10,000 bitter recipes

Mom's cream cheese pie on a vanilla wafer crust, topped with a sweetened sour cream layer and baked in two quick stages. A simple, no-fuss cheesecake-style pie that's been a family favorite for generations.

Apple apricot strudels wrapped in flaky phyllo pastry with slivered almonds, bread crumbs, and a hint of nutmeg. Dusted with powdered sugar, served warm with custard.

Maple walnut squares with a buttery shortbread crust and a gooey maple syrup and maple sugar filling topped with chopped walnuts. Like pecan pie bars with a pure maple twist.

Layered Austrian bar cookies with a buttery shortcrust, apricot preserves, a fluffy pecan meringue filling, and a lattice top. Old-world baking at its finest.

Crustless sweet potato pie with almond extract for a Southern-style dessert that bakes in 25 minutes. Mashed sweet potatoes, butter, and sugar create a custardy slice without rolling a single piece of dough.

Cuban ajiaco chicken stew with yucca, corn on the cob, milk, paprika, and cayenne, finished with fresh lime juice. A creamy, hearty one-pot Caribbean comfort dish.

Boondhi raita with golden chickpea-flour pearls soaked into thinned yogurt and seasoned with chaat masala. The cool, tangy Indian side that calms a fiery curry in one spoonful.

Golden-browned chicken simmers with plump shrimp in a velvety red wine and tomato sauce laced with garlic, Italian herbs, and fresh parsley. A rustic Italian-American showstopper for date night or Sunday supper.

First prize chocolate fudge cake, a flourless-style dense chocolate cake with semisweet chocolate, coffee, and folded egg whites. An award-winning showstopper with deep fudgy texture.

Chewy butterscotch blondies loaded with Heath toffee brickle bits and a whisper of almond extract. Buttery, brown-sugary, and dangerously easy to eat straight from the pan.

Blackberry crumb pie with fresh berries under a tangy sour cream custard layer and a buttered bread crumb topping. A unique two-texture berry pie.

Savory garlic pancakes with a creamy ham and sage butter sauce. Three whole heads of boiled garlic turn sweet and nutty in the batter. Silver dollar-sized for brunch, lunch, or light supper.

A rich chocolate bar cake made with melted chocolate candy bars and chocolate syrup for double chocolate depth, plus buttermilk for a tender crumb and pecans for crunch. Baked in a tube pan, no frosting needed.

Creamy chicken mushroom tetrazzini made on the stovetop in about 35 minutes: tender chicken and browned mushrooms in a Parmesan cream sauce tossed with linguine. A quick, comforting weeknight pasta.

Hot chocolate souffles with 9 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, dark rum, and whipped egg whites baked in individual dishes. Just six ingredients, no flour needed.

Mexican Kings Cake (Rosca de Reyes), a yeast-risen Epiphany bread scented with orange flower water, studded with raisins and pecans, and hiding a lucky bean inside. Soft, sweet, and crowned with confectioners' icing.