Dessert
3853 recipes found
Coconut Brigadeiros
Fudge made from condensed milk is the base for brigadeiros, bite-size sweets served in paper frills and covered with sprinkles. “Brigadeiros are like the cupcakes of Brazil,” the cooking teacher Leticia Moreinos Schwartz said. “They are at every birthday party.” (They are named for a once-popular politician, Brigadier Eduardo Gomes, who ran for president in 1945 under the slogan “Vote no brigadeiro, que é bonito e é solteiro” — “Vote for the brigadier, who’s good-looking and single.”)
Maple-Pecan Bourbon Balls
The bourbon ball was created in 1938 by Ruth Hanly Booe, a former Kentucky school teacher turned candy maker. The creamy original was whisky-spiked, covered with chocolate and topped with a pecan. Modern-day versions, like this one, are simpler to put together: Vanilla wafers, toasted pecans, cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar and bourbon are combined in a food processor, rolled into balls and dunked in melted chocolate or rolled in confectioners' sugar. Ours also includes a bit of maple syrup for added depth. Bar chocolate, as opposed to chocolate chips, works much better for enrobing candies because chocolate chips have less cocoa butter and become too thick to coat evenly when melted.
Reversed Impossible Chocolate Flan
In this magical recipe by Ben Mims from his cookbook "Sweet & Southern," vanilla cake and chocolate custard are layered into a Bundt pan before baking. In the oven, the two switch places, with the heavier custard sinking while the cake rises to the surface. Once unmolded, you end up with a tender band of cake on the bottom and creamy, wobbly flan on top. Inspired by chocoflan, it’s rich, soft, deeply fudgy and a hit at dinner parties.
Plum Sorbet
Halvah
Wheels of halvah — a soft, fudgelike candy made out of sesame paste — is an iconic sight in Middle Eastern markets. But it’s also extremely easy to make at home, as long as you have access to a good brand of tahini (the only ingredient should be sesame seeds) and a candy thermometer. This recipe is adapted from the cookbook “Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking,” by the chef Michael Solomonov. Eat it on its own cut into little pieces with a cup of tea, or dip cubes of it in chocolate and top with sesame seeds to serve as an elegant confection at the end of a fancy dinner party.
Almond Nougat Parfait With Orange Coulis
Giant Tuiles (Large Tile Cookies)
Tiramisu
Mini Almond Cakes With Chocolate or Cherry
These moist, rich almond cakes are miniature versions of a classic flourless almond torte, embellished here with either chocolate ganache or cherry jam. The bittersweet chocolate filling is a bit more sophisticated, while the cherry jam is sweetly crowd-pleasing. Or you can split the difference and make six of each. These gluten-free treats are best eaten within eight hours of baking so plan to make them the same day as serving. You can use either natural or blanched almond flour; the blanched will give you a slightly more delicate texture.
Dried Cherry Parfait
Mark Bittman's Pastry Cream
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
One of my all-time favorite pies, this one is sweet with spices but not very sugary. Because of the small amount of molasses, this is darker than classic pumpkin pie. Make it with fresh roasted pumpkin (small “pie pumpkins” are perfect for the job), or use canned pumpkin.
Good Fruitcake
The ridicule that most fruitcakes face has everything to do with bad recipes, which skimp on fruit and load on the batter. In a good fruitcake the batter should barely be perceptible, acting merely as adhesive to bind the fruit and nuts. Broken down into its parts, a good fruitcake contains ingredients that most people love: plump dates, candied cherries, almond extract, pecans, walnuts and sugar. And when it comes out of the oven, it is showered in whiskey. This is by no means an inexpensive cake to make, and that is largely why it became a traditional gift. It is a cake that you wouldn't make for yourself. It is a treat.
English Toffee
This heavenly chocolate-toffee is one of our favorite holiday treats to make (and eat). We know the thought of making candy can be intimidating, but it really needn't be. Sure, you need a candy thermometer, and you do need to pay close attention – the toffee can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of moments - but beyond that, it's pretty simple, and the results are spectacular. We recommend making two batches; one to give away as gifts, and the other to keep for yourself.
Peppermint Bark
You have two choices when it comes to peppermint bark: If you’d like your bark to be shiny and snappy at room temperature, you must temper the chocolate. The process isn’t complicated, but you’ll need an instant-read thermometer and a bit of patience. But you can also leave tempering to the professionals and make the bark without tempering: Simply microwave both chocolates until melted, assemble the bark as instructed then transfer it to the fridge to harden. You may encounter a bit of condensation and melting when you serve it, but it will still taste great. Be sure to use good-quality bar chocolate instead of chips for more reliable results and better flavor. Look for oil-based peppermint extract, as the water in alcohol-based extracts can cause the chocolate to seize.
Rice Pudding With Fruit
Gingerbread Rum Balls
This is the perfect recipe to make if you’ve got crumbs leftover after building a gingerbread house. Or you can use a package of gingersnaps ground up in the food processor or blender. The flavor of rum balls improves after they sit for a couple of days, so plan ahead if you’re considering these for a holiday bash. They will last for two weeks or even longer if you store them airtight at room temperature. Rolling rum balls in confectioners’ sugar gives you a soft, moist confection while using granulated sugar results in a crunchier texture. And if you’d rather skip the alcohol, you can substitute orange or apple juice for the rum. Just reduce the confectioners’ sugar by a tablespoon or two, to taste.
Chocolate Cocoa Cake
Fresh Ginger Cake
David Lebovitz's headily spiced cake, which Amanda Hesser wrote about in The Times in 1999, calls for a quarter-pound of fresh ginger. Mr. Lebovitz, who was a pastry chef at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., has since had a long career as a cookbook author and blogger. But this recipe, from his cookbook “Room for Dessert,” is from relatively early in his writing career. Boldly flavored with just cinnamon, cloves, black pepper and, yes, a lot of fresh ginger, it is simplicity exemplified, coming together quickly and without a mixer. The cake — much like the recipe itself — ages well, its flavors melding and deepening over time.
Pears in Mint and Tea
Peach Flambe With Rum
Apricots or another fresh fruit could be substituted in this recipe. The most important factors are the quality and ripeness of the fruit. The peaches are cut into wedges and sauteed in a little butter and sugar until they soften and their juices begin to caramelize. Then, lemon juice and peach preserves or jam are added and the dish is finished with dark rum for flavor.
Peach Buttermilk Soup
I like to eat this creamy soup for breakfast. It is almost like a lassi, the popular Indian milkshake-like drink. Make sure your peaches are ripe and juicy.
Plum and Red Wine Soup
You could also call this ruby-colored, jam-like soup a compote. Look for plums with deep red flesh.
Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Cookies
These cakey cookies have crisp edges and fluffy centers almost like muffin tops – which we can all agree is the best part of a muffin. Packed with sweet spices, pumpkin purée and lots of chocolate chips, they are a delightful autumn treat that pair well with a cold glass of milk. Use whichever type of chocolate chips you prefer, in whatever proportion you like, but a combination of milk and bittersweet are especially nice.