dough that’s too moist to roll out and cut into neat little rounds. Here you scoop the sweet mixture onto a baking sheet, count the minutes in the oven and enjoy the surprise: a biscuit that’s a cross between a featherlight corn bread and a flaky scone, a breakfast or tea sweet that’s outrageously good with butter and jam or honey and just as good eaten plain. In fact, if you use tasty, gritty, stone-ground cornmeal, the odds are good you’ll want nothing to come between you and its sweet, full flavor.

MAKES ABOUT 12 BISCUITS

SERVING: These biscuits are unusual in that they are delicious hot, warm or at room temperature. At any temperature, they can be served with butter and honey or jam.

STORING: While these are best the day they are made, they can be kept overnight in an airtight container. Warm them briefly in a 350-degree-F oven before serving, or, if you’d like, split them, spread them with a little butter and run them under the broiler.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
• ½ cup cold whole milk
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and baking soda together in a bowl. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips (my favorite method) or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You’ll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between—and that’s just right.

Stir the milk and maple syrup together and pour over the dry ingredients. Grab a fork and toss and gently turn until the ingredients are mostly combined and you’ve got a very soft dough. Don’t worry if the dough doesn’t look evenly mixed. Use a tablespoon to scoop 12 mounds of dough onto the baking sheet.

Bake the biscuits for about 15 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden brown (these won’t be straight or tall like traditional biscuits). Transfer them to a serving basket.

PECAN SOUR CREAM BISCUITS

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IN MY notebook’s margins, written next to this recipe in big letters, it says, “TOO GOOD.” The biscuits are particularly tender because of the sour cream, subtly caramelish because of the brown sugar and intermittently crunchy because of the chopped pecans.

MAKES ABOUT 12 BISCUITS

SERVING: Ideally these biscuits should go directly from oven to table. They can be enjoyed as is, but they’re extra-good spread with cold sweet butter. Because they’re sweeter than most biscuits, they’re good to keep in mind when you’re filling a bread basket for brunch.

STORING: You can keep the biscuits in a plastic bag overnight and give them a quick warm-up in the oven the next day, but you won’t recapture their freshly made flakiness.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1¾ cups all-purpose flour and ⅓ cup cake flour)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces
• ½ cup cold sour cream
• ¼ cup cold whole milk
• ⅓ cup finely chopped pecans, preferably toasted

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Get out a sharp 2-inch-diameter biscuit cutter, and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Whisk the flour(s), baking powder, salt and baking soda together in a bowl. Stir in the brown sugar, making certain there are no lumps. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips (my favorite method) or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You’ll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between—and that’s just right.

Stir the sour cream and milk together and pour over the dry ingredients. Grab a fork and gently toss and turn the ingredients together until you’ve got a nice soft dough. Now reach into the bowl with your hands and give the dough a quick, gentle kneading—3 or 4 turns should be just enough to bring everything together. Toss in the pecans and knead another 2 to 3 times to incorporate them.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Dust the top of the dough very lightly with flour and pat the dough out with your hands or roll it with a pin until it is about ½ inch high. Don’t worry if the dough isn’t completely even—a quick, light touch is more important than accuracy.

Use the biscuit cutter to cut out as many biscuits as you can. Try to cut the biscuits close to one another so you get the most you can out of this first round. By hand or with a small spatula, transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet. Gather together the scraps, working them as little as possible, pat out to a ½-inch thickness and cut as many additional biscuits as you can; transfer these to the sheet. (The biscuits can be made to this point and frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight and kept for up to 2 months. Bake without defrosting—just add a couple more minutes to the oven time.)

Bake the biscuits for 14 to 18 minutes, or until they are tall, puffed and golden brown. Transfer them to a serving basket.

SWEET POTATO BISCUITS

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SOFT AND creamy-textured, with flaky layers, these biscuits satisfy like cake. Using canned sweet potatoes makes them easy to prepare at a moment’s notice. I use canned sweet potatoes packed in light syrup—I just drain the potatoes and mash them with a fork. If you’ve got leftover cooked sweet potatoes or yams, give them a good mashing, measure out ¾ to 1 cup and you’re good to go.

MAKES ABOUT 18 BISCUITS

SERVING: Unlike most biscuits, these are best served after they’ve had a little time to cool. They are as good at brunch (they’re great with salty ham and bacon) as they are at tea (try them with a light cheese spread and/or marmalade). Or have them with butter or jam, fruit butter or fruit compote.

STORING: You can keep the biscuits in a plastic bag overnight and give them a quick warm-up in the oven the next day, but you won’t recapture their freshly made flakiness.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of ground cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
• 2 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar
• ¾ stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
• 2 15-ounce cans sweet potatoes in light syrup, drained and mashed

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Get out a sharp 2- to 2¼-inch-diameter biscuit cutter, and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and spice, if you’re using it, together in a bowl. Add the brown sugar and stir to incorporate it, making sure there are no lumps. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat it with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips (my favorite method) or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You’ll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between—and that’s just right.

Add the sweet potatoes to the bowl, grab a fork, and toss and gently turn the ingredients until you’ve got a nice soft dough. Now reach into the bowl with your hands and give the dough a quick, gentle kneading—3 or 4 turns should be just enough to bring everything together.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Dust the top of the dough very lightly with flour and pat the dough out with your hands or roll it with a pin until it is about ½ inch high. Don’t worry if the dough isn’t completely even—a quick, light touch is more important than accuracy.

Use the biscuit cutter to cut out as many biscuits as you can. Try to cut the biscuits close to one another so you get the most you can out of this first round. By hand or with a small spatula, transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet. Gather together the scraps, working them as little as possible, pat out to a ½-inch thickness and cut as many additional biscuits as you can; transfer these to the sheet. (The biscuits can be made to this point and frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight and kept for up to 2 months. Bake without defrosting—just add a couple more minutes to the oven time.)

Bake the biscuits for 14 to 18 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden brown. Transfer them to a cooling rack—cooled a bit, they’re more sweet potatoey. Give them 10 to 15 minutes on the rack before popping them into a basket and serving.

CREAM SCONES

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PERFECT FOR every scone-able occasion from breakfast to tea to midnight nibble, these are also perfect with a tart, chunky citrus marmalade or a bright berry jam.

MAKES 12 SCONES

SERVING: Toss these into a basket and bring them to the table with lots of sweet butter and any flavor jam you love.

STORING: These are best served soon after they’re made. If you want to save them, wrap them airtight as soon as they cool to room temperature and freeze them for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the scones, reheat them in a 350-degree-F oven.

• 1 large egg
• ⅔ cup cold heavy cream
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
• ¾ cup moist, plump currants

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Stir the egg and cream together.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips (my favorite method) or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You’ll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between—and that’s just right.

Pour the egg and cream over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until the dough, which will be wet and sticky, comes together. Don’t overdo it. Still in the bowl, gently knead the dough by hand, or turn it with a rubber spatula 8 to 10 times.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Divide it in half. Working with one piece at a time, pat the dough into a rough circle that’s about 5 inches in diameter, cut it into 6 wedges and place it on the baking sheet. (At this point, the scones can be frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight. Don’t defrost before baking—just add about 2 minutes to the baking time.)

Bake the scones for 20 to 22 minutes, or until their tops are golden and firmish. Transfer them to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving, or wait for them to cool to room temperature.

TOASTED ALMOND SCONES

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THE TRIPLE-WHAMMY flavor hit here is almonds, almonds and almonds: toasted ground almonds and pure almond extract in the dough and sliced almonds on top.

MAKES 12 SCONES

SERVING: Toss these into a basket and bring them to the table with lots of sweet butter.

STORING: These are best served soon after they’re made. If you want to save them, wrap them airtight as soon as they come to room temperature and freeze them for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the scones, reheat them in a 350-degree-F oven.

• 1 cup blanched almonds (whole, slivered or sliced), toasted
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 large egg
• ⅓ cup cold heavy cream
• ¼ cup cold whole milk
• ⅛ teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• ¼ cup sliced almonds (optional)

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Divide the toasted almonds in half. Finely grind ½ cup in a food processor or blender with the sugar, taking care not to overgrind the nuts and end up with almond butter. Finely chop the other ½ cup.

Stir the egg, cream, milk and almond extract together.

Whisk the flour, ground almonds and sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips (my favorite method) or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You’ll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between—and that’s just right.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until the dough, which will be wet and sticky, comes together. Don’t overdo it. Stir in the chopped almonds.

Still in the bowl, gently knead the dough by hand, or turn it with a rubber spatula 8 to 10 times. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it in half. Working with one piece at a time, pat the dough into a rough circle that’s about 5 inches in diameter, cut it into 6 wedges and top each scone with a few sliced almonds, if you’re using them. Place them on the baking sheet. (At this point, the scones can be frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight. Don’t defrost before baking—just add about 2 minutes to the baking time.)

Bake the scones for 20 to 22 minutes, or until their tops are golden and firmish. Transfer to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving, or wait for the scones to cool to room temperature.

OATMEAL NUTMEG SCONES

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THESE ARE tender and sweet, but not so sweet that you won’t want them with jam, and a bit tangy, but not so much that you won’t want to try them with cheese, and rather bumpy, lumpy and handmade looking. They’re just right for an informal brunch with friends.

MAKES 12 SCONES

SERVING: Toss these into a basket and bring them to the table with lots of sweet butter and any flavor jam you love.

STORING: These are best served soon after they’re made. If you want to save them, wrap them airtight as soon as they come to room temperature and freeze them for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the scones, reheat them in a 350-degree-F oven.

• 1 large egg
• ½ cup cold buttermilk
• 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ⅓ cups old-fashioned oats
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (10 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Stir the egg and buttermilk together.

Whisk the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips (my favorite method) or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You’ll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between—and that’s just right.

Pour the egg and buttermilk mixture over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until the dough, which will be wet and sticky, comes together. Don’t overdo it.

Still in the bowl, gently knead the dough by hand, or turn it with a rubber spatula 8 to 10 times. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it in half. Working with one piece at a time, pat the dough into a rough circle that’s about 5 inches in diameter, cut it into 6 wedges and place on the baking sheet. (At this point, the scones can be frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight. Don’t defrost before baking—just add about 2 minutes to the baking time.)

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until their tops are golden and firmish. Transfer them to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving, or wait for the scones to cool to room temperature.

HONEY-NUT SCONES

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BECAUSE THEY are made with honey and a mix of white and whole wheat flours, these scones have a hearty, homey warmth, a light sweetness and a touch of the rustic about them. Because they include chopped walnuts, their texture is a bit rougher and slightly more crumbly than that of standard scones. And, for every reason from their ingredients to their looks, these are great for chilly days.

MAKES 12 SCONES

SERVING: Toss these into a basket and bring them to the table with lots of sweet butter, chunky jam or, if you have some, store-bought pumpkin or prune butter.

STORING: These should really be served the day they’re made, preferably shortly after they come from the oven. If you want to save them, wrap them airtight as soon as they cool to room temperature and freeze them for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the scones, reheat them in a 350-degree-F oven.

• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ½ cup cold whole milk
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Stir the egg, honey and milk together.

Whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips (my favorite method) or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You’ll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between—and that’s just right.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until the dough, which will be wet and sticky, comes together. Don’t overdo it. Stir in the chopped walnuts.

Still in the bowl, gently knead the dough by hand, or turn it with a rubber spatula 8 to 10 times. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it in half. Working with one piece at a time, pat the dough into a rough circle that’s about 5 inches in diameter, cut it into 6 wedges and place on the baking sheet. (At this point, the scones can be frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight. Don’t defrost before baking—just add about 2 minutes to the baking time.)

Bake the scones for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are deeply golden and firmish to the touch. Transfer them to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving, or wait for the scones to cool to room temperature.

APPLE CHEDDAR SCONES

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PUFFY, HAPHAZARDLY shaped, speckled with dark patches of cheddar cheese and dried apple and packed with as much flavor and texture as possible, these are among my favorite scones. I like them best about 3 minutes out of the oven, when the cheese is still a little melty.

MAKES 12 SCONES

SERVING: Toss these into a basket and bring them to the table with lots of sweet butter and good jam.

STORING: These are best minutes after they’re made. If you want to save them, wrap them airtight as soon as they come to room temperature and freeze them for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the scones, reheat them in a 350-degree-F oven.

• 1 large egg
• ½ cup cold buttermilk
• ¼ cup cold apple cider or unsweetened apple juice
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• ¾ cup grated cheddar cheese
• ½ cup finely diced dried apple

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Stir the egg, buttermilk and apple cider together.

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips (my favorite method) or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You’ll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between—and that’s just right.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until the dough, which will be very wet and sticky, comes together. If there are still some dry ingredients in the bottom of the bowl, stir them in, but try not to overdo the mixing. Stir in the grated cheese and dried apple.

Still in the bowl, gently knead the dough by hand, or turn it with a rubber spatula 8 to 10 times. Then, because the dough is very sticky, the easiest thing to do is to turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface, pat it into a rectangle about ½ inch thick and, using a dough scraper or a chef’s knife, cut it into 12 roughly equal pieces; place on the baking sheet. Alternatively, you can just spoon out 12 equal mounds onto the baking sheet. (At this point, the scones can be frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight. Don’t defrost before baking—just add about 2 minutes to the baking time.)

Bake the scones for 20 to 22 minutes, or until their tops are golden and firmish. Transfer them to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving, or wait for the scones to cool to room temperature.

CHESTNUT SCONES

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I’D GUESS that if you served these scones without mentioning the chestnut flour, no one would be able to tell you what made them so distinctive. The slightly sweet, off-white chestnut flour doesn’t have a knock-you-over-the-head kind of flavor, nor does it impart a fragrance or a texture that immediately gives it away. It’s a subtle, low-key ingredient whose most striking characteristic is the elegance it brings to everything it touches.

MAKES 12 SCONES

SERVING: Toss these into a basket and bring them to the table with lots of sweet butter and, if you’d like, jam.

STORING: These are best served soon after they’re made. If you want to save them, wrap them airtight as soon as they come to room temperature and freeze for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the scones, reheat them in a 350-degree-F oven.

• 1 large egg
• ¾ cup cold heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup chestnut flour (available in Italian markets and specialty shops)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Stir the egg, cream and vanilla extract together.

Whisk the flour, chestnut flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips (my favorite method) or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You’ll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between—and that’s just right.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until the dough, which will be wet and sticky, comes together. Don’t overdo it.

Still in the bowl, gently knead the dough by hand, or turn it with a rubber spatula 8 to 10 times. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it in half. Working with one piece at a time, pat the dough into a rough circle that’s about 5 inches in diameter, cut it into 6 wedges and place on the baking sheet. (At this point, the scones can be frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight. Don’t defrost before baking—just add about 2 minutes to the baking time.)

Bake the scones for 20 to 22 minutes, or until their tops are golden and firmish. Transfer them to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving, or wait for the scones to cool to room temperature.

BLUEBERRY–BROWN SUGAR PLAIN CAKE

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THIS “PLAIN CAKE”—no crumbs, streusel, nuts, icing or filling—is just plain appealing. It’s got a soft crumb, a strong streak of caramel brown sugar flavor and the here-and-there surprise of sweet and tart berries. It’s a perfect “daylight” cake, good for breakfast, brunch or lunch, and it can easily be a picnic cake, because it’s eminently packable.

MAKES ABOUT 15 SERVINGS

SERVING: Once the cake is cool enough to cut, it’s cool enough to eat. Give the top another dusting of confectioners’ sugar if the first one has settled into the cake, and cut the cake into squares about 2 inches on a side. I like the cake plain, but if you’re looking for an accompaniment, look at blueberry jam or a bowl of lightly sweetened sour cream or crème fraîche.

STORING: Well covered, the cake will keep at room temperature for about 3 days. You can wrap the cake airtight and freeze it for up to 2 months, but it really is best fresh.

• 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• ⅛ teaspoon plus a pinch of salt
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 pint blueberries—fresh, preferably, or frozen (not thawed)
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter an 11-x-7-inch baking pan (a Pyrex pan is great) and place it on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, if you’re using it, and the ⅛ teaspoon salt.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the egg whites with the pinch of salt until they form firm, glossy peaks. Gently scrape the whites into a clean bowl if using a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment, if you have one. (There’s no need to clean the mixer bowl.) Put the butter and sugar in the mixer bowl, or in another large bowl if using a hand mixer, and beat on medium speed until creamy. Add the egg yolks and beat 2 minutes more. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half the dry ingredients, then all of the milk and then the remainder of the dry ingredients, adding each new batch as soon as the previous batch has been incorporated.

Switch to a large rubber spatula and lighten the batter by stirring in about one quarter of the stiffly beaten egg whites. Fold in the rest of the whites, working as gently as you can. Since the cake batter is heavy, it’s only natural you’ll deflate the whites a little—don’t be concerned. Still working with as light a hand as possible, fold in the blueberries, and scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until it is golden and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and cool in the pan for about 30 minutes before dusting the top with confectioners’ sugar and serving warm.

APPLE NUT MUFFIN CAKE

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THIS IS a recipe that gives the lie to the proverb “Haste makes waste.” I had measured out all the ingredients for apple nut muffins when my brunch guests arrived, but I hadn’t prepped the muffin pan. I grabbed a nonstick silicone baking pan, scraped the batter into it and hurriedly slid the pan into the oven. When I pulled it out, I had a great-looking cake, appealingly rough and rustic and homey, and packed with all the goodness of my old-time muffins—oatmeal, raisins, nuts and, for full, true apple flavor, diced apple and apple cider.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: Like muffins, this cake can be served warm or at room temperature. Just cut it into squares and stack the squares on a plate or in a napkin-lined basket. It has enough flavor and more than enough texture to be eaten plain, but, like muffins, it’s good with butter, jam, cottage cheese or even thick plain yogurt.

STORING: The cake is best eaten the day it is made, but it can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months; warm in a 350-degree-F oven before serving.

• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup apple cider or juice (or another ½ cup milk)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ¾ cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and cut into small dice
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• ⅓ cup moist, plump raisins

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Use an 8-inch square silicone pan, or butter an 8-inch square baking pan, dust the inside with flour, and tap out the excess. Put the pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the milk, cider, egg, vanilla and almond extracts and butter.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, cinnamon and salt to combine thoroughly. Toss in the brown sugar, making sure there aren’t any lumps by running it through your fingers, then add the oats and whisk the dry ingredients a few more times to mix. Switch to a large rubber spatula and stir in the liquid ingredients, stirring just until everything is moistened—as with muffins, less mixing is better than more. Gently stir in the apple, nuts and raisins, and scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for a couple of minutes before running a knife around the sides of the pan and unmolding the cake; invert and cool until warm, or to room temperature.

CARDAMOM CRUMB CAKE

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THERE’S SOMETHING grown-up and exotic about this plain-looking crumb-topped brunch treat. It’s not very sweet, and the bit of espresso powder and generous amount of cardamom in both the crumbs and the cake give it an edge. Cardamom is a spice that can be soft or strong, up-front recognizable or mysteriously unidentifiable, as it is here. This cake is great with a mug of good strong coffee.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: Cut the cake into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.

STORING: This cake is best served the day it is made. It can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months; once it defrosts, it benefits from a quick warm-up in a 350-degree-F oven.

FOR THE CRUMBS

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1¼ teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup strong coffee, cooled
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Put the pan on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE CRUMBS: Put all the ingredients except the butter in a bowl and toss them together with a spatula just to blend. Add the butter and, using your fingers or the spatula, mix everything together until you’ve got crumbs of different sizes. It’s nice to have a few big pieces, so don’t overdo it. Set the crumbs aside. (The crumbs can be made up to 3 days ahead, covered and refrigerated.)

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, and espresso powder in a large bowl. Turn the dry ingredients out onto a sheet of wax paper, and put the sugar and zest in the bowl. Rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of orange strong, then return the dry ingredients to the bowl and whisk to blend.

Put the remaining ingredients in another bowl and whisk them to blend. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and stir—don’t beat—to mix. Stir only until you’ve got an evenly moistened batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and top with a thick, even layer of the crumbs. Pat the crumbs ever so gently into the batter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cake has risen (it will crown), the crumbs are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a rack to cool in the pan before serving warm or at room temperature.

You can unmold the cake if you want to, but you’ll lose some of the crumbs when you turn it over. I prefer to cut the cake in the pan, taking care not to nick the surface of the pan with my knife. (This is a good job for a plastic or silicone pie server.)

DIMPLY PLUM CAKE

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A SIMPLE brown sugar coffee cake flavored with grated orange zest and a pinch of cardamom, this is quick and versatile—you can make it with whatever summer fruit is in your market. That’s its practical appeal. Its visual appeal is its honey brown color and the way the plum halves bake into the batter, become jammy and dimple the top of the cake. But the reason to keep making this cake as long as your supply of plums lasts (and later with other fruits; see Playing Around) is its light sweetness and slight spiciness, such a nice contrast to the plums’ little bit of tang. It’s the kind of cake you’d be happy to have with your first cup of coffee or tea.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: You can serve this cake while it is still warm or wait until it reaches room temperature.

STORING: The cake can be kept well wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days, though its texture will change (not unappealingly) over this time. On day 1, the cake has a somewhat firm, slightly crumbly texture-reminiscent of corn bread; on days 2 and 3, after some time under wraps, it is soft and moist. It does not freeze well.

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Scant ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ⅓ cup flavorless oil, such as canola or safflower
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 8 purple or red plums (in the fall, use Italian prune plums), halved and pitted

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan, dust the inside with flour, tap out the excess and put the pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom, if you’re using it, together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until soft and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for another 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition. On medium speed, beat in the oil, orange zest and vanilla. The batter will look very light and smooth, almost satiny. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated.

Run a spatula around the bowl and under the batter, just to make sure there are no dry spots, then scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Arrange the plums cut side up in the batter—I usually make 4 rows of 4 plum halves each—jiggling the plums a tad just so they settle comfortably into the batter.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is honey brown and puffed around the plums and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 15 minutes—during which time the plums’ juice will return to the fruit—then run a knife around the sides of the pan and unmold the cake. Invert and cool right side up.

FLIP-OVER PLUM CAKE

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WHO WOULDN’T want a cake that’s got down-home, not-in-the-least-fussy good looks, an unquestionably appealing flavor and a texture that can’t decide whether it wants to be a cake or your favorite nursery pudding? It’s put together in minutes without any equipment fancier than a couple of bowls and a whisk. Just pour the batter into the pan and top it with fruit. When you pull the cake from the oven, you’ll see that the ingredients have flip-flopped and the fruit is bubbling merrily on the bottom and the batter has risen to the top.

MAKES ABOUT 10 SERVINGS

SERVING: Bring the cake to the table in its baking pan—it’s way too soft and creamy to even think about unmolding—and serve it family-style.

STORING: The cake is best—and most like pudding—the day it is made, but it can be cooled, covered and refrigerated overnight. Served chilled, it will be firmer but still delicious.

• 2 pounds ripe but firm plums, preferably Italian prune plums, pitted
• 1½ cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Have at hand a 9-x-12-inch baking pan, preferably Pyrex or porcelain.

Cut each plum into 4 to 6 pieces and toss into a bowl. Add ½ cup of the sugar, the cinnamon, ginger and coriander, stir the plums around and then let them sit, stirring from time to time, while you prepare the batter. They will give up some juice and a syrup will develop.

Put the remaining 1 cup sugar, the flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl. Whisk to blend, then pour in the milk and extracts and whisk again, so you have a nice smooth batter.

Put the butter in the baking pan and melt it in the oven, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.

Give the batter a light whisking and pour it over the hot butter—it will probably set around the edges immediately. Scatter the plums over the batter and drizzle over whatever syrup has accumulated in the bowl.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the top is golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes, or let cool to room temperature.

CORNMEAL AND FRUIT LOAF

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A BIG, golden, bumpy-topped bread, this begs to be cut into thick farmhouse-style slices. Because of the cornmeal (I like to make this with gritty stone-ground yellow cornmeal) and the fruit, the bread has a natural, rather than a sugary, sweetness. I make it most often with apples—fresh and dried—because they are always at hand in my house, but the cake is also delicious with pears—fresh and dried. And, while it’s a good keeper, whether it’s just made or slightly stale, I like it toasted.

MAKES ABOUT 12 SERVINGS

SERVING: Served warm or at room temperature, the bread needs nothing more than to be cut into thick slices, but a swipe of apple butter or a little sweet butter is nice too, as is a light toasting.

STORING: The bread is best served the day it is baked, but it can be wrapped well and kept at room temperature for a couple of days. If the bread seems a little dry, toast it. Wrapped airtight, the bread can be frozen for up to 2 months.

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 apple or pear, peeled, cored and cut into small dice
• ½ cup diced dried apple or pear

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Put the pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter and eggs.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, if you’re using it, nutmeg and salt, making sure they are evenly combined. Switch to a large rubber spatula and stir in the liquid ingredients, stirring just until everything is moistened—as with muffins, less mixing is better than more. Gently stir in the fresh and dried fruit, and scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 1 hour, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before running a knife around the sides of the pan and unmolding. Invert and cool right side up.

OATMEAL BREAKFAST BREAD

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THERE WAS a moment in baking—was it the 1980s?—when, in a fat-cutting frenzy, applesauce and prune puree replaced the lion’s share of butter in many recipes, especially those for muffins and quick breads. My guess is I built this recipe around the bones of one of those “magic” formulas—my notes aren’t so clear, but the addition of applesauce and the presence of oil argue for it. Not that it makes much difference, because in the end it’s the taste of this lightly spiced, fruit-speckled, almost pudding-soft bread that counts. Who knows, it might even be good for you.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

SERVING: Although you might be tempted to dig into this bread before it cools, don’t. The bread is soft when it’s at room temperature, but it’s too soft when it’s warm. So, wait until the bread is fully cooled, then cut it into medium-thin slices and serve with coffee.

STORING: Because of the bread’s soft texture, it’s a good keeper. You can hold it, well wrapped, at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

FOR THE TOPPING

• ¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

FOR THE BREAD

• 2 large eggs
• 1¼ cups unsweetened applesauce
• ⅓ cup flavorless oil, such as canola or safflower
• ¼ cup buttermilk or whole milk
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch of ground cloves
• ½ cup diced dried figs, apples or apricots or moist, plump raisins (dark or golden)
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Put the pan on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a small bowl, using your fingers, toss together the sugar, nuts and cinnamon until evenly mixed. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE BREAD: Whisk together the eggs, applesauce, oil and buttermilk until well blended.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cloves. Remove ½ teaspoon of the mix and toss it with the fruit, just to coat; set aside. Stir the oats into the bowl. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry and, using a large rubber spatula, stir just until everything is evenly moistened—this is a case in which less is more, so don’t overdo the mixing. Scatter the dried fruit over the batter and stir to blend. Scrape the batter into the pan and sprinkle over the topping, tamping it down very lightly with your fingers so it sticks.

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the bread is beautifully browned and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the bread to a rack to cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the pan and unmold. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

FRESH MANGO BREAD

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THIS IS a tweaked version of a recipe given to me by my mother’s neighbor, Florence Earl. Mrs. Earl, who lives in Florida, made this with mangoes that grew in her yard, but since fresh mangoes are now readily available in markets across the country, even those of us not lucky enough to be able to shake them off a nearby tree can make it quickly and easily.

Mango breads, which are popular in the South, meet the definition of quick breads, but they’re really more like loaf cakes than breads. Certainly that’s the case with this “bread,” which is soft, moist, spiced and abundant with mango and raisins. Mrs. Earl’s recipe included chopped nuts, which I omitted. The ginger and lime zest are among my other tweaks.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

SERVING: As good as this bread is freshly baked, I think it’s even better the next day. One day spent wrapped in plastic seems to intensify the fruit and spice flavors. Of course, if you can’t wait, don’t. Just cut the loaf into thick slices and serve with tea, hot or iced, or coffee.

STORING: Wrapped in plastic, the cake will keep for about 4 days at room temperature.

• 3 large eggs
• ¾ cup flavorless oil, such as canola or safflower
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 cups diced mango (from 1 large peeled and pitted mango)
• ¾ cup moist, plump golden raisins
• Grated zest of ½ lime

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8½-x-4½-inch loaf pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Put the pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked one on top of the other. (This extra insulation will keep the bottom of the bread from overbaking.)

Whisk the eggs and oil together.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Rub the brown sugar between your palms into the bowl, breaking up any lumps, then stir it in. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry, switch to a sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon and mix until blended—the batter will be very thick (really more like a dough than a batter) and not easily mixed, but persevere, it will soon come together. Stir in the mango, raisins and zest. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake the bread for 1½ hours, or until it is golden brown and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (If the bread looks as if it’s getting too brown as it bakes, cover it loosely with a foil tent.) Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before running a knife around the sides of the pan and unmolding. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up on the rack.

COCOA-NANA BREAD

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IN MY never-ending quest to make chocolate as acceptable as porridge at the breakfast table, I offer this coal-dark morning loaf. It’s big and hearty looking, cracked and creviced along the top, with a tight, even crumb and lots of patches of soft melted chocolate bits. At first bite the loaf is chocolate-chocolate, and then the banana flavor kicks in—it’s altogether winning and, while it may feel decadent to have it at breakfast, it would be just as winning, if a little less racy, as a P.M. treat.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

SERVING: I like this bread cut into fairly thick slices, but for more delicate servings, its crumb is close enough to cut it into thin slices without problems. It can be served with yogurt, sour cream or jam or enjoyed as is.

STORING: Wrapped in plastic, the bread will keep for 2 days at room temperature; wrapped airtight, it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or ½ cup store-bought chocolate chips

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan and place it on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked one on top of the other. (This extra insulation will keep the bottom of the bread from overbaking.)

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed for about a minute, until softened. Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition. At this point, the batter may look a little curdled—it’s okay. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the mashed bananas. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Still on low speed, add the buttermilk, mixing until it is incorporated. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Cover the bread loosely with a foil tent to keep the top from getting too dark, and continue to bake for another 40 to 45 minutes (total baking time is between 70 and 75 minutes), or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the bread and unmolding it. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

GOLDEN BRIOCHE LOAVES

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“ELEGANT” IS the best word to describe this rich bread, with its golden color, unforgettable texture—pull on a slice and watch how it stretches luxuriously in thin, ever widening lengths (one sign of a superior brioche)—and slightly sweet, fully buttery flavor.

This is the basic recipe for brioche dough, and here it is formed into two loaves, each loaf comprised of four easy-to-pull-apart sections, perfect for serving at breakfast—just add great jam and butter—or for turning into heavenly Sugar-Crusted French Toast or, if it lasts long enough to go stale, Bostock (see Playing Around).

As with many yeast doughs, this one works best in larger batches, so please don’t downsize the recipe. If you don’t need two loaves now, freeze one to enjoy later. Or shape half of the dough into a loaf and use the other half to make Pecan Honey Sticky Buns or Brioche Raisin Snails.

The first time I made brioche, I was taking a baking course and, so that we could get to know its properties, we made the dough by hand, beating everything into silky submission with a wooden spoon. I huffed and puffed harder and longer than I had when I’d run a half-marathon. Thankfully, while bakers of yore had only their energy and a spoon at their disposal, this is not the case nowadays. Today brioche is made with the flick of the switch on a heavy-duty mixer. This is one recipe that should not be made with a hand mixer—in all likelihood, the mixing will wear out the motor. So, either fire up the stand mixer or pull out your sturdiest wooden spoon.

The dough should be made 1 day ahead and then shaped and baked the next.

MAKES 2 LOAVES

SERVING: As soon as the loaves cool, they are ready to be sliced thickly and served, toasted or not, with butter and jam.

STORING: Well-wrapped (cooled) loaves will keep overnight at room temperature. If you’d like, you can rewarm the loaves by wrapping them in aluminum foil and heating them for about 15 minutes in a 350-degree-F oven. The loaves can also be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months; defrost in the wrapping.

FOR THE BRIOCHE

• 2 packets active dry yeast
• ⅓ cup just-warm-to-the-touch water
• ⅓ cup just-warm-to-the-touch whole milk
• 3¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• ¼ cup sugar
• 3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature but still slightly firm

FOR THE GLAZE

• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water

TO MAKE THE BRIOCHE: Put the yeast, water and milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and, using a wooden spoon, stir until the yeast is dissolved. Add the flour and salt, and fit the mixer with the dough hook, if you have one. Toss a kitchen towel over the mixer, covering the bowl as completely as you can—this will help keep you, the counter and your kitchen floor from being showered in flour. Turn the mixer on and off in a few short pulses, just to dampen the flour (yes, you can peek to see how you’re doing), then remove the towel, increase the mixer speed to medium-low and mix for a minute or two, just until the flour is moistened. At this point you’ll have a fairly dry, shaggy mass.

Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, set the mixer to low and add the eggs, followed by the sugar. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes, until the dough forms a ball. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter in 2-tablespoon-size chunks, beating until each piece is almost incorporated before adding the next. You’ll have a dough that is very soft, almost like a batter. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a clean bowl (or wash out the mixer bowl and use it), cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, 40 to 60 minutes, depending upon the warmth of your room.

Deflate the dough by lifting it up around the edges and letting it fall with a slap into the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator. Slap the dough down in the bowl every 30 minutes until it stops rising, about 2 hours, then leave the covered dough in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

The next day, butter and flour two 8½-x-4½-inch loaf pans.

Pull the dough from the fridge and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Cut each piece of dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each piece into a log about 3½ inches long. Arrange 4 logs crosswise in the bottom of each pan. Put the pans on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat, cover the pans lightly with wax paper and leave the loaves at room temperature until the dough almost fills the pans, 1 to 2 hours. (Again, rising time will depend on how warm the room is.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Beat the egg with the water. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the tops of the loaves with the glaze.

Bake the loaves until they are well risen and deeply golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the pans to racks to cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the pans and turn the loaves out onto the racks. Invert again and cool for at least 1 hour.

PECAN HONEY STICKY BUNS

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ANYONE WHO takes the time to make sticky buns thinks that his or hers are the best. In this regard, I’m just like everyone else. My sticky buns are made from buttery brioche dough, so right off the bat, you know they’re special. The dough is spread with more butter and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, and then the rolls are left to rise in their sticky glaze. The glaze is very sweet, very sugary and very delicious. It’s made of brown sugar, butter, honey and lots of pecans, and when it’s baked, the pecans turn into pralines. What’s not to like?

If you don’t want 15 eat-them-now sticky buns, you can make fewer and freeze the remaining dough. You’ll just need to adjust the quantity of glaze. See the instructions for shaping the buns and Storing for more information.

MAKES 15 BUNS

SERVING: The sticky buns are ready to serve when they have cooled down enough to be enjoyed without fear of burning fingers or tongue. While there is something very special about eating still-warm sticky buns, these are also really good at room temperature.

STORING: Not surprisingly, these are best the day they are made, but, wrapped in plastic, they’ll hold overnight. If you’ve kept the buns, you might want to reheat them briefly in a 350-degree-F oven. While the baked buns cannot be frozen, you can freeze the filled and rolled log of dough or the cut buns—make certain they are wrapped airtight. Defrost the dough or rolls overnight in the refrigerator, then make the glaze, place the buns in the pan of glaze and let rise and bake as directed.

FOR THE GLAZE

• 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• ¼ cup honey
• 1½ cups pecans (whole or pieces)

FOR THE FILLING

• ¼ cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

FOR THE BUNS

• ½ recipe dough for Golden Brioche Loaves, chilled and ready to shape (make the full recipe and cut the dough in half after refrigerating it overnight)

Generously butter a 9-x-13-inch baking pan (a Pyrex pan is perfect for this).

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the brown sugar, butter and honey to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Pour the glaze into the buttered pan, evening it out as best you can by tilting the pan or spreading the glaze with a heatproof spatula. Sprinkle over the pecans.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: Mix the sugars and cinnamon together in a bowl. If necessary, in another bowl, work the butter with a spatula until it is soft, smooth and spreadable.

TO SHAPE THE BUNS: On a flour-dusted work surface, roll the chilled dough into a 16-inch square. Using your fingers or a pastry brush, spread the softened butter over the dough. Sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar, leaving a 1-inch strip bare on the side farthest from you. Starting with the side nearest you, roll the dough into a cylinder, keeping the roll as tight as you can. (At this point, you can wrap the dough airtight and freeze it for up to 2 months; see Storing for further instructions. Or, if you want to make just part of the recipe now, you can use as much of the dough as you’d like and freeze the remainder. Reduce the glaze recipe accordingly.)

With a chef’s knife, using a gentle sawing motion, trim just a tiny bit from the ends of the roll if they’re very ragged or not well filled, then cut the log into 1-inch-thick buns. (Because you trim the ragged ends of the dough, and you may have lost a little length in the rolling, you will get 15 buns, not 16.) Fit the buns into the pan cut side down, leaving some space between them.

Lightly cover the pan with a piece of wax paper and set the pan in a warm place until the buns have doubled in volume, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. The buns are properly risen when they are puffy, soft, doubled and, in all likelihood, touching one another.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: When the buns have almost fully risen, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove the sheet of wax paper and put the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. Bake the sticky buns for about 30 minutes, or until they are puffed and gorgeously golden; the glaze will be bubbling away merrily. Pull the pan from the oven.

The sticky buns must be unmolded minutes after they come out of the oven. If you do not have a rimmed platter large enough to hold them, use a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or buttered foil. Be careful—the glaze is super-hot and super-sticky.

BRIOCHE PLUM TART

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THE DOUGH for this tart is a brioche, but one the French would call skinny or poor—the adjectives having nothing to do with its thickness or its sorry state, but referring instead to the relative paucity of eggs and butter. Because lots of fruit is tucked into the dough, you don’t need the usual richness. The dough is pressed into a fluted tart pan, covered with jam, piled high with plums and then baked until it is honey brown, puffed and bubbling. It’s beautiful and relatively easy to make—if you’ve got a stand mixer and a modicum of patience. Since brioche is a yeast dough, you’ll have to sit back and relax for a couple of hours while it does the same.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

SERVING: Resist the temptation to cut into the tart immediately. Yeast breads and cakes need time to gather themselves before they can deliver the full measure of their delights. Wait until the crust is only just slightly warm to the touch, or until it reaches room temperature, before cutting the tart into wedges. Serve for brunch or when you’re taking a late-morning break or having afternoon tea.

STORING: This is a have-it-the-day-you-bake-it tart. While you can prepare the brioche dough a day ahead, once baked, it is meant to be eaten.

FOR THE BRIOCHE

• 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• ⅓ cup just-warm-to-the-touch whole milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE PLUM FILLING

• About 14 ripe plums, preferably Italian prune plums (if you use a larger plum, you’ll need fewer)
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts or almonds
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ cup plum jam

TO MAKE THE BRIOCHE: Put the yeast and warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir until the yeast is dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl, and fit the mixer with the dough hook, if you have one. Working on low speed, mix for a minute or two, just to get the ingredients together. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 7 to 10 minutes, stopping a few times to scrape down the bowl and the hook, until the dough is stretchy and fairly smooth. The dough will seem fairly thin, more like a batter than a dough, and it may not be perfectly smooth—that’s fine.

Transfer the dough to a clean bowl (or wash out the mixer bowl and use it), cover with plastic wrap and leave it in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, 30 to 40 minutes.

Deflate the dough by lifting it up around the edges and letting it fall with a slap into the bowl. Cover the bowl again with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator. Slap the dough down in the bowl every 30 minutes until it stops rising, about 2 hours. Then, if you’ve got the time, leave the dough in the refrigerator overnight—it will be tastier for the wait.

TO MAKE THE TART: This tart looks prettiest when it’s made in a fluted pan. You can use either a 9-inch metal tart pan with a removable base or a porcelain baking dish, the kind sometimes called a quiche pan. Generously butter the pan.

Press the chilled dough into the bottom of the pan and up the sides—don’t worry if it’s not even. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the dough is in the refrigerator, prepare the filling. Halve and pit the plums. If you are using large plums, cut each half into 2 or 3 slices. Set aside. Toss the chopped nuts with the sugar, and set aside.

Remove the tart pan from the fridge and push and press the dough up the sides of the pan. Spoon the jam onto the dough and spread it over the bottom. Arrange the plums cut side down in concentric circles covering the jam. Scatter over the nut mixture, and cover the tart lightly with a piece of plastic wrap. Place the tart on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat and let it rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Uncover the tart and bake for 20 minutes. Cover it loosely with a foil tent to prevent the crust from getting too dark, and continue baking for another 10 minutes, or until the fruit juices are bubbling and the crust is firm and beautifully browned—it will sound hollow when tapped. Transfer the tart to a rack to cool for at least 45 minutes before serving.

BRIOCHE RAISIN SNAILS

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EVEN IF I made these three times a day every day, I think there’d still be a clamor for more. There’s something about the plump little swirls—the buttery brioche dough, the silky pastry cream, the rum-soaked raisins—that makes them impossibly good and impossible to enjoy in moderation. Minus the fancy fillip of soaking and flaming the raisins in rum (a little step that adds a lot of flavor), these are almost exactly the version I learned to make in my very first baking class.

MAKES ABOUT 12 SNAILS

SERVING: As tempting as it is to grab a hot snail, hot is not the best temperature at which to enjoy these pastries. Like all yeast doughs, brioche needs time to set after coming out of the oven, so serve these when they are warm, not hot, or wait for them to reach room temperature.

STORING: Although these are best the day they are made, they can be wrapped in plastic and kept overnight. If you’ve kept the snails, you might want to heat them briefly in a 350-degree-F oven. While the baked snails cannot be frozen, you can freeze the filled and rolled log of dough or the cut snails—make certain they are wrapped airtight. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then allow them to rise, and bake.

• 1 cup moist, plump raisins
• 3 tablespoons dark rum
• 1½ teaspoons sugar
• Scant ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ recipe dough for Golden Brioche Loaves, chilled and ready to shape (make the full recipe and cut the dough in half after refrigerating it overnight)
• ½ recipe Pastry Cream

FOR THE OPTIONAL GLAZE

• ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• About 1 teaspoon water
• Drop of pure vanilla extract

GETTING READY: Line one large or two smaller baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Put the raisins in a small saucepan, cover them with hot water and let them steep for about 4 minutes, until they are plumped. Drain the raisins, return them to the saucepan and, stirring constantly, warm them over low heat. When the raisins are very hot, pull the pan from the heat and pour over the rum. Standing back, ignite the rum. Stir until the flames go out, then cover and set aside. (The raisins and rum can be kept in a covered jar for up to 1 day.)

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together.

On a flour-dusted surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about 12 inches wide and 16 inches long, with a short end toward you. Spread the pastry cream across the dough, leaving a 1-inch strip bare on the side farthest from you. Scatter the raisins over the pastry cream and sprinkle the raisins and cream with the cinnamon sugar. Starting with the side nearest you, roll the dough into a cylinder, keeping the roll as tight as you can. (At this point, you can wrap the dough airtight and freeze it for up to 2 months; see Storing for further instructions. Or, if you do not want to make the full recipe, use as much of the dough as you’d like and freeze the remainder.)

With a chef’s knife, using a gentle sawing motion, trim just a tiny bit from the ends if they’re very ragged or not well filled, then cut the log into rounds a scant 1 inch thick. Put the snails on the lined baking sheet(s), leaving some puff space between them.

Lightly cover the snails with wax paper and set the baking sheet(s) in a warm place until the snails have doubled in volume—they’ll be puffy and soft—about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: When the snails have almost fully risen, preheat the oven: depending on the number of baking sheets you have, either center a rack in the oven or position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove the wax paper, and bake the snails for about 25 minutes (rotate the sheets, if you’re using two, from top to bottom and front to back after 15 minutes), or until they are puffed and richly browned. Using a metal spatula, transfer the snails to a cooling rack.

IF YOU WANT TO GLAZE THE SNAILS: Put a piece of wax paper under the rack of warm rolls to act as a drip catcher. Put the confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl, and stir in the teaspoon of water. Keep adding water drop by drop until you have an icing that falls from the tip of a spoon. Add the vanilla extract, then drizzle the icing over the hot snails.

RAISIN SWIRL BREAD

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HERE’S MY favorite raisin bread, a soft, tender-crumbed, sweet milk bread with delicate swirls of cinnamon sugar and lots of raisins. It makes super toast and spectacular French toast (see Playing Around), and it makes waking up on school days a lot more fun.

While I make the dough for this bread in a mixer using a paddle and then a dough hook, it can be done by hand—you’ll need a big mixing bowl, a sturdy wooden spoon and some elbow grease.

MAKES 1 LOAF

SERVING: While this bread is good just sliced and buttered, it is great toasted. Toasting brings out the sweetness of the loaf and heightens the play between the slightly firm exterior and the soft inside. I also love the bread toasted, buttered and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar or spread with a good thick layer of apricot or black cherry jam.

STORING: Wrapped in plastic wrap, the loaf will keep at room temperature for about 3 days; wrapped airtight, it will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

FOR THE BREAD

• 1 packet active dry yeast
• ¼ cup sugar, plus a pinch
• 1¼ cups just-warm-to-the-touch whole milk
• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
• Grated zest of ½ orange (optional)
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
• 3¾ to 4 cups all-purpose flour

FOR THE SWIRL

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
• 1 cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to a spreadable consistency

TO MAKE THE BREAD: Put the yeast in a small bowl, toss in the pinch of sugar and stir in ¼ cup of the warm milk. Let rest for 3 minutes, then stir—the yeast may not have dissolved completely and it may not have bubbled, but it should be soft.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the remaining 1 cup milk, the butter and the remaining ¼ cup sugar and mix on low speed for a minute or two. Add the salt, egg and vanilla, if you are using it, as well as the zest and nutmeg, if you’re using them, and mix for a minute. In all likelihood, the mixture will look unpleasantly curdly (it will look even worse when you add the yeast). Add the yeast mixture and beat on medium-low speed for 1 minute more.

Turn the mixer off and add 2¾ cups of the flour. Mix on low speed just until you work the flour into the liquids—you’ll have a sticky mix. If you’ve got a dough hook, switch to it now. Add another 1 cup flour, increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the dough for a couple of minutes. If the dough does not come together and almost clean the sides of the bowl, add up to ¼ cup more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Keep the mixer speed at medium and knead the dough for about 3 minutes, or until it is smooth and has a lovely buttery sheen. The dough will be very soft, much too soft to knead by hand.

Butter a large bowl, turn the dough into the bowl and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Put the bowl in a warm place and let the dough rise until it is doubled in size, about 1½ hours.

Scrape the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap, wrap it and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm enough to be rolled easily. (At this point, you can instead refrigerate the dough overnight if that is more convenient.)

TO MAKE THE SWIRL AND SHAPE THE LOAF: Butter a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan.

Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and cocoa, if you’re using it. Check that the raisins are nice and moist; if they’re not, steam them for a minute, then dry them well.

Put the dough on a large work surface lightly dusted with flour, lightly dust the top of the dough and roll the dough into a rectangle about 12 x 18 inches.

Gently smear 2 tablespoons of the butter over the surface of the dough—this is most easily done with your fingers. Sprinkle over the sugar mixture and scatter over the raisins. Starting from a short side of the dough, roll the dough up jelly-roll fashion, making sure to roll the dough snugly. Fit the dough into the buttered pan, seam side down, and tuck the ends under the loaf.

Cover the pan loosely with wax paper and set in a warm place; let the dough rise until it comes just a little above the edge of the pan, about 45 minutes.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: When the dough has almost fully risen, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter, and brush the top of the loaf with the butter. Put the pan on the baking sheet and bake the bread for about 20 minutes. Cover loosely with a foil tent and bake for another 25 minutes or so, until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when the bottom of the pan is tapped. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then unmold. Invert the bread and cool to room temperature right side up on the rack.

KUGELHOPF

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FOR ANYONE who comes from Alsace, the northeastern region of France, Kugelhopf, as plain as it is, is a dream food. Part bread, part cake, Kugelhopf is made very much like brioche. In fact, it is almost a brioche, but not a rich one. You won’t miss the bit of butter that’s left out of the dough, though, because once it’s baked, the cake is soaked with melted butter and sprinkled with sugar, so it develops a fine crust.

While, in a pinch, you could make a Kugelhopf in a Bundt pan, it’s a treat to make it in the pan designed especially for it. Sometimes called a turk’s head or turban, a Kugelhopf pan is fairly slender and has graceful curves (which do, in fact, resemble the wrap of a turban). If you want to be completely authentic, you can look for a heavy pottery Kugelhopf mold from Alsace—you might even find one with painted flowers. Or you can use a silicone turban pan, as I do. It gives me particular pleasure to bake a centuries-old recipe in something so modern.

Like brioche, this dough is best made using a heavy-duty mixer; however, you can succeed in mixing it in a large bowl with a wooden spoon.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: If you are not going to serve the cake as soon as it cools, wrap it in plastic without sprinkling it with confectioners’ sugar, because it stales quickly. Then sprinkle it with the sugar before serving. Luckily, stale Kugelhopf is delicious cut into thick slices, toasted and spread with butter and marmalade.

STORING: The Kugelhopf should be eaten the day it is made or cut and toasted the following day.

FOR THE CAKE

• ⅓ cup moist, plump raisins
• Scant 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• ⅓ cup just-warm-to-the-touch whole milk
• 1 ⅔cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

FOR THE SOAK

• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• Sugar, for dusting
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Bring a little water to a boil in a small saucepan and toss in the raisins. Turn off the heat and let steep for 2 minutes, then drain the raisins and pat them dry.

Put the yeast and milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and, using a wooden spoon, stir until the yeast is dissolved. Add the flour and salt and stir just to moisten the flour—don’t be concerned, the mixture will be shaggy and there may be dry patches.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs and yolk together lightly with a fork. Fit the mixer with the dough hook, if you have one, and, working on low speed, pour in the beaten eggs, mixing until they are incorporated. Add the sugar, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until the dough comes together and smooths out a little, about 5 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the butter in 4 to 6 additions, squeezing each piece to soften it before adding it and beating until each one is almost fully incorporated before adding the next.

When the butter is blended in, the dough will be very soft. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and climbs up the hook, about 10 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and stir in the raisins.

Scrape the dough into a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, about 1½ hours. (The length of time will depend on the warmth of your room.)

Deflate the dough by lifting it up around the edges and letting it fall back with a slap into the bowl. Cover the bowl again and put it in the refrigerator. Slap the dough down in the bowl every 30 minutes until it stops rising, about 2 hours. Then, if you have the time, let the dough rest in the refrigerator overnight. (The dough can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Generously butter a 9-inch Kugelhopf mold (8- to 9-cup capacity) and put the chilled dough in the pan. Cover the pan lightly with buttered parchment or wax paper and let the dough rise in a warm place until it comes almost to the top of the mold, 2 to 3 hours.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: When the dough has almost fully risen, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove the paper and bake the Kugelhopf for 10 minutes. Cover the pan loosely with a foil tent and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the Kugelhopf is golden brown and has risen to the top—or, more likely, over the top—of the pan.

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with foil and place a rack over it. Remove the Kugelhopf from the oven and unmold it on the rack.

TO SOAK THE CAKE: Melt the butter and gently brush the hot cake with it, allowing the butter to soak into the cake. Sprinkle the hot cake lightly with sugar and cool it to room temperature.

Right before serving, dust the Kugelhopf with confectioners’ sugar.

MY BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

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IN THE category of “Great Chocolate Chip Cookies,” these get my vote for greatest. They are Toll House cookies’ kin, but I think my nips, tucks, tweaks and variations on the classic recipe make them their own kind of wonderful. They’re thin and crisp and a bit chewy in the center from just the right mix of sugars—granulated sugar for crispiness and brown sugar for deep caramel flavor.

I’ve made these cookies with just about every kind of chocolate known to humankind with universally satisfying results, but my all-time favorite way is to chop up premium chocolate, not worrying about cutting it into uniform sizes or shapes. Having chunks, chips and slivers makes the eating more fun, and I love the way the mishmash of shapes looks when the cookies are baked—streaked, marbled, tweedy and totally tempting.

MAKES ABOUT 45 COOKIES

SERVING: These are quintessential cookies-and-milk cookies.

STORING: The cookies can be kept in a cookie jar or sealed container for about 4 days or wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt (1¼ teaspoons if you really like salt)
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• ⅔ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or 2 cups store-bought chocolate chips or chunks
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for about 1 minute, until smooth. Add the sugars and beat for another 2 minutes or so, until well blended. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each egg goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in 3 portions, mixing only until each addition is incorporated. On low speed, or by hand with a rubber spatula, mix in the chocolate and nuts. (The dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen. If you’d like, you can freeze rounded tablespoonfuls of dough, ready for baking. Freeze the mounds on a lined baking sheet, then bag them when they’re solid. There’s no need to defrost the dough before baking—just add another minute or two to the baking time.)

Spoon the dough by slightly rounded tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between spoonfuls.

Bake the cookies—one sheet at a time and rotating the sheet at the midway point—for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are brown at the edges and golden in the center; they may still be a little soft in the middle, and that’s just fine. Pull the sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to rest for 1 minute, then carefully, using a wide metal spatula, transfer them to racks to cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remainder of the dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

CHOCOLATE CHUNKERS

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THESE FABULOUS—I mean truly fabulous—cookies are based on the ones I made when I worked at the long-gone Soho Charcuterie and those I made at the still-going-strong Sarabeth’s. At the Charcuterie, the cookies were called Chocolate Gobs, and at Sarabeth’s, where they continue to be best sellers, they’re called Chocolate Chubs. Both of those versions, as well as these, are grandchildren of Maida Heatter’s great Mulattoes (in Maida Heatter’s Book of Great Desserts). They’re big, gooey, exceedingly chocolaty—thanks to the unsweetened, bittersweet and milk chocolate as well as cocoa powder in the dough—and exceedingly chunky—thanks to the two different kinds of chopped chocolate pieces, raisins and nuts. Despite their heft, they’re serially snackable. You’ll never eat just one at a sitting.

A note on the chunks: these cookies are very good made with store-bought chocolate chips, but they are stupendous made with hand-chopped excellent-quality chocolate. Because I think the cookies are worth the time, effort and expense of using really good chocolate for both the dough and the mix-ins, I pull out my best bittersweet chocolate and melt some for the dough, then chop some into generous chunks to stir in right before baking. I also use hand-chopped good-quality milk or white chocolate. Because some hand-chopped pieces will be big and some small, and because some will melt more than others, you’ll have a different chocolate treat with each bite.

MAKES ABOUT 24 COOKIES

SERVING: Serve these with cold milk or hot espresso.

STORING: These cookies will keep (I didn’t say “stay”) in a cookie jar or container for about 4 days. They can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months; defrost in their wrapper.

• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, or 1 cup store-bought chocolate chips or chunks
• 6 ounces premium-quality milk or white chocolate, chopped into chunks, or 1 cup store-bought chocolate chips or chunks
• 1½ cups coarsely chopped nuts, preferably salted peanuts or toasted pecans
• 1 cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or finely chopped moist, plump dried apricots

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Add the butter, bittersweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate and heat, stirring occasionally, just until melted—the chocolate and butter should be smooth and shiny but not so hot that the butter separates. Remove the bowl from the heat and set it on the counter to cool.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together on mediumhigh speed for about 2 minutes, until they are pale and foamy. Beat in the vanilla extract, then scrape down the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the melted butter and chocolate, mixing only until incorporated. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl, then, on low speed, add the dry ingredients. Mix just until the dry ingredients disappear into the dough, which will be thick, smooth and shiny. Scrape down the bowl and, using the rubber spatula, mix in the semisweet and milk (or white) chocolate chunks, nuts and raisins—you’ll have more crunchies than dough at this point. (The dough can be wrapped in plastic and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

Drop the dough by generously heaping tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about an inch of space between the mounds of dough.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes. The tops of the cookies will look a little dry but the interiors should still be soft. Remove the baking sheet and carefully, using a broad metal spatula, lift the cookies onto a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining dough, baking only one sheet of cookies at a time and making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches.

If, when the cookies are cooled, the chocolate is still gooey and you’d like it to be a bit firmer, just pop the cookies into the fridge for about 10 minutes.

CHUNKY PEANUT BUTTER AND OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIPSTERS

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THESE ARE really three great cookies rolled into one. They’re chubby, crispy, chunky and crackly topped, perfect for dunking into a big glass of milk, dipping into a bowl of ice cream or keeping company with coffee and super for school bags, picnic baskets and kitchen-counter cookie jars. The oats and chocolate chips make the cookies plenty crunchy, but if you’re like me and think tons of crunch is only just enough, you’ll opt for a peanut butter that’s studded with nuts. (I use Skippy Super Chunk.)

MAKES ABOUT 60 COOKIES

SERVING: I can’t remember when I actually served these. They’re more often plucked from a cookie jar than picked from a platter.

STORING: Wrapped airtight or piled into a cookie jar, the cookies will keep at room temperature for about 4 days. Wrapped and frozen, they’ll be good for 2 months.

• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup peanut butter–chunky (my choice) or smooth (but not natural)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, or 1½ cups store-bought chocolate chips or chunks

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, spices and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, beating only until blended. Mix in the chips. If you have the time, cover and chill the dough for about 2 hours, or for up to 1 day. (Chilling the dough will give you more evenly shaped cookies.)

If the dough is not chilled, drop rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. If the dough is chilled, scoop up rounded tablespoons, roll the balls between your palms and place them 2 inches apart on the sheets. Press the chilled balls gently with the heel of your hand until they are about ½ inch thick.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 7 minutes. The cookies should be golden and just firm around the edges. Lift the cookies onto cooling racks with a wide metal spatula—they’ll firm as they cool.

Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

MIDNIGHT CRACKLES

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I ORIGINALLY named these cookies for their midnight-dark color and their unevenly crackled tops, but many batches later, I’ve realized that the name describes something else about these sweets—the hour at which you’re apt to crave them. And with their double dose of chocolate, their mixture of crunch and chew and their hint of spice, they’re the kind of cookies you eat, enjoy and walk away from, only to turn around and come back for more—at lunch, in the afternoon or around midnight.

MAKES ABOUT 50 COOKIES

SERVING: While my son likes to dunk these in milk, I like them with espresso or ice cream.

STORING: Wrapped airtight, the cookies can be kept for about 5 days at room temperature or frozen for up to 2 months.

• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces
• 1¼ cups (packed) light brown sugar
• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 large eggs

Put the butter, sugar and chocolate, in that order, into a 2-quart saucepan. Set the pan over low heat and warm the ingredients, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Scrape into the bowl of a stand mixer or another large bowl.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves.

Working with the stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer on low speed, add the eggs to the chocolate mixture one at a time, beating until they are well blended into the chocolate. With the mixer still on low, add the dry ingredients, mixing just until the dough is smooth and shiny; it will clean the sides of the bowl and form a ball. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide it in half. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour, or for up to 3 days. (If the dough is solid, leave it on the counter for 30 minutes before proceeding.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Working with 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, roll the dough between your palms into firm, shiny balls (if the dough breaks as you work, squeeze and knead it a bit, then reroll it between your palms) and place about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Lightly press each one down a tad with your fingertips.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies should be delicately firm and crackled across the top. (It’s better to under- than overbake.) Remove the sheets from the oven and let the cookies rest on the sheets for 2 minutes, then, using a wide metal spatula, gently transfer the cookies to a rack. Cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

CHOCOLATE OATMEAL DROPS

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THESE HAVE the look and shape of chocolate-chocolate chip cookies, but not the usual taste or texture. They are deeply and unswervingly chocolaty—closer to the chocolatiness of a brownie than of a cookie. Then there’s the texture—a teensy bit crisp at the surface and oatmeal-and-brown-sugar chewy through and through.

MAKES ABOUT 50 COOKIES

SERVING: Excellent with milk, these are also good with coffee.

STORING: Packed in the cookie jar, these will keep for 2 to 3 days; packed in the freezer, they can be kept for up to 2 months.

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1½ cups (packed) light brown sugar
• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ cups old-fashioned oats

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Put the butter in the bowl and sprinkle over the 1 tablespoon water, then add the brown sugar, followed by the chocolate. Stir occasionally until everything is just melted. Don’t let the ingredients get so hot that the butter separates from the sugar and chocolate, and don’t be concerned if the mixture looks grainy.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the eggs one at a time; the mixture will look shiny. Whisk in the dry ingredients, stirring only until they disappear into the dough. Stir in the oats. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each spoonful.

Bake for about 12 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until the cookies are dark around the edges and just slightly soft in the middle. Using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to room temperature. (If the cookies are difficult to lift from the baking sheet, wait a minute and try again.)

Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

SUGAR-TOPPED MOLASSES SPICE COOKIES

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BEWARE THE innocent look of these sugar-topped crackled cookies—they are much more than they seem. Indeed, they are crisp, molasses sweet, big, round, dunkable and, as their name proclaims, spicy. But, in addition to the traditional cookie spices—ginger, cinnamon and allspice—you add a pinch of pepper. With a tiny one, you’ll get just a touch of heat; grab a bigger pinch, and you’ll produce enough pow to propel these from the cookie jar to the late-night-snack box.

MAKES 24 COOKIES

SERVING: These are munchable right out of the cookie jar, but I like to counter the heat of the cookies with the chill of some coffee ice cream—the combo is inspired.

STORING: The cookies will keep for at least 1 week in the cookie jar. Wrapped airtight, they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

• 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• Pinch (small or not so small) of cracked or coarsely ground black pepper
• 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ½ cup molasses (not blackstrap)
• 1 large egg
• About ½ cup sugar, for rolling

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and pepper.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat for 2 minutes or so to blend, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg and beat for 1 minute more. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing until the flour and spices disappear. If some flour remains in the bottom of the bowl, to avoid overbeating the dough, mix in the last of the dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula. You’ll have a smooth, very soft dough.

Divide the dough in half and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Freeze for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The dough can be kept refrigerated for up to 4 days.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Put the sugar in a small bowl. Working with one packet of dough at a time, divide it into 12 pieces, and roll each piece into a smooth ball between your palms. One by one, roll the balls around in the bowl of sugar, then place them on one of the baking sheets. Dip the bottom of a glass into the sugar and use it to press down on the cookies until they are between ¼ and ½ inch thick.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the tops feel set to the touch. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and, if the cookies have spread and are touching, use the edge of a metal spatula to separate them while they are still hot. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the second batch of dough.

PEANUT BUTTER CRISSCROSSES

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THIS RECIPE is among the classics in my collection, turning out crisp-chewy cookies with the signature crisscrossed lines on their tummies. I make these with crunchy peanut butter, but you can use a smooth butter if that’s your preference. As with most recipes, you won’t get the texture you want with all-natural peanut butter. Save the stuff from the health food market for sandwiches and midnight munchies.

MAKES ABOUT 40 COOKIES

SERVING: Chez moi, these aren’t served, they’re just piled in the cookie jar, from whence they disappear.

STORING: Wrapped well or in a cookie jar, these will keep for about 5 days at room temperature; frozen, they’re good for up to 2 months.

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup peanut butter—crunchy or smooth (not natural)
• 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ cups chopped salted peanuts
• About ½ cup sugar, for rolling

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for a minute or two, until smooth and creamy. Add the peanut butter and beat for another minute. Add the sugars and beat for 3 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and, on low speed, add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they just disappear. Mix in the chopped peanuts. You’ll have a soft, pliable (mushable, actually) dough.

Pour the ½ cup of sugar into a small bowl. Working with a level tablespoonful of dough for each cookie, roll the dough between your palms into balls and drop the balls, a couple at a time, into the sugar. Roll the balls around in the sugar to coat them, then place on the baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Dip the tines of a fork in the sugar and press the tines against each ball first in one direction and then in a perpendicular direction—you should have a flattened round of dough with crisscross indentations.

Bake for about 12 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. When done, the cookies will be lightly colored and still a little soft. Let the cookies sit on the sheets for a minute before transferring them to cooling racks with a wide metal spatula. Cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining dough, making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches.

BUTTERY JAM COOKIES

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A CROSS between sturdy cookie jar cookies and more delicate side-of-the-saucer sweets, these chunky jam-laced cookies are surprisingly flaky, like the best biscuits. The thick jam—I like apricot jam, but any marmalade would be good, as would a not-thin raspberry or cherry jam or preserves—gives them a kind of stickiness that I find irresistible. The touch of ginger in the dough acts more like a butter-and-jam booster than another flavor. If you’d like to get a bigger hit from the ginger, try folding in tiny cubes of preserved (stem) or crystallized ginger.

MAKES ABOUT 45 COOKIES

SERVING: These accompany afternoon tea perfectly.

STORING: The cookies can be kept in a sealed container for about 4 days or wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup apricot jam (or your flavor of choice)

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Add the sugar and beat for a minute. Add the egg and beat for 2 minutes more. The mixture will be satiny. Add the milk and vanilla and beat just to combine. Don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled, it will even out shortly. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the jam and beat for 1 minute more. With the mixer still on low, add the dry ingredients and mix only until they are incorporated. You’ll have a very thick dough.

Spoon the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about an inch between mounds.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies will be only just firm, fairly pale and browned around the edges. Pull the sheets from the oven and allow the cookies to rest for 1 minute, then carefully transfer them to racks to cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remainder of the dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

HONEY-WHEAT COOKIES

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IF THE mention of wheat germ makes you think of the back-to-the-earth movement of the 1970s, you’re on to the origin of these cookies. In fact, these are an adaptation of a recipe I pulled out of the New York Times and pasted in my notebook during that period. At the time, I’m sure the recipe was featured for its wholesomeness; today I make it often because it’s just plain good. The cookies are soft, chewy, sweet from the wheat and tangy from the honey and lemon. They make a great mid-afternoon pick-me-up.

MAKES ABOUT 36 COOKIES

SERVING: With the honey and lemon in the cookies, tea is a natural go-along.

STORING: The cookies will keep at room temperature for about 3 days or wrapped airtight in the freezer for up to 2 months.

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup honey
• 1 large egg

Whisk together the flour, ½ cup of the wheat germ, the baking powder and salt.

Working in the bowl of a stand mixer or in another large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers until the sugar is moist. Add the butter and, using the paddle or whisk attachment or a hand mixer, beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until creamy and smooth. Add the honey and beat for another minute or two. Add the egg and beat for about 2 minutes more, until you have a smooth, light, fluffy mixture. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in 2 portions, mixing only until each addition disappears. Scrape the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and wrap well. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Put the remaining ½ cup wheat germ into a bowl. Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and, working with a spoonful of it at a time, roll the dough between your palms into 1-inch balls. Drop each ball into the wheat germ and turn to coat, then place the balls on one of the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between them (these don’t spread much). Use your palm or the bottom of a glass to gently flatten each cookie.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are just firm to the touch. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining dough.

GRANOLA GRABBERS

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IT WOULD be hard to find a more after-schoolish cookie than this one. It’s chunky, bumpy, both chewy and crunchy and packed with little surprises—raisins, peanuts, almonds, coconut and, of course, granola. These are great with milk and even good spread with peanut butter or nibbled alongside yogurt. I created them with my son in mind, thinking he and his friends would be happy to come home to a jar crammed to the top with these craggy cookies, but my husband is their biggest fan.

These are best made with granola that doesn’t include dried fruit. Often the fruit in packaged granola cereals is too dry and, because it won’t soften up in the batter, you can end up with cookies that are hard and dry.

MAKES ABOUT 40 COOKIES

SERVING: Slip these into a lunch box or just pile them onto a plate and have cold milk at hand.

STORING: In a covered cookie jar, these will be fine for about 3 days. If you want to keep them longer, wrap them airtight and freeze them for up to 2 months.

• 3 cups granola without fruit
• ¾ cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden)
• ½ cup salted peanuts
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
• ⅓ cup wheat germ
• 1¾ sticks (14 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Put the granola in a large bowl and break up any clumps with your fingers. Add the raisins, peanuts, almonds, coconut and wheat germ and mix together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, or until creamy. Add the egg and salt and beat until well blended. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it is incorporated, then steadily add the granola and fruit. Stop the mixer when most of the granola mix is blended into the batter and finish the job with a sturdy rubber spatula, making sure to get up any bits of dry ingredients left in the bottom of the bowl.

Scoop out rounded tablespoonfuls of dough, pack the scoops between your palms and arrange the mounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1½ inches between them. Flatten the mounds lightly with your fingertips.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies should be golden brown but not firm. Allow them to rest on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes before transferring them to racks to cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

CHOCOLATE MALTED WHOPPER DROPS

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IF YOU’RE thinking that these sound like something right out of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, you’re right. They are almost equal parts candy and cookie. The candy part is chunks of chocolate-covered malted milk balls and big chips of chocolate, while the cocoa cookies are soft and lightly flavored with malted milk powder. If Mr. Wonka had a soda fountain, I’d bet these cookies would be on his menu.

MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES

SERVING: These are wonderful with milk, chocolate milk or malteds, great with ice cream and just as great with strong dark coffee.

STORING: These will keep for about 4 days packed in a tin, cookie jar or plastic bags; wrapped airtight, they’ll keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup malted milk powder (or Ovaltine, regular or chocolate-flavored)
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup whole milk
• 2 cups (6 ounces) chocolate-covered malted milk balls (I use Whoppers), coarsely chopped
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 1 cup store-bought chocolate chips or chunks

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Sift together the flour, malted milk powder, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until very smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled—it will even out when the dry ingredients are added. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half the dry ingredients, mixing just until they disappear into the batter. Mix in the milk, then the remaining dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. The batter will look more like fudge frosting than cookie dough—and that’s fine. With the mixer on low, or by hand with a rubber spatula, mix in the malted milk balls and chopped chocolate.

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between spoonfuls. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 6 minutes. When done, the cookies will be puffed and set but slightly soft to the touch. Let the cookies rest for 2 minutes before using a wide metal spatula to transfer them to racks to cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

CHOCKABLOCK COOKIES

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THIS RECIPE turns out big, fat cookies loaded—okay, overloaded—with dried fruits, chopped nuts, coconut, oats and chocolate. With so many add-ins, there’s not a lot of cookie holding the fruits and nuts together, but what there is is soft, chewy and packed with flavor, because the dough is sweetened with dark, syrupy molasses. But, as full-flavored as these cookies are, they’re not of the have-one-and-walk-away variety, so I’d advise you to allow yourself one for each hand.

MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES

SERVING: These cookies are equally good with milk or coffee.

STORING: These will keep for about 4 days in the cookie jar or for up to 2 months wrapped airtight in the freezer.

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup solid vegetable shortening
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup molasses (not blackstrap)
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans or peanuts are all good)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped dried fruit (such as apricots, prunes or figs) or 1 cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden), or a mixture of dried fruit and raisins
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 2 cups store-bought chocolate chips or chunks
• ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and shortening together at medium speed until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for another 2 minutes. Pour in the molasses and beat for 1 minute more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the oats, then add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the dough. Toss in the nuts, fruit, chocolate and coconut and turn the mixer on and off quickly a few times to incorporate. Alternatively, you can stir them into the dough with a sturdy rubber spatula. (The dough can be wrapped well and kept chilled for up to 2 days. If you’d like, you can measure out the dough onto a baking sheet, freeze until firm, then put the mounds of dough in a bag and freeze for up to 2 months; bake directly from the freezer, adding a few minutes to the baking time.)

I like to use an ice cream scoop with a 2-tablespoon capacity to divvy up the dough, but you can measure it out by rounded tablespoonfuls. Place the mounds of dough on the baking sheets, leaving about 1½ inches between the mounds.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until the cookies are golden and just about set. Remove the baking sheets to cooling racks and let the cookies rest on the sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring them to racks to cool to room temperature.

CLASSIC BROWNIES

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FUDGY BUT not gooey, intensely chocolaty, dry on top and melty in the middle, these brownies are just about classic. I say “just about” because I make them with a mix of bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate (in true classics, unsweetened chocolate solos) and I like to stir an untraditional half teaspoon of espresso powder into the batter. When the brownies are baked, the coffee flavor is almost imperceptible, but its presence gives the chocolate flavor a turbocharge.

MAKES 16 BROWNIES

SERVING: Like all great brownies, these are good eaten out of hand without a bit of embellishment or topped off with whipped or ice cream (coffee ice cream is really good with these), offered either way at room temperature or a bit chilled.

STORING: These are best served within 2 days of baking. If you’re going to keep them at room temperature, just cut what you need and keep the remainder wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. To freeze for up to 2 months, wrap the brownies airtight.

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional, but really good)
• ¼–½ teaspoon salt (according to taste)
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, butter the foil and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Put the butter in the bowl, top with the chopped chocolates and stir occasionally until the ingredients are just melted—you don’t want them to get so hot that the butter separates. Remove the bowl from the pan of water.

With a whisk, stir in the sugar. Don’t be concerned when your smooth mixture turns grainy. One by one, whisk in the eggs. Add the vanilla and give the ingredients a vigorous whisking before gently stirring in the espresso, if you’re using it, salt and flour; stir only until incorporated. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the chopped walnuts.

Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the spatula.

Bake the brownies for 30 to 33 minutes, or until the top is dull and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool the brownies to room temperature.

When the brownies are completely cool, turn out onto a rack, peel away the foil and invert onto a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares, each a scant 2 inches on a side.

BITTERSWEET BROWNIES

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IF YOU are a true brownie fan, I can’t imagine that you won’t fall for this slim (only about ¾ inch high), totally bittersweet version, with its very thin crackly crust and its very moist, fudgy-all-the-way-to-the-edges interior, which could almost double as a dense mousse. As with many chocolate desserts, the goodness of this one depends on the excellence of the chocolate. Use a premium-quality bittersweet chocolate—it makes all the difference. (I like to make these with Valrhona Manjari, a chocolate with a subtle spiciness reminiscent of the nuances you find in good wine.)

MAKES 32 BROWNIES

SERVING: Serve plain, or with whipped cream, crème fraîche or ice cream, sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar or glazed with ganache.

STORING: These are best served within 2 days of baking. If you’re going to keep them at room temperature, just cut what you need and keep the remainder wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. To freeze for up to 2 months, wrap the brownies airtight.

• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1½ cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder (optional)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9-x-13-inch baking pan with foil, butter the foil and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Put the butter in the bowl, top with the chopped chocolate and stir occasionally until the ingredients are just melted—you don’t want them to get so hot that the butter separates. Remove the bowl from the pan of water.

With a whisk, stir in the sugar. The mixture might get grainy, but it will even out. Whisk in the eggs one by one, then add the vanilla and whisk enthusiastically to smooth the batter. Finally, gently whisk in the espresso powder, if you’re using it, salt and flour, stirring only until incorporated. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake the brownies for just 20 to 22 minutes, or until the top is dull and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool the brownies to room temperature.

When they are completely cool, turn out onto a rack, peel away the foil and invert onto a cutting board. Cut into 32 slender rectangles, each roughly 2¼ x 1½ inches.

RICK KATZ’S BROWNIES FOR JULIA

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IN 1995, when I was working with Julia Child filming the PBS series Baking with Julia and writing the companion book, Boston-based pastry chef Rick Katz was running the prep kitchen in Julia’s basement. Working between the washing machine and the dryer, Rick was in charge of getting the recipes of each of the twenty-six visiting chefs ready for their close-ups. An ordinary human would have had his hands full, but superman Rick always found time to make us extra little goodies, among them these very dark, very fudgy brownies. The way he prepares the batter is different from any other brownie recipe I know. Half of the eggs and sugar are mixed in with the chocolate, while the other half are beaten until they double in volume and are as light as a sponge. Whipping the eggs creates the surprisingly creamy, soft and definitively fudgy texture.

MAKES 18 BROWNIES

SERVING: Because these are so intensely chocolaty, they are particularly good with espresso.

STORING: These will keep for 2 days at room temperature—cut what you need and keep the remainder covered tightly with plastic wrap. To freeze for up to 2 months, wrap the brownies airtight.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put a 9-inch square baking pan (I like to use Pyrex for this) on a baking sheet.

Whisk the flour and salt together.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, put the butter in the bowl and top with the chopped chocolate. Stir frequently until the ingredients are just melted—you don’t want them to get so hot that the butter separates. Add 1 cup of the sugar and whisk gently just to incorporate it, then remove the bowl from the pan of water. Stir in the vanilla and transfer the warm chocolate to a large bowl.

Put the remaining 1 cup sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium bowl and, using a whisk, stir in the eggs. Switch to a rubber spatula and, little by little, add half of the sugar-egg mixture to the warm chocolate, stirring very gently but without stopping—you don’t want the heat of the chocolate to cook the eggs.

With the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the remaining sugar and eggs on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, or until they double in volume. Using the spatula and a light touch, fold the whipped eggs into the chocolate mixture, stopping just short of blending them in completely. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the batter and delicately fold them in, working only until they disappear. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the spatula.

Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the top looks dry. Poke a thin knife into the center and take a peek: the brownies should be only just set and still pretty gooey. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool to room temperature.

The brownies are fragile and best cut in the pan. Cut eighteen 1½-x-3-inch bars.

FRENCH CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

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IF THERE were a French Academy of Culinary Correctness (and, knowing the French, there might be), their esteemed members would probably dispute the pedigree of these brownies, but I’m certain their colleagues in the Department of Immigration would grant them a French passport, because these sweets were born in Paris, created the afternoon of a casual dinner party. My thought was to play on the idea of the French chocolate “fondant,” a cake known for its chocolatiness and its soft, moist texture. The rum-soaked raisins were a just-for-fun addition.

I baked the cake, cut the portions, centered them on the plates, topped each serving with some softly whipped crème fraîche and waltzed into the dining room, where I was greeted by a chorus of “Oh, brownies—splendide” Nicest of all, one of my guests, a Parisian pastry chef, asked for the recipe. With such an endorsement, why would I care that I’d meant my sweet to be a cake? I just called them brownies and have been happy ever since.

MAKES 16 BROWNIES

SERVING: The brownies are good just warm or at room temperature; they’re even fine cold. I like these with a little something on top or alongside—good accompaniments are whipped crème fraîche or whipped cream, ice cream or chocolate sauce (bittersweet or milk) or, dare I suggest, all three!

STORING: Wrapped well, these can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅓ cup raisins (dark or golden)
• 1½ tablespoons water
• 1½ tablespoons dark rum
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces, at room temperature
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, butter the foil and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk the flour, salt and cinnamon together.

Put the raisins in a small saucepan with the water, bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the water almost evaporates. Add the rum and let it warm for about 30 seconds, then turn off the heat, stand back and ignite the rum with a long match. Allow the flames to die down, and set the raisins aside.

Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate melts. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and add the butter, stirring until it melts. It’s important that the chocolate and butter not get very hot. However, if the butter is not melting, you can put the bowl back over the still-hot water for a minute. If you’ve got a couple of little bits of unmelted butter, leave them—it’s better to have a few bits than to overheat the whole.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed and pour in the chocolate-butter mixture, mixing only until it is incorporated—you’ll have a thick, creamy batter. Add the dry ingredients and mix at low speed for about 30 seconds—the dry ingredients won’t be completely incorporated. Then finish folding in the dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula. Fold in the raisins, along with any liquid remaining in the pan. Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top is dry and crackled and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Carefully lift the brownies out of the pan, using the foil edges as handles, and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares, each roughly 2 inches on a side, taking care not to cut through the foil.

CHIPSTER-TOPPED BROWNIES

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THESE BROWNIES are topped with a layer of great chocolate chip cookie dough—two all-time favorites baked together in one delicious double-decker.

MAKES 24 BROWNIES

SERVING: Ice cream, whipped cream and crème fraîche are all great accompaniments, as is a generous drizzle of chocolate sauce (bittersweet or milk).

STORING: Wrapped well or packed in an airtight container, the bars can be kept at room temperature for 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

FOR THE BROWNIE LAYER

• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 1 ⅔ cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

FOR THE COOKIE LAYER

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or 1 cup store-bought chocolate chips

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-x-13-inch baking pan, line it with wax or parchment paper and butter the paper. Put the pan on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE BROWNIE BATTER: Put both chocolates and the butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stirring occasionally, heat just until the ingredients are melted, shiny and smooth. If the mixture gets too hot, the butter will separate from the chocolates. Remove the bowl from the heat.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until pale, thick and creamy. Beat in the salt and vanilla extract. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate and butter, mixing only until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then, still on low speed, add the flour, mixing only until it disappears into the batter. Using the spatula, fold in the walnuts, and scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE COOKIE DOUGH: Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.

Working with the stand mixer in the cleaned bowl or with the hand mixer in another large bowl, beat the butter and both sugars together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. One at a time, add the egg and the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the dough. Still on low, mix in the chopped chocolate. Drop the cookie dough by spoonfuls over the brownie batter and, using a spatula and a light touch, spread it evenly over the batter.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cookie top is deep golden brown and firm and a thin knife inserted into the brownie layer comes out with only faint streaks of moist chocolate. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool to room temperature.

When the brownies are completely cool, carefully run a knife between the sides of the pan and the brownies, then invert them onto another rack, remove the paper and turn right side up onto a cutting board. Cut into bars about 2 inches x 1 inch. (You can cut larger bars if you’re serving cookie lovers with Texas-size appetites.)

TRIBUTE-TO-KATHARINE-HEPBURN BROWNIES

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AFTER KATHARINE Hepburn died, eulogies came from every quarter, many including stories about her brownies. In an article sent to me by my friend Bon Appétit editor in chief Barbara Fairchild, Heather Henderson of St. Paul, Minnesota, recalled wanting to quit her studies at Bryn Mawr. Her father managed to get Miss Hepburn, a Bryn Mawr alum and a neighbor, to intervene. The famous Kate invited both the young woman and her father to her home one afternoon. At tea, Ms. Henderson got a taste of the legendary brownies as well as of the actress’s views on education.

In her tribute to the actress, Ms. Henderson wrote, “I’ll always be grateful to Miss Hepburn for making me stick it out at Bryn Mawr and for giving me these rules to live by: 1. Never quit; 2. Be yourself and 3. Don’t put too much flour in your brownies.”

This recipe is a play on the one Miss Hepburn is reported to have used. Since a quick search through my cookbooks uncovered two other brownie recipes credited to Kate, and each was different, I decided it would be fine to add my own little touches. I’ve kept the essence of Miss Hepburn’s recipe—these are thin, soft, very chocolaty brownies made without much flour—but I’ve added a little cinnamon, some coffee and a quarter pound of chopped fine-quality chocolate. Since the chocolate doesn’t firm up much in baking, it makes a soft, gooey brownie even softer and gooier and, to my way of thinking, even yummier. I think Miss Hepburn would approve.

MAKES 16 BROWNIES

SERVING: These are happy being served in all the typical ways—with whipped cream, ice cream or Hot Fudge Sauce or paired with a glass of milk to allow for dunking. I think they are best at room temperature, when they are at their moistest, but they are also very good chilled.

STORING: Wrapped well, the brownies will keep for 3 days at room temperature or frozen for up to 2 months.

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons finely ground instant coffee
• 2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup broken or chopped walnuts or pecans
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment or wax paper. Butter the paper, dust the inside of the pan with flour and tap out the excess. Place the pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk the flour, cinnamon, if you’re using it, and salt together.

Put the butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and place the pan over low heat. When the butter starts to melt, sift the cocoa over it and add the instant coffee. Continue to cook, stirring, until the butter is melted and the cocoa and coffee are blended into it. Remove from the heat and cool for about 3 minutes.

Using a whisk or a rubber spatula, beat the eggs into the saucepan one at a time. Next, stir in the sugar and vanilla (don’t beat anything too vigorously—you don’t want to add air to the batter), followed by the dry ingredients, nuts and chopped chocolate. Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes, at which point the brownies will still be gooey but the top will have a dry papery crust. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the brownies cool for at least 30 minutes. (You can wait longer, if you’d like.)

Turn the brownies out onto a rack, peel away the paper and invert onto a cutting board. Cool completely before cutting into 16 squares, each roughly 2 inches on a side.

QUINTUPLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

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THERE’S A little of every kind of chocolate in these sweet, more-fudgy-than-cakey brownies. Following tradition, the batter is made with unsweetened chocolate, but it’s got bittersweet (or semisweet) chocolate, cocoa, milk chocolate chips and a soft white chocolate glaze too. And there are nuts—any kind you’d like, but I hope you’ll try salted cashews or peanuts at least once.

MAKES 16 BROWNIES

SERVING: Serve straight up—whipped cream or ice cream is unnecessary with these. Well, a little ice cream is nice—why not?

STORING: The brownies can be put back in their baking pan, wrapped (without touching the glaze) and kept at room temperature for about 3 days or frozen—glaze and all—for up to 2 months.

FOR THE BROWNIES

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons strong coffee
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 6 ounces premium-quality milk chocolate, chopped into chips, or 1 cup store-bought milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts

FOR THE GLAZE

• 6 ounces premium-quality white chocolate, finely chopped, or 1 cup store-bought white chocolate chips
• ⅓ cup heavy cream

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil, butter the foil and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Sift together the flour, cocoa and salt.

TO MAKE THE BROWNIES: Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and add, in the following order, the butter, the two chocolates and the coffee. Keeping the pan over low heat, warm just until the butter and chocolates are melted—you don’t want the ingredients to get so hot they separate, so keep an eye on the bowl. Stir gently, and when the mixture is smooth, set it aside for 5 minutes.

Using a whisk or a rubber spatula, beat the sugar into the chocolate mixture. Don’t beat too vigorously—you don’t want to add air to the batter—and don’t be concerned about any graininess. Next, stir in the eggs one at time, followed by the vanilla. You should have a smooth, glossy batter. If you’re not already using a rubber spatula, switch to one now and gently stir in the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. Finally, stir in the milk chocolate chips and the nuts. Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out streaked but not thickly coated. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the brownies rest undisturbed for at least 30 minutes. (You can wait longer, if you’d like.)

Turn the brownies out onto a rack, peel away the foil and place it under another rack—it will be the drip catcher for the glaze. Invert the brownies onto the rack and let cool completely.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Put the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate. Wait 30 seconds, then, using a rubber spatula, gently stir until the chocolate is melted and the glaze is smooth.

Hold a long metal icing spatula in one hand and the bowl of glaze in the other. Pour the glaze onto the center of the brownies and use the spatula to nudge it evenly over the surface. Don’t worry if it dribbles over the edges, you can trim the sides later (or not). Refrigerate the brownies for about 20 minutes to dry the glaze.

Cut into 16 squares, each roughly 2¼ inches on a side.

GINGER-JAZZED BROWNIES

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IT’S GINGER, both fresh and dried, that makes these brownies slightly hot. If you want to jazz them up a bit more, glaze the top with a shiny ganache, top each portion with a spoonful of lightly sweetened ginger whipped cream (1 teaspoon ground ginger and 1 cup heavy cream) and finish each serving with a sliver of crystallized ginger.

In order to soften the fresh ginger before mixing it into the batter, I stir a little sugar into the minced ginger and let it sit while I work on the rest of the recipe. If you’d like, you can mince and sugar the ginger the day before.

MAKES 16 BROWNIES

SERVING: These can be served with a little sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or cold crème fraîche. Or you can dress them up with a bittersweet ganache glaze. Embellished or not, these are good with coffee, hot or cold.

STORING: Wrapped well, the brownies will keep for 2 days at room temperature (during which time the ginger flavor will become a little more pronounced) or for up to 2 months in the freezer.

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons finely minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 cup plus 1½ tablespoons sugar
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅓ cup light corn syrup
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil, butter the foil and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk the flour, salt and ground ginger together.

Put the minced fresh ginger and 1½ tablespoons of the sugar in a small bowl, stir and set aside. (If you do this a day ahead, cover the bowl with plastic wrap; if you do it several days ahead, cover and refrigerate.)

Melt the chocolates in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, or melt them in a microwave oven; keep the heat low so the chocolates do not get very hot. Set aside to cool.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until it is smooth and creamy. Beat in the corn syrup, then the remaining 1 cup sugar, and continue to beat for another 2 minutes or so, until the butter is smooth again and the sugar incorporated. Add the vanilla. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each one goes in and scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat for 1 minute more, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add the macerated ginger (and any liquid), then the dry ingredients, mixing only until the flour disappears. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, gently and thoroughly stir in the melted chocolate. Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top forms an even sugar crust; a thin knife inserted into the center of the brownies should have streaks of moist, fudgy chocolate on it. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool to room temperature.

When the brownies are completely cool, turn out onto a rack, peel away the foil and invert onto a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares, each roughly 2¼ inches on a side.

HONEY-NUT BROWNIES

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WHILE THESE contain enough chocolate to qualify as brownies, the standout flavor is honey—full, bold and just a touch tangy. Honey is also the ingredient behind their alluring texture—moist, soft and supple. I usually make these with a mixed-blossom honey, but they can be made with a stronger variety: choose one, such as chestnut honey, that has an affinity for chocolate.

MAKES 16 BROWNIES

SERVING: Serve, if desired, with lightly sweetened whipped cream or ice cream—I like coffee ice cream with these brownies, but good old vanilla or chocolate or something with spice is also nice.

STORING: Wrapped well, the brownies will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days (the honey keeps them moist) or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 4 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup honey
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts, such as pecans, walnuts or toasted almonds
• Cocoa powder or confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil, butter the foil and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, just until the ingredients are melted—you don’t want to overheat the chocolate. Remove the bowl from the heat.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs and salt together on medium-high speed until light and foamy. Add the honey, sugar and vanilla and beat for 2 minutes, or until well blended and smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and pour in the chocolate-butter mixture, mixing only until incorporated. Still on low speed, add the flour and mix just until it disappears into the batter. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the nuts. Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the brownies have risen, are beautifully brown and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes.

Turn out onto a rack, peel away the foil and invert onto another rack. Cool to room temperature right side up.

Just before serving, dust the top of the brownies with either cocoa powder or confectioners’ sugar or, if you’d like, a little of both. Cut the brownie bar into 16 squares, each roughly 2¼ inches on a side.

BRRRRR-OWNIES

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WITH SO much peppermint flavor, these are as frosty as a nor’easter. I created them for our son, Joshua, who keeps York Peppermint Patties in the freezer so that their already mouth-chilling filling turns downright blizzardy.

To get the wonderful, chilly sensation, I borrowed a handful of candy from Joshua’s stash, chopped it up and stirred the little nuggets into brownie batter. The result: the chocolate tastes and even feels featherlight—just the thing you’d want on a steamy summer day—but the brownies have depth, moistness, creaminess and fudginess. As my husband said after his first shivery bite, “These are fun!”

MAKES 16 BROWNIES

SERVING: These are even more terrific with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce (bittersweet or milk) or Hot Fudge Sauce.

STORING: These are best served within 2 days of baking. If you’re going to keep them at room temperature, just cut what you need and keep the remainder wrapped tightly in plastic. To freeze for up to 2 months, wrap the brownies airtight.

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (6 ounces) York Peppermint Pattie Bites (or an equal weight of patties), chopped into bits

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, butter the foil and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Put the butter in the bowl, top with the chopped chocolates and stir occasionally until the ingredients are just melted—you don’t want them to get so hot that the butter separates. Remove the bowl from the pan of water.

With a whisk, stir in the sugar. Don’t be concerned when your smooth mixture turns grainy. Whisk in the eggs one by one. Add the vanilla and whisk vigorously to bring the batter together and give it a shine before gently stirring in the salt and flour; stir only until incorporated. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the peppermint pieces. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the rubber spatula.

Bake the brownies for 30 to 33 minutes, or until the top is dull and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out almost clean. (The tip of the knife may be a touch streaky.) Transfer the pan to a rack and cool to room temperature.

When they are completely cool, turn out onto a rack, peel away the foil and invert onto a cutting board. Cut into sixteen 2-inch squares.

ESPRESSO CHEESECAKE BROWNIES

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IF, LIKE ME, you love both brownies and cheesecake and the combination of chocolate and coffee, you’ll find these candidates for over-overindulgence. The bottom layer of this triple-decker treat is a bittersweet chocolate brownie, the middle is cheesecake flavored with espresso and marbled with some of the brownie batter and the top is a thin, smooth cover of sweetened sour cream. The flavor combination is impeccable and so is the texture—it’s a treat to start with the very soft sour cream topping, bite down to the velvety cheesecake and finish with the firmer but fudgy brownie.

MAKES 16 BROWNIES

SERVING: Although these are delicious as is, you might want to dust the tops of the bars with cocoa, or even to circle the cold brownies with Hot Fudge Sauce.

STORING: These can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Because of the sour cream topping, they should not be frozen. However, if you omit the topping, you can wrap the brownies airtight and freeze them for up to 2 months. If, on defrosting, you decide you want a topping, make it, spread it over the brownies and chill to set.

FOR THE BROWNIES

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE CHEESECAKE

• 1½ teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 1 tablespoon boiling water
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

FOR THE TOPPING

• 1¼ cups sour cream
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan, dust with flour and tap out the excess. Put the pan on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE BROWNIES: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Put the butter in the bowl, top with the chopped chocolate and stir occasionally until the ingredients are just melted—you don’t want them to get so hot that the butter separates. Remove the bowl from the pan of water.

With a whisk, stir the sugar into the chocolate mixture. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla and beat vigorously for a few seconds. With the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently stir in the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Set aside while you prepare the cheesecake.

TO MAKE THE CHEESECAKE: Dissolve the espresso in the boiling water; set aside to cool to tepid.

Meanwhile, working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until completely smooth. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes or so, until well incorporated. Beat in the vanilla and the espresso mixture. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add the sour cream, followed by the flour. The batter will be smooth.

Give the brownie batter a few stirs with a spatula, and pour three quarters of it into the prepared pan. Smooth the brownie layer and pour the cheesecake batter over it, tilting the pan as needed to even the batter. Dot the top of the batter with spoonfuls of the remaining brownie batter, then, using a table knife, swirl the dark batter into the cheesecake batter, taking care not to plunge the knife into the lower brownie layer. The cake looks and tastes best if you swirl sparingly.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the brownies pull away from the sides of the pan and the cheesecake layer is beige in the center, lightly browned around the edges and puffed all over. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool to room temperature.

When the brownies are completely cool, refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until thoroughly chilled.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: Warm the sour cream and sugar in a saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and pour the topping evenly over the cold cheesecake layer.

Return the brownies to the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 more hour, or until the topping is also thoroughly cold.

The easiest way to cut this dessert is to run the knife blade under hot water, wipe it dry and cut the cake into quarters. Remove the quarters from the pan and, again using a warmed-and-dried knife, cut each quarter into 4 pieces.

BROWNIE BUTTONS

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THESE MINIATURIZED brownies are a sensational after-school snack, a great half-time munchie or a dainty treat at teatime. To dress them up elegantly, dip the button tops in melted white chocolate and serve them in pretty little paper or foil cups. If snacking is more what you have in mind, skip the glaze and just pile them into a bowl.

MAKES 16 COOKIES

SERVING: Serve these with milk, coffee or even snifters of single-malt Scotch.

STORING: Covered, these will keep at room temperature overnight. If you wrap them airtight, you can freeze them for up to 2 months, glazed or not.

• Grated zest of ½ orange (optional)
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 2½ ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• ⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

FOR THE GLAZE (OPTIONAL)

• 2 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two miniature muffin pans, each with a dozen cups, and place them on a baking sheet.

If you’re using the orange zest, combine the zest and sugar in a small bowl, rubbing them between your fingertips to blend; set aside. Whisk together the flour and salt.

Melt the butter, chocolate and brown sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over very low heat, stirring frequently with a heatproof spatula and keeping an eye on the pan so nothing overheats or burns. When the mixture is smooth, remove from the heat and cool for a minute or two.

Stir the vanilla, egg and the zest, if you’re using it, into the chocolate mixture. When the mixture is well blended, add the flour and stir only until it is incorporated. You should have a smooth, glossy batter.

Spoon the batter into 16 of the muffin cups, using about a teaspoon of batter to fill each cup three-quarters full. Put 1 teaspoon of water in each empty cup.

Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the tops of the buttons spring back when touched. Transfer the pans to racks to cool for 3 minutes before carefully releasing the buttons. Cool to room temperature on the racks.

TO MAKE THE OPTIONAL GLAZE: Melt the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir constantly and don’t leave the chocolate for even a minute—white chocolate scorches easily. As soon as the chocolate is smooth, remove from the heat.

One by one, dip the tops of the buttons into the chocolate, twirling the buttons so that you get a little swirl at the center of each one and the excess chocolate drips back into the bowl. Refrigerate the buttons for 15 minutes to set the glaze.

CHEWY, CHUNKY BLONDIES

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CHEWY AND richly butterscotch flavored, just the way blondies should be, and chocolaty, nutty and coconutty too, these have the look of an overgrown Toll House cookie. They’ve got bumpy tops and incredibly bumpy middles because they are made with more chunky add-ins than batter—a boon for anyone who loves being surprised bite after bite.

MAKES 32 BLONDIES

SERVING: Like most brownies, these are good as is and great with ice cream. My favorite accompaniment is coffee ice cream.

STORING: Wrapped well, the blondies will keep for about 3 days at room temperature and for up to 2 months in the freezer.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ cups (packed) light brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or 1 cup store-bought chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch chips or Heath Toffee Bits
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-x-13-inch baking pan and put it on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add both sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, or until well incorporated. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until they disappear into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chips, nuts and coconut. Scrape the batter into the buttered pan and use the spatula to even the top as best as you can.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the blondies comes out clean. The blondies should pull away from the sides of the pan a little and the top should be a nice honey brown. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for about 15 minutes before turning the blondies out onto another rack. Invert onto a rack and cool the blondies to room temperature right side up.

Cut into 32 bars, each roughly 2¼ x 1½ inches.

WHITE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

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WHITE CHOCOLATE, orange zest and lots of fresh raspberries make these brownies delicious; topping them with meringue makes them glamorous. The cake layer is slender, delightfully dense and both sweet and tart; the meringue is soft and golden. You can call them brownies, but serve them with a swirl of raspberry coulis and they’ll be worthy of a black-tie gala.

MAKES 32 BROWNIES

SERVING: Dust the squares with additional confectioners’ sugar if you think they need it and serve as is or with Raspberry Coulis.

STORING: Kept in the pan and covered lightly with plastic wrap, the brownies can be kept at room temperature overnight. The meringue makes these fragile (and unfreezable). If you omit the meringue, you can wrap the brownies airtight and keep them at room temperature for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 2 months.

FOR THE BROWNIES

• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup finely ground almonds
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 4 ounces premium-quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh raspberries

FOR THE MERINGUE

• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup sugar
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-x-13-inch pan, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper, butter the paper and dust the bottom and sides of the pan with flour; tap out the excess. Put the pan on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE BROWNIES: Whisk together the flour, ground almonds and salt.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of only-just-simmering water. Put the butter in the bowl, top with the chopped chocolate and stir frequently until the ingredients are just melted—you don’t want them to get so hot that the butter or the white chocolate separates. (White chocolate is finicky, so don’t leave the kitchen while it’s over the heat—too much heat and it will fall apart or scorch.) Remove the bowl from the pan of water.

Working in the bowl of a stand mixer or in another large bowl, rub the sugar and orange zest together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and aromatic. Add the eggs and, with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, or until pale and foamy. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and blend in the melted butter and chocolate. Still working on low, mix in the dry ingredients, stirring only until they disappear into the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the raspberries evenly over the batter. Set aside while you make the meringue.

TO MAKE THE MERINGUE: In the cleaned mixer bowl with the (clean) whisk attachment, or in another large bowl with cleaned beaters, beat the egg whites with the salt on medium speed until they are foamy and just turn opaque. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and add the sugar in a slow, steady stream. Whip the whites until they form firm but still glossy peaks.

Gently spread the meringue over the brownie batter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the meringue is browned and crackly and the brownies pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow to cool to room temperature in the pan.

Cover a cooling rack with a piece of parchment or wax paper, or a silicone baking mat, dust the paper or mat with confectioners’ sugar and very gently, so you don’t squish the meringue, turn the brownies out onto the rack. Peel away the parchment paper lining and carefully invert the brownies onto a cutting board. Cut into 32 bars, each roughly 2¼ x 1½ inches.

CARAMEL CRUNCH BARS

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ANYONE WITH a passion for caramel and a soft spot for Heath Bars will find these irresistible. From the bottom up, you get a caramel-sweet brown sugar cookie, a slick of chocolate and a shower of toffee bits. I think of these bars as a double treat because, as delicious as they are at room temperature, they are also wonderful frozen—which means they are great for ice cream sandwiches.

Just keep in mind that the cookie layer is really a shortbread and, like all shortbread doughs, the less you work it once the flour is added, the more appealingly crumbly the texture will be.

MAKES ABOUT 54 BARS

SERVING: Serve plain, with a glass of cold milk for the kids and coffee for the grown-ups. Or serve with vanilla ice cream and, if you like, Caramel Sauce or Hot Fudge Sauce—excessive, but fun.

STORING: Covered, the bars will keep for about 4 days at room temperature; wrapped airtight, they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

FOR THE BASE

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or finely ground instant coffee
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 ounces bittersweet or premium-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped

FOR THE TOPPING

• 6 ounces bittersweet or premium-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped
• ¾ cup Heath Toffee Bits

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-x-13-inch baking pan, line the pan with foil and butter the foil. Put the pan on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE BASE: Whisk together the flour, espresso powder, salt and cinnamon.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, or until the mixture is light and creamy. Beat in the vanilla, then turn off the mixer. Add all the dry ingredients, cover the stand mixer with a kitchen towel (so you and your kitchen don’t get showered with flour) and pulse the mixer on and off on low speed about 5 times—at which point a peek at the bowl should reveal that it’s safe to turn the mixer to low and mix, uncovered, just until the dry ingredients are almost incorporated. Add the chopped chocolate and mix only until the dry ingredients disappear. If the chocolate isn’t evenly mixed, finish the job by hand with a spatula. You’ll have a heavy, very sticky dough. Scrape the dough into the buttered pan and, with the spatula and your fingertips, cajole it into a thin, even layer.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the base is bubbly—so bubbly you can almost hear it percolating—and puckery. It will look as though it is struggling to pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer the pan to a rack and turn off the oven.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: Scatter the chopped chocolate evenly over the top of the hot base and pop the pan back into the oven for 2 to 3 minutes, until the chocolate is soft. Remove from the oven and immediately spread the chocolate over the bars, using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the toffee bits over the chocolate and press them down lightly with your fingertips. Place the baking pan on a rack to cool to room temperature.

If, by the time the bars are cool, the chocolate hasn’t set, refrigerate them briefly to firm the chocolate.

Carefully lift out of the pan, using the foil edges as handles, and transfer to a cutting board. Trim the edges if they seem a bit thick. Cut about 54 bars, each about 2 inches x 1 inch, taking care not to cut through the foil.

CHOCOLATE OATMEAL ALMOST-CANDY BARS

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I WANTED a fun, kid-in-us-all bar cookie. What I got after playing around in the kitchen is a treat to appeal to the kid in us all if you love peanuts, raisins, fudge and thick, chewy, nut-filled oatmeal cookies. Served cold—which is how I recommend you offer them up—these are like big fat candy bars. When they are chilled, the bottom oatmeal and peanut layer is firm, with lots of chew; the middle layer is like peanut-raisin fudge; and the top layer, a generous smattering of the oatmeal mixture that forms the crust, is pure crunch. Know anyone, young or old, who could turn these down? I can’t imagine you’ll find a soul—I haven’t.

MAKES 32 BARS

SERVING: I think these are best served cold from the fridge, although my husband likes them straight from the freezer, cut into slivers. Before you chill the bars, though, have one—you might find you like them best at room temperature, in which case you’re lucky: you can start enjoying them sooner.

STORING: Wrapped well, these will keep for about 4 days at room temperature, 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer.

FOR THE OATMEAL LAYER

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

FOR THE CHOCOLATE LAYER

• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden)
• ¾ cup coarsely chopped peanuts, preferably salted

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-x-13-inch baking pan and place the pan on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE OATMEAL LAYER: Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until it is soft and creamy. Add the brown sugar and beat for 2 minutes, then add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each egg goes in. Beat in the vanilla. The mixture should be light and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until they disappear. Still on low speed, or working by hand with a rubber spatula, stir in the oats and chopped peanuts.

Set aside 1½ to 2 cups of the mixture, then turn the remaining dough into the buttered pan. Gently and evenly press the dough over the bottom of the pan. Set aside while you prepare the next layer.

TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE LAYER: Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Put the condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter and salt in the bowl and stir occasionally until the milk is warm and the chocolate and butter are melted. Remove the bowl from the pan of water and stir in the vanilla, raisins and peanuts.

Pour the warm chocolate over the oatmeal crust, then scatter the remaining oatmeal mixture over the top. Don’t try to spread the oatmeal, and don’t worry about getting the topping even—this is fun, remember?

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the chocolate layer is dull and starting to come away from the sides of the pan. Transfer the baking pan to a rack and cool for about 2 hours.

Run a blunt knife between the edges of the cake and the pan, and carefully turn the cake out onto a rack. Turn right side up, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting.

Cut into 32 rectangles, each roughly 2¼ x 1½ inches.

APPLESAUCE SPICE BARS

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DON’T PASS these up because they seem too simple and old-fashioned. They are homey, true, but they’re also irresistibly good, the kind of sweet you can serve to both little kids and know-it-all adults. The batter is mixed quickly and easily in a saucepan, as is the brown sugar glaze, and the finished bars are good keepers—but storing them will probably not be an issue because I can’t think of any time, from after school to midnight, when they wouldn’t be just right.

MAKES 32 BARS

SERVING: Serve with coffee, tea, milk or mulled cider. These are also awfully good with a little scoop of ice cream.

STORING: Kept in a covered container, the bars will be fine for about 3 days at room temperature. Because of the glaze, they cannot be frozen.

FOR THE BARS

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon applejack, brandy or dark rum (optional)
• 1 baking apple, such as Rome or Cortland, peeled, cored and finely diced or chopped
• ½ cup plump, moist raisins (dark or golden)
• ½ cup chopped pecans

FOR THE GLAZE

• 2½ tablespoons heavy cream
• ⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2½ tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-x-13 inch baking pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, butter the paper and dust the inside of the pan with flour. Tap out the excess flour and put the pan on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE BARS: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir with a whisk until it is melted and the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.

Still working in the saucepan, whisk in the eggs one at a time, mixing until they are well blended. Add the applesauce, vanilla and applejack, if you’re using it, and whisk until the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is once again smooth. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently stir in the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear, then mix in the apple, raisins and nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until the bars just start to pull away from the sides of the pan and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the baking pan to a rack and let the cake cool while you make the glaze.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: In a small saucepan, whisk together the cream, sugar, butter and corn syrup. Put the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking frequently. Adjust the heat so that the glaze simmers, and cook, whisking frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Turn the bars out onto a rack, remove the paper and invert the bars onto another rack, so they are right side up. Slide the parchment paper under the rack to serve as a drip catcher, grab a long metal icing spatula and pour the hot glaze over the bars, using the spatula to spread it evenly over the cake. Let them cool to room temperature before you cut them.

Cut into 32 rectangles, each about 2¼ x 1½ inches.

PEANUTTIEST BLONDIES

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MADE WITH peanut butter and bolstered with lots of salted peanuts and chocolate chips, these blondies are big, firm, sweet, satisfying and definitely members-in-good-standing of the chewy branch of the brownie family. They’re real kid fare, great with milk, malteds or hot chocolate, and so good with ice cream.

MAKES 16 BLONDIES

SERVING: Serve these plain or with ice cream. They’re especially good with coffee.

STORING: Wrapped well, the blondies will keep for about 3 days at room temperature or for up to 2 months in the freezer.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup peanut butter—crunchy (my preference) or creamy (not natural)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup coarsely chopped salted peanuts
• 6 ounces semisweet or premium-quality milk chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 1 cup store-bought chocolate chips (I like mini semisweet chips for these)

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil, butter the foil and put the pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the peanut butter and butter together on medium speed until smooth. Add both the sugars and beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until well incorporated into the butter. Add the eggs one at time, beating for 1 minute after each egg goes in. Beat in the vanilla extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the dough; the dough will be thick. Add the peanuts and chocolate and give the mixer a few turns to stir them into the dough. If the chunky ingredients aren’t mixed in after a few seconds, just finish the job with a sturdy spatula—don’t overmix the dough. Scrape the dough into the prepared pan.

Bake the blondies for 40 to 50 minutes, or until they turn a deep honey brown and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool to room temperature.

When it is completely cool, carefully lift the blondies out of the pan, using the foil edges as handles, and turn them out onto a rack. Peel away the foil and invert onto a cutting board. Use a long knife to cut into 16 bars, each roughly 2¼ inches on a side.

SNICKERY SQUARES

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I LIKE to think of these as classy Snickers, a made-at-home, slimmer, sleeker version of the beloved candy bar. The squares are composed of a buttery shortbread base, a layer of smooth caramel dulce de leche mixed with crunchy candied salted peanuts (like the ones you get in Cracker Jacks) and a top coat of dark chocolate sprinkled with crushed candied peanuts. All the pieces are simple and each is tasty on its own, but put them together, and you get something much better than the individual components.

MAKES 16 SQUARES

SERVING: The squares can be served at room temperature or chilled. I like to serve them with ice cream—vanilla, chocolate, coffee or cinnamon.

STORING: Covered, these will keep for 2 days at room temperature. Wrapped well, they’ll hold for 5 days in the refrigerator or for up to 2 months in the freezer.

FOR THE CRUST

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
• 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

FOR THE FILLING

• ⅓ cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1½ cups salted peanuts
• About 1½ cups store-bought dulce de leche

FOR THE TOPPING

• 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square pan and put it on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: Toss the flour, sugar, confectioners’ sugar and salt into a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Toss in the pieces of cold butter and pulse about 12 times, until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Pour the yolk over the ingredients and pulse until the dough forms clumps and curds—stop before the dough comes together in a ball.

Turn the dough into the buttered pan and gently press it evenly across the bottom of the pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork and slide the sheet into the oven.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it takes on just a little color around the edges. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool to room temperature before filling.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: Have a parchment- or, better yet, a silicone mat–lined baking sheet at the ready, as well as a long-handled wooden spoon (you’ll be cooking sugar that will climb to over 300 degrees F, so you’ll want to keep as far away from it as possible) and a medium (about 2-quart) heavy-bottomed saucepan. (If you’re new to caramelizing, take a minute to read Caramelize.)

Put the sugar and water in the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Keeping the heat fairly high, continue to cook the sugar, without stirring, until it just starts to color. (If sugar splatters onto the sides of the saucepan, wash down the splatters with a pastry brush dipped in cold water.) Toss in the peanuts and immediately start stirring. Keep stirring, to coat the peanuts with the sugar. Within a few minutes, they will be covered with sugar and turn white—keep stirring until the sugar turns back into caramel. When the peanuts are coated with a nice deep amber caramel, remove the pan from the heat and turn the nuts out onto the baking sheet, using the wooden spoon to spread them out as best you can. Cool the nuts to room temperature.

When they are cool enough to handle, separate the nuts or break them into small pieces. Divide the nuts in half. Keep half of the nuts whole or in biggish pieces for the filling, and finely chop the other half for the topping.

Spread the dulce de leche over the shortbread base and sprinkle over the whole candied nuts or the big pieces.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water or in a microwave oven, using a low power setting. Remove the chocolate from the heat and gently stir in the butter, stirring until it is fully blended into the chocolate.

Pour the chocolate over the dulce de leche, smoothing it with a long metal icing spatula, then sprinkle over the finely chopped candied peanuts. Slide the pan into the refrigerator to set the topping, about 20 minutes; if you’d like to serve the squares cold, keep them refrigerated for at least 3 hours before cutting.

Cut into 16 bars, each roughly 2½ inches on a side.

ESPRESSO-CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

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I NEVER tire of the satisfying combination of espresso and chocolate and am always pleased when I think of another way to use it. Stirring some instant espresso into a classic shortbread dough and then adding bits of bittersweet chocolate transforms a traditional cookie into a modern treat with an edge.

If you’re new to making shortbread, take a look at the pointers.

MAKES 32 COOKIES

SERVING: The obvious choice is the best choice for these cookies—coffee is the perfect match.

STORING: These cookies can be packed airtight and kept at room temperature for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months. (If you think you’re going to be freezing them, it’s best not to dust them with confectioners’ sugar, which gets gloppy in the freezer.)

• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1 tablespoon boiling water
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or ¾ cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

Dissolve the espresso in the boiling water, and set aside to cool to tepid.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth. Beat in the vanilla and espresso, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it disappears into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate with a sturdy rubber spatula.

Using the spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9-x-10½-inch rectangle that’s ¼ inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1½-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale—they shouldn’t take on much color. Transfer the cookies to a rack.

If you’d like, dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while they are still hot. Cool the cookies to room temperature before serving.

BROWN SUGAR–PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

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AS SOFT and buttery and appealing as shortbread can be, but just a tad sweeter because of the pecans and a little more caramely because of the brown sugar, these will make pecan-sandy fans smile. (See pointers on making shortbread.)

MAKES 32 COOKIES

SERVING: These are good with tea or coffee, but they’re also a good go-along for ice cream.

STORING: Packed in a covered container, these will keep for about 4 days at room temperature; wrapped airtight, they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ½ cup finely ground pecans
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt and cloves.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated. Add the pecans and give the mixer a couple of turns, just to get the nuts into the dough.

Using a rubber spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipperlock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9-x-10½-inch rectangle that’s ¼ inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1½-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale—they shouldn’t take on much color. Transfer the cookies to a rack.

If you’d like, dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while they are still hot. Cool the cookies to room temperature before serving.

SALT AND PEPPER COCOA SHORTBREADS

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TO CALL these buttery shortbreads slice-and-bake icebox cookies is to describe them accurately—and shortchange them shamefully. These are, indeed, cookies that are put together quickly, rolled into logs and chilled in the refrigerator, ready to be sliced, baked and served at a moment’s notice. But just because they are simple to make doesn’t mean they are simple in any other way. Because of their tender texture and the subtle play between the chocolate (which makes the cookies fudgy), the salt (which heightens the chocolate quotient) and the black pepper (which sparks the entire mix), these little shortbread coins turn out to be quite sophisticated, although not above being paired with a glass of milk.

As with most slice-and-bake cookies, the logs of dough can be kept refrigerated for a few days or frozen for a few months. And the recipe can be doubled or tripled, if you want to have cookies today and logs tucked away for tomorrow. (See tips on making shortbread.)

MAKES ABOUT 24 COOKIES

SERVING: Not surprisingly, these are excellent with espresso. Equally unsurprisingly, they are great with ice cream, especially vanilla, chocolate and Unbelievably Good Chocolate Blueberry.

STORING: The cookies will keep for 4 to 5 days at room temperature in a tin; wrapped airtight, they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• ¾ teaspoon fleur de sel or ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Sift the flour and cocoa together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium-low speed until soft and smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar and continue to beat until the butter is satiny. Add the yolk, salt, pepper and vanilla and beat until the mixture is once again smooth. Add the flour-cocoa mixture in 3 additions, beating on low speed only until each addition is incorporated.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and gather it together. Divide it in half and roll each half into a log that is 1 to 1¼ inches thick and about 6 inches long. I find it’s easiest to flatten each piece with your fingertips into a thick rectangle, then to roll the piece up into a log. Roll the log back and forth under your palms to get a good shape and to stretch it to length. It’s kid’s play, but pay attention—if you don’t check the solidity of your log by feeling it around the middle, you could end up with one that’s hollow in the center. It’s not fatal, but neither is it attractive: a hollow center results in holes in your cookies. Once the logs are formed, wrap them in plastic wrap, twisting the ends of the plastic firecracker-style to tighten the rolls, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. (The cookie logs can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or wrapped airtight and frozen for about 2 months. If you freeze the logs, you can cut and bake the rounds frozen—just add a couple of minutes to the baking time.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Using a thin-bladed knife, cut the logs into ½-inch-thick rounds and place the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving at least 1 inch between the rounds.

Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the 7-minute mark; the cookies should feel reasonably firm to the touch. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to room temperature.

CORNMEAL SHORTBREAD COOKIES

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THESE CLASSIC, buttery, rich shortbread cookies have a textural twist—an appealing tickle-your-tongue roughness that comes from using a bit of cornmeal. I like to make them a little thinner than most shortbread and bake them just a little longer and just a little darker—all in the service of crunch. (See pointers on making shortbread.)

MAKES 32 COOKIES

SERVING: Tea is the traditional—and the perfect—mate for these.

STORING: Kept in a covered container, these will keep for about 4 days at room temperature; wrapped airtight, they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup yellow cornmeal
• ⅔ cup sugar
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon pure almond extract

Sift the flour, cornstarch and salt together into a bowl, then whisk in the cornmeal.

Working in the bowl of a stand mixer or another large bowl, rub the sugar and zest together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and aromatic. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment or the whisk, or use a hand mixer. Add the butter and extract to the bowl and beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture is very smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they just disappear into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated.

Using a rubber spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipperlock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9-x-10½-inch rectangle that’s ¼ inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1½-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet.

Place the baking sheets in the oven and immediately lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Bake the shortbreads for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads should be set and only just tinged golden. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool to room temperature.

SABLÉS

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SABLÉS, RICH, tender shortbread cookies, are as popular in France as chocolate chip cookies are in America. And for several good reasons: the pure flavor of butter, the cookie’s key player; a paradoxical but paradisical texture—the cookie is both crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth tender; and it has an anytime rightness that makes it as perfect with a tall glass of milk, a bowl of ice cream or a basket of berries as it is on a petits fours tray in France’s grandest restaurants. I learned to make sablés in Paris working with some of the city’s best pâtissiers, and this master recipe is based on what they taught me—the Playing Around variations are my American riffs on their standard.

The dough for sablés is shaped into logs and then sprinkled with sugar before it is sliced and baked. During the year, I coat the logs with sparkly white decorating sugar. When the holidays come around, I double the recipe and go mad with color, sprinkling some of the logs with brilliant red sugar, some with green and some with a rainbow mix. Trimmed in color and packed in festive tins, these make terrific Christmas cookies.

If you’re new to sablés, take a look at the Shortbread and Sablés pointers before you set to work.

MAKES ABOUT 50 COOKIES

SERVING: Serve these with anything from lemonade to espresso.

STORING: The cookies will keep in a tin at room temperature for about 5 days. If you do not sprinkle the sablés with sugar, they can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months. Because the sugar will melt in the freezer, the decorated cookies are not suitable for freezing.

• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• ½ teaspoon salt, preferably fine sea salt
• 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• Decorating (coarse) sugar

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and very creamy. Add the sugars and salt and beat until well blended, about 1 minute. The mixture should be smooth and velvety, not fluffy and airy. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the egg yolks, again beating until the mixture is homogenous.

Turn off the mixer. Pour in the flour, drape a kitchen towel over the stand mixer to protect yourself and the counter from flying flour and pulse the mixer at low speed about 5 times, a second or two each time. Take a peek—if there is still a lot of flour on the surface of the dough, pulse a couple more times; if not, remove the towel. Continuing at low speed, mix for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough and the dough looks uniformly moist. (If most of the flour is incorporated but you’ve still got some in the bottom of the bowl, use a rubber spatula to work the rest of the flour into the dough.) The dough will not clean the sides of the bowl, nor will it come together in a ball—and it shouldn’t. You want to work the dough as little as possible. What you’re aiming for is a soft, moist, clumpy (rather than smooth) dough. Pinch it, and it will feel a little like Play-Doh.

Scrape the dough out onto a smooth work surface, gather it into a ball and divide it in half. Shape each piece into a smooth log about 9 inches long: it’s easiest to work on a piece of plastic wrap and use the plastic to help form the log. Wrap the logs well and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours, preferably longer. (The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Remove a log of dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it and place it on a piece of parchment or wax paper. Whisk the egg yolk until it is smooth, and brush some of the yolk all over the sides of the dough—this is the glue—then sprinkle the entire surface of the log with decorating sugar.

Trim the ends of the roll if they’re ragged, and slice the log into ⅓-inch-thick cookies. (You can make these as thick as ½ inch or as thin as—but no thinner than—¼ inch.) Place the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving an inch of space between them.

Bake one sheet at a time for 17 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet at the midway point. When properly baked, the cookies will be light brown on the bottom, lightly golden around the edges and pale on top; they may feel tender when you touch the top gently, and that’s fine. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest a minute or two before carefully lifting them onto a rack with a wide metal spatula to cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining log of dough, making sure the baking sheets are cool before you bake the second batch.

LINZER SABLÉS

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WHEN I was a kid, the main street in our neighborhood boasted a bakery every two blocks. We always had freshly made bread from the baker closest to our house and almost as often a box of butter cookies from the baker farthest away. My mother would always ask for an assortment, which meant we ended up with too many of those pink-and-green marzipan cookies and not enough of the linzers, buttery, lightly spiced sandwich cookies filled with raspberry jam that peeked through a little cutout on the top. These were the ones I liked best.

This recipe is not a duplicate of the cookie of my childhood, but it is inspired by it and it brings back childhood memories. I’ve made these cookies a bit spicier than the originals—I like that extra zing—and I make the peekaboo cutouts only when I’m in the mood to fuss a bit. The rolling out, which is a cinch, can be done just as soon as the malleable dough is made.

MAKES ABOUT 50 COOKIES (OR 25 SANDWICH COOKIES)

SERVING: These are best served with espresso topped with whipped cream. They’re also awfully good served with a big bowl of chocolate ice cream.

STORING: The cookies will keep at room temperature for about 3 days and can be frozen for up to 2 months—skip the sugar-dusting if you’re going to freeze the cookies.

• 1½ cups finely ground almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Scant ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup raspberry jam or strained apricot jam plus 1 teaspoon water (optional)
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Whisk together the ground nuts, flour, cinnamon, salt and cloves. Using a fork, stir the egg and water together in a small bowl.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the egg mixture and beat for 1 minute more. Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated. If the dough comes together but some dry crumbs remain in the bottom of the bowl, stop the mixer and finish blending the ingredients with a rubber spatula or your hands.

Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, put the dough between two large sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap. Using your hands, flatten the dough into a disk, then grab a rolling pin and roll out the dough, turning it over frequently so that the paper doesn’t cut into it, until it is about ¼ inch thick. Leave the dough in the paper and repeat with the second piece of dough. Transfer the wrapped dough to a baking sheet or cutting board (to keep it flat) and refrigerate or freeze it until it is very firm, about 2 hours in the refrigerator or about 45 minutes in the freezer. The rolled-out dough can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just thaw the dough enough to cut out the cookies and go on from there.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Peel off the top sheet of wax paper from one piece of dough and, using a 2-inch round cookie cutter—a scalloped cutter is nice for these—cut out as many cookies as you can. If you want to have a peekaboo cutout, use the end of a piping tip to cut out a very small circle from the centers of half the cookies. Transfer the rounds to the baking sheets, leaving a little space between the cookies. Set the scraps aside—you can combine them with the scraps from the second disk and roll and cut more cookies.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden, dry and just firm to the touch. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the second disk of dough, making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches. Gather the scraps of dough together, press them into a disk, roll them between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, then cut and bake.

IF YOU’D LIKE TO MAKE SANDWICH COOKIES: Place the jam in a small saucepan or in a microwaveable bowl and stir in the 1 teaspoon water. Bring to a boil over low heat or in the microwave. Let the jam cool slightly, then turn half of the cookies flat side up and place about ½ teaspoon of the jam in the center of each cookie; sandwich with the remaining cookies.

Just before serving, dust the cookies lightly with confectioners’ sugar.

WORLD PEACE COOKIES

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I ONCE said I thought these cookies, the brainchild of the Parisian pastry chef Pierre Hermé, were as important a culinary breakthrough as Toll House cookies, and I’ve never thought better of the statement. These butter-rich, sandy-textured slice-and-bake cookies are members of the sablé family (see Shortbreads and Sablés and What Goes Round Stays Round for pointers). But, unlike classic sablés, they are midnight dark—there’s cocoa in the dough—and packed with chunks of hand-chopped bittersweet chocolate. Perhaps most memorably, they’re salty. Not just a little salty, but remarkably and sensationally salty. It’s the salt—Pierre uses fleur de sel, a moist, off-white sea salt—that surprises, delights and makes the chocolate flavors in the cookies seem preternaturally profound.

When I included these in Paris Sweets, they were called Korova Cookies and they instantly won fans, among them my neighbor Richard Gold, who gave them their new name. Richard is convinced that a daily dose of Pierre’s cookies is all that is needed to ensure planetary peace and happiness.

MAKES ABOUT 36 COOKIES

SERVING: The cookies can be eaten when they are warm or at room temperature—I prefer them at room temperature, when the textural difference between the crumbly cookie and the chocolate bits is greatest—and are best suited to cold milk or hot coffee.

STORING: Packed airtight, the cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days; they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon fleur de sel or ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or a generous ¾ cup store bought mini chocolate chips

Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.

Turn off the mixer. Pour in the dry ingredients, drape a kitchen towel over the stand mixer to protect yourself and your kitchen from flying flour and pulse the mixer at low speed about 5 times, a second or two each time. Take a peek—if there is still a lot of flour on the surface of the dough, pulse a couple of times more; if not, remove the towel. Continuing at low speed, mix for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough—for the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added, and don’t be concerned if the dough looks a little crumbly. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it together and divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1½ inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the dough, you needn’t defrost it before baking—just slice the logs into cookies and bake the cookies 1 minute longer.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Using a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are ½ inch thick. (The rounds are likely to crack as you’re cutting them—don’t be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each cookie.) Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes—they won’t look done, nor will they be firm, but that’s just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can serve them or let them reach room temperature.

CHOCOLATE SPICE QUICKIES

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IF ONLY the dough for these quite sophisticated little rounds didn’t have to chill, you could go from craving to nibbling in 20 minutes flat. After all, it’s quick to make—it comes together in a food processor in about 5 minutes. It’s also quick to shape—it’s rolled into logs in under 5 minutes. And it’s quick to bake—3 minutes to slice and just 7 minutes in the oven. But there is that chilling period. Since these are classic slice-and-bake refrigerator cookies, they need a few hours in the fridge to firm up. Think of it as time to decide whether you’ll serve these mildly spiced, slightly chewy, almond-flecked chocolate cookies plain, dipped into melted chocolate, dotted with raspberry jam or alongside coffee ice cream.

MAKES ABOUT 40 COOKIES

SERVING: Offer these up as is with coffee, tea or ice cream. Or, if you’d like to dress them up, dip them up to their midpoints in melted chocolate, or—this is my favorite—serve them with a pot of great-quality raspberry jam, so everyone at the table can spoon a dollop onto each cookie.

STORING: The cookies can be kept in a tin for about 4 days.

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup blanched almonds (whole, sliced or slivered)
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice or cloves
• Pinch of salt
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Put the flour, almonds, cocoa, baking powder, spice and salt in a food processor and pulse, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until the almonds are finely ground. Turn the ingredients out onto a sheet of wax paper.

Put the sugar and the butter into the processor and whir for a minute, then scrape the bowl and process for another 15 seconds; the butter and sugar should be smoothly blended. Add the vanilla and egg and process for 30 seconds, then scrape and process for another 30 seconds. Add the chocolate and pulse to blend. Finally, add the dry ingredients and pulse until they are fully incorporated. You’ll have a soft, fudgy, very malleable dough. Scrape it out onto a work surface.

Divide the dough in half and roll each piece into a log 7 to 8 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Once the logs are formed, wrap them in plastic wrap, twisting the ends of the plastic firecracker-style to tighten the rolls. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. (The logs can be wrapped airtight and refrigerated for up to 4 days or kept frozen for up to 2 months; slice and bake the frozen logs without defrosting—just add a minute or two to the baking time.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Using a thin knife, cut the logs into ⅓-inch-thick rounds and place the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving at least 1 inch between rounds.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 7 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly puffed and their tops look dry. Transfer the sheet to a rack and wait 1 minute before carefully lifting the still-fragile cookies onto a rack to cool to room temperature.

LENOX ALMOND BISCOTTI

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WHEN TONY Fortuna, the owner of Lenox, one of my favorite restaurants in New York City, gave me this recipe for his biscotti, I stopped making any other almond biscotti and started making these in double batches—twice a week. They are perfect—crunchy but not rock solid, dippable, dunkable and eminently munchable, as good with breakfast café au lait as with late-night herbal tea. They’re great with ice cream, fruit salad, mousses and puddings too. Mille grazie, Tony.

These lend themselves to many variations, and additions (see Playing Around).

MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES

SERVING: These are good with just about anything—including themselves. Eat one, and you’ll want another.

STORING: Because they are dry and they’re fine if they get even drier, the biscotti will keep at room temperature, covered or not, for about a week. They can be frozen, but I rarely store them that way—mostly because they rarely last long enough to get wrapped up for long-term storage.

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ teaspoons pure almond extract
• ¾ cup sliced almonds, blanched or unblanched

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add the cornmeal and whisk again to blend.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed for 3 minutes, until very smooth. Add the eggs and continue to beat, scraping down the bowl as needed, for another 2 minutes, or until the mixture is light, smooth and creamy. Beat in the almond extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. You’ll have a soft stick-to-your-fingers dough that will ball up around the paddle or beaters. Scrape down the paddle and bowl, toss in the almonds and mix just to blend.

Scrape half the dough onto one side of the baking sheet. Using your fingers and a rubber spatula or scraper, work the dough into a log about 12 inches long and 1½ inches wide. The log will be more rectangular than domed, and bumpy, rough and uneven. Form a second log with the remaining dough on the other side of the baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the logs are lightly golden but still soft and springy to the touch. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and cool the logs on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.

If you turned off the oven, bring it back up to 350 degrees F.

Using a wide metal spatula, transfer the logs to a cutting board and, with a long serrated knife, trim the ends and cut the logs into ¾-inch-thick slices. Return the slices to the baking sheet—this time standing them up like a marching band—and slide the sheet back into the oven.

Bake the biscotti for another 15 minutes, or until they are golden and firm. Transfer them to racks and cool to room temperature.

CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

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MY DEAR and wonderful New York neighbor Richard Gold gave me this recipe. He got it from Thelma Labensky, a woman I’ve never met but whom I now consider a miracle worker, since her biscotti have been known to turn grouches into grinners (at least for the few minutes they’re eating her cookies). Thelma’s biscotti are cocoa-and-espresso dark and liberally speckled with chopped almonds and small chunks of semisweet chocolate. And, of course, they’re crunchy.

MAKES ABOUT 40 COOKIES

SERVING: You can serve these with coffee—espresso, cappuccino, lattes or plain-old-poured-from-the-pot coffee—red wine, milk or ice cream. Or, if you stick them in a cookie jar and leave them on the counter, they’ll just about serve themselves.

STORING: By their very nature, biscotti are good keepers. They’ll keep in a cookie jar or an open basket for a week or more. Wrapped airtight, they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped almonds, blanched or unblanched
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or ¾ cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
• Sugar, for dusting

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes; the mixture may be crumbly. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes; don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing only until a dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the chopped nuts and chocolate, then turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead in any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing.

Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll the dough into 12-inch-long logs. Flatten both logs with the palm of your hand, so that they are ½ to 1 inch high, about 2 inches across and sort of rectangular, then carefully lift the logs onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle each log with a little sugar.

Bake the logs for about 25 minutes, or until they are just slightly firm. The logs will spread and crack—and that’s just fine. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, put it on a cooling rack and cool the logs for about 20 minutes. (Leave the oven on.)

Working with one log at a time, using a long serrated knife, cut each log into slices between ½ and ¾ inch thick. Stand the slices up on the baking sheet—you’ll have an army of biscotti—and bake the cookies again, this time for just 10 minutes.

Transfer the biscotti to a rack to cool.

COCONUT BUTTER THINS

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THERE WAS a moment when I thought I shouldn’t include these because they are so fragile—but they’re too good not to share. They are like shortbread cookies in their preparation and melt-in-your-mouth butteriness, but once they’re slid into the oven, they become more wafery and lacy. Because they also contain coconut and chopped macadamia nuts, they’ve got a bit of bump and crunch.

MAKES 32 COOKIES

SERVING: Save these for an after-dessert dessert, so they’ll be the last taste you have with your last sip of coffee or tea.

STORING: Wrapped well, these will keep for about 3 days at room temperature or for up to 2 months in the freezer.

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of ground coriander
• ⅔ cup sugar
• Grated zest of 1 lime
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup sweetened shredded coconut
• ½ cup finely chopped macadamia nuts (don’t be afraid to use salted nuts)

Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt and coriander.

If you want to get a little more flavor out of the lime zest, put the sugar and zest in the mixer bowl and, using your fingertips, work the zest into the sugar until the sugar is moist and the mixture fragrant.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and zest on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear. Add the coconut and nuts and pulse to incorporate them. There will probably be some dry ingredients in the bottom of the bowl—don’t work them in with the mixer, just reach into the bowl and knead them in.

Transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9-x-10½-inch rectangle that’s ¼ inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or for up to 2 days.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the dough out onto the board (discard the bag), and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut it into 32 squares, each roughly 1½ inches on a side. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them, and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies to the sheet.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale—they shouldn’t take on much color. Transfer the cookies to a rack and cool to room temperature.

GRANDMA’S ALL-OCCASION SUGAR COOKIES

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THESE ARE my rendition of my grandmother’s sugar cookies, the ones she used to make for us every week, sprinkling the tops of the cookies earmarked for my brother and me with cinnamon sugar and the tops of those meant for our parents with poppy seeds. Actually this recipe is a composite of grandmother recipes, from mine and my husband’s (with an Aunt Bertha recipe tossed in for good measure), all of which were written on small recipe cards and fingerprint-stained long before they came to me.

The cookies are crisp, buttery (but not soft buttery, like their cousins in the shortbread family) and basic—literally, meaning they can be the base for several variations. You can stir zest into the dough or add chopped nuts, shredded coconut or grated chocolate. You can roll out the dough and cut it with cutters plain or fancy, or you can even turn it into the world’s easiest cookie, the slice-and-bake. (See Playing Around for a few ideas.) And the cookies take nicely to frosting, icing or glazing.

MAKES ABOUT FIFTY 2-INCH COOKIES

SERVING: My grandmother always served these with lemon tea.

STORING: The cookies will keep at room temperature in a tin for up to 1 week. Wrapped well, they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Sugar or cinnamon sugar, for dusting (optional)

Whisk the flour, salt and baking powder together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed for a minute or so, until smooth. Beat in the sugar and continue to beat for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is light and pale. Add the egg and yolk and beat for another minute or two; beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and steadily add the flour mixture, mixing only until it has been incorporated—because this dough is best when worked least, you might want to stop the mixer before all the flour is thoroughly blended into the dough and finish the job with a rubber spatula. When mixed, the dough will be soft, creamy and malleable.

Turn the dough out onto a counter and divide it in half. If you want to make roll-out cookies, shape each half into a disk and wrap in plastic. If you want to make slice-and-bake cookies, shape each half into a chubby sausage (the diameter is up to you—I usually like cookies that are about 2 inches in diameter) and wrap in plastic. Whether you’re going to roll or slice the dough, it must be chilled for at least 2 hours. (Well wrapped, the dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

If you are making roll-out cookies, working with one packet of dough at a time, roll out the dough between sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper to a thickness of ¼ inch, lifting the plastic or paper and turning the dough over often so that it rolls evenly. Lift off the top sheet of plastic or paper and cut out the cookies—I like a 2-inch round cookie cutter for these. Pull away the excess dough, saving the scraps for rerolling, and carefully lift the rounds onto the baking sheets with a spatula, leaving about 1½ inches between the cookies. (This is a soft dough and you might have trouble peeling away the excess or lifting the cutouts; if so, cover the dough, chill it for about 15 minutes and try again.) After you’ve rolled and cut the second packet of dough, you can form the scraps into a disk, then chill, roll, cut and bake.

If you are making slice-and-bake cookies, use a sharp thin knife to slice the dough into ¼-inch-thick rounds, and place the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1½ inches of space between the cookies.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, rotating the sheet at the midpoint. The cookies should feel firm, but they should not color much, if at all. Remove the pan from the oven and dust the cookies with sugar or cinnamon sugar, if you’d like. Let them rest for 1 minute before carefully lifting them onto a rack to cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

COTTAGE CHEESE PUFFLETS

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I FOUND this recipe written in my first kitchen scrapbook, with no hint as to where it came from. The only note on the page was the word “delicious” printed in red.

I remember making the cookies often the first few years of my marriage, and I remember they were addictively munchable. Then the book got buried on a high-up shelf. When I liberated it just a couple of years ago, I made the pufflets again and discovered they’d aged beautifully: they’re still the winners they were decades ago—proof, once more, that goodness is timeless.

The dough for these tender little pastry triangles, based on cottage cheese and butter, is softly flaky, mildly tangy and interesting enough to stand on its own. If you wanted, you could just cut out tiny squares of the dough and bake them as is. But by dropping a spoonful of jam in the center of each square and folding them over into triangles, you create a twice-as-good cookie.

The original recipe called for mixing the dough by hand with a wooden spoon, but it’s faster, easier and better made in a food processor.

MAKES ABOUT FORTY-EIGHT 2¼-INCH COOKIES

SERVING: These are lovely with either coffee or tea.

STORING: The pufflets are really best eaten the day they are made. The dough loses its characteristic lightness and flakiness over the course of a day and night.

• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces (about ¾ cup) cottage cheese
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• About ¼ cup thick preserves, marmalade or jam (your choice)
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Put the butter, sugar and salt in a food processor and process, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple of times, for 2 minutes, or until the butter is completely creamy. Add the cottage cheese and vanilla and process for another 2 minutes, again scraping the bowl once or twice. The mixture will be velvety, more like whipped cream cheese than cottage cheese. Add the flour, pulsing only until it is thoroughly blended into the dough.

Scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto a piece of plastic wrap. Shape the dough into a rectangle or square, pat it down, cover it completely and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours, or for up to 3 days. (The dough can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months; defrost, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

To roll out the dough, you can work either between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap or on a lightly floured surface.

Cut the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll the dough to a thickness of a scant ⅛ inch. Because you are going to be cutting the dough into squares, it’s best to roll it into a rectangular or square shape. If at any time the dough seems too soft to roll, pop it into the refrigerator for a quick chill.

Using a cookie cutter, a paring knife or a pastry wheel, cut the dough into 2- to 3-inch squares. (I use a 2¼-inch square cookie cutter.) Put a dab of jam on one square of dough, just off center, and, with a wet finger, moisten the edges of the dough. Fold the dough over to enclose the jam and form a triangle, pressing lightly to seal the edges. Repeat with the remaining squares and line the pufflets up on the baking sheets, spacing them about ½ inch apart. Poke a minute steam hole in the center of each. (You can roll, fill and shape the pufflets, freeze them on a tray, then, when they are frozen, transfer them to an airtight container. The pufflets can be baked straight from the freezer—no need to defrost—just add another 2 minutes or so to the baking time.)

Bake the pastries one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, or until puffed, firm and beautifully golden. Transfer the pufflets to a rack, dust with confectioners’ sugar and cool to warm or room temperature before serving.

Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

RUGELACH

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SOMETIME DURING the first year of my marriage, I visited my mother-in-law in her kitchen. There she was, listening to the radio, whistling (she is a formidable whistler) and rolling cream cheese dough around raisins and nuts to form the crescent-shaped cookies known as rugelach. I was spellbound—I’d had no idea that rugelach could be made at home. As far as I knew, rugelach, like ketchup or ships-in-bottles, were made only in laboratories. But here was my mother-in-law shaping the cookies with ease. And a short time later, there I was, eating them with ease. These cookies weren’t like the rugelach my mother bought every week at the local German bakery—they were much better. I was so excited I asked for the recipe.

My mother-in-law wrote it out in her precise hand on a 3-x-5 index card. And, as she wrote, she told me that this recipe was not exactly the same as the one her mother used, that it had come from Mrs. Strauss, her next-door neighbor, and that she was sure I’d have no problem making the cookies as long as I didn’t overmix the dough.

She was right. I was a newcomer to the world of baking, but I had no problem with the dough, the only potentially tricky part of the process.

Since then, I’ve made rugelach countless times, but nowadays my dough is even more foolproof because I make it in a food processor. I’ve also made a few other changes to the recipe. While my mother-in-law’s rugelach were filled with cinnamon-sugared nuts, mine also include a slick of jam, some currants and a handful of chopped chocolate. This is a very old recipe, and I have no doubt that everyone who has made it has added or subtracted a little bit to make it her own—and my mom-in-law, Mrs. Strauss, and I expect you to do the same.

MAKES 32 COOKIES

SERVING: Tea is traditional, but we drink coffee with rugelach. These are pretty and, even with their jam-and-fruit filling, not overly sweet, and they are even good with sparkling wine.

STORING: The cookies can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months.

FOR THE DOUGH

• 4 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt

FOR THE FILLING

• ⅔ cup raspberry jam, apricot jam or marmalade
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup chopped nuts (I prefer pecans, but you can use walnuts or almonds)
• ¼ cup plump, moist dried currants
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or ⅔ cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

FOR THE GLAZE

• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon cold water
• 2 tablespoons sugar, preferably decorating (coarse) sugar

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: Let the cream cheese and butter rest on the counter for 10 minutes—you want them to be slightly softened but still cool.

Put the flour and salt in a food processor, scatter over the chunks of cream cheese and butter and pulse the machine 6 to 10 times. Then process, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, just until the dough forms large curds—don’t work it so long that it forms a ball on the blade.

Turn the dough out, gather it into a ball and divide it in half. Shape each half into a disk, wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 1 day. (Wrapped airtight, the dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.)

TO MAKE THE FILLING: Heat the jam in a saucepan over low heat, or do this in a microwave, until it liquefies. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together.

Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. (Silicone baking mats are great for rugelach.)

TO SHAPE THE COOKIES: Pull one packet of dough from the refrigerator. If it is too firm to roll easily, either leave it on the counter for about 10 minutes or give it a few bashes with your rolling pin.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into an 11- to 12-inch circle. Spoon (or brush) a thin gloss of jam over the dough, and sprinkle over half of the cinnamon sugar. Scatter over half of the nuts, half of the currants and half of the chopped chocolate. Cover the filling with a piece of wax paper and gently press the filling into the dough, then remove the paper and save it for the next batch.

Using a pizza wheel or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 16 wedges, or triangles. (The easiest way to do this is to cut the dough into quarters, then to cut each quarter into 4 triangles.) Starting at the base of each triangle, roll the dough up so that each cookie becomes a little crescent. Arrange the roll-ups on one baking sheet, making sure the points are tucked under the cookies, and refrigerate. Repeat with the second packet of dough, and refrigerate the cookies for at least 30 minutes before baking. (The cookies can be covered and refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to 2 months; don’t defrost before baking, just add a couple of minutes to the baking time.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

TO GLAZE: Stir the egg and water together, and brush a bit of this glaze over each rugelach. Sprinkle the cookies with the sugar.

Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until they are puffed and golden. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool to just warm or to room temperature.

CAFÉ VOLCANO COOKIES

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LIGHT, BUMPY, nutty and completely higgledy-piggledy-shaped, these cratered meringue nuggets are just the cookie to reach for with your last coffee of the afternoon or your last spoonful of ice cream at night. They are featherweight but packed with flavor, and I love the way they disappear in your mouth—quickly, so quickly and fizzily that if they didn’t have nuts, you’d think you were eating espresso Pop Rocks.

MAKES ABOUT 36 COOKIES

SERVING: Offer these just as they are, with espresso, hot coffee or ice cream.

STORING: Kept in a cool, dry place at room temperature (they should never be refrigerated), the cookies will hold up for about 3 days. As with all meringues, humidity will make them go soggy and sticky.

• 1 cup blanched almonds (whole, sliced or slivered), coarsely chopped
• 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Spread the chopped almonds and walnuts out on one of the baking sheets and toast the nuts in the oven. They will need 10 minutes or less to turn golden brown, so keep a close eye on them and stir them at least twice. When the nuts are toasted, remove them—with the liner—from the baking sheet and cool the sheet. Transfer the nuts to a plate, then reline the sheet and use it to bake the cookies.

Put all the ingredients, including the nuts, in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Set it over medium heat and stir constantly with a silicone or wooden spatula until the ingredients are just warm to the touch. Remove from the heat.

Drop the batter by slightly rounded teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about an inch of space between the mounds.

Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. When properly baked, the cookies will be puffed, cratered, shiny and dry. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them remain on the sheets for 5 minutes before gently prying them from the liners and transferring them to racks to cool to room temperature.

COCOA ALMOND MERINGUES

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IN PARIS, where meringues are so popular they could be their own food group, meringue puffs are sometimes called rochers, or rocks. And indeed, spooned out rather than neatly piped, these small cookies have the rough, craggy surface of stone nuggets. Their interiors are wonderfully chewy and their flavor a bit caramelish, slightly nutty and quite chocolaty. It’s surprising how much chocolate flavor a small amount of cocoa and a handful of chopped chocolate can deliver.

MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES

SERVING: Serve these just as they are with coffee or with ice cream.

STORING: The meringues must be kept in a cool, dry environment or they will become unpleasantly soft and sticky. Store them in an airtight tin or uncovered in a basket at room temperature.

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting
• ⅓ cup finely ground almonds
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup very finely chopped bittersweet chocolate or finely chopped store-bought chocolate chips

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Sift together the confectioners’ sugar, ground almonds and cocoa.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large dry bowl (make sure the bowl is impeccably clean and dry), whip the egg whites and salt on medium speed until the whites are opaque. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to whip as you add the sugar about 1 tablespoon at a time. Then whip until the whites are firm and hold stiff peaks—they should still be very shiny. Beat in the vanilla, and remove the bowl from the mixer. With a large rubber spatula, quickly but gently fold in the dry ingredients, followed by the chopped chocolate. The whites will inevitably deflate as you fold in the dry ingredients—just try to work rapidly and use a light touch, so you deflate them as little as possible.

Drop the meringue by tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the mounds. Dust the tops of the meringues very lightly with confectioners’ sugar.

Bake for 10 minutes, then, without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees F and bake for 1 hour more. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and allow the meringues to stand in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator) until they reach room temperature.

Carefully peel the meringues off the parchment or silicone lining.

PECAN POWDER PUFFS

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I LEARNED to make these tender confectioners’-sugar-coated cookies shortly after I was married, and I wrote the recipe down with the name Pecan Powder Puffs. As I became more familiar with baking, I noticed that the same cookies were sometimes called Pecan Balls and, more often, Mexican Wedding Cakes.

You can make these cookies with a mixer or by hand, but I’ve found that using a food processor—a tool I didn’t have when I first made them—is ideal. The dough is best when it’s mixed least, and the processor allows you to get the mixing done super-quickly. And, just as you can change the method of mixing the dough, you can also change the nut that gives the cookies their base flavor. Feel free to use almonds or walnuts in place of the pecans, and to add a pinch or two of spice to the mix, if the spirit so moves you.

MAKES ABOUT 32 COOKIES

SERVING: Don’t forget to have plenty of napkins nearby—the confectioners’ sugar has a way of sticking to fingers and lips.

STORING: These cookies are really best the day they are made. You can keep them in a closed container for a day or two, but they’ll need another confectioners’ sugar dusting. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months; re-sugar before serving.

• 1 cup pecans
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Confectioners’ sugar, sifted, for rolling

Put the pecans and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a food processor and process in very short pulses until the nuts are pulverized. Scrape the nuts into a bowl, add the flour, salt and cinnamon, if you’re using it, and whisk to combine.

Put the butter in the processor and process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the butter is smooth and creamy. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and the vanilla and process for 30 seconds or so to blend. Pour in the pecan-and-flour mixture and, using short pulses, process only until it is worked into the dough. You want to process the dough as little as possible—the less you work the dough, the lighter and more appealingly crumbly the cookies will be. Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto plastic wrap, gather it together and form it into a ball. Wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Remove the dough from the fridge. Using a small spoon, break off marble-size pieces, then roll each piece of dough between your palms to form a smooth ball and place the balls on the baking sheets; there’s no need to leave much space between the balls.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are lightly golden and almost firm. Gently transfer them to a rack to cool to room temperature.

Just before serving, roll the cookies in the confectioners’ sugar and toss them gently from hand to hand to shake off the excess sugar.

MRS. VOGEL’S SCHERBEN

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THESE FRIED dough cookies are crisp, firm, fun and a little messy too—one bite and they crack, sending a shower of sugar and cookie every which way. It’s impossible to be neat with these, and after a bite, you won’t care.

My friend Michael Vogel, who has loved these cookies since childhood, gave me this recipe, explaining that it was handed down from his grandmother, who first made these for him, to his mother, a gifted baker who used to call them schneeballen, or snowballs. Snowballs is a sweet name, but, even as a kid, Michael didn’t think it was descriptive enough. He would have opted for “snowflakes,” because the cookies are rolled thin, cut into zigzag-edged strips and fried until they blister, bubble, curl and crinkle, then coated with sugar—very snowflakeish.

By the time Michael got around to asking his mother for the recipe, she was ninety years old, but she was still baking regularly. She gave him the recipe—and permission to pass it along to me—after she’d made batches of them for a big Thanksgiving dinner. To Michael’s delight, as his mother was reciting the recipe, she called them scherben, which means shards in German, a name Michael declared perfect—even better than “snowflakes.” Whether they’re schneeballen or scherben, they might be recognized as bugnes by les Français, as merveilles by anyone Swiss and as plain old fried dough by Americans from various parts of the country. They are a fairly universal sweet—easy, economical and delicious. Pretty, too.

Just a word about that messy sugar coating—it’s essential. The dough itself has just a tad of sugar in it, so it’s the final dusting that gives it its needed sweetness. Be generous.

MAKES ABOUT 36 COOKIES

SERVING: Scherben are at their very, very best eaten as soon as they are cool enough to bite into. This is easier to do than you’d think, since as soon as you start frying these, whoever is in your house will come into the kitchen and grab cookies whether you’ve given the go-ahead or not. However, they are also terrific a few hours later.

STORING: These are meant to be eaten the day they are made. If you must keep them (or if there are any left to keep), store them, uncovered, in a tin in a cool, dry place. Don’t refrigerate them—they’ll get soggy.

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
• Big pinch of sugar
• Little pinch of salt
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 3–4 tablespoons hot water
• Cinnamon sugar and confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
• Flavorless oil, such as canola or sunflower, for deep frying

Working in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon or a large rubber spatula, beat the butter, sugar and salt until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and beat—the mixture will look curdled, but that’s okay. Mix the flour and baking powder together and pour them into the bowl, then stir until most of the flour is moistened. The dough will look like coarse, clumpy meal. Add 3 tablespoons hot water and continue to stir until the dough comes together. If you’ve still got dry portions, sprinkle over a little more water. Keep stirring—you’ll have a moist dough that might be a bit shaggy.

Reach into the bowl and knead the dough just until it smooths out and comes together. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour. (The dough can be kept in the refrigerator overnight if it’s more convenient.)

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Cut the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, on a well-floured surface, and keeping both sides of the dough floured, roll the dough into a very thin rectangle—try to make it about 12 x 8 inches, but don’t worry if it’s not the right size or if it’s lopsided; scherben can be any size, any shape. If you keep the work surface well floured and turn the dough, so it’s not sticking and so you’re rolling on both sides, you’ll find that it is very easy to roll and that you can roll it paper thin. Mark off 1-inch strips with a ruler and cut the strips with a pastry wheel or pizza cutter—using a zigzag pastry wheel makes pretty cookies. Cut the strips crosswise in half, then, using a small knife, cut a lengthwise slit about 1½ inches long in each strip. Place the strips on the lined baking sheet and cover them with another piece of plastic wrap. Roll and cut the other half of the dough and lay those cookies over the first batch. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (If it’s more convenient, these can stay in the fridge for a day.)

GETTING READY TO FRY: Line a baking sheet with a triple thickness of paper towels and put it close to the stove. Fill one sugar duster or strainer with cinnamon sugar and another with confectioners’ sugar. Pour at least 4 inches of oil into a deep saucepan (or use an electric deep-fryer) and heat the oil to 350 degrees F, as measured on a deep-fat-frying thermometer.

Drop 4 to 6 strips into the pan (don’t crowd the pan) and fry until the undersides are golden, then turn and fry the other sides; each batch will take 2 to 3 minutes. Lift the cookies out of the oil on a perforated skimmer, allowing excess oil to drip back into the pan, then turn the cookies out onto the baking sheet to drain. Put in another batch to fry, and while they are frying, turn the cookies that are draining so the other sides can drain. Then, while the cookies are still hot and slightly damp from the oil, dust both sides with cinnamon sugar. Continue until all the dough is fried.

Just before serving, dust the scherben with confectioners’ sugar.

SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE CAKE COOKIES

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I CALL these “cake cookies” because they are cakey soft and have a tiny spongy crumb. They are not deeply chocolaty, not very rich and, to be honest, they look more handmade than handsome (they are thin and plain), but they are unfailingly happy-making. I can’t think of a time when I, or anyone else, took one cookie and didn’t go back for another. Part of the appeal is the texture, to be sure, but who would walk away from the tangy-sweet combination of sour cream and chocolate? Or the fun of coming upon a few plump currants?

MAKES ABOUT 48 COOKIES

SERVING: The cinnamon, chocolate and cream in these call out for coffee, but they’re just as good served with ice cream.

STORING: Because these are so soft, they are best stored loosely stacked in a tin with wax paper between the layers. They can be kept at room temperature for about 4 days or packed airtight and frozen for about 2 months.

• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1¼ cups (packed) light brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled to tepid
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup plump, moist dried currants or raisins (dark or golden)

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until it is creamy and smooth. Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes or so, then add the eggs one by one. Beat for another minute—the mixture should be smooth and satiny. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the vanilla extract and melted chocolate. With the mixer still on low speed, add the dry ingredients and the sour cream alternately, adding the dry ingredients in 3 batches and the sour cream in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients). Mix only until the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth, then mix in the currants.

Drop the batter by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets, making certain to leave 2 inches between the spoonfuls.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies will puff, spread and round themselves out in baking. They’re done when they are set on top but still springy to the touch. Pull the sheets from the oven and let the cookies rest for 1 minute, then, using a wide metal spatula, carefully transfer them to a rack. Cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining batter, making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches.

DULCE DE LECHE DUOS

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JUST A few years ago, I would have had to give an explanation of what dulce de leche is and where to find it or, more likely, how to make it. Today the thick, butterscotchish, toffee-like spread made from slowly cooked sweetened milk can be found in ice cream and yogurt and, best of all, in jars—ready-to-use dulce de leche is now a supermarket staple. These cookies, flavored with ready-made filling, are round and flatish, crisp on the outside and soft, almost cakey and just a little chewy in their skinny centers. Sandwich them with more dulce de leche and you double the pleasure.

MAKES ABOUT 30 SANDWICH COOKIES

SERVING: These are good served with café con leche, café au lait, cappuccino or just plain coffee and milk.

STORING: Packed in a sealed container, the sandwich cookies will keep at room temperature for about 4 days; they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup store-bought dulce de leche, plus more for filling
• ¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until soft. Add the ¾ cup dulce de leche and both sugars and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Don’t be concerned if the mixture looks a little curdled—it will smooth out when the flour mixture goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter.

Spoon the dough onto the baking sheets, using a heaping teaspoon of dough for each cookie and leaving 2 inches between them.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies should be honey brown with a light sugar crust, but they will still be soft, so remove the sheets from the oven but don’t touch the cookies for another minute or two. Then, using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining dough, making sure you cool the baking sheets before spooning the dough onto them.

When the cookies are completely cool, spread the flat bottoms of half the cookies with a small amount of dulce de leche, and sandwich with the flat sides of the remaining cookies.

GINGERED CARROT COOKIES

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HERE’S A delicious case of trying to make one thing and ending up with another. I wanted to make the cookie equivalent of carrot cake, and I included all my favorite carrot cake ingredients—among them, coconut, raisins and pecans, and just one of the usual carrot cake spices, ginger. But when I baked my first batch, I realized I’d undercalculated the amount of carrots: you could see the perky orange shreds peeping out of the bumpy cookies, but you couldn’t really distinguish their taste. Surprisingly, though, this was just fine. Fewer carrots mean more room for the other ingredients to make their flavors—and textures—known. And the texture of the cookies is worth noting—soft, chewy and not unlike a scone. All things considered, these turned out to be a very tasty miscalculation.

MAKES ABOUT 32 COOKIES

SERVING: These are so good with morning coffee—good with afternoon tea too.

STORING: The cookies can be kept in a covered container at room temperature for about 4 days or packed airtight and kept frozen for up to 2 months.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded carrots (about 3, peeled and trimmed)
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden)
• ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans, preferably toasted

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger and nutmeg.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes or so, then add the egg and beat for another minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the vanilla. Continuing on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 2 or 3 batches and beat only until they just disappear into the mix. You’ll have a very thick dough, and you might be tempted to overbeat it to incorporate the flour—don’t. Mix in the carrots, coconut, raisins and pecans.

Spoon the dough onto the baking sheets in heaping tablespoonfuls, leaving about an inch of space between them; these don’t spread much.

Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies should be light brown and only just firm on top. Carefully transfer the cookies to racks to cool to room temperature.

KIDS’ THUMBPRINTS

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I’VE ALWAYS been a fan of jelly-bellied thumbprint cookies, those little sweets you roll into a ball and hollow out in the center with a poke of your finger. The cookies are good, but it’s the stuff that goes into the thumbprint that I’m always after—jelly or jam, the redder the better. These are even more friendly to kids than most because they’re peanut butter cookies rolled in crunchy roasted peanuts.

The prints are made by a child’s thumb. If you’re above the age of eight or so, you’ll probably have to use your pinky to hollow out the centers—or borrow a kid for your cookie-making session.

MAKES ABOUT 60 COOKIES

SERVING: Just pile these on a plate and let the kids have at them.

STORING: Covered, these will keep for about 4 days at room temperature; packed airtight, they’ll keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.

• 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup peanut butter–crunchy (my choice) or smooth (not natural)
• ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, separated
• 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg white
• 1½ cups roasted peanuts (salted or unsalted), finely chopped
• About ¾ cup jam or jelly (cherry, raspberry, strawberry and blueberry are particularly good)

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter and sugars together on medium speed until very light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vanilla and egg yolk and continue to beat until well blended. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it is incorporated.

Put the 2 egg whites in a small bowl and beat them with a fork until slightly frothy. Put the chopped nuts in another bowl.

Working with a teaspoonful of dough at a time, roll the dough between your palms to form small balls, turn the balls in the egg whites until they are completely coated, and then drop them into the nuts and roll to coat. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Steadying each cookie with the thumb and a finger of one hand, use the pinkie of your other hand (or the end of a wooden spoon) to poke a hole in the center of each cookie. Be careful not to go all the way down to the baking sheet.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway mark. The cookies should be lightly golden. Using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a rack.

Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets before baking the next batch.

Put the jam or jelly in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil, stirring, over low heat (or bring the jam to a boil in a microwave oven). Using a small spoon, fill each thumbprint with hot jam. Allow the cookies—and especially the jam—to cool to room temperature, at which point the jam will form a shiny, nonsticky finish.

THUMBPRINTS FOR US BIG GUYS

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WHY SHOULD the kids have all the fun? These thumbprint cookies have a soft, crumbly, very buttery shortbread texture and two grown-up ingredients—hazelnuts and raspberry jam. Hazelnuts and raspberry are my favorite combination, but you could trade in the hazelnuts for walnuts (or even milder almonds) and the raspberry jam for apricot jam or orange marmalade.

MAKES ABOUT 60 COOKIES

SERVING: These are pretty enough to be served on the top tier of an old-fashioned teatime cake or cookie server. They are also fun enough to be piled on a plate and grabbed at whim.

STORING: Wrapped well, the cookies will be fine for 3 days at room temperature or for up to 2 months in the freezer.

• 1¾ cups finely ground hazelnuts
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
• About 1 cup raspberry jam (or the jam or marmalade of your choice)

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the ground nuts and flour.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the extracts and beat to blend. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the nut-flour mixture, mixing only until it is incorporated into the dough.

Working with a teaspoonful of dough at a time, roll the dough between your palms to form small balls and place the balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Steadying each cookie with the thumb and a finger of one hand, use the pinkie of your other hand (or the end of a wooden spoon) to poke a hole in the center of each cookie. Be careful not to go all the way down to the baking sheet.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies should be only slightly colored—they may even look underdone, which is fine: they should not be overbaked. When the cookies are baked, remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies rest on the sheets for 2 minutes before transferring them to cooling racks with a wide metal spatula and sifting confectioners’ sugar over them.

Repeat with the remaining dough, remembering to cool the baking sheets before baking the next batch.

Bring the jam to a boil in a small saucepan over low heat, or bring to a boil in a microwave oven; remove from the heat. Fill the indentations of all the cookies with enough of the hot jam to come level with the tops. Cool to room temperature.

TRADITIONAL MADELEINES

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MADELEINES ARE among the most recognizable pastries in the French repertoire because of their look: they are made in scallop-shaped molds from which they emerge ridged on one side, plump and full-bellied on the other and golden. That they are among the best known is thanks to Marcel Proust, who immortalized them in his novel Remembrance of Things Past. Everyone seems to know the story of Proust’s narrator dipping the cookie into his tea and having the first taste bring back a flood of childhood memories. With that short entry, Proust and the madeleine gained such celebrity that even people who’ve never tasted the cookie refer to it with confidence as a touchstone. Yet when you take away all the literary allusions and all the romance, what you’re left with is a tea cake that deserves to be famous for its deliciousness alone.

The madeleine is a beautiful, if somewhat plain, cookie made from the kind of batter you’d use for a sponge cake. What distinguishes it is its lightness; its texture—the tiny-bubbled crumb is très raffiné; and its flavor, a delicate mix of lemon, vanilla and butter.

This recipe is for a classic madeleine like the one I learned to make in Paris—it’s the kind that would make Proust happy. But there are other kinds of madeleines, madeleines Proust might not approve of but that would please most everyone else. When you’re ready for a different take on the classic, try Mini Madeleines, Earl Grey Madeleines and the far-from-traditional Fluff-Filled Chocolate Madeleines. I don’t even want to imagine what Proust would think of those!

Just to set the record straight, while it’s Proust who gets all the credit for making madeleines a household name, the honor really belongs to King Stanislas Leszczynski of Poland, who, in the eighteenth century, tasted a tea cake made by a local woman in Commercy, France. He was so delighted with the cookie that he named it after the baker, Madeleine.

MAKES 12 LARGE OR 36 MINI COOKIES

SERVING: Serve the cookies when they are only slightly warm or when they reach room temperature, with tea or espresso.

STORING: Although the batter can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, the madeleines should be eaten soon after they are made. You can keep them overnight in a sealed container, but they really are better on day 1. If you must store them, wrap them airtight and freeze them; they’ll keep for up to 2 months.

• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup sugar
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Working in a mixer bowl, or in a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the eggs to the bowl. Working with the whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together on medium-high speed until pale, thick and light, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. With a rubber spatula, very gently fold in the dry ingredients, followed by the melted butter. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours, or for up to 2 days. This long chill period will help the batter form the hump that is characteristic of madeleines. (For convenience, you can spoon the batter into the madeleine molds, cover and refrigerate, then bake the cookies directly from the fridge; see below for instructions on prepping the pans.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter 12 full-size madeleine molds, or up to 36 mini madeleine molds, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Or, if you have a nonstick pan (or pans), give it a light coating of vegetable cooking spray. If you have a silicone pan, no prep is needed. Place the pan(s) on a baking sheet.

Spoon the batter into the molds, filling each one almost to the top. Don’t worry about spreading the batter evenly, the oven’s heat will take care of that. Bake large madeleines for 11 to 13 minutes, and minis for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are golden and the tops spring back when touched. Remove the pan(s) from the oven and release the madeleines from the molds by rapping the edge of the pan against the counter. Gently pry any recalcitrant madeleines from the pan using your fingers or a butter knife. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to just warm or to room temperature.

If you are making minis and have more batter, bake the next batch(es), making certain that you cool, then properly prepare the pan(s) before baking.

Just before serving, dust the madeleines with confectioners’ sugar.

EARL GREY MADELEINES

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I’VE PUT the key elements of Proust’s famously documented experience of dipping a madeleine into tea together for this recipe. The technique for infusing the melted butter with the taste and aroma of tea is an ingenious one I learned from the tea masters at Mariage Frères in Paris. I’ve since used it to create madeleines with other flavors (see Playing Around).

MAKES 12 COOKIES

SERVING: While they have an entire tea service baked right into them, there’s still nothing better than having these madeleines alongside a cup of fragrant Earl Grey tea.

STORING: Although the batter can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, the madeleines should be eaten soon after they are made. You can keep them overnight in a sealed container, but they really are better on day 1. If you must store them, wrap them airtight and freeze them; they’ll keep for up to 2 months.

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons Earl Grey tea leaves
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• ⅓ cup sugar
• Grated zest of ½ lemon
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

To flavor the butter with the tea, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat or in a microwave oven. Stir in the tea and allow it to infuse for 15 minutes.

Line a small sieve with a double layer of damp cheesecloth, then strain the butter into a small bowl; discard the tea leaves.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or in another large bowl and, using your fingertips, work the zest into the sugar until the mixture is fragrant.

Working with a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and zest together until pale and thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the honey and vanilla and beat for 1 minute more. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold in the dry ingredients. When they are incorporated, fold in the butter. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or for up to 2 days. This long chill will help the batter form the hump that is characteristic of madeleines. (For convenience, you can spoon the batter into the madeleine molds, cover and chill, then bake the cookies directly from the fridge; see below for instructions on prepping the pans.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter 12 full-size madeleine molds, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Or, if you have a nonstick madeleine pan, give it a light coating of vegetable cooking spray. If you have a silicone pan, there is no prep needed. Place the pan on a baking sheet.

Spoon the batter into the molds—don’t worry about leveling the batter, the oven’s heat will take care of that.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the madeleines are golden and the tops spring back when touched. Remove the pan from the oven and release the madeleines from the mold by rapping the edge of the pan against the counter. Gently pry any recalcitrant madeleines from the pan using your fingers or a butter knife.

Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to just warm or to room temperature.

FLUFF-FILLED CHOCOLATE MADELEINES

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HERE’S A madeleine for the nonliterary set. It’s a true French madeleine, but it’s made with chocolate, filled with Marshmallow Fluff and finished off with a bittersweet chocolate glaze. This madeleine is more like a Hostess cupcake than a French national treasure and, as such, more likely to be chased by a mug of cocoa than a cup of tea.

MAKES 12 COOKIES

SERVING: Coffee of every variety, milk, and hot chocolate are all good companions.

STORING: Although the batter can be kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days, the madeleines should be eaten soon after they are made. However, wrapped airtight, they can be frozen—even after they’ve been filled and frosted—for up to 2 months. And stale madeleines, as Proust would be the first to tell you, are good for dunking.

FOR THE MADELEINES

• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Marshmallow Fluff, for filling and frosting

FOR THE DIP

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

TO MAKE THE MADELEINES: Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until pale and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract, then switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold in the sifted dry ingredients, followed by the melted butter. Put a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the batter and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or for up to 2 days. Chilling the batter gives you a better chance of getting the characteristic hump on the back of the cookies.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Generously butter 12 full-size madeleine molds, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Butter and flour or spray the pan even if it is nonstick; skip this step if you are using a silicone pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet.

Spoon the batter into the molds.

Place the pan in the oven and immediately lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes, or until they feel springy to the touch. Remove the pan from the oven and rap one side of the madeleine pan against the counter—the plump little cakes should come tumbling out. Gently pry any reluctant cookies out with your fingers or a butter knife. Cool to room temperature on a rack.

TO FILL THE MADELEINES: Fit a small pastry bag with a small plain tip and spoon the fluff into the bag. Use the point of the tip to poke a hole in the rounded (plain) side of each madeleine, and pipe enough fluff into each cookie to fill it—stop when the fluff reaches the top of the cake. (You’ll use only a bit of fluff.)

TO MAKE THE DIP: Put the chocolate in a small deep heatproof bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a full boil, then pour it over the chocolate. Wait for 1 minute, then gently whisk the cream into the chocolate: start at the center and slowly work your way out in concentric circles until you have a smooth, shiny mixture. Gently whisk in the butter.

Line a small baking sheet with wax paper. One by one, hold a madeleine at its narrow end and dip it into the chocolate, then lift it up, let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl and place smooth side down on the wax paper. Slide the baking sheet into the refrigerator to set the glaze, about 15 minutes. (You’ll have more ganache than you need, but making a larger quantity produces a better ganache. The leftover dip can be covered and refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.)

If you’d like, pipe a little squiggle of fluff on the top of each madeleine once the chocolate is set.

MINI MADELEINES

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WITH THIS recipe in your possession, you have the power to make the world around you a happier place, since it is impossible to eat these baby madeleines and not smile. The recipe, given to me by my friend Rica Allanic, turns out tiny traditionally shell-shaped cookies, untraditionally sweetened with brown sugar and honey. They are ineffably light and tender and as poppable as potato chips.

MAKES 36 COOKIES

SERVING: These are at their most delectable straight from the oven. Just give the warm cakes their dusting of confectioners’ sugar, pile them in a basket or put them on a plate and bring them to the table.

STORING: If you are not going to eat the madeleines immediately, you must at least eat them the day you make them. They are not meant for keeping, even if they are good for dunking when they are a bit stale.

• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon (packed) light brown sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Grated zest of ½ lemon
• ¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugars until smooth. Whisk in the dry ingredients, followed by the vanilla and lemon zest. Gently whisk in the melted butter and, finally, the honey. You’ll have a thick, smooth, shiny batter. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days. (For convenience, you can spoon the batter into the madeleine molds, cover and chill, then bake the cookies directly from the fridge; see below for instructions on prepping the pans.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Generously butter up to three mini madeleine pans, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Or, if you have nonstick pans, just spray the interiors with vegetable cooking spray. If you’ve got silicone pans, they can be used just as they are. Put the pan(s) on a baking sheet.

Fill each little madeleine mold with about a teaspoon of batter; the molds should be about three-quarters full. Don’t worry about leveling the batter—it will do it by itself in the oven.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden brown around the edges. Remove the sheet from the oven and give the madeleine pan(s) a hearty rap against the counter. Gently pry out any cakes that don’t want to leave their nests with your fingers or a butter knife. You can serve the madeleines immediately or put them on a rack to cool.

Repeat with any remaining batter, making certain to cool and rebutter and flour or respray the pan(s).

Just before serving, dust the madeleines with confectioners’ sugar.

TRANSLUCENT MAPLE TUILES

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TUILES ARE a classic French cookie, named for and curved like the tuiles, or tiles, that line the rooftops of country homes, particularly those in Provence. In its homeland, a tuile is apt to take a supporting rather than a lead role. You might find a tuile alongside a bowl of ice cream or chocolate mousse, on top of a custard or on a plate with other little cookies served after the main dessert, with coffee. It’s a nice way to serve these fragile, ultrathin cookies, but it’s not the only way. I think they are just right in the afternoon with a cup of tea and perfect as an all-by-themselves dessert when the meal has been sumptuous.

However you decide to offer these, there’s no question they’ll be welcomed, since they are a particularly unusual (and delicious) member of the tuile family. Rather than being made with the traditional flour-white-sugar-and-almond batter, they are made with brown sugar, maple syrup and very little flour, which means they emerge from the oven looking like caramelized circles of golden, honeycombed stained glass. They are amazingly elegant for something so simple.

Because the dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 week and because the cookies bake so quickly, you can really make these on demand, baking only as many tuiles as you want at the moment. Similarly, you can curve them or not.

MAKES ABOUT 48 COOKIES

SERVING: These are ready to serve as soon as they are set. I like to use a long narrow plate to serve the curved cookies and to line them up with their curves slightly overlapping, so they look like a chorus line of pet turtles.

STORING: If your kitchen isn’t too humid, you can keep these overnight on a lined baking sheet—don’t cover them, just let them breathe. Unfortunately, they cannot be frozen.

• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup (packed) brown sugar
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, sifted

In a small bowl, using a sturdy rubber spatula or a hand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and maple syrup together until light in color and texture. Gently stir in the flour, mixing only until it is incorporated. Cover the bowl, pressing a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or for up to 1 week.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Have two unlined baking sheets at hand and, if you want to curve the cookies into their traditional tile shape, a rolling pin or a slender bottle.

Roll small scoops of dough between your palms to form balls the size of small cherries or hazelnuts, and put the balls 2 inches apart on the unbuttered baking sheets.

Bake for about 7 minutes, or until the cookies spread and are golden colored and honeycombed. Immediately remove the baking sheets from the oven, let the cookies rest a few seconds and then, using a wide metal spatula, lift them from the sheets: the best way to do this is to carefully work the spatula under a cookie edge, then push the spatula beneath the cookie with a quick jerk. If the cookie crumples a bit, as it might, don’t worry—it will straighten out on the rolling pin or rack. For curved cookies, moving with alacrity, lay the cookies, a few at a time, over the rolling pin. Transfer the cookies to a rack after they have set—under a minute—or, if you want flat cookies, just cool them on a rack. If the cookies cool and stick stubbornly to the baking sheet, slide the sheet into the oven for another minute to warm them.

If you are making another batch of cookies, make certain the baking sheets are clean and cool.

BROWN SUGAR BUNDT CAKE

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LIGHT BROWN sugar is a prime player in this fragrant Bundt’s soft, tender texture and comforting taste. I like the combination of pear and prune, but the cake is so welcoming you can trade the prunes in for raisins or dried currants, dried pears, pieces of dried apricot or chopped nuts, and you can swap the pears for apples—the brown sugar will pull everything together. If you have time, wrap the cake well and leave it on the counter to ripen the flavors for a day before serving.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

SERVING: For me, brown sugar is a go-with-tea ingredient.

STORING: Not surprisingly, this is a good keeper. It will keep for about 5 days wrapped well and at room temperature—it’s really better the day after it is baked than it is on bake day—and it can be frozen for up to 2 months; defrost still wrapped.

• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup ground hazelnuts or walnuts (or ¼ cup more all-purpose flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups (packed) light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract (only if you’re using ground nuts)
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 2 medium pears, peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch dice
• ½ cup moist, plump prunes, snipped into ¼-inch pieces, or ½ cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden)
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9- to 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. If your pan is not nonstick, dust the interior of the pan with flour, then tap out the excess. (If you’ve got a silicone Bundt pan, there’s no need to butter or flour it.) Don’t place the pan on a baking sheet—you want the oven’s heat to circulate through the Bundt’s inner tube.

Whisk together the flour, nuts, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and the almond extract, if you’re using it. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately—add the flour in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients). Mix only until the ingredients are incorporated and scrape down the bowl as needed. With a rubber spatula, stir in the pears and prunes. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the spatula.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. (If the cake looks as if it’s browning too fast, cover the top loosely with a foil tent.) Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding, then cool to room temperature on the rack.

When you’re ready to serve, dust the top of the cake with confectioners’ sugar.

MOCHA-WALNUT MARBLED BUNDT CAKE

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ESSENTIALLY A walnut cake that is part vanilla and part mocha (both good go-with-walnut flavors), this is beautiful, particularly if you pour in all the white batter, cover it with the dark batter and marble it minimally, so that you end up with a chocolate gingko leaf pattern in the center.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

SERVING: If you are going to serve this as a tea- or coffee-break cake, just slice and serve. However, if you’d like to turn it into a substantial dessert, add a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of Hot Fudge Sauce. A few candied walnuts wouldn’t hurt.

STORING: Because this cake is so buttery and moist, it is an excellent keeper. Wrapped well, it will keep at room temperature for about 5 days (and, if it stales a bit, it will still be delicious lightly toasted); packed airtight, it can be frozen for up to 2 months.

• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup finely ground walnuts
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons (9 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup coffee, hot or cold
• 1 teaspoon finely ground instant coffee or instant espresso powder
• 1¾ cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9- to 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. (If you’ve got a silicone Bundt pan, there’s no need to butter or flour it.) Don’t place the pan on a baking sheet—you want the oven’s heat to circulate through the Bundt’s inner tube.

Whisk together the flour, ground walnuts, baking powder and salt.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Put 2 tablespoons of the butter, cut into 4 pieces, into the bowl, along with the chocolate, coffee and instant coffee. Heat the mixture, stirring often, until the butter and chocolate are melted and everything is smooth and creamy—keep the heat low so that the butter and chocolate don’t separate. Remove the bowl from the heat.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the remaining 2 sticks butter and the sugar at medium speed for about 3 minutes—you’ll have a thick paste; this won’t be light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition. The mixture should look smooth and satiny. Beat in the vanilla extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients and the milk alternately, adding the dry mixture in 3 portions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients).

Scrape a little less than half the batter into the bowl with the melted chocolate and, using a rubber spatula, stir to blend thoroughly.

If you want to go for the gingko pattern, scrape all of the white batter into the pan and top with the chocolate. If you want a more marbled pattern, alternate spoonfuls of light and dark batter in the pan. When all the batter is in the pan, swirl a table knife sparingly through the batters to marble them.

Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the Bundt pan to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes before unmolding, then cool the cake completely on the rack.

NUTTY, CHOCOLATY, SWIRLY SOUR CREAM BUNDT CAKE

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ONE OF the nice things about having baked for so many years is being able to see sweets come into fashion, go out of fashion and come back again. That’s the case with this sour cream cake. I saw it come into fashion in the 1970s (although it may have been fashionable—and then unfashionable—well before), fall out of favor and make a comeback recently.

I’ve seen lots of versions with variations on the amount of flour or butter or number of eggs, but they are all essentially the same: a fairly fine-grained Bundt cake with the characteristic tang of sour cream and the equally characteristic roundness of butter. Most have something swirled through them, usually in the middle and usually a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, sometimes with a few nuts chopped in for fun.

My version is traditional, but I’ve toyed with it slightly over the decades and have gone heavy on the swirls. The mixture I layer into the cake has the classic cinnamon-sugar base and chopped nuts, but it’s also got raisins or currants and big bits of bittersweet chocolate.

When you taste this cake, you will understand why classics become classics.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

SERVING: This cake is good the day it is made, but, like many pound cake–ish cakes, it’s even better the day after. The cake can be dusted with the confectioners’ sugar to show off its curves, if you like, and cut into not-so-thin slices to be served with coffee or tea. I think the cake is just fine solo—no sauce, no whipped cream, no ice cream—however, it is awfully nice with a big spoonful of marmalade or berry jam.

STORING: Wrapped well, the cake will keep for about 4 days at room temperature or up to 2 months in the freezer.

FOR THE SWIRL

• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips
• ⅓ cup plump, moist raisins (dark or golden) or dried currants
• 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch of salt

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1¾ cups sugar
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9- to 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan, dust the interior with flour and tap out the excess. (If you’ve got a silicone Bundt pan, there’s no need to butter or flour it.) Don’t place the Bundt pan on a baking sheet—you want the oven’s heat to circulate freely through the Bundt’s inner tube.

TO MAKE THE SWIRL: Put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to mix.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Working in the bowl of a stand mixer or in another large bowl, rub the sugar and zest together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and aromatic. Add the butter. With the paddle or whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat on medium speed for 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each egg goes in. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the sour cream. Still working on low, add the dry ingredients and mix only until they disappear into the batter.

Give the batter a last stir or two with a rubber spatula (just to make sure all the dry ingredients are properly incorporated), then scoop about one third of the batter into the Bundt pan. Evenly sprinkle on half of the swirl mixture, then spoon in the rest of the batter. Make a shallow indentation with the back of the spoon in the center of the ring of batter and fill it with the remaining swirl mixture, then cover the mixture lightly with the batter on the sides of the indentation—the batter probably won’t cover the mixture completely, and that’s fine.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the cake rest for 10 minutes before unmolding it onto the rack to cool to room temperature.

Just before serving, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

DOUBLE APPLE BUNDT CAKE

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IF YOU’RE struck by the urge to pin a big blue ribbon on this cake right before you serve it, I’ll understand. It looks, smells and tastes as though it would take first prize in a country fair—even if expert farmhouse bakers had made all the other entries. The cake is very moist, thanks to the addition of apple butter and grated fresh apples, which melt into the batter during baking. It’s fine served with just a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, but it’s even nicer with a simple icing. If you have the time, don’t ice or dust the cake the day you bake it; instead, wrap it well in plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature overnight. This little rest will give the flavors time to blend fully.

I start making this cake in the early fall, when the first crop of apples turns up in the farmers’ markets, and tuck away the recipe only when the temperature starts to climb and I can be sure summer is on its way.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

SERVING: Leave the cake plain, ice it or dust it with the confectioners’ sugar and cut it into slices about ¼ inch thick and serve, figuring 2 slices per person, with cream or ice cream, or, better yet, with homemade applesauce. To make your own applesauce, make the filling from the Normandy Apple Tart—double the recipe so you’ll have enough for everyone, and maybe a tad left over.

STORING: Wrapped well, the cake will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature and for up to 2 months in the freezer.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1¼ sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup store-bought apple butter—spiced or plain
• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and grated
• 1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
• ½ cup plump, moist raisins (dark or golden)
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

FOR THE ICING (OPTIONAL)

• ⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar
• About 2 tablespoons fresh orange or lemon juice

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9- to 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan. If your pan is not nonstick, dust the interior of the pan with flour, then tap out the excess. (If you’ve got a silicone Bundt pan, there’s no need to butter or flour it.) Don’t place the pan on a baking sheet—you want the oven’s heat to circulate through the Bundt’s inner tube.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed, scraping the bowl as needed, for 3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth, thick and pale. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each addition; you’ll have a light, fluffy batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the apple butter—don’t worry if it curdles the batter. Still on low, add the grated apples and mix to completely blend. Add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the nuts and raisins. Turn the batter into the Bundt pan and smooth the top of the batter with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding and cooling the cake to room temperature. If possible, once the cake is completely cool, wrap well in plastic and let it stand overnight at room temperature to ripen the flavors.

If you’re not going to ice the cake, you can dust it with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

TO MAKE THE OPTIONAL ICING: Put the sugar in a small bowl and stir in a squirt or two of either orange or lemon juice. Keep adding the juice a little at a time until you have an icing that falls easily from the tip of a spoon. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake, letting it slide down the curves of the cake in whatever pattern it makes. Let the cake stand until the icing dries, a matter of minutes, before slicing.

ALL-IN-ONE HOLIDAY BUNDT CAKE

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NAME YOUR favorite it-tastes-like-Thanksgiving flavor, and you’ll find it here: pumpkin, cranberry, apples, pecans and the fall-winter spices cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. The only thing that might be missing is maple syrup, and there’s no reason you can’t add it by mixing a little into some whipped cream and topping each serving with a fat spoonful. Or, make a maple icing to drizzle down the cake’s sides (see Playing Around). Like all Bundts, this one has convenience and generosity on its side. It’s essentially a one-bowl cake that bakes up ready to serve and ready for a crowd.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

SERVING: Because of the apples, cranberries and nuts, this cake doesn’t lend itself to being cut into dainty slices—and that’s just as well: you really want to get a mouthful, the better to appreciate the cake’s many flavors. It needs no embellishments if you’re serving it as an afternoon treat, but it is nice with softly whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream. For brunch, toast the cake lightly and spread it with a little salted butter and/or a slick of pure maple syrup.

STORING: Wrapped well, the cake will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days, at which point it will be perfect for toasting; or freeze for up to 2 months.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
• 1¼ sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1¼ cups canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1 cup cranberries, halved or coarsely chopped
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9- to 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan. (If you’ve got a silicone Bundt pan, there’s no need to butter it.) Don’t place the pan on a baking sheet—you want the oven’s heat to circulate freely through the Bundt’s inner tube.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and ground ginger, if you’re using it (not the grated ginger).

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and both sugars together at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the pumpkin, chopped apple and grated ginger, if you’re using it—don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Still on low speed, add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. With a rubber spatula, stir in the cranberries and pecans. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding, then cool to room temperature on the rack.

Just before bringing the cake to the table, dust it with confectioners’ sugar.

MILK CHOCOLATE MINI BUNDT CAKES

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APART FROM being adorable—how can one-to-a-person baby Bundts be anything but?—these cakes are flavorful and easy to make. They’ve got a light, lovely, mild chocolate crumb, a mid-level swirl of sugared walnuts and a top glaze of dark chocolate. They have everything the big-size Bundts have, in Lilliputian proportions.

These cakes are made in a pan that has 6 miniature molds. Constructed like a 6-cup muffin pan, mini Bundt pans are available in kitchenware shops.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

SERVING: Have fun with these. Bring them to the table stacked in a pyramid or serve them on individual plates with some whipped cream—maybe even whipped cream topped with Chocolate shavings—or circle each cake with chocolate sauce. Because milk chocolate is so mild, these cakes can be served with milk or hot cocoa or with steaming strong espresso.

STORING: Wrapped well, the cakes will keep for 2 days at room temperature or for up to 2 months in the freezer; thaw them in their wrappings. If the glaze dulls, as it undoubtedly will, just give it a shot of hot air from a hairdryer.

FOR THE SWIRL

• ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup whole milk
• 7 ounces premium-quality milk chocolate, melted and cooled

FOR THE GLAZE

• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 6-mold mini Bundt pan.

TO MAKE THE SWIRL: Toss the nuts, cocoa and sugar together in a small bowl.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the egg and beat for 1 minute more, then beat in the vanilla. Don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled—it will smooth out soon. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half the flour mixture, mixing only until it is incorporated. Add the milk, and when it is blended into the batter, add the remaining flour mixture, again mixing just to incorporate. Finally, add the melted chocolate and mix to blend.

Fill each of the mini Bundt molds with a little batter, then divide the swirl ingredients evenly among the molds and top off the Bundts with the remaining batter.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the centers of the cakes comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow the cakes to rest for 5 minutes, then invert them onto the rack and let them cool to room temperature.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of water or in a microwave oven (which I think is more convenient for such a small quantity of chocolate). Stir in the corn syrup. Using a small offset metal spatula or a table knife, spread the shiny glaze over the tops of the Bundts, then scatter the nuts, if you’re using them, over the glaze. Let the glaze set at room temperature; it will take about 15 minutes.

CLASSIC BANANA BUNDT CAKE

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MY FRIEND Ellen Einstein, who, with her husband, Dan, owns Sweet Sixteenth Bakery in Nashville, gave me this recipe for her favorite banana cake, an American standard. It’s dense, moist and extremely banana-y—the tangy sour cream accentuates the flavor of the banana.

MAKES 14 SERVINGS

SERVING: Cut the cake into thick slices and serve with coffee, tea or a slurpable mocha milkshake.

STORING: Wrapped airtight, the cake will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• About 4 very ripe bananas, mashed (you should have 1½–1¾ cups)
• 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 9- to 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan. (If you’ve got a silicone Bundt pan, there’s no need to butter it.) Don’t place the pan on a baking sheet—you want the oven’s heat to circulate through the Bundt’s inner tube.

Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each egg goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the bananas. Finally, mix in half the dry ingredients (don’t be disturbed when the batter curdles), all the sour cream and then the rest of the flour mixture. Scrape the batter into the pan, rap the pan on the counter to debubble the batter and smooth the top.

Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Check the cake after about 30 minutes—if it is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil tent. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding onto the rack to cool to room temperature.

If you’ve got the time, wrap the cooled cake in plastic and allow it to sit on the counter overnight before serving—it’s better the next day.

BLUEBERRY CRUMB CAKE

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IT’S EASY to get attached to this light, tender cake with its walnut-studded crumb topping. It’s also easy to find an occasion to serve it—breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or snacktime will do. The dominant flavor here is the berries. Don’t be tempted to increase the amount of walnuts in the topping—scarcity makes them even more delightful.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: Like all good coffee cakes, this needs nothing but coffee—or tea.

STORING: Best served the day it is made, the cake can be wrapped well and kept overnight at room temperature.

FOR THE CRUMBS

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 pint (2 cups) blueberries (preferably fresh, or frozen, not thawed)
• 2 cups plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ⅔ cup sugar
• Grated zest of ½ lemon or ¼ orange
• ¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup buttermilk

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square pan (Pyrex is great for this) and put it on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE CRUMBS: Put all the ingredients except the nuts in a food processor and pulse just until the mixture forms clumps and curds and holds together when pressed. Scrape the topping into a bowl, stir in the nuts and press a piece of plastic against the surface. Refrigerate until needed. (Covered well, the crumb mix can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Using your fingertips, toss the blueberries and 2 teaspoons of the flour together in a small bowl just to coat the berries; set aside. Whisk together the remaining 2 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Working in the bowl of a stand mixer or in another large bowl, rub the sugar and zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and aromatic. Add the butter and, with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the sugar with the butter at medium speed until light, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, beating for about 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla extract. Don’t be concerned if the batter looks curdled—it will soon smooth out. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately, the flour in 3 parts and the buttermilk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients). You will have a thick, creamy batter. With a rubber spatula, gently stir in the berries.

Scrape the batter into the buttered pan and smooth the top gently with the spatula. Pull the crumb mix from the refrigerator and, with your fingertips, break it into pieces. There’s no need to try to get even pieces—these are crumbs, they’re supposed to be lumpy and bumpy and every shape and size. Scatter the crumbs over the batter, pressing them down ever so slightly.

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool just until it is warm or until it reaches room temperature.

COCONUT TEA CAKE

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I HAVE a friend who, having grown up on the sweets of Austria and Hungary, always tells me he likes “dry” cakes. By this, he doesn’t mean anything overbaked, stale or crumbly. What he has in mind is something like a pound cake or a plain coffee cake, one without frosting or fuss, without too much going on—in other words, the kind of cake that is always right with coffee or tea, one that is welcome just about any time of day, one that you might cut a slice from each time you pass it on your way through the kitchen. This is one of those cakes. Moist, plain but very satisfying in its purity and flavorful in a well-mannered way, it will quickly shrink as slice after slice is cut and nibbled at whim.

The cake gets its coconut flavor from unsweetened coconut milk, shredded dried coconut (sweetened or not, toasted or not) and a spoonful of vanilla extract, which seems to deepen the coconut flavor. It could have a bit of dark rum, a touch of spice or even some zest added to it—see Playing Around for some ideas.

MAKES 10 SERVINGS

SERVING: This is a great cake with tea, but it’s also wonderful with coffee. (I love it with cappuccino or, on the opposite end of the coffee spectrum, with espresso.) It’s a good dunker, and as it gets a little stale, it becomes an even better one. When it’s a bit stale, it’s really good lightly toasted, cut into finger-shaped pieces and dipped, biscotti-style, in vin santo. If you want to dress this cake up a little, serve it with a spoonful of Lemon Cream mixed with a bit of sour cream or crème fraîche, or toast the cake and top it with ice cream and chocolate sauce (bittersweet or milk) or Raspberry Coulis.

STORING: Wrapped in plastic, the cake will keep at room temperature for up to 4 days, longer if you decide to toast it. It can be packed airtight and kept in the freezer for up to 2 months.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk (stir well before measuring)
• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 4 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons dark rum (optional, but so good)
• ¾ cup shredded coconut (unsweetened or sweetened), toasted or not

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9- to 10-inch (10- to 12-cup) Kugelhopf or Bundt pan, or use an unbuttered silicone pan. Don’t place the pan on a baking sheet—you want the oven’s heat to circulate through the inner tube.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan, add the butter and heat until the milk is hot and the butter melted. Remove from the heat, but keep warm.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar at medium-high speed until pale, thick and almost doubled in volume, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and the rum, if you’re using it. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed and stopping just when the flour disappears.

Keeping the mixer on low, add the coconut, mixing only until it is blended, then steadily add the hot milk and butter. When the mixture is smooth, stop mixing and give the batter a couple of turns with a rubber spatula, just to make certain that any ingredients that might have fallen to the bottom of the bowl are incorporated. Pour the batter into the pan and give the pan a few back-and-forth shakes to even the batter.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a thin knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding onto the rack to cool to room temperature.

SWEDISH VISITING CAKE

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THE FIRST time my friend Ingela Helgesson came to see us, she arrived with this cake on a flowered platter, explaining that it was the cake that her mother and her friends always brought to one another. Ingela also said her mother used to claim that you could start making it when you saw guests coming up the road and have it ready by the time they were settling down for coffee. That’s only a slight exaggeration.

The cake is thin and light with a golden sugar crust and an interior that is soil, chewy, moist and reminiscent of cakes made with almond paste. Although it’s amply satisfying in its plainness, I upped the flavor just a little by adding vanilla and almond extract.

Ingela does what her mom did—she bakes the cake in a greased 9-inch cast-iron skillet. That gives the cake a great bottom crust, to say nothing of authenticity. However, if you haven’t got an old-fashioned skillet, you can use a well-buttered cake or pie pan.

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

SERVING: The cake is good eaten warm or at room temperature. Either way, it is meant to be cut into small wedges and eaten sans forks—this is a finger cake.

STORING: The cake is an excellent keeper. Well wrapped, it will keep for about 5 days at room temperature or for up to 2 months in the freezer.

• 1 cup sugar, plus a little more for sprinkling
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
• ½ teaspoon pure almond extract (optional)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• About ¼ cup sliced almonds (blanched or not)

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a seasoned 9-inch cast-iron skillet or other heavy ovenproof skillet, a 9-inch round cake pan or even a pie pan.

Pour the sugar into a medium bowl. Add the lemon zest and blend the zest into the sugar with your fingers until the sugar is moist and aromatic. Whisk in the eggs one at a time until well blended. Whisk in the salt and the extracts, if you’re using them. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in the flour. Finally, fold in the melted butter.

Scrape the batter into the skillet and smooth the top with the rubber spatula. Scatter the sliced almonds over the top and sprinkle with a little sugar. If you’re using a cake or pie pan, place the pan on a baking sheet.

Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it is golden and a little crisp on the outside; the inside will remain moist, even, as Ingela says, “slightly damp.” Remove the skillet from the oven and let the cake cool for 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around the sides and bottom of the cake to loosen it. You can serve the cake, warm or cooled, directly from the skillet or turned out onto a serving plate.

A FIG CAKE FOR FALL

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GROWN IN climates that bring to mind the word “sultry,” figs conjure sun and heat and sensuality. But the fig has an autumnal side too, reminding us of warm months while it heralds shorter days and cooler nights. This cake plays to the fruit’s affinity for fall and chill-weather foods like cornmeal, honey and ruby port. The buttery cake is a moist, appealing round, sweetened with honey and distinguished by the addition of yellow cornmeal. The honey and cornmeal provide a somewhat Italianate base for the fruit, which is lightly poached in port and honey before it is pressed into the batter. And there’s a bonus—once the figs are poached, the remaining syrup is boiled for a few minutes and becomes a lovely sauce. Sauced, the cake jumps from an everyday treat to a company dessert.

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

SERVING: Offer wedges of the cake topped with the port sauce (which can be warmed, if you’d like). Whipped cream or ice cream alongside would be even lovelier.

STORING: Wrapped well, the cake will keep at room temperature for 2 days.

• ¾ cup ruby port
• 1 cup honey
• 2 thin slices lemon
• 16 –20
• fresh figs, stemmed and halved
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup sugar
• Grated zest of ½ lemon
• 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, at room temperature
• 3 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE FIGS AND SAUCE: Stir the port and ½ cup of the honey together in a small saucepan. Toss in the lemon slices and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat, add the figs, cover the pan and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the figs are soft but not falling apart. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the figs to a bowl.

Raise the heat just a little and cook the poaching liquid for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened; the syrup should coat a metal spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and set the sauce aside.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, butter the paper and dust the inside of the pan with flour, tapping out the excess. Put the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.

Put the sugar and grated zest in the bowl of a stand mixer or another large bowl, and rub them together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist, grainy and aromatic. Toss in the butter. With the paddle or whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Pour in the remaining ½ cup honey, add the vanilla extract and beat for another 2 minutes. The mixture may look curdled and not so pretty—keep mixing, it will get better soon. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated; you’ll have a fairly thick batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and jiggle the pan from side to side a few times to even the batter, then scatter the poached figs over the top.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the cake is puffed and golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before running a blunt knife around the edges and releasing the sides of the pan. Cool the cake to slightly warm or to room temperature before serving it with the sauce.

FLUTED POLENTA AND RICOTTA CAKE

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SOMETIMES, WHEN you’re really lucky, everything can go wrong and you still end up with a winner. I’d found a recipe for a polenta and ricotta cake in a little recipe pamphlet that had come with one of my French food magazines. The idea of ricotta and cornmeal caught my attention, and because I had all the ingredients at hand, I thought I’d try it immediately. It wasn’t until I looked at the ingredients measured out on my counter that I started to have my doubts. The recipe called for a lot of polenta and no flour—wouldn’t it be heavy? And there were no eggs—wouldn’t it be dry? No butter—wouldn’t it be drier still? So I started reworking the recipe, adding flour and honey and eggs and butter and, just for the fun of it, dried figs and grated lemon zest too. While wholesale rig-maroling rarely works in baking, for reasons unknown—perhaps the well wishes of the kitchen gods—this recipe turned out to be perfect.

The cake is compact but very moist, with a tiny unexpected crunch running through it. This phantom-crust crunch is just the right match to the crunch of the seeds in the dried figs. You can definitely taste the honey in the cake (it’s got an almost citrusy edge), but the ricotta is elusive—even if its signature tang and smoothness are there. This cake is even better the day after it’s been made—honey cakes do well with a ripening rest.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: Serve the cake when it is still slightly warm or wait until it reaches room temperature, my preference. Honey cakes are good with tea, and this one’s no exception. While I like the cake plain, it’s very good with a little softly whipped cream that’s lightly sweetened with honey.

STORING: Wrapped in plastic, the cake will keep for about 5 days at room temperature. In fact, it will be even better after it’s had a day’s rest. The cake can also be frozen for up to 2 months; defrost in its wrapper.

• About 16 moist, plump dried Mission or Kadota figs, stemmed
• 1 cup medium-grain polenta or yellow cornmeal
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup ricotta
• ⅓ cup tepid water
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup honey (if you’re a real honey lover, use a full-flavored honey such as chestnut, pine or buckwheat)
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus 1 tablespoon, cut into bits and chilled
• 2 large eggs

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10½-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Check that the figs are, indeed, moist and plump. If they are the least bit hard, toss them into a small pan of boiling water and steep for a minute, then drain and pat dry. If the figs are large (bigger than a bite), snip them in half.

Whisk the polenta, flour, baking powder and salt together.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the ricotta and water together on low speed until very smooth. With the mixer at medium speed, add the sugar, honey and lemon zest and beat until light. Beat in the melted butter, then add the eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are fully incorporated. You’ll have a sleek, smooth, pourable batter.

Pour about one third of the batter into the pan and scatter over the figs. Pour in the rest of the batter, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, if necessary, and dot the batter evenly with the chilled bits of butter.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake should be honey brown and pulling away just a little from the sides of the pan, and the butter will have left light-colored circles in the top. Transfer the cake to a rack and remove the sides of the pan after about 5 minutes. Cool to warm, or cool completely.

FAR BRETON

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LUCK COMES in many forms. Many years ago it came in the form of Marie-Cecile Noblet, our French au pair. Not only was she terrific with Joshua, our son, and a delight to have in our home, but she could cook. She came from Brittany and, as young as she was when she came to live with us, she had spent a few years working with her father, a chef and hotelier, so whenever the baby didn’t need us, we’d dash to the kitchen and cook together. Marie-Cecile was a natural cook—she could feel her way around almost any dish—and although she arrived without a single written recipe, she cooked and baked with ease and remarkable precision. She called it cooking au pif—cooking by following her nose.

Au pif was how Marie-Cecile made her Far Breton, a custardy cake beloved in Brittany but just about unknown here. Based on a crepe batter, the far is simple in every way—the batter is whirred together in a blender, given an overnight rest, then mixed with dried fruit and baked. Marie-Cecile made her far with prunes, but I can’t remember whether she steeped them or not (she probably plumped them over steaming water) and, of course, because she made the cake au pif, there is no recipe to refer to. So, in the spirit of au pif–ness, I offer you my recipe for far made with prunes and raisins (although you could use dried apricots or cherries or any of the fruits in combination), and I offer you a steeping choice: Earl Grey tea (a great companion to prunes) or Armagnac (an equally great, if stronger, companion).

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: The far is best at room temperature—that’s when it is most puddingish—so try to serve it soon after you’ve unmolded it. It should be served plain with just the dusting of confectioners’ sugar.

STORING: I think the far is best on the day it is made, but it can be kept in the refrigerator for a day and served either chilled or at room temperature.

• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup pitted prunes
• ⅓ cup dark raisins
• 1 cup hot tea, such as Earl Grey, or ¼ cup Armagnac plus ¼ cup water
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

UP TO 1 DAY AHEAD: Put the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt and melted butter in a blender or food processor and whir for 1 minute to blend. Add the flour and pulse the batter several times. Pour the batter into a pitcher, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or, preferably, overnight.

Meanwhile, for tea-soaked fruit, put the fruit in a heatproof bowl and pour over the hot tea. When the tea cools to room temperature, cover. For Armagnac-soaked fruit, put the fruit and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the water almost evaporates, then turn off the heat and pour the Armagnac evenly over the fruit. Stand back, ignite the alcohol with a long match and wait until the flames die out before pouring the fruit and syrup into a heatproof bowl. When the fruit is cool, cover it and set aside.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8-x-2-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper, butter the paper and dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess. Put the pan on a baking sheet.

Remove the batter from the refrigerator and whisk to reblend it, then rap the pitcher against the counter to break the top bubbles. Pour the batter into the pan and drop in the fruit, trying to distribute it fairly evenly; discard whatever soaking syrup remains.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is puffed and brown and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and cool to room temperature.

The far is fragile (its fragility is part of what makes it so delicious) and it takes a little extra TLC to unmold it. So that the custard is not cut by the wires of the cooling rack, cover the rack with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and dust the paper with confectioners’ sugar. Have a serving plate at hand. Run a blunt knife gently between the cake and the sides of the pan and turn the cake out onto the prepared rack. Don’t leave it on the rack any longer than necessary—quickly and gently invert it onto the serving plate.

Just before serving, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar.

LOTS-OF-WAYS BANANA CAKE

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THE INSPIRATION to bake a banana cake always seems to strike when a bunch of bananas are mottling on the counter. But just because you’ve got the fruit doesn’t mean you have all the other stuff you need, which is why I created this amazingly flexible cake. No coconut? Skip it. No brown sugar? Use white. No coconut milk? Use milk, buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt. You can serve the cake as a single layer or a double (the recipe makes two layers), plain, frosted, filled or frosted and filled. Take a look at Playing Around for some ideas.

If you make the cake with the ingredients listed first below, you’ll get a consistency that isn’t heavy but not featherweight either. It has enough substance to chew on, but it’s light enough to entice you to go back for a second serving ... or a third.

MAKES 8 TO 16 SERVINGS, DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU SERVE A SINGLE- OR DOUBLE-DECKER CAKE

SERVING: See Playing Around for a bunch of suggestions.

STORING: Wrapped airtight, the cakes will keep for about 4 days at room temperature or for up to 2 months in the freezer.

• 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• 1¼ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons dark rum or Malibu coconut rum (optional)
• About 4 very ripe bananas, mashed (you should have 1½–1¾ cups)
• ½ cup canned unsweetened coconut milk, regular (stir well before measuring) or “lite” (or whole milk, buttermilk, sour cream or plain yogurt)
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, preferably toasted (or an equal amount of moist, plump dried fruit, such as currants, raisins, chopped apricots, cranberries, blueberries or halved cherries, or a combination of coconut and dried fruit)

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-x-2-inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugars and beat at medium speed for a couple of minutes, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, followed by the vanilla and rum. You’ll have a beautiful satiny batter. Now lower the speed and add the bananas—the batter will curdle, but that’s fine; it will come together as you add the remaining ingredients. Still on low speed, add the dry and liquid ingredients alternately, adding the flour mixture in 3 portions and the coconut milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients). Mix just until everything is incorporated. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently stir in the coconut. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the cakes are a deep golden brown. They should start to pull away from the sides of the pans and a thin knife inserted into their centers will come out clean. Transfer the cakes to a cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes, then unmold and invert onto another rack to cool to room temperature right side up.

CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWNER

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I CAN’T recall exactly when I created this cake, but I do remember it was for Thanksgiving. I wanted something simple and festive to end the big meal and this was perfect. Because I buy lots of bags of cranberries in October and November (when they’re plentiful) and keep them in my freezer, I’ve got berries enough to make this cake all winter long for dinner desserts as well as for Sunday morning brunches.

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: When the situation allows, I like to serve this cake about 20 minutes out of the oven, when it is still warm. However, it’s more than fine at room temperature—even the following day. It’s always good with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

STORING: The cake is best served the day it is made, but it can be covered and kept at room temperature overnight. the cake Because of the berry topping, it’s not a good candidate for freezing.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1¾ sticks (14 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 2 cups cranberries—fresh or frozen (if frozen, do not thaw)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
• ⅓ cup whole milk
• ⅓ cup red currant jelly, for glazing the cake

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put an 8-x-2-inch round cake pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan. Sprinkle in 6 tablespoons of the sugar and cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Pour this evenly over the bottom of the cake pan, then scatter over the nuts and top with the cranberries, smoothing the layer and pressing it down gently with your fingertips. (If you’ve used frozen berries and they’ve caused the butter to congeal, don’t worry—everything will melt in the oven.) Set aside.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the remaining stick (8 tablespoons) of butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the remaining ½ cup sugar and continue to beat until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. Pour in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half of the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Mix in the milk, then the rest of the dry ingredients. Spoon the batter over the cranberries and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove it from the oven and run a blunt knife between the sides of the pan and the cake. Carefully turn the cake out onto a serving platter. If any of the berries stick to the pan—as they might—just scrape them off with a table knife and return them to the cake.

Warm the jelly in a small saucepan over low heat, or do this in a microwave oven. Gently brush the glaze over the hot cake.

NOT-JUST-FOR-THANKSGIVING CRANBERRY SHORTBREAD CAKE

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CRANBERRIES ARE an underrated culinary treasure. They get the center stage for a couple of hours on Thanksgiving, then they’re pretty much forgotten. Tsk, tsk. But they’re worth stocking up on to have them on hand for muffins, cakes, galettes and this simple and beautiful sweet.

Part cake, part torte and even part bar cookie, this dessert has two elements: a double layer of shortbread and a filling of fresh cranberry and orange jam. Because the shortbread is very rich, it bakes to a lovely golden color and makes a really pretty frame for the brilliant red jam. The texture of the cake is soft and a tad chewy, the flavors are sweet and sharp at the same time and the look, like the taste, is both homey and sophisticated, as is often the case with simple desserts.

A word on size: For a feast, you’ll want a bigger cake—no problem: double the recipe and make it in a 9-x-13-inch pan. If rolling out such a long piece of the soft dough seems a little daunting, just roll it out one quarter at a time (that is, do half of each layer at a time) and then pinch the pieces together. Because the dough is soft and really more a cake than a pastry dough, it will puff and bake together nicely.

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

SERVING: Serve the cake at room temperature, as is or with a big scoop of ice cream.

STORING: Tightly wrapped, the cake will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature or for up to 2 months in the freezer.

FOR THE JAM FILLING

• 1 large navel orange
• About ¼ cup orange juice
• 1 12-ounce bag cranberries, fresh or frozen (not thawed)
• About 1 cup sugar

FOR THE CAKE

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 stick plus 5 tablespoons (13 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large yolk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

TO MAKE THE JAM FILLING: Grate the zest of the orange into a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Slice off the peel, removing the white, cottony pith that sticks to the fruit, and slice between the membranes to release the orange segments. Cut the segments into ¼-inch-wide pieces and toss these into the pan. Working over a measuring cup, squeeze the juice from the membranes—if you have ¼ cup, great; if not, add enough additional orange juice (or water) to make ¼ cup—and pour it into the pan.

Put the cranberries in the pan, stir in ¾ cup of the sugar, set the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook, stirring almost constantly, until the cranberries pop and your spoon leaves tracks, about 5 minutes. Scrape the jam into a bowl and taste it—if it’s too tart, add more sugar to taste. Cool to room temperature. (The filling can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and smooth. Add 1 cup of the sugar and continue to beat until it dissolves into the butter. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the egg and yolk, beating until they too are absorbed. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture, mixing only until it is incorporated; since this is a delicate dough, one that should not be overbeaten, you might want to finish mixing in the flour by hand using a sturdy spatula. You’ll have a thick dough, one that is quite malleable.

Turn the dough out onto a smooth work surface and gather it together into a ball, then divide it in half and pat each half into a disk. Wrap the disks in plastic and refrigerate them for 15 to 30 minutes. (At this point, the dough can be refrigerated overnight; set it out at room temperature for about 20 minutes before proceeding.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: While the dough is chilling, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan (preferably nonstick) and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Work with one piece of dough at a time. For the bottom layer, either roll the dough to size between two pieces of plastic wrap—it’s an easy dough to roll—and lay it in the pan, or put the dough in the pan and press it lightly and evenly across the bottom with your fingertips. Spread the cranberry filling over the dough.

Unwrap the second piece of dough, but leave it on the piece of plastic. Press and/or roll it until it is just the diameter of the pan. Carefully lift the dough and invert it in onto the filling, lift off the plastic and use your fingers to even it as necessary so that it covers the filling. Brush the top of the cake very lightly with water and sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top of the cake is lightly golden and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and cool for about 20 minutes, then run a blunt knife around the cake, remove the sides of the pan and let cool to room temperature.

CINNAMON SQUARES

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THIS IS a simple cake in every way. You mix it in minutes by hand and bake it in an ordinary square pan (I use a nonstick Baker’s Secret pan from the supermarket), first spreading half of the cinnamon batter into the pan, adding chocolate bits and a mixture of cinnamon, sugar and instant espresso, then the rest of the batter. The cake gets a delicious and equally simple frosting, a melt of chocolate and butter. It’s pretty enough in a homey way, but there’s something about the softness of the cake, the warmth of its cinnamon flavor, the way the swirl of cinnamon, sugar, chocolate and coffee melts into the cake and that really good frosting that makes it as good at a brunch as it is as a midnight snack.

MAKES 9 SERVINGS

SERVING: Serve the cake as is or, if you’d like, with whipped cream, crème fraîche or sour cream.

STORING: Wrapped in plastic, the cake will keep at room temperature for 2 days. It can be frozen for up to 2 months, but it’s best to put the cake in the freezer unwrapped and then, when the frosting is firm, to wrap it airtight; defrost, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator.

FOR THE CAKE

• 1¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1½ teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or ½ cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

FOR THE FROSTING

• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2½ tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment or wax paper. Place the pan on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Stir 2 tablespoons of the sugar, 2½ teaspoons of the cinnamon and the espresso together in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, the remaining 1¼ cups sugar, the baking powder, salt and the remaining 1 tablespoon cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and vanilla. Pour the liquid ingredients over the flour mixture and gently whisk until you have a homogenous batter. Now, using the whisk or a rubber spatula, fold in the butter with a light touch, just until the butter is absorbed. You’ll have a smooth, satiny batter.

Scrape half of the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the chocolate over the batter and dust with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Cover with the rest of the batter and smooth the top again.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake is puffed and beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan; a thin knife inserted into the center will come out clean. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it rest for 15 minutes before unmolding it onto another rack. Peel off the paper, invert it onto the first rack, and cool to room temperature right side up.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING: Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and fit the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cook, stirring gently and often, just until they melt. Be careful not to overheat the mixture so much that it thins out; the chocolate should be smooth, very shiny, thick and spreadable. (If it thins, leave the frosting at room temperature for a bit, until it thickens a little.)

Using an offset metal icing spatula or a table knife, spread the frosting in generous sweeps and swirls over the top of the cake. Allow the frosting to set at room temperature, then cut the cake into 9 squares, each about 2½ inches on a side.

FRESH GINGER AND CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD

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IF YOU’RE longing for Christmas, this cake can help you fool yourself into believing St. Nick is almost on the rooftop. Packed with fresh, candied and ground ginger, spices, molasses and a little chocolate, it is moist, mildly spicy and just a teensy bit hot from the ginger. It’s a hearty, high square with a wonderfully solid look, and it’s topped with a swath of bittersweet icing.

MAKES 9 SERVINGS

SERVING: Serve the gingerbread as is or with whipped cream, crème fraîche (a great accompaniment) or Ginger-Infused Whipped Cream (see Playing Around).

STORING: Gingerbread is a good keeper. You can wrap it and keep it at room temperature for about 3 days or freeze it, icing and all, for up to 2 months.

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup molasses (not blackstrap)
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate—2 ounces melted and cooled, 4 ounces finely chopped
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped stem ginger in syrup (available in Asian markets and some supermarkets; optional)

FOR THE ICING

• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon strong coffee
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and put it on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Put the fresh ginger and sugar in a small bowl, stir and set aside.

Whisk the flour, baking soda and spices together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each egg goes in. Don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled at this stage. Pour in the molasses and beat until smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the melted chocolate, along with the sugared ginger, if you’re using it. Still on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients), mixing the batter only as much as needed to blend the ingredients. Fold in the chopped chocolate and the ginger in syrup. Pour the batter into the pan.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Don’t be concerned if the cake has domed and cracked—it will settle down as it cools. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes, then unmold the cake. Turn right side up to cool to room temperature before icing the cake. (The edges of the cake might be quite brown, but don’t fret—you can trim them after you ice the cake.)

TO MAKE THE ICING: Set a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, put the chocolate and coffee in the bowl, and stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted. Remove the bowl and, using a small whisk, stir in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Sift the confectioners’ sugar over the chocolate and stir in. Transfer the bowl to a counter and let the icing sit for about 10 minutes.

Put the gingerbread, still on the rack, on a piece of wax paper or foil (the drip catcher). Pour the icing onto the center of the cake and use a long metal spatula to spread the icing evenly over the top. Allow the icing to set for 30 minutes (you can hurry it along by chilling the cake briefly). If the edges of the cake are overbaked, now’s the time to trim them. Then cut the gingerbread into 9 even pieces.

APPLE-COCONUT FAMILY CAKE

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THE TASTES in this light, moist cake are coconut, a hint of cinnamon and the sweetness of apples, all of which put you in mind of early fall. Our friend Michael Vogel aptly calls it a “family” cake.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: The cake can be served warm or at room temperature. While it is great as is, it’s scrumptious with a little whipped cream.

STORING: This cake is a good keeper. Wrapped well, it will keep at room temperature for about 4 days. Because of the apples and glaze, it isn’t a good candidate for freezing.

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 3 apples (I use Golden Delicious), peeled and cored
• 2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• ½ cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 6 tablespoons flavorless oil, such as canola or grapeseed
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded coconut, preferably unsweetened
• About ½ cup apple jelly, for glaze

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

Cut 2 of the apples into a small dice, cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Cut the third apple from blossom to stem into slices about ¼ inch thick; cover.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and ½ cup of the sugar together for a minute. Whisk in the yogurt, oil, rum and vanilla and whisk for about a minute, until smooth. Still using the whisk, or switching to a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture, followed by the coconut and the diced apple.

Scrape the batter into the pan and jiggle the pan from side to side a couple of times to even the batter. Arrange the sliced apples in an attractive pattern over the top of the cake—I like to make a sunburst pattern—and sprinkle the apples with the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the apples and cake are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the springform pan to a rack, and cool the cake for 20 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, make the glaze. Warm the apple jelly with a splash of water just until it liquefies.

Once the cake has cooled for 20 minutes, run a knife around the edges of the cake and release the sides of the pan. Using a pastry brush, give the top of the cake a generous gloss of glaze.

CHOCOLATE-CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

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SURE, YOU could serve these to three-year-olds, but I think everyone would be happier if you waited until your audience was grown-up enough to appreciate the cupcakes’ dark, close crumb, the very dark and not very sweet chocolate flavor and the elegance of the glaze, a ganache that is ever so slightly firm on the outside and satiny soft beneath.

MAKES 12 CUPCAKES

SERVING: These can be served as a kids’ treat for adults (you can even speckle the ganache with sprinkles, jimmies or dragées when it’s still fluid), but I like to give them a bit of glam and serve them on plates with cake forks. I also like to serve crème fraîche and chocolate shavings on the side. Oh, and these look lovely with a pretty birthday candle smack-dab in the center.

STORING: The cakes will keep in a well-sealed tin overnight. They can also be wrapped airtight—glazed or unglazed—and frozen for up to 2 months.

FOR THE CUPCAKES

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

FOR THE GLAZE

• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Fit the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan with paper muffin cups (my preference), or butter them, dust them with flour and tap out the excess. Alternatively, you can use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither paper cups nor greasing. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet and set it aside.

TO MAKE THE CUPCAKES: Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, until it is blended into the butter. Add the egg, then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the vanilla, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add half the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear. Scrape down the bowl and add the buttermilk, mixing until incorporated, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl, add the melted chocolate and mix it in with the rubber spatula. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin molds.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the tops of the cakes are dry and springy to the touch and a knife inserted into their centers comes out clean. Transfer the muffin pan to a rack and let the cakes cool for 5 minutes before unmolding them. Cool to room temperature on the rack before glazing.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Transfer the bowl to the counter and let stand for 5 minutes.

Using a small whisk or rubber spatula, stir the confectioners’ sugar into the chocolate, followed by the pieces of cold butter. The glaze may be very thin at this point, or it might be perfectly spreadable. If it is too thin to spread or use as a dip (I often dip the tops of the cakes into the ganache, then give the cakes a little twirl as I pull them out, so they have a squiggle of glaze in the center), stir it over ice water for a few seconds—really, less than a minute. With a small metal icing spatula, give each cupcake a crown of shiny ganache, and let the glaze set at room temperature (or in the fridge if you’re in a hurry). If the glaze loses its gloss and you miss it, give the tops of the cakes a puff of hot air from a hairdryer right before serving.

ALMOST-FUDGE GÂTEAU

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WHEN GREAT chefs want help creating great restaurants, they call my Parisian friend Hélène Samuel. Hélène has worked with the best of the best and has even opened her own restaurant, Delicabar. But for all the restaurant work she does, until recently, she barely made anything more than a bowl of pasta for herself, because she didn’t have a stove at home. Like many Parisians, Hélène had two burners, a microwave and no oven. Then, in a recent flurry of redecoration, she bought new furniture and—ta-dah—an oven. After that, there was no stopping her. For the first few weeks, she made this chocolate cake from a recipe given to her by her cousin, Jacqueline Picard, every day. She’d sit cross-legged in front of the window of her miraculous new stove, watching the beaten egg whites puff the chocolate batter up the sides of the pan. “I’ve given up television,” she said. “I watch my oven instead.”

In classic French style, this cake is plain looking but profoundly flavorful, moist, pleasantly dense and definitively chocolate—just the thing for all oven owners.

MAKES 10 SERVINGS

SERVING: The cake is delicious with a little crème fraîche, but it’s also good with whipped cream, ice cream of almost any goes-with-chocolate flavor or on its own.

STORING: Wrapped airtight, the cake, glazed or plain, will keep for about 3 days at room temperature or for 2 months in the freezer.

• 5 large eggs
• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons coffee or water
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt

FOR THE GLAZE (OPTIONAL)

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, butter the paper, dust the inside of the pan with flour and tap out the excess. Place the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a mixer bowl or other large bowl and the yolks in a small bowl.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and add the chocolate, sugar, butter and coffee. Stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are melted; the sugar may still be grainy, and that’s fine. Transfer the bowl to the counter and let the mixture sit for 3 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, stir in the yolks one by one, then fold in the flour.

Working with the whisk attachment of the mixer or a hand mixer, beat the egg whites with the pinch of salt until they hold firm but glossy peaks. Using the spatula, stir about one quarter of the beaten whites into the batter, then gently fold in the rest. Scrape the batter into the pan and jiggle the pan from side to side a couple of times to even the batter.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the cake has risen evenly (it might rise around the edges and you’ll think it’s done, but give it a few minutes more, and the center will puff too) and the top has firmed (it will probably be cracked) and doesn’t shimmy when tapped; a thin knife inserted into the center should come out just slightly streaked with chocolate. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the cake rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Run a blunt knife gently around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Carefully turn the cake over onto a rack and remove the pan bottom and the parchment paper. Invert the cake onto another rack and cool to room temperature right side up. As the cake cools, it may sink.

TO MAKE THE OPTIONAL GLAZE: First, turn the cooled cake over onto another rack so you’ll be glazing the flat bottom, and place the rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper to catch any drips.

Put the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl.

Melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water or in a microwave oven—the chocolate should be just melted and only warm, not hot. Meanwhile, bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir very gently with a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Stir in the corn syrup.

Pour the glaze over the cake and smooth the top with a long metal icing spatula. Don’t worry if the glaze drips unevenly down the sides of the cake—it will just add to its charms. Allow the glaze to set at room temperature or, if you’re impatient, slip the cake into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. If the glaze dulls in the fridge, just give it a little gentle heat from a hairdryer.

PERFECTION POUND CAKE

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THIS RECIPE for a textbook-perfect pound cake comes from cookbook author and friend Elizabeth Alston. It is based on an old family recipe, and it turns out a cake with the fresh-from-the-farm flavor of butter and eggs, a moist, closely knit crumb and a soft crust that cuts beautifully whether you’re slicing it thick (so it can be a base for ice cream or syrupy fruits) or thin (so you can serve it plain or with a little jam). The cake can be made with all-purpose or cake flour—use cake flour, and the crumb will be even more delicate and just a touch more tender. And, as with many butter-rich cakes, this one is not just a good keeper, it actually improves with time, its taste and texture becoming even better after ripening. Let the cake cool completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and leave it on the counter overnight.

Before you dive into making pound cake, take a look at the pointers.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

SERVING: I like to cut the cake into rather thin slices and serve 2 or 3 slices to a person, offering some chunky fruit jam on the side. Sliced thicker, the cake is a terrific base for fruit and ice cream.

STORING: Wrapped well, the cake will keep for 5 to 7 days at room temperature (stale cake is great toasted) or up to 2 months in the freezer.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour or 2¼ cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan or an 8½-x-4½-inch loaf pan. Put the pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked one on top of the other.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, a full 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and beater and reduce the mixer speed to medium. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 to 2 minutes after each egg goes in. As you’re working, scrape down the bowl and beater often. Mix in the vanilla extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it is incorporated—don’t overmix. In fact, you might want to fold in the last of the flour, or even all of it, by hand with a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter into the buttered pan and smooth the top.

Put the cake into the oven to bake, and check on it after about 45 minutes. If it’s browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil tent. If you’re using a 9-x-5 pan, you’ll need to bake the cake for 70 to 75 minutes; the smaller pan needs about 90 minutes. The cake is properly baked when a thin knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven, transfer the pan to a rack and let rest for 30 minutes.

Run a blunt knife between the cake and the sides of the pan and turn the cake out, then turn it right side up on the rack and cool to room temperature.

FRENCH YOGURT CAKE WITH MARMALADE GLAZE

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IT’S RARE to be invited to a French person’s house for dinner and have a baked-at-home dessert. Most French people don’t bake, because they don’t have to—no matter where you are, a pâtisserie with wonderful cakes is just minutes away. But I don’t think there’s a home cook in France who doesn’t make this moist yogurt cake, a delightful cross between pound cake and sponge cake. Every time I mention it to a French friend, he or she says, “Oh, I make it all the time” or “That’s the cake my mother used to make” or “That’s the cake I make for my kids’ birthdays.” The primary reason the French make this cake is that it’s delicious, but there are other reasons too, among them the indisputable fact that the cake is absolutely foolproof and shamelessly easy.

Unlike just about every other cake in France, the ingredients for this cake are measured in the yogurt container, rather than being weighed out. Since our yogurt containers are not the same size, I’ve adapted the recipe to American standard measuring cups. The measurements are now different, but the cake remains foolproof. And like many pound cakes, it will be better the day after it is made.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: In France, this cake is usually served with a little sweetened crème fraîche, but it lends itself to other toppings as well. Fresh soft fruit, like sliced peaches or plums, is a natural with it, as are berries with a touch of sugar. And, because the cake is plain and just a little tangy from the yogurt, it pairs happily with Lemon Cream or Lemon Curd and is delicious with chocolate mousse or chocolate sauce (bittersweet or milk).

STORING: Wrapped well, the cake keeps at room temperature for at least 4 days. If you do not glaze the cake, you can wrap it airtight and freeze it for up to 2 months; it’s best not to freeze the glazed cake.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup ground almonds (or, if you’d prefer, omit the almonds and use another ½ cup all-purpose flour)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup sugar
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 3 large eggs
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup flavorless oil, such as canola or safflower

FOR THE GLAZE

• ½ cup lemon marmalade, strained
• 1 teaspoon water

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8½-x-4½-inch loaf pan and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, ground almonds, if you’re using them, baking powder and salt.

Put the sugar and zest in a medium bowl and, with your fingertips, rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar is moist and aromatic. Add the yogurt, eggs and vanilla and whisk vigorously until the mixture is very well blended. Still whisking, add the dry ingredients, then switch to a large rubber spatula and fold in the oil. You’ll have a thick, smooth batter with a slight sheen. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cake begins to come away from the sides of the pan; it should be golden brown and a thin knife inserted into the center will come out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then run a blunt knife between the cake and the sides of the pan. Unmold, and cool to room temperature right side up on the rack.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Put the marmalade in a small saucepan or a microwave-safe bowl, stir in the teaspoon of water and heat until the jelly is hot and liquefied. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the cake with the glaze.

RUM-DRENCHED VANILLA CAKES

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THE TEXTURE of this cake is so perfect—the crumb so soft, even and tightly knit—that you could mistake it for a Sara Lee pound cake. That’s high praise in my book: I’ve always loved Sara Lee’s compact, tiny-bubble crumb and the way slices of the cake are simultaneously firm and supple. But what you get here is a flavor Sara Lee can never deliver, one that depends on using the very best vanilla you can find. The first choice is a pair of moist, pliable vanilla beans. You get the truest flavor from beans and, if you follow the nifty technique of rubbing the pulp of the beans into the sugar, you’ll get maximum results. If you use extract, you’ll still produce an excellent cake, but you’ve got to use pure extract. As for the rum—it should be high-quality, dark and strong (see the tips).

Make the syrup as soon as you slide the cakes into the oven to bake—that way, it will have time to cool.

MAKES ABOUT 16 SERVINGS

SERVING: If you’ve got the time, wrap the completely cooled cakes in plastic wrap and let them sit on the counter overnight—the flavor really develops with a leisurely rest. The cake is lovely with a cup of tea and ideal with any juicy fruit, particularly fresh berries.

STORING: Wrapped airtight, the cakes will keep for 4 days at room temperature. If you do not drench the cakes with the rum syrup, you can keep them, well wrapped, in the freezer for up to 2 months; soaked cakes are best not frozen.

FOR THE CAKES

• 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• 2½ teaspoons baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 ⅓ cups sugar
• 2 plump, moist vanilla beans, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out and reserved, or 1½ tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 6 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• ⅔ cup heavy cream
• 2½ tablespoons dark rum
• 1 stick plus 7 tablespoons (15 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

FOR THE SYRUP

• ⅓ cup water
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup dark rum

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8½-x-4½-x-2½-inch loaf pans, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. (Even if the pans are nonstick, it’s a good idea to butter and flour them.) Place the pans on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular sheets stacked one on top of the other.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.

Put the sugar and the pulp from the vanilla beans, if using them, in a large bowl and, working with your fingers, rub them together until the sugar is moist and thoroughly imbued with the fragrance of vanilla. (If you are using vanilla extract, add it later, after you’ve added the eggs.) Add the eggs and whisk them into the sugar, beating until they are thoroughly incorporated. Whisk in the extract, if you’re using it, then whisk in the cream, followed by the rum. Continuing with the whisk or switching to a large rubber spatula, gently stir in the dry ingredients in 3 or 4 additions; the batter will be smooth and thick. Finish by folding in the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions. Pour the batter into the pans, smoothing the tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. (As soon as the cakes go into the oven, make the syrup.) After about 30 minutes in the oven, check the cakes for color—if they are browning too quickly, cover them lightly with foil tents.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE SYRUP: Stir the water and sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar melts, then bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum. Pour the syrup into a heatproof bowl and let cool.

When the cakes test done, transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding them and turning them right side up on the rack. Place the rack over a baking sheet lined with wax paper and, using a thin skewer, cake tester or thin-bladed sharp knife, poke holes all over the cakes. Brush the cakes all over with the syrup, working slowly so that the cakes sop it up. Leave the cakes on the rack to cool to room temperature.

DATE-NUT LOAF

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WHEN I was a kid, date-nut loaves were very popular: both date-nut bread, which was like raisin bread, and date-nut quick bread, more like cake than real bread. This loaf falls into the cake camp. More specifically, it falls into the camp of those cakes that are fine the day they are made, even better the day after and, a day later, much better lightly toasted and spread with butter, jam, honey or cream cheese.

MAKES ABOUT 10 SERVINGS

SERVING: Although the cake is fine served as soon as it cools, it really benefits from a day’s ripening. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and, if you have the time and patience, keep it at room temperature for a day before slicing and serving—toasted or not.

STORING: Well wrapped, the cake will keep for about 5 days at room temperature or up to 2 months in the freezer.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• ¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 cup soft pitted dried dates, each cut into 8 pieces
• 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Put the pan on an insulated baking sheet or two regular sheets stacked one on top of the other.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, another 3 minutes or so. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the extracts. The batter may look curdled—don’t worry, it will come together in a minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the dates and nuts. Turn the batter into the pan.

Bake for 40 minutes. Cover the top of the cake loosely with a foil tent and bake for another 40 minutes or so (total baking time is about 1 hour and 20 minutes), until the top is honey brown, bumpy and cracked and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool about 10 minutes before unmolding, then cool to room temperature right side up on the rack.

BASIC MARBLED LOAF CAKE

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HERE IS a recipe that just begs to be fiddled with—in fact, I created it just so that I could fiddle with it. It’s a fine plain cake that gets better when you use it as the base for a two-tone, two-flavor marble cake. In Playing Around, I’ve given you the recipes for some of my favorite marbling combinations, and I hope you’ll make them, but I also hope you’ll come up with combinations of your own: there’s nothing better than having a homemade cake that’s truly a house special.

MAKES ABOUT 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: Cut the cake into slices either thin or thick and serve as is, or with whipped cream or ice cream or even ice cream and a sauce.

STORING: Wrapped well, the cake will keep at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the freezer (wrapped airtight) for up to 2 months.

• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup whole milk
• Choice of flavorings (see Playing Around)

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter an 8½-x-4½-x-2½-inch loaf pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Place the pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked one on top of the other.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Don’t be concerned if the batter curdles and stays curdled—it will be fine. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and alternately add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients), mixing only until each addition is incorporated.

At this point, you are ready to divide the batter, add your selected flavorings and marble the batters (see the tips). Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake the cake for 1 hour and 20 to 30 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean. If the cake looks as if it’s getting too brown during its bake, cover it loosely with a foil tent. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it rest for about 15 minutes before unmolding, then cool the cake to room temperature right side up on the rack.

BLACK-AND-WHITE BANANA LOAF

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ONE PART chocolate, one part rummy banana and all parts delicious. There’s a fair amount of nutmeg in the batter for this cake, but its flavor isn’t obvious with the first bite—it takes a few seconds to emerge.

MAKES ABOUT 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: This cake is good cut thick or thin, served plain or with some ice cream. It’s very good with coffee or tea and especially good with chocolate milk, hot or cold.

STORING: Wrapped in plastic wrap, the cake will keep for 4 to 5 days at room temperature; wrapped airtight, it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.

• 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1½ ripe bananas, peeled
• Squirt of fresh lemon juice
• Grated zest of ½ lemon
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup whole milk

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter an 8½-x-4½-x-2½-inch loaf pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Place the pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked one on top of the other.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with the lemon juice and zest, then stir in the rum.

Melt the chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the butter together in a microwave oven or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the remaining stick (8 tablespoons) of butter at medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugars and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes, until light and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. The batter will look curdled, and it will continue to look curdled as you add ingredients. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half the flour mixture, mixing only until it is just incorporated. With the mixer running, pour in the milk, and when it is blended, add the remaining dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl and mix in the mashed bananas. The batter will look even lumpier.

Pour a little less than half the batter into the bowl with the melted chocolate and stir to blend. Drop alternating spoonfuls of both batters into the prepared pan (or follow any of the marbling techniques here), then, using a table knife, swirl the batters together, taking care not to overdo it.

Bake for 1 hour and 20 to 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Check after 30 minutes and if the cake starts to brown too much, cover it loosely with a foil tent. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it rest for about 15 minutes before unmolding, then cool the cake to room temperature right side up on the rack.

TALL AND CREAMY CHEESECAKE: A BASIC

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NOT REALLY a New York cheesecake—there’s no lemon (although there could be)—this is an all-American cheesecake of the big, beautiful, lush and creamy variety, the kind that causes gasps of delight when you bring it to the table and sighs of satisfaction when you and your guests savor bite after bite. It’s also a cheesecake you can customize. You can make the cake milder or tangier by using all heavy cream or all sour cream, or a combination of the two. You can add fruits or nuts, swirls of chocolate or drops of extract. You’ll find some suggestions in Playing Around, including one of my all-time favorites, the Coco-Nut Cheesecake, but if you’re a cheesecake lover, you’ll find your own quickly.

MAKES 16 SERVINGS

SERVING: The easiest way to cut cheesecake is to use a long, thin knife that has been run under hot water and lightly wiped. Keep warming the knife as you cut slices of the cake.

STORING: Wrapped well, the cake will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or for up to 2 months in the freezer. It’s best to defrost the still-wrapped cheesecake overnight in the refrigerator.

FOR THE CRUST

• 1¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of salt
• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE CHEESECAKE

• 2 pounds (four 8-ounce boxes) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1⅓ cups sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 ⅓ cups sour cream or heavy cream, or a combination of the two

TO MAKE THE CRUST: Butter a 9-inch springform pan—choose one that has sides that are 2¾ inches high (if the sides are lower, you will have cheesecake batter left over)—and wrap the bottom of the pan in a double layer of aluminum foil.

Stir the crumbs, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir until all of the dry ingredients are uniformly moist. (I do this with my fingers.) Turn the ingredients into the springform pan and use your fingers to pat an even layer of crumbs over the bottom of the pan and about halfway up the sides. Don’t worry if the sides are not perfectly even or if the crumbs reach slightly above or below the midway point on the sides. Put the pan in the freezer while you preheat the oven. (The crust can be covered and frozen for up to 2 months.)

Center a rack in the oven, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place the springform on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Set the crust aside to cool on a rack while you make the cheesecake.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

TO MAKE THE CHEESECAKE: Put a kettle of water on to boil.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until soft and creamy, about 4 minutes. With the mixer running, add the sugar and salt and continue to beat for another 4 minutes or so, until the cream cheese is light. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one by one, beating for a full minute after each addition—you want a well-aerated batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the sour cream and/or heavy cream.

Put the foil-wrapped springform pan in a roasting pan that is large enough to hold the pan with some space around it.

Give the batter a few stirs with a rubber spatula, just to make sure that there is nothing left unmixed at the bottom of the bowl, and scrape the batter into the springform pan. The batter will reach the rim of the pan. (If you have a pan with lower sides and have leftover batter, you can bake the batter in a buttered ramekin or small soufflé mold.) Put the roasting pan in the oven and pour enough boiling water into it to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, at which point the top should be browned (and perhaps cracked) and may have risen just a little above the rim of the pan. Turn off the oven and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Allow the cheesecake to luxuriate in its water bath for another hour.

After 1 hour, carefully pull the setup out of the oven, lift the springform pan out of the roaster—be careful, there may be some hot water in the aluminum foil—and remove the foil. Let the cheesecake come to room temperature on a cooling rack.

When the cake is cool, cover the top lightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours; overnight is better.

At serving time, remove the sides of the springform pan—I use a hairdryer to do this (see the tips)—and set the cake on a serving platter.

BROWN SUGAR–APPLE CHEESECAKE

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WHEN I called this cheesecake “substantial,” a friend said I was being redundant, since, according to her, being substantial is a characteristic built into a cheesecake’s DNA. I don’t believe that. Some cheesecakes are actually very light, and some are not just substantial, they’re downright heavy and meant to be just that. This cheesecake is a textural middle-of-the-roader with great-tasting surprises: the butterscotch-colored cheesecake is a triple-cream combo—cream cheese, sour cream and heavy cream; it’s flavored with brown sugar, apple cider and cinnamon; and, almost best of all, it’s got a layer of soft, caramelish browned-in-butter apples. Like all cheesecakes, this one should be served well chilled, yet because of the brown sugar and cinnamon, the apples and the gingersnap crust, I think of it as a cozy dessert to serve on frosty fall nights.

MAKES ABOUT 16 SERVINGS

SERVING: If you’d like, you can brush the top of the cake with a little warm apple jelly to give it a shine or dust it with confectioners’ sugar.

STORING: Tightly covered, the cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. But it’s always best to freeze cakes without a jelly glaze (which can get gloppy if frozen). To defrost, leave the cake in its wrapper and allow it to defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

FOR THE CRUST

• 30 gingersnaps (or a scant 2 cups graham cracker crumbs)
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE APPLES

• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 3 large Golden Delicious or Fuji apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
• 2 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar

FOR THE FILLING

• 1½ pounds (three 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
• ¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons apple cider
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 large eggs
• ¾ cup sour cream
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• Apple jelly, for glazing, or confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

TO MAKE THE CRUST: Butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan.

Put the gingersnaps in a food processor and whir until you have crumbs; you should have a scant 2 cups. (If you are using graham cracker crumbs, just put them in the processor.) Pulse in the sugar and cinnamon, if you’re using it, then pour over the melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are moistened. Turn the crumbs into the springform pan and, using your fingertips, firmly press them evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan as far as they’ll go. Put the pan in the freezer while you preheat the oven. (The crust can be covered and frozen for up to 2 months.)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the pan from the freezer and wrap the bottom tightly in aluminum foil, going up the sides. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until the crust is set and lightly browned. Transfer to a rack to cool while you make the apples and filling. Leave the oven at 350 degrees F.

TO MAKE THE APPLES: Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, toss in half of the apple slices and cook, turning once, until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the apples with 1 tablespoon of the sugar and cook them, turning, just until coated, another minute or so. Scrape the apples onto a plate, wipe out the skillet and repeat with the remaining apples. Let the apples cool while you make the filling.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Have a roasting pan large enough to hold the springform pan at hand. Put a kettle of water on to boil.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium speed, scraping down the bowl often, for about 4 minutes, or until it is velvety smooth. Add the sugars and beat for another 2 minutes. Beat in the cider, vanilla and cinnamon. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each egg goes in. Finally, beat in the sour cream and heavy cream, beating just until the batter is smooth.

Pour about one third of the batter into the baked crust. Drain the apples by lifting them off the plate with a slotted spoon or spatula, and spoon them into the pan. Cover with the remaining batter and, if needed, jiggle the pan to even the top. Place the springform in the roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 30 to 45 minutes, covering the cake loosely with a foil tent at the 45-minute mark. The cake will rise evenly and crack around the edges, and it should be fully set except, possibly, in the very center—if the center shimmies, that’s just fine. Gently transfer the cake, still in the pan, to a cooling rack and let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it for at least 6 hours; overnight would be better.

Run a blunt knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the crust, open the pan’s latch and release and remove the sides.

HIDDEN BERRY CREAM CHEESE TORTE

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WHILE TRYING to think how to describe this torte, I did what I always do: I grabbed a pencil and paper and a slice. Only after I’d put down my pencil and picked up my third (granted, skinny) slice of torte did I realize that my research had crossed the line into something bordering on greed. Oh, the hazards of cook-bookery. And oh, the delight of something so smooth, creamy, soothing and satisfying.

Now here’s the rub—I’m still not sure how to best explain this little treat. The straight description from the bottom up is: a sweet vanilla butter cookie crust, then a layer of berry jam and, the topmost treat, the hard-to-explain, easy-to-make cheesecake part, which is a mixture of cream cheese and cottage cheese that bakes to a thin, velvety layer that inspires triple indulgences.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: This torte can be served at cool room temperature, when it is very soft and creamy, but I think its texture improves with an hour in the refrigerator, and it is still thoroughly delightful served cold.

STORING: Wrapped well, the torte will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

FOR THE CRUST

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE FILLING

• ⅓ cup thick berry or cherry jam
• 9 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 8 ounces (1 cup) cottage cheese, at room temperature
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

GETTING READY: Butter a 9-inch springform pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse just to blend. Toss in the pieces of butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir the egg yolks and vanilla together with a fork, and, still pulsing the machine, add them and continue to pulse until the dough comes together in clumps and curds—restrain yourself, and don’t allow the dough to form a ball.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface. If you want to roll the dough, gather it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for about 20 minutes before rolling. (I like to roll this, and all sweet crusts, between sheets of plastic wrap.) Or simply press the dough into the pan. The dough should come about 1½ inches up the sides of the springform. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Fit a piece of buttered aluminum foil against the crust, covering it completely. Fill the crust lightly with rice, dried beans or pie weights and slide the sheet into the oven. Bake the crust for 20 minutes, then carefully remove the foil and weights and bake for another 5 minutes or so—you don’t want the crust to get too brown. Transfer to a rack to cool while you make the filling.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: Stir the jam, and spread it over the bottom of the crust—it’s okay to do this while the crust is still warm.

Put the cream cheese and cottage cheese into the food processor and process, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times, for 2 minutes, until you’ve got a smooth, satiny mix. Add the sugar, salt and spices and process for another 30 seconds. With the machine running, add the eggs and process, scraping the bowl as needed, for a final minute. Pour the filling over the jam.

Bake the cake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the filling is uniformly puffed and no longer jiggly. Gently transfer the springform pan to a cooling rack and allow the torte to cool to room temperature, during which time the filling will collapse into a thin, elegant layer.

Run a blunt knife between the crust and the sides of the pan, then open and remove the sides of the springform. If the sides of the crust extend above the filling and you don’t like this look, very gently saw off the excess crust using a serrated knife. Chill the torte slightly or thoroughly before serving and, if you’d like, dust the top with confectioners’ sugar.

LOW AND LUSH CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

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A CLARION call to pleasure, this is elegantly low and seductively lush. Oh, and it’s push-button easy to make.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: While it really needs no embellishment, the cake is extra-great with a little drizzle of Hot Fudge Sauce. If you’re a fan of chocolate-and-fruit combinations, you might want to serve it with some fruit coulis or puree—raspberry is a natural, but apricot, orange and blueberry are good too.

STORING: Wrapped well, the cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It can be frozen for up to 2 months; defrost, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator.

FOR THE CRUST

• 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE FILLING

• 1½ pounds (three 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8½- or 9-inch springform pan and put the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

TO MAKE THE CRUST: Stir the crumbs, sugar and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir until all of the dry ingredients are uniformly moist. (I do this with my fingers.) Turn the crumbs into the pan and, with your fingers, press the crumbs evenly over the bottom of the pan and as far up the sides as they’ll go. Freeze the crust for about 10 minutes.

Bake for 10 minutes, only until the crust is lightly set and just tinged with color. Cool on a rack or refrigerate while you make the filling. Keep the oven at 350 degrees F.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: Cut each bar of cream cheese into quarters and toss the pieces into a food processor, along with the sugar. Process, scraping down the bowl 2 or 3 times, for a full 2 minutes. You’ll see how dramatically the cream cheese changes; it will look like white velvet at the end of its beating. Add the eggs, vanilla and salt and give the batter 4 longish pulses, then scrape down the bowl and pulse 2 more times. Pour in the chocolate and pulse and scrape a few times to blend the batter well.

Remove the bowl from the processor and rap it hard on the counter a couple of times to de-bubble the batter. Scrape the batter into the cooled crust.

Bake the cheesecake for 35 to 40 minutes if you are using a 9-inch pan or 45 to 50 minutes if you are using an 8½-inch pan. The top should be puffed and set, but if you tap the pan gently, the center of the cake will still be a little shaky—that’s just fine. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours or for up to 3 days.

Run a blunt knife between the crust and sides of the pan, then open and remove the sides of the springform.

DEVIL’S FOOD WHITE-OUT CAKE

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I’VE SOMETIMES thought that if my mother had been a baker (she wasn’t), and if she had ever made me this cake (which she didn’t), it would have been my childhood favorite. This is a dig-into kind of cake, not one meant to be cut daintily or eaten with restraint. The three layers are devilishly dark and chocolaty, chocolaty, chocolaty, from cocoa, bittersweet chocolate and semisweet chocolate. Freshly made or at room temperature, they are moist and a little fluffy; chilled, they’re still moist, but denser and firmer, very much like a super-fudgy brownie. While the layers could be filled and frosted with almost any thick frosting, my favorite is a billowy, sweet marshmallow one. The flavor and texture are perfect, and the cake looks spectacular when it’s generously fluffed and when one of the coal-dark layers is broken into crumbs and pressed into the frosting. Finished like that, it makes a grand birthday cake, whether it’s for a kid’s birthday or a celebration calling for twenty or more candles.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

SERVING: I think the cake is best at room temperature or just cool, but many people prefer it cold (the texture of the cake becomes fudgier after it has been refrigerated). No matter the temperature, the cake is so pretty it should be cut at the table, so bring it out on a platter and cut it into generous wedges using a serrated knife and a sawing motion.

STORING: The frosted cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, or longer if you have the time.

FOR THE CAKE

• 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1¼ sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• ½ cup buttermilk or whole milk, at room temperature
• ½ cup boiling water
• 4 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate, finely chopped, or ⅔ cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

FOR THE FILLING AND FROSTING

• ½ cup egg whites (about 4 large)
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-x-2-inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugars and continue to beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate. When it is fully incorporated, add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. At this point, the batter will be thick, like frosting. Still working on low speed, mix in the boiling water, which will thin the batter considerably. Switch to a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl and stir in the chopped chocolate. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Don’t worry if the tops have a few small cracks. Transfer the cake pans to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (The cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.)

When you are ready to fill and frost the cake, inspect the layers. If the cakes have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. With the same knife, slice each layer horizontally in half. Set 3 layers aside and crumble the fourth layer; set the crumbs aside.

TO MAKE THE FILLING AND FROSTING: Put the egg whites in a clean, dry mixer bowl or in another large bowl. Have a candy thermometer at hand.

Put the sugar, cream of tartar and water in a small saucepan and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, cover the pan and boil for 3 minutes. Uncover and allow the syrup to boil until it reaches 242 degrees F on the candy thermometer. While the syrup is cooking, start beating the egg whites.

When the syrup is at about 235 degrees F, begin beating the egg whites on medium speed with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer. If the whites form firm, shiny peaks before the syrup reaches temperature, reduce the mixer speed to low and keep mixing the whites until the syrup catches up. With the mixer at medium speed, and standing back slightly, carefully pour in the hot syrup, pouring it between the beater(s) and the side of the bowl. Splatters are inevitable—don’t try to scrape them into the whites, just carry on. Add the vanilla extract and keep beating the whites at medium speed until they reach room temperature, about 5 minutes. You should have a smooth, shiny, marshmallowy frosting. Although you could keep it in the fridge in a pinch, it’s really better to use it right now.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Put a bottom layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or on a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a long metal icing spatula, cover the layer generously with frosting. Top with a second layer, cut side up, and frost it. Finish with the third layer, cut side down, and frost the sides and top of the cake. Don’t worry about smoothing the frosting—it should be swirly. Now, cover the entire cake with the chocolate cake crumbs, gently pressing the crumbs into the filling with your fingers.

Refrigerate the cake for about 1 hour before serving. (If it’s more convenient, you can chill the cake for 8 hours or more; cover it loosely and keep it away from foods with strong odors.)

PERFECT PARTY CAKE

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STICK A bright-colored Post-it to this page, so you’ll always know where to turn for a just-right cake for any celebration. The original recipe was given to me by my great dear friend Nick Malgieri, of baking fame, and since getting it, I’ve found endless opportunities to make it—you will too. The cake is snow white, with an elegant tight crumb and an easygoing nature: it always bakes up perfectly; it is delicate on the tongue but sturdy in the kitchen—no fussing when it comes to slicing the layers in half or cutting tall, beautiful wedges for serving; and, it tastes just as you’d want a party cake to taste—special. The base recipe is for a cake flavored with lemon, layered with a little raspberry jam and filled and frosted with a classic (and so simple) pure white lemony hot-meringue buttercream, but because the elements are so fundamental, they lend themselves to variation (see Playing Around), making the perfect cake not just perfect, but also versatile.

MAKES 12 TO 14 SERVINGS

SERVING: The cake is ready to serve as soon as it is assembled, but I think it’s best to let it sit and set for a couple of hours in a cool room—not the refrigerator. Whether you wait or slice and enjoy it immediately, the cake should be served at room temperature; it loses all its subtlety when it’s cold. Depending on your audience, you can serve the cake with just about anything from milk to sweet or bubbly wine.

STORING: The cake is best the day it is made, but you can refrigerate it, well covered, for up to 2 days. Bring it to room temperature before serving. If you want to freeze the cake, slide it into the freezer to set, then wrap it really well—it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer; defrost it, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator.

FOR THE CAKE

• 2¼ cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1¼ cups whole milk or buttermilk (I prefer buttermilk with the lemon)
• 4 large egg whites
• 1½ cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large egg whites
• 3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR FINISHING

• ⅔ cup seedless raspberry preserves, stirred vigorously or warmed gently until spreadable
• About 1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-x-2-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.

Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and, working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch—a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (The cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.)

TO MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM: Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or other large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream. Remove the bowl from the heat.

Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6 to 10 minutes. During this time, the buttercream may curdle or separate—just keep beating and it will come together again. On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla. You should have a shiny, smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half. Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Spread it with one third of the preserves. Cover the jam evenly with about one quarter of the buttercream. Top with another layer, spread with preserves and buttercream and then do the same with a third layer (you’ll have used all the jam and have buttercream left over). Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top. Press the coconut into the frosting, patting it gently all over the sides and top.

BILL’S BIG CARROT CAKE

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THIS IS the cake our late friend the talented jeweler Bill Bartholomew used to bring to our house for holiday dinners. Carrot cake was once so popular that it was hard not to think of it as ubiquitous; it was also hard to find a great one. This one is. The recipe is more than thirty years old, but it is still perfect. It’s not overly spicy, and it has texture from the grated carrots, shredded coconut, chopped nuts and raisins or, my current preference, dried cranberries. You’ll have enough of the classic lemony cream cheese frosting to fill the three layers and cover the sides and top, but I prefer to leave the sides bare and fill each layer so generously that the frosting ripples out around the edges when I put the next layer on. (The photograph is on the previous page.)

MAKES 10 SERVINGS

SERVING: The cake can be served as soon as the frosting is set. It can also wait, at room temperature and covered with a cake keeper, overnight. The cake is best served in thick slices at room temperature and, while it’s good plain, it’s better with vanilla ice cream or even some Lemon Curd with a little whipped cream folded in.

STORING: Covered, the cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. It can also be frozen. Freeze it uncovered, then, when it is firm, wrap airtight and freeze for up to 2 months; defrost, still wrapped, in the refrigerator overnight.

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 3 cups grated carrots (About 9 carrots; I grate them in a food processor fitted with a shredding blade)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
• ½ cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or dried cranberries
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola or safflower oil
• 4 large eggs

FOR THE FROSTING

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 pound (3¾ cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or ½ teaspoon pure lemon extract
• ½ cup shredded coconut (optional)
• Finely chopped toasted nuts and/or toasted shredded coconut, for topping (optional)

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter three 9-x-2-inch round cake pans, flour the insides and tap out the excess. Put two pans on one baking sheet and one on another.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut and raisins.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the sugar and oil together on medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one by one, and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear. Gently mix in the chunky ingredients. Divide the batter among the baking pans.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until a thin knife inserted into the centers comes out clean; the cakes will have just started to come away from the sides of the pans. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and unmold them. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (The cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.)

TO MAKE THE FROSTING: Working with the stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice or extract.

If you’d like coconut in the filling, scoop out about half of the frosting and stir the coconut into this portion.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Put one layer top side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. If you added the coconut to the frosting, use half of the coconut frosting to generously cover the first layer (or cover generously with plain frosting). Use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake top side down, and frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting (or more plain frosting). Top with the last layer, right side up, and frost the top—and the sides, if you want—of the cake. Finish the top with swirls of frosting. If you want to top the cake with toasted nuts or coconut, sprinkle them on now, while the frosting is soft.

Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes, just to set the frosting before serving.

COCOA-BUTTERMILK BIRTHDAY CAKE

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WHETHER YOU’RE celebrating your baby’s first birthday or your great grandfather’s ninety-fifth, if you’ve got an audience with a yen for chocolate, here’s your best-bet cake. It’s classically American, with layers that are made with cocoa and buttermilk. They’re tender, light and happy to be matched with just about any frosting. My favorite accompaniment for this cake is the Chocolate-Malt Buttercream, a soft, sweet chocolate frosting with just a hint of malt flavor and a slight tickle of sugar on the tongue, but you can choose from several other fill-and-frost possibilities (see Playing Around).

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: Serve the cake at room temperature, so that the cocoa layers are soft and tender and the frosting is creamy. It’s great with coffee and milk, but it’s also good with green tea.

STORING: The cake can be refrigerated overnight, and it can also be frozen. Freeze it uncovered, then, when it is solid, wrap it airtight. Transfer the cake to the refrigerator to thaw, still wrapped, overnight. Bring the cake to room temperature before serving.

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled (optional)

FOR THE CHOCOLATE MALT BUTTERCREAM

• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• ⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ¼ cup malted milk powder
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup boiling water
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2¼ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-x-2-inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, until it is thoroughly blended into the butter. Add the eggs one at a time, then the yolks one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk; add the dry ingredients in 3 portions and the buttermilk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); mix only until each new batch is blended into the batter. Scrape down the bowl and, if you want, add the melted chocolate, folding it in with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter between the cake pans.

Bake for 26 to 30 minutes, or until the cakes feel springy to the touch and start to pull away from the sides of the pans. Transfer the cakes to racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (Once the layers are cooled, they can be wrapped airtight and left at room temperature overnight or kept frozen for up to 2 months.)

TO MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM: Melt the chocolate with half the brown sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from the heat.

Whisk the malt powder and cocoa together in a small bowl, pour over 3 tablespoons of the boiling water and whisk until smooth. Whisking the melted chocolate gently, gradually pour in the hot malt-cocoa mixture and stir to blend—it should be dark, smooth and glossy; set aside.

Working with the stand mixer, preferably fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining brown sugar and beat for 2 to 3 minutes more, until well blended. Beat in the salt and vanilla extract, then reduce the mixer speed to low. Scrape in the chocolate mixture and mix until smooth. Still working on low speed, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar. When all the sugar is in, increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for a couple of minutes. Lower the speed and add the remaining tablespoon of boiling water, then increase the speed and give the frosting another quick spin. It will be light and should be thick enough to use immediately. If it doesn’t hold its shape, beat it just a bit more.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Place one layer top side up on a cardboard round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Frost the top of the layer, and cover with the second layer, top side down. Frost the sides and top of the cake, either smoothing the buttercream for a sleek look or using a spatula, knife or spoon to swirl it for a more exuberant look.

Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour (or for up to 1 day, if that’s more convenient) to set the frosting, then bring it to room temperature before serving.

BLACK-AND-WHITE-CHOCOLATE CAKE

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IT WOULD be hard to imagine a time, a place or an audience for which this cake wouldn’t be right. It’s got good looks, good flavors and good manners—it knows how to get along with everyone from those who search for understatement to those who search for sophistication.

The yellow buttermilk cake is filled with alternating layers of white chocolate whipped cream and dark chocolate pastry cream. When the cake is cut, its look is simple and symmetrical. In a way, so is its taste.

MAKES 10 SERVINGS

SERVING: Remove the cake from the fridge about 20 minutes before serving. Use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to cut it. Though the cake is particularly good with coffee or tea, it also goes well with a sweet or sparkling dessert wine.

STORING: While both the dark chocolate cream and white chocolate cream can be made ahead and kept tightly covered in the refrigerator, once assembled, the cake is best after about 3 hours in the fridge. However, it can be refrigerated overnight—just cover it loosely and keep it away from foods with strong odors.

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1¼ sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup buttermilk

FOR THE DARK CHOCOLATE CREAM

• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
• 2½ tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces, at room temperature

FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM

• 6 ounces premium-quality white chocolate (such as Valrhona Ivoire or Guittard), finely chopped
• 1½ cups heavy cream
• Chocolate shavings or curls, dark or white or a combination, for decoration (optional)

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-x-2-inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, and then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be golden and springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then unmold, remove the paper and invert to cool to room temperature right side up on the rack.

TO MAKE THE DARK CHOCOLATE CREAM: Bring the milk to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, cornstarch and salt until thick and well blended. Whisking without stopping, drizzle in about ¼ cup of the hot milk—this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they won’t curdle—then, still whisking, add the remainder of the milk in a steady stream. Put the pan over medium heat and, whisking vigorously, constantly and thoroughly (make sure to get into the edges of the pan), bring the mixture to a boil. Keep at a boil, still whisking, for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Whisk in the melted chocolate, and let stand for 5 minutes. Then whisk in the pieces of butter, stirring until they are fully incorporated and the chocolate cream is smooth and silky. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the cream to create an airtight seal and refrigerate the cream until chilled, or for up to 3 days. Or, if you want to cool the cream quickly, put the bowl with the cream into a larger bowl filled with ice cubes and cold water and stir the cream occasionally until it is thoroughly chilled, about 20 minutes.

TO MAKE THE WHITE CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM: Put the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl and put the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Stir frequently to melt the chocolate evenly. Meanwhile, bring ½ cup of the heavy cream to a boil.

When the white chocolate is melted, remove the bowl from the pan. Pour the hot cream into the melted chocolate and let it sit for a minute. Using a small spatula, stir the chocolate gently until it is smooth. Let it sit on the counter until it reaches room temperature—it can’t be the least bit warm when you add it to the whipped cream.

Working with the stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the remaining 1 cup heavy cream only until it holds the softest peaks. Turn the machine to high, add the cooled white chocolate all at once and continue to beat until the whipped cream holds firm peaks. Turn the whipped cream into a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap gently against the surface to create an airtight seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 6 hours.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: If the tops of the cake layers have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. Slice each layer horizontally in half. Place one layer cut side down on a cardboard cake round or on a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper.

Remove the dark and white chocolate creams from the refrigerator and whisk each of them vigorously to loosen and smooth them. With a long metal icing spatula, spread enough dark chocolate cream (about 1 cup) over the cake layer to cover it completely. Top the cream with another cake layer, cut side up, and cover this layer with white chocolate whipped cream, making the white layer about the same thickness as the dark layer. Cover with a third layer, cut side up, and cover with another cup or so of the dark chocolate cream. (You’ll have some dark chocolate cream left over—use it as a dip for madeleines or sablés.) Top with the final layer of cake, cut side down, and frost the sides and top with the remaining white chocolate whipped cream. If you’d like to decorate the top with chocolate shavings or curls, do it now.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

GOOEY CHOCOLATE CAKES

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IT’S BEEN more than ten years since the molten chocolate cake won the hearts of just about every pastry chef here and in France. There doesn’t seem to be a chocolate lover on either side of the ocean who hasn’t savored this cake: small, dark and warm, with a lava-like runny center, sophisticated, easily dressupable and, best of all, truly easy to make. In fact, it’s one of few restaurant desserts that can be made at home with foolproof results, even if you’re not a star baker.

The most important rule to remember in making these individual cakes is to use not only the best chocolate you can find, but the chocolate you most love to eat, since that’s the ingredient you will taste.

Usually these cakes are made in individual ramekins, but with all the ramekins stacked in my cupboard, I couldn’t come up with six that were the right size. Then I discovered that disposable aluminum foil muffin pans are ideal. I buy the kind that have six cups and come two pans to a package. I also wash them in the dishwasher and re-use them.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

SERVING: These should be served as soon as they are put on plates. The cakes are not meant to be served alone—they need something to play off their warm, gooey, soooooo chocolaty interior. Ice cream is the most obvious choice and, to my mind, the best in terms of texture and, of course, temperature. Any chocolate-friendly flavor will be good. Circling the cake with Crème Anglaise is another good idea and, for those for whom too much is not enough, circling the cakes with crème anglaise and running a ring of Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce through the custard is an even better idea.

STORING: Although the whole point of a warm, runny cake is to eat it when it is warm and runny, the cake is still delicious, but different, the following day. If you wrap the cooled cakes in plastic wrap and keep them at room temperature, the next day the texture of the center of the cake (the part that was once gooey) will remind you of ganache. Eating the cake will be like enjoying a bonbon: it will be firm on the outside and creamy within.

• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 4 ounces coarsely chopped, 1 ounce very finely chopped
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons sugar

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter (or spray—it’s easier) 6 cups of a regular-size muffin pan, preferably a disposable aluminum foil pan, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Put the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

Sift the flour, cocoa and salt together.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, put the coarsely chopped chocolate and the butter in the bowl and stir occasionally over the simmering water just until they are melted—you don’t want them to get so hot that the butter separates. Remove the bowl from the pan of water.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and yolk until homogenous. Add the sugar and whisk until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and, still using the whisk, stir (don’t beat) them into the eggs. Little by little, and using a light hand, stir in the melted chocolate and butter. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle the finely chopped chocolate over the batter.

Bake the cakes for 13 minutes. Transfer them, still on the baking sheet, to a rack to cool for 3 minutes. (There is no way to test that these cakes are properly baked, because the inside remains liquid.)

Line a cutting board with a silicone baking mat or parchment or wax paper, and, after the 3-minute rest, unmold the cakes onto the board. Use a wide metal spatula to lift the cakes onto dessert plates.

CARAMEL-PEANUT-TOPPED BROWNIE CAKE

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IT’S FUNNY to be at a table full of articulate adults all grinning and nodding as they merrily eat their way to second helpings of this scrumptious cake. Is it the dense, dark, very chocolaty cake—a little sticky and a little chewy in the way good fudgy brownies often can be—that makes them so happy? Or is it the topping—a layer of soft, stretchy, sweet, gooey caramel (like the inside of a Rollo candy) pebbled with lots of salted peanuts? “Yum” is all I can ever get out of them.

Depending on just how much caramel you put on top of your cake, the recipe may give you more than you’ll need, but it’s tricky to work with smaller amounts of sugar. Here’s my suggestion: Don’t reduce the quantities. Make the recipe as is and then, if you’ve got some left over, use it to make caramel sauce—see Playing Around. (The photograph is on the previous page.)

MAKES 10 SERVINGS

SERVING: I think the cake needs something cold and white as an accompaniment, so I serve it with ice cream, whipped cream or crème fraîche. My husband likes it with chocolate ice cream, my son prefers coffee ice cream and one friend goes for banana sorbet.

STORING: Wrapped, the cake will keep at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. The cake itself, without the topping, can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months, but once you put the topping on, the freezer is no longer an option.

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE TOPPING

• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1½ tablespoons light corn syrup
• ⅔ cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup salted peanuts

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch round springform pan, dust the inside with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment or wax paper. Put the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, put the butter and chocolate in the bowl and heat, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients are just melted—you don’t want them to get so hot that the butter separates. Remove the bowl from the heat.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugars together until well blended. Whisk in the corn syrup, followed by the vanilla. Whisk in the melted butter and chocolate. Still working with the whisk, gently stir in the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. You will have a thick, smooth, shiny batter. Pour the batter into the pan and jiggle the pan a bit to even out the batter.

Bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out almost clean (you might find some moist crumbs clinging to the blade). Transfer the pan to a rack and cool the cake for 15 minutes, then run a blunt knife between the cake and the pan and remove the sides of the pan. During baking, the cake probably will have puffed to the top of the pan; don’t be concerned if it sinks a little or if it develops a little crater in the center. Cool the cake to room temperature.

When the cake is completely cool, invert it, remove the base of the pan and peel off the paper. Wash and dry the springform pan, and return the cake to it right side up. Refasten the sides around the cake.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: Put the sugar, water and corn syrup in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir just to combine the ingredients and then put the pan over medium-high heat. Heat, without stirring, until the caramel turns deep amber, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of your saucepan and the intensity of the heat. As the sugar is caramelizing, wipe down any splatters on the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. To test the color of the caramel, drop a bit on a white plate. Don’t be timid about the color—if it’s too pale, it won’t have much taste.

Lower the heat a bit and, standing back from the saucepan—the caramel will bubble and spatter—add the cream and butter. When the spatters are less vehement, stir to calm down the caramel and dissolve any lumps. Stir in the peanuts, and pour the caramel and peanuts into a 1-quart Pyrex measuring cup or a heatproof bowl.

You’ve probably got more caramel than you need, but you want to get all the peanuts on the cake, so spoon the peanuts out of the hot caramel and onto the cake. After you’ve done that, pour or spoon on enough caramel to cover all the nuts. You’ll have a layer about ¼ inch high (give or take a bit). Allow the topping to set at room temperature—about 20 minutes—before serving. Keep the leftover caramel at room temperature and then make caramel sauce or, when it’s cool, refrigerate it until you are ready to make the sauce; see Playing Around.

At serving time, you should be able to just run a blunt knife between the caramel and the pan and simply remove the sides of the springform. If this isn’t the case, hit the sides with some hot air from a hairdryer or wrap the sides in a towel moistened with hot water. Bring the whole cake to the table on a platter, so that you can get some “oohs.”

TIRAMISU CAKE

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THERE WAS a time in the 1990s when probably the only way to avoid tiramisu would have been to go to Antarctica—and even then you might not be sure it wouldn’t turn up. It was introduced to the public by Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in the movie Sleepless in Seattle, and that it remains beloved is a testament not to celebrity endorsement or the power of mass media, but to the fact that it is so good.

At its most basic, the dessert, which is, in some ways, like a British trifle, is composed of ladyfingers dipped in espresso; a mascarpone cream flavored with Marsala or triple sec or some combination of liqueurs; and a dusting of cocoa powder. I decided to turn it into a cake. The base is a yellow cake, which has the same adaptability and accepting nature as ladyfingers. I soak the layers in an espresso syrup, fill them with a mascarpone cream and frost the cake with that same cream flavored with espresso. Following tradition, I dust the top of the cake with cocoa, but I also tuck some small chunks of chocolate into the filling.

Just in case you are wondering, tiramisú means pick-me-up, as in “It’s four o’clock in the afternoon, and I sure could use a pick-me-up.” Should you find yourself in such a state at any hour, I think you’d be happy to pick yourself up with this.

MAKES 10 SERVINGS

SERVING: The cake is best when it is cool, not cold, so give it about 20 minutes at room temperature before serving. Cut with a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion. Serve with that other pick-me-up, coffee, or, better yet, espresso.

STORING: Once chilled, the cake can be wrapped lightly and kept in the refrigerator overnight.

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1¼ sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup buttermilk

FOR THE ESPRESSO EXTRACT

• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 2 tablespoons boiling water

FOR THE ESPRESSO SYRUP

• ½ cup water
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon amaretto, Kahlúa or brandy

FOR THE FILLING AND FROSTING

• 1 8-ounce container mascarpone
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon amaretto, Kahlúa or brandy
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 2½ ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, or about ½ cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
• Chocolate-covered espresso beans, for decoration (optional)
• Cocoa powder, for dusting

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-x-2-inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, and then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be golden and springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

TO MAKE THE EXTRACT: Stir the espresso powder and boiling water together in a small cup until blended. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE SYRUP: Stir the water and sugar together in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil. Pour the syrup into a small heatproof bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of the espresso extract and the liqueur or brandy; set aside.

TO MAKE THE FILLING AND FROSTING: Put the mascarpone, sugar, vanilla and liqueur in a large bowl and whisk just until blended and smooth.

Working with the stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until it holds firm peaks. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir about one quarter of the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream with a light touch.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: If the tops of the cake layers have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. Place one layer right side up on a cardboard round or a cake plate protected with strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a pastry brush or a small spoon, soak the layer with about one third of the espresso syrup. Smooth some of the mascarpone cream over the layer—use about 1¼ cups—and gently press the chopped chocolate into the filling. Put the second cake layer on the counter and soak the top of it with half the remaining espresso syrup, then turn the layer over and position it, soaked side down, over the filling. Soak the top of the cake with the remaining syrup.

For the frosting, whisk 1 to 1½ tablespoons of the remaining espresso extract into the remaining mascarpone filling. Taste the frosting as you go to decide how much extract you want to add. If the frosting looks as if it might be a little too soft to spread over the cake, press a piece of plastic wrap against its surface and refrigerate it for 15 minutes or so. Refrigerate the cake too.

With a long metal icing spatula, smooth the frosting around the sides of the cake and over the top. If you want to decorate the cake with chocolate-covered espresso beans, press them into the filling, making concentric circles of beans or just putting some beans in the center of the cake.

Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours (or for up to 1 day) before serving—the elements need time to meld.

Just before serving, dust the top of the cake with cocoa.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CHESTNUT CAKE

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WHEN Bon Appétit magazine chose to feature this recipe in its holiday issue, I imagined enclaves of chestnut lovers cheering—at last, the nut that has favored status around the world was being honored in America. It’s odd, but chestnuts fare better in song here than they do at the table. With the exception of chestnut stuffing, there are few great American chestnut dishes, and even fewer great American chestnut desserts. This lavish cake offers up chestnuts’ repertoire of tastes and textures: sweet and smooth in the cake, mild and pleasantly crumbly sprinkled between the layers and faintly woodsy and toothsome on top. Except for the fact that I love this dessert for its taste, I’d be tempted to say that the reason to make it is because it’s just not polite to eat the cake’s filling, a truly fabulous chocolate caramel ganache, straight out of a bowl.

The ganache is best if refrigerated overnight. The glaze needs a 4-hour rest and the cake, if it’s been seriously chilled, needs serious time on the counter to come to room temperature—serve it cold, and you won’t get the full measure of pleasure from the ganache—so plan ahead. (The photograph is on the previous page.)

MAKES 16 SERVINGS

SERVING: This cake must be served at room temperature—serve it cold, and you’ll lose the subtle play of flavors and textures. Bring the whole cake to the table—it’s too gorgeous to hide in the kitchen—and cut it into squares with a serrated knife.

STORING: Because every element of the cake can be made ahead, you can work on it in stages. The filled and glazed cake can be kept in the refrigerator for a day, but add the chestnut garnish right before serving.

FOR THE GANACHE

• 9 ounces premium-quality milk chocolate (such as Valrhona or Guittard), finely chopped
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2¼ sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1¼ cups (packed) light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup store-bought sweetened chestnut spread with vanilla (available in specialty markets and many supermarkets)
• ¼ cup whole milk

FOR THE SYRUP

• ¼ cup brandy
• 2 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
• About 24 jarred peeled whole chestnuts (about 7 ounces; available in specialty markets and many supermarkets), 12 coarsely chopped, the rest left whole

FOR THE GLAZE

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup water
• Edible gold dust (optional; available at bakers’ supply shops)

TO MAKE THE GANACHE: Put the milk and bittersweet chocolates in a heatproof bowl.

Put the sugar, water and cinnamon stick in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir, place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat, bring to a boil and boil, without stirring, until the caramel turns a deep amber color, brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to remove any sugar crystals and swirling the pan from time to time. (Depending on the size of your pan, it will take between 5 and 7 minutes for the caramel to color properly.) Stand back and add the cream and salt—the mixture will bubble furiously and it might seize, but it will smooth out as you heat it. With the caramel at a boil, whisk it for another minute, or until it is smooth, then pull the pan from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick.

Pour the hot caramel over the chocolate and gently stir until the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until it is completely cool, about 1 hour.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth and fluffy. Add the chocolate ganache to the butter in 4 additions, beating on low just until smooth. Scrape the ganache into a container, cover and refrigerate overnight. (The ganache can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2-inch-high 9-inch square pan, dust the inside with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Put the pan on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and light. Add 1 cup of the brown sugar and beat for about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks one by one, beating after each addition until well blended. Beat in the vanilla extract, chestnut spread and milk. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the dry ingredients and gently mix them in. If using a stand mixer, scrape the batter into a large bowl and thoroughly wash and dry the mixer bowl.

Working in the clean mixer bowl with the whisk attachment or in another large bowl with the hand mixer (and clean beaters), beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the remaining ¼ cup brown sugar and beat until the peaks are stiff but not dry. Using a large rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the chestnut batter in 3 additions. Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake for about 48 minutes, until the cake is golden on top and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and run a knife around the cake to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Let cool to room temperature in the pan. (The cooled cake can be covered and kept at room temperature overnight.)

TO MAKE THE SYRUP: Stir the brandy and brown sugar together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Cut an 8-inch cardboard square for a base for the cake. Turn the cake out onto the rack and peel off the parchment paper. Using a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, cut the cake horizontally into 3 layers.

Place one layer cut side up on the cardboard. Brush it with half the brandy syrup, spread it with 1 cup of the ganache and sprinkle over half the chopped chestnuts. Top with a second layer, cut side up, and repeat with the remaining brandy syrup, another cup of ganache and the remaining chopped chestnuts. Put the last layer on top, cut side up, and spread the remaining ganache over the sides and top of the cake. Refrigerate the cake while you make the glaze.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.

Bring the cream, sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat, pour the cream over the chocolate and wait 1 minute, then whisk very gently, in ever-increasing circles, until the chocolate is melted and the glaze is smooth. Leave the glaze at room temperature until it is thick, but still pourable, a state it may take up to 4 hours to reach.

TO FINISH THE CAKE: Put a cooling rack over a piece of wax paper (the drip catcher) and put the chilled cake on the rack. Pour the glaze over the cake and, using a long metal icing spatula, spread the glaze smoothly across the top of the cake and over the sides. Refrigerate the cake until the glaze sets.

To decorate the cake, brush the 10 to 12 whole chestnuts with gold dust, if you’re using it. Arrange the chestnuts in a diagonal line across the top of the cake.

BERRY SURPRISE CAKE

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ONE OF the great pleasures of my New York City childhood was clutching a handful of coins, walking to the luncheonette about ten blocks from home and buying a charlotte russe. Charlotte russe, a sweet rarely seen these days, and certainly not at corner luncheonettes, was originally made of ladyfingers and custard, whipped cream and perhaps some fruit. The charlotte russe of my youth was a mixture of sponge cake, fruit or jam and gobs of whipped cream, topped by an unnaturally red cherry. But its real appeal was its packaging—the dessert came in a cardboard cylinder with a pointy rick-rack border. First you ate the swirls of whipped cream that extended at least a mile above the cardboard rim, then—and this was the best part—you pushed the round of cardboard on the bottom and, in a feat of brilliant engineering, the cake rose up so you could eat every last bit of it. You could even lick the base, as I did, and so did everyone else I knew.

This cake doesn’t have any moving parts, but the fact that it’s made by hollowing out a place in the center of the baked cake for some cream and berries is reminiscent of the spirit of charlotte russe.

The container for this surprise is a sturdy génoise, a whole-egg sponge cake that will hold up when you cut out its center and excavate a cozy nest for the filling. The filling, a mixture of cream cheese and heavy cream, is very simple to make, but because of the tang of the cream cheese, it tastes complex and is awfully good with red berries. Most of the time I use raspberries as the surprise, but strawberries or a combination of berries is also fine. Naturally the cake is finished with whipped cream.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: Cut the cake at the table using a serrated knife. It can be served just as it is or you can drizzle a little Raspberry Coulis over each slice.

STORING: While you can bake the cake up to 1 day ahead and keep it wrapped at room temperature (a day-old cake is a bit easier to cut than a fresh cake), or freeze it well wrapped for up to 2 months, once the cake is assembled, it is best to serve it the same day.

FOR THE CAKE

• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 4 large eggs
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

FOR THE SYRUP

• ⅓ cup water
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon kirsch, Chambord, framboise or raspberry syrup

FOR THE FILLING

• 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• ½ cup plus ⅔ cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

FOR THE TOPPING

• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1–1½ pints fresh raspberries, for filling and topping

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 3-inch-high 8-inch springform pan, dust the inside with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottom with parchment paper. Put the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a mixer or another large heatproof bowl and whisk to blend. Put the bowl in a skillet with an inch or two of simmering water and continue to whisk until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture is just warm to the touch, about 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture almost triples in volume and forms a ribbon that holds its shape for about 10 seconds when the beater is lifted.

Switch to a large rubber spatula, sift over half the dry ingredients and fold them in gently—don’t overmix, you’ll have another chance to gather up any recalcitrant ingredients. Fold in the cooled melted butter, then sift over the remaining dry ingredients and very gingerly fold them in. The beautifully beaten eggs are fragile and must be treated like the divas they are. Check that you don’t have a puddle of melted butter at the bottom of the bowl—a frequent hazard—then scrape the batter into the pan and jiggle the pan gently to even it.

Bake the cake for 30 to 33 minutes, or until the top is springy to the touch and the sides are starting to pull away from the pan. (A thin knife inserted into the center would come out clean, but it would also deflate the still-fragile cake a little.) Transfer the cake to a rack and let it sit for 5 minutes, then run a blunt knife between the cake and the pan and remove the sides of the pan. Invert the cake and remove the base of the pan and peel off the paper, then invert again and cool to room temperature right side up. (When cool, the cake can be wrapped and kept at room temperature overnight—it will cut a little more easily if it rests—or wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months.)

TO MAKE THE SYRUP: Stir the water and sugar together in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Pour the syrup into a heatproof bowl. Stir in the liqueur, and let the syrup come to room temperature.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until soft, smooth and fluffy. While beating, gradually add ½ cup of the cream, the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until the cream is absorbed and the cheese is smooth. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl.

Pour the remaining ⅔ cup cream into the bowl you beat the cream cheese in (there’s no need to wash it) and, using the whisk attachment or the hand mixer, whip the cream until it holds firm peaks. Stir about one quarter of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, then fold in the rest. There’s no need to wash the bowl—you’ll be using it for the topping.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: Just before you are ready to assemble the cake, whip the cream until it holds medium peaks. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until the cream holds firm peaks. Cover the cream and refrigerate it.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Using a serrated knife, slice off the top ½ inch of the cake and set this layer aside. If it crumbles—that can happen to the best of us—just save the pieces. With the knife, sketch a circle on top of the cake that is ½ inch in from the edges of the cake. Cut down through the outline, stopping between ¼ and ½ inch from the bottom. Using the knife and your fingers, carefully pull out the cake within this circle, leaving the little nest that will house your surprise. (You can eat the cake you cut out with coffee.) Transfer the cake nest to a platter or a cardboard round.

Brush the inside of the cake with some of the syrup, discarding what remains, and spoon a thin layer of the filling over the bottom. Toss in ½ pint of the berries—more if you’d like—and cover with the remaining filling. Lift the reserved top layer onto the cake and press it down gently to form the cake. If all you have are scraps, fret not: just arrange them over the top of the cake and press them gently to reconstruct a layer.

Using a long metal icing spatula, frost the top and sides of the cake with the topping. Finish with some raspberries, placing the berries carefully around the top of the cake or piling them up in the center. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour (or for up to 6 hours) before serving.

FIFTEEN-MINUTE MAGIC: CHOCOLATE AMARETTI TORTE

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IF YOU can push a button, you can make this fabulous cake. It’s made in the food processor and fifteen minutes is all the time it takes to get the simple batter into the oven. The cake is stylishly slim and typically European in that it is a true torte, a slender cake based on ground nuts rather than flour. Bittersweet chocolate, ground almonds and amaretti, crunchy sweet almond macaroons from Italy, give it its distinctive flavor.

My favorite amaretti for this cake are Amaretti di Saronno from D. Lazzaroni & Co., which come wrapped in pairs and packed in beautiful red tins (which, once empty, make great storage bins). I also like Lazzaroni’s mini cookies, called amarettini. Both are available at specialty shops, Italian markets and some supermarkets. That said, I’ve used just about every other brand available in markets all over the country and never made a torte I didn’t love.

If you’d like to make individual tortes, see Playing Around.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: This cake is best served at room temperature, and in slender slices. If you don’t want to serve the whipped cream, pair the cake with crème fraîche, vanilla or coffee ice cream, Arborio rice pudding or chocolate mousse.

STORING: Wrapped well (although the wrapping will smudge the glaze), the torte can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days—bring it to room temperature before serving. Wrapped airtight, it can be frozen for up to 2 months.

• 6 large double Amaretti di Saronno or 18 mini amarettini (see above)
• ¾ cup almonds (blanched or not; whole, sliced or slivered)
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

FOR THE GLAZE

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons water

FOR THE ALMOND WHIPPED CREAM (OPTIONAL)

• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1½ teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
• 1 or 2 amaretti or amarettini, crumbled, or a few spoonfuls of toasted sliced almonds, for decoration

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-x-2-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper and butter the paper. Dust the inside of the pan with flour, tap out the excess and put the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Put the amaretti and almonds in a food processor and pulse to grind them finely and evenly. Turn out onto a piece of wax paper and set aside.

Put the butter, sugar and eggs into the processor and process for about 3 minutes, until the batter is very smooth and has a satiny sheen. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed so the ingredients blend evenly. Pour in the amaretti and almonds and the melted chocolate and pulse just until they are thoroughly incorporated. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out almost clean—streaky is more what you’re looking for. The cake will dome slightly and the top will look dry; it might even crack—don’t worry. Transfer the cake to a rack to cool for 15 minutes.

Run a knife around the sides of the pan and unmold the cake onto the rack. The cake will be very thin. Peel off the paper liner, invert the cake and cool to room temperature right side up.

When you are ready to glaze the cake, put the cake, still on the rack, over a sheet of wax paper (the drip catcher).

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Put the chopped chocolate in a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup or in a bowl with a spout.

Stir the cream, sugar and water together in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate and wait for 1 minute, then, using a small rubber spatula, gently stir until the glaze is smooth, blended and shiny. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake and, with a long metal icing spatula, spread it over the top, allowing it to spill over the sides of the cake; then smooth the glaze over the sides. Refrigerate the cake for about 30 minutes to set the glaze.

TO MAKE THE OPTIONAL ALMOND WHIPPED CREAM: Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a medium bowl, whip the cream on medium-low speed until it holds soft peaks. Beat in the almond extract. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into the bowl and fold it into the cream with a rubber spatula.

Slice the cake and top each slice with a spoonful of almond whipped cream, if you have it, and a sprinkling of crushed amaretti or toasted almonds.

CHOCOLATE ARMAGNAC CAKE—THE CAKE THAT GOT ME FIRED

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THIS CAKE is an intensely chocolaty chocolate cake made with ground pecans and chunks of prunes soaked in fabulously aromatic Armagnac. The cake is a variation on a restaurant’s specialty, which was made with ground almonds and whisky-soaked raisins (see Playing Around). That cake, in turn, was a slight variation on a cake created by Simone Beck, a French cook best known in America as one of Julia Child’s co-authors on Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I lost my job because of improvising on this cake, but I got to keep the recipe—a trade-off I now consider ample.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: The cake should be served at room temperature-chill it, and you’ll diminish its flavor and compact its texture. That said, there are lots of people, my husband included, who like the cake cold, because then it becomes more fudgy. Cream, whipped or ice, is a welcome accompaniment.

STORING: The cake can be kept at room temperature for a day or wrapped well and refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring it to room temperature before serving.

FOR THE CAKE

• ⅔ cup finely ground pecans (or walnuts)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 12 plump, moist prunes, pitted if necessary and cut into bits
• ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons water
• ¼ cup Armagnac (or cognac, brandy or Scotch whisky)
• 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 3 large eggs, separated
• ⅔ cup sugar

FOR THE GLAZE

• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch springform pan, fit the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment or wax paper and butter the paper. Dust the inside of the pan with flour and tap out the excess. Put the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Whisk together the nuts, flour and salt.

Put the prunes and ¼ cup of the water in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, being careful not to scorch the fruit, until the water almost evaporates. Pull the pan from the heat and pour in the Armagnac, stand back and set it aflame. When the flames die out, transfer the fruit and any remaining liquid to a bowl and let cool. (If it’s more convenient, you can flame and steep the prunes up to 1 day ahead. Pack the prunes and their liquid into a covered jar and keep at room temperature.)

Combine the chocolate, butter and the remaining 3 tablespoons water in a heatproof bowl, set it over a pan of simmering water and stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are melted; or do this in a microwave oven. Remove the chocolate from the heat just as soon as it is melted and not very hot—you don’t want the chocolate and butter to separate.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Switch to a rubber spatula and, one by one, stir in the chocolate and butter mixture, the nut mixture, and the prunes with any liquid.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold firm, glossy peaks. Stir about one quarter of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture, then gently fold in the remaining whites. Turn the batter into the pan.

Bake the cake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until it is puffed, firm on top and starting to come ever so slightly away from the sides of the pan; a thin knife inserted into the center will come out streaky—the cake should not be wet, but you don’t want it to be completely dry. Transfer the cake to a rack and let it cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove the sides of the pan. Invert the cake, pull off the paper and turn right side up to cool to room temperature. The cake should be absolutely cool before you glaze it.

GETTING READY TO GLAZE: If the cake has crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even the top. Turn the cake over onto a cooling rack—you want the very flat bottom of the cake to be the top. Put a piece of wax paper or foil under the cooling rack to serve as a drip catcher.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, or in a microwave oven. Remove it from the heat and, using a small spatula, stir in the sugar, then the butter, a bit at a time, stirring until you have a smooth glaze.

Have a long metal icing spatula at hand. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, allowing the excess to run down the sides, and use the spatula to smooth the top of the cake if necessary—usually the glaze is a self-spreader—and to even it around the sides of the cake. Let the glaze set at room temperature or, if you want to speed it up, slide the cake into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. If you’d like the glaze to be more like a frosting, let it cool until it is thick enough to spread, then swirl it over the cake.

PEANUT BUTTER TORTE

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PEANUT BUTTER may be quintessential kid stuff, but I can think of few PB sweets that are meant for kids only. Certainly I never once fooled myself into thinking I was creating this dessert for the younger set alone. The crust is made from crushed Oreos; the filling is a cream cheese and peanut butter mousse; the crunchies in the mousse are a spiced mix of peanuts and chocolate; the shiny glaze is bittersweet chocolate ganache; and it’s all topped off with a dusting of salted peanuts. School bake sale or celebratory supper with friends? Your choice.

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: I like to serve the torte with strong espresso, but it lends itself to being paired with black tea, hot cocoa or even a not-too-thick not-too-sweet coffee milkshake.

STORING: Well covered, the torte will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 days; just make sure to keep it away from foods with strong odors.

• 1¼ cups finely chopped salted peanuts (for the filling, crunch and topping)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder (or finely ground instant coffee)
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ cup mini chocolate chips (or finely chopped semisweet chocolate)
• 24 Oreo cookies, finely crumbled or ground in a food processor or blender
• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Small pinch of salt
• 2½ cups heavy cream
• 1¼ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1½ cups salted peanut butter—crunchy or smooth (not natural; I use Skippy)
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Toss ½ cup of the chopped peanuts, the sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chips together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Put the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in another small bowl and stir with a fork just until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan (they should go up about 2 inches on the sides). Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack and let it cool completely before filling.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, whip 2 cups of the cream until it holds medium peaks. Beat in ¼ cup of the confectioners’ sugar and whip until the cream holds medium-firm peaks. Scrape the cream into a bowl and refrigerate until needed.

Wipe out (no need to wash) the bowl, fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment if you have one, or continue with the hand mixer, and beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until the cream cheese is satiny smooth. Beat in the peanut butter, ¼ cup of the chopped peanuts and the milk.

Using a large rubber spatula, gently stir in about one quarter of the whipped cream, just to lighten the mousse. Still working with the spatula, stir in the crunchy peanut mixture, then gingerly fold in the remaining whipped cream.

Scrape the mousse into the crust, mounding and smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight; cover with plastic wrap as soon as the mousse firms.

TO FINISH THE TORTE: Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave the bowl over the water just until the chocolate softens and starts to melt, about 3 minutes; remove the bowl from the saucepan.

Bring the remaining ½ cup cream to a full boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and, working with a rubber spatula, very gently stir together until the ganache is completely blended and glossy.

Pour the ganache over the torte, smoothing it with a metal icing spatula. Scatter the remaining ½ cup peanuts over the top and chill to set the topping, about 20 minutes.

When the ganache is firm, remove the sides of the springform pan; it’s easiest to warm the pan with a hairdryer, then remove the sides, but you can also wrap a kitchen towel dampened with hot water around the pan and leave it there for 10 seconds. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

CHERRY–FUDGE BROWNIE TORTE

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I HAD a Black Forest cake in mind when I was creating this mini extravaganza, but I got carried away. Instead of envisioning sedate chocolate layers filled and frosted with whipped cream and studded with cherries, I became intrigued with the possibility of intensifying the chocolate in the cake and went deep into fudgy-brownie land. I made the cherries a part of the cake rather than an accessory to the filling. In fact, I did away with the filling entirely and gave the whole kit and caboodle a little kick by tossing in some coarsely ground black pepper. Given that I’d gone so far, whipped cream frosting seemed way too tame. I opted for topping the torte with a light, airy but creamy mascarpone mousse. In the end, it was just right.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

SERVING: Depending on when you are serving the cake, it would be nice to serve it with a small glass of cold kirsch.

STORING: The assembled cake can be kept covered in the refrigerator for 1 day.

FOR THE BROWNIE LAYER

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon (or up to 2 teaspoons, to taste) coarsely ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dried tart cherries
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup kirsch
• 3 tablespoons cherry preserves
• 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 11 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1½ cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE MOUSSE

• 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1½ cups (12 ounces) mascarpone cheese
• ¾ cup cold heavy cream
• Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment or wax paper. Put the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

TO MAKE THE BROWNIE LAYER: Whisk together the flour, cocoa, pepper and salt.

Put the cherries and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. When the water is almost evaporated, add the kirsch and bring it to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then stand back and carefully ignite the kirsch. When the flames die, stir in the preserves and boil until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool.

Put the butter and 7 ounces of the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter and chocolate are just melted. Stir in ½ cup of the sugar, and remove the bowl from the heat.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs, the remaining 1 cup sugar and the vanilla extract until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Switch to a large sturdy spatula and gently mix in the melted chocolate. Still using the spatula, fold in the dry ingredients, followed by the cherries and the remaining 4 ounces of chopped chocolate. Turn the batter into the springform pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake the brownie cake for about 55 minutes, or until the top is dry—it may be slightly cracked, but that’s okay—and the cake is just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. If you stick a thin knife into the center, it should come out streaked with some moist (not wet) batter attached. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the cake cool for 15 minutes, then loosen the brownie by running a blunt knife between the cake and the pan and remove the sides of the pan. Cool the cake completely on the base of the pan.

When the cake is cool, invert it onto a rack and remove the base of the pan and the parchment paper. Wash and dry the pan and return the cake to it. Refasten the sides around the cake. (The cake can be made ahead; wrap it well and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Or wrap it airtight and keep it in the freezer for up to 2 months; defrost it in the wrapper.)

TO MAKE THE MOUSSE: Working with the stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and salt together on medium-high speed, scraping the bowl as needed, until very smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the mascarpone and mix just until it is smooth. Add the cream and beat only until it is blended—don’t overbeat; you want a light, smooth mousse. Pour the mousse over the brownie and tilt and jiggle the pan to even the mousse.

Slip the cake into the refrigerator and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) to set the mousse.

Remove the sides of the springform and let the cake sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving. Dust the top of the cake with cocoa powder just before serving.

DRESSY CHOCOLATE LOAF CAKE

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THIS IS my kind of cake: it looks fussed over and yet it takes no more time, effort or talent to make than a batch of brownies. At heart, it’s a very dark chocolate loaf cake with a tight crumb and a sour cream tang, two layers of jam and a chocolate-and-sour-cream frosting that is thick, shiny, soft and lick-the-bowl good. The cake can be frosted in swirls and whorls and served with birthday candles and glasses of milk, or it can be given a leveling swish with a spatula so the look is sleek and sophisticated.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

SERVING: The cake is ready to be served as soon as it is frosted, but I like to wait about an hour, until the frosting develops the slightest little crust; the frosting underneath the crust will still be soft and velvety. (If you refrigerate the cake, the frosting will get firmer.) Serve the cake with a bit of whipped cream and, if you’d like, a pitcher of the Smooth and Tangy Chocolate Sauce (see Playing Around).

STORING: The frosted cake can be lightly covered and kept at room temperature overnight or refrigerated for up to 2 days; bring it to room temperature before serving. It can also be frozen. Freeze unwrapped until firm, then wrap airtight and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months; thaw, fully wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator.

FOR THE CAKE

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1⅓ cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• ⅓ cup best-quality red raspberry or cherry jam, for the filling
• 1 teaspoon water

FOR THE FROSTING

• 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9½-x-5-inch loaf pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Place the pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked on top of one another.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each one goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the sour cream. Still working on low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix only until they disappear into the batter. Give the batter a last stir with a sturdy rubber spatula and scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. If, after about 45 minutes, the cake looks as if it’s browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil tent. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the cake rest for about 5 minutes before turning it out onto the rack. Cool to room temperature upside down.

TO FILL THE CAKE: Bring the jam and water to a boil over low heat or in a microwave oven. Stir to smooth it, and keep at hand.

The top of the cake will become the bottom layer, so if it is uneven and your cake rocks a bit on the counter, turn it right side up and use a long serrated knife to level it. Using the serrated knife, cut the cake into 3 even layers. Put the first layer (originally the top of the cake) cut side up on a long serving plate and spread half of the jam over it. Cover with the middle layer and spread that layer with the remaining jam. Lift the top layer into place, cut side down. Use a small pastry brush to chase away any crumbs on the top or sides of the cake.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING: Fit a heatproof bowl into a pan of gently simmering water, add the chocolate and warm, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted. Still working over the hot water, stir in the sour cream. Don’t be concerned if the cream tightens—just keep stirring gently and the frosting will become smooth and glossy.

Remove from the heat and cover the sides and top of the cake with the still-warm frosting.

CHOCOLATE-BANDED ICE CREAM TORTE

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IN AN effort to wrest the ice cream cake genre from the under-ten set, I offer this thoroughly grown-up rendition, a five-layer cake in which three bands of chocolate ganache alternate with layers of raspberry ice cream. I use my own quick raspberry ice cream for the filling—store-bought vanilla ice cream swirled with frozen berries and flavored with a little raspberry liqueur—but any ice cream that goes with chocolate, store-bought, homemade or fiddled with, will go with this cake. See Playing Around for some of my favorite combinations.

The ice cream is mixed in a food processor. If yours isn’t big enough to accommodate a quart of ice cream, make the filling in two batches.

The active work time on this torte is minimal, but the waiting around is considerable. You’ve got to wait 15 to 30 minutes for each layer of the torte to freeze before you can top it with the next layer, so plan ahead.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

SERVING: The torte can be served plain, with whipped cream, with chocolate sauce or with a little Raspberry Coulis.

STORING: Wrapped well, the torte will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

• 1¾ sticks (14 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup sugar
• 8 large eggs
• 1 10-ounce package frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed
• 1 tablespoon framboise (raspberry eau-de-vie), Chambord or other raspberry liqueur (optional)
• 1 quart premium-quality vanilla ice cream
• 1 pint fresh raspberries, for decorating (optional)

GETTING READY: Oil or lightly spray (with vegetable cooking oil) an 8- or 8½-inch springform pan.

Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and warm the ingredients, stirring occasionally, until they are melted. Be gentle with the heat—you don’t want the butter and chocolate to separate. Transfer the bowl to the counter, whisk in the sugar and let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes.

Whisk the eggs into the chocolate mixture one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Rap the bowl against the counter to de-bubble the ganache, and pour one third of it into the springform pan. Freeze for at least 30 minutes to set the ganache. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the remaining ganache and keep it on the counter.

When the first layer of ganache is set, start making the raspberry ice cream. Puree the raspberries in a food processor. Add the liqueur, if you’re using it, and pulse to incorporate. Spoon the ice cream into the processor and pulse just until it is blended with the puree—don’t process so long that the ice cream melts.

Spread half the ice cream over the ganache layer, return the springform to the freezer and freeze for at least 15 minutes. Scrape the remaining ice cream into a bowl, cover it with a piece of plastic wrap and put it in the freezer. Don’t wash the processor yet—you might need to soften the ice cream again.

When the raspberry layer is set, pour half of the remaining ganache over it. Return the pan to the freezer for another 30 minutes.

When it’s time to spread over the next layer of ice cream, beat the ice cream with a wooden spoon or, if it’s too frozen to soften to spreadability with the spoon, scrape it back into the processor and whir for a few seconds. Spread the last of the raspberry ice cream over the truffle layer and freeze for at least 15 minutes.

Finish by pouring the remaining ganache over the ice cream. Jiggle and tilt the pan, if necessary, to even the layer, then cover the pan with plastic wrap (don’t touch the chocolate) and freeze the torte for at least 6 hours.

TO FINISH: About 30 minutes—or up to 3 hours—before serving time, unmold the torte. The best way to do this is to warm the sides of the springform slightly with a hairdryer. Alternatively, you can wrap a kitchen towel dampened with hot water around the pan and leave it there for 10 seconds. As soon as you remove the sides, pop the torte back into the freezer for 30 minutes, or more, so that the warmed sides can re-firm.

If you want to decorate the top of the torte with circlets of fresh berries, do this right before serving. To soften the truffle layer just enough to hold the berries, warm the top with a quick puff of air from the hairdryer, or run a long knife under hot water, wipe it dry and pass it quickly over the top of the cake. Arrange the berries over the torte, put the torte on a platter and head for the table.

PEPPERMINT CREAM PUFF RING

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AS I write this, America is in the throes of a cream puff revival. Down the street from my apartment in New York City, a cream puff–only shop has opened—an import from Japan, where cream puffs are hugely popular—and New Yorkers, famously fussy about their figures, are lining up to take home six-packs of oversized puffs filled with overflowing pastry cream. It’s fun to see this cross-cultural excitement over a sweet that has been known and beloved in France for centuries. In fact, the French have an entire repertoire built around pâte à choux, or cream puff dough. On any given day strolling in Paris, you might come upon éclairs, perhaps the best-known sweet made with the dough; réligieuses, two glazed snowman-like puffs with a frilly clerical collar of white icing; gâteau Saint-Honoré, concocted of puff pastry, lots of cream and cream puffs dipped in caramel; or the Paris-Brest, a cream puff wheel created to commemorate the Paris-to-Brest bicycle race.

This recipe was inspired by the Paris-Brest, but my cream puff wheel rolls far away from tradition. The pastry itself is classic pâte à choux, but instead of the classic praline buttercream, it is filled with a surprisingly light, tangy and refreshing peppermint cream, and in place of a sugar dusting, my rendition has a dark chocolate glaze. However, at the very end, my recipe comes full circle, since both versions are finished with a sprinkling of toasted almonds.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

SERVING: Cut the ring at the table using a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion. The cake needs nothing more, but if you’d like, you can circle each portion with Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce.

STORING: Once the dessert is assembled, it can stay in the fridge for up to 8 hours, but it must be served the day it is made.

FOR THE PASTRY

• ½ cup water
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs

FOR THE CREAM

• About 1⅓ cups heavy cream
• 40 fresh mint leaves
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• ½ cup cold crème fraîche or sour cream
• Peppermint extract (optional)

FOR THE GLAZE

• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Draw a 7- to 8-inch circle on a piece of parchment paper, turn the paper over and use it to line a baking sheet. Fit a large pastry bag with a ¾-inch-diameter plain piping tip.

TO MAKE THE PASTRY: Bring the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour all at once and mix it in with a wooden spoon, then keep stirring energetically until the dough comes together in a shiny mass. The bottom of the pan will be covered with a thin film of flour. Cook the dough for another 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then transfer the hot dough to the bowl of a stand mixer or another large bowl.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat in 3 of the eggs one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Whisk the remaining egg in a small bowl and very gradually add enough of the beaten egg to form a dough that is thick, shiny and silky.

Spoon the warm dough into the pastry bag, position the tip above the outline of the circle and pipe a ring of dough about 1 inch thick. Pipe a second ring of dough inside the first ring and just touching it. Pipe a third ring of dough on top of the circle where the first and second rings of dough meet. If you have any extra dough, pipe out as many cream puffs as you can or use the dough to make a few éclairs. (The cream puff dough must be piped out as soon as it is mixed. However, if you’d like, you can pipe out the ring and freeze it for up to 2 months before baking it; don’t defrost it, just add about 10 minutes to the baking time.)

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Bake the ring for another 20 to 25 minutes (total baking time is 35 to 40 minutes), or until it is puffed, brown and firm. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let the ring cool completely.

TO MAKE THE CREAM: Bring 1⅓ cups cream and the mint leaves to a boil in a medium saucepan. Pull the pan from the heat, cover and let steep for 1 hour, then pour into a bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours.

Strain the cream into a measuring cup and add as much additional chilled cream as needed to measure 1⅓ cups.

Use a serrated knife and a very gentle sawing motion to slice off the top of the pastry ring in one piece; pull out and discard any soft dough from the inside of the base. Carefully place the pastry ring base on a platter.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a medium bowl, whip the cream and ¼ cup of the sugar until the cream holds firm peaks. Stir the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar into the crème fraîche and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold the crème fraîche into the mint whipped cream. Taste the cream, and if you’d like a stronger mint flavor, add a drop or two of extract.

Spoon the mint cream into a clean pastry bag and pipe large rosettes into the base, keeping the rosettes close to one another. Pipe a second row of rosettes on top of the first row, piping the top rosettes between the bottom rosettes. Refrigerate the base while you make the glaze.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Melt the chocolate with the cream and corn syrup in a small heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until the glaze is melted and smooth.

Using a small icing spatula, spread the glaze over the top circle of pastry. Sprinkle the toasted nuts over the glaze, and press them down gently. Carefully set the ring on top of the base—don’t press down, you want the top to rest lightly on the whipped cream—and refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before serving. (Covered lightly and kept away from food with strong odors, the ring can be refrigerated for up to 8 hours.)

COCONUT–ROASTED PINEAPPLE DACQUOISE

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DACQUOISE IS the name given to both a meringue pastry—usually two disks of nut meringue (originally almond meringue) sandwiching a cream (originally coffee buttercream)—and the meringues themselves. But when you take the first bite, etymological considerations disappear and sighs take their place. In this rectangular dacquoise, the nut pastry is coconut and almond and the filling is creamy white chocolate ganache and roasted pineapple.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

SERVING: The dacquoise is meant to be served cold. Because it is sweet, it should be served with something that will play off its sweetness, such as espresso.

STORING: The dacquoise’s elements—the meringue, pineapple and ganache—can all be made ahead, and the assembled dacquoise should be chilled before serving. A word of caution about the meringue layers: Keep them away from moisture. Humidity will make the meringues sticky.

FOR THE DACQUOISE

• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (available in health food stores)
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• ⅔ cup plus 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 8 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

FOR THE PINEAPPLE

• 1 large (4¼-pound) ripe pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise, cored and each quarter cut crosswise into ⅛-inch-thick wedges
• Confectioners’ sugar

FOR THE GANACHE

• 14 ounces premium-quality white chocolate (such as Valrhona Ivoire or Guittard), finely chopped
• 3 cups heavy cream
• About 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted, for decorating

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Using two pieces of parchment paper, draw three rectangles (two on one sheet, one on the other), each 12 x 6 inches. Turn the sheets over (making sure the outlines show) and use them to line two baking sheets.

TO MAKE THE DACQUOISE: Put the coconut, almonds, ⅔ cup of the confectioners’ sugar and the cornstarch in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in the remaining 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar, ½ cup at a time, then beat until the meringue is thick and glossy and holds firm peaks. Using a large rubber spatula, very gently fold in the coconut mixture.

Spoon one third of the meringue (about 2½ cups) onto each outlined rectangle. Using a long metal icing spatula, spread the meringue into smooth, even layers.

Bake the meringues for 3 hours, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 1½ hours. The meringues should be golden and crisp to the touch. Let cool completely on the baking sheets on racks. (The meringues can be made 1 day ahead and kept lightly covered with wax paper at room temperature—as long as the room is dry.)

FOR THE PINEAPPLE: Preheat the broiler and place the rack about 4 inches beneath the heat. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with foil.

Place the pineapple wedges between a double thickness of paper towels and pat dry.

Arrange the pineapple wedges on the baking sheets in a single layer and sift just enough confectioners’ sugar over them to coat them lightly. Broil the fruit, one sheet at time, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the pineapple is slightly charred in spots—turn the sheets as needed for even cooking. Cool on the sheets.

FOR THE GANACHE: Put the white chocolate in a large bowl. Bring the cream to a boil, then pour it over the chocolate. Let it rest for 1 minute, then whisk until the ganache is smooth. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the ganache to create an airtight seal and chill, stirring occasionally, until it is very cold, about 3 hours.

When the ganache is thoroughly chilled and you are ready to assemble the dacquoise, beat the ganache with a mixer (use the whisk attachment or a hand mixer) until it is light and fluffy, but don’t overbeat—it should be just on the verge of mounding.

TO ASSEMBLE THE DACQUOISE: Set out a serving plate or cut a 12-x-6-inch piece of cardboard. Place 1 meringue rectangle flat side down on the plate or cardboard and, using a long metal icing spatula, spread ¾ cup of the ganache thinly over it. Cover the ganache with a single layer of pineapple wedges (about 24 wedges in 3 rows of 8). Repeat with another meringue, more ganache and more pineapple. Top with the third meringue, and cover the sides and top of the cake with the remaining ganache. Press the toasted coconut onto the sides of the cake. Arrange the remaining pineapple decoratively over the top of the cake.

Refrigerate the dacquoise for at least 4 hours, or up to 6 hours, before serving.