197 cracked recipes

Smoked salmon canapes on crisp jicama triangles with lime-spiked Neufchatel cheese and cracked black pepper. A light, no-cook appetizer that looks like it came from a caterer.

Chinese-style caramel fried apples or bananas battered and deep-fried, then coated in crackly spun sugar with sesame seeds. Dipped in ice water for a shatteringly crisp shell.

Gluten-free pear breakfast cake made with rice flour and cornstarch, topped with a crackly sugar bloom. Light, simple, and naturally gluten-free with tender fruit in every bite.

Dairy-free fettuccine Alfredo made with soy milk and soy cheese for a creamy, cholesterol-free weeknight pasta. Tossed with garlic, steamed vegetables, and cracked pepper in one pan.

Sliced ripe Roma tomatoes drizzled with olive oil, fresh minced herbs, and cracked black pepper. A 5-minute Italian appetizer or side with only 4 ingredients. Vegetarian and naturally low calorie.

Traditional Swiss Basel Leckerli: honey-spice cookie bars with cinnamon, cloves, candied peels, kirsch, and almonds under a crackly sugar glaze. Makes 50 to 60 bars that keep for weeks.

Pressure cooker ricotta cheesecake: a creamy Italian-style cheesecake with golden raisins and lemon zest, steamed to perfection in just 20 minutes under pressure. No cracks, no water bath fuss.

Spinach salad is a little plain, in this recipe, we add figs and walnuts into it, much more flavour. And much more nutrition!

Blueberries in black pepper Syrah syrup soaks fresh berries in a reduced red-wine syrup laced with vanilla and freshly cracked black pepper. A sophisticated make-ahead dessert for dinner parties.

Chewy walnut squares made with brown sugar, one egg, and just half a cup of flour. A no-butter bar cookie that stays soft in the center with a crackly top.

Six ingredients. One bowl. Fudgy, crackly-topped brownies loaded with real melted chocolate and crunchy walnuts. No cocoa powder shortcuts here, just the real deal from scratch in under an hour.

Thin chicken breast slices crusted in cracked black pepper and dry mustard, pan-seared with garlic, then drizzled with a rich sherry reduction. A 30-minute French bistro classic for two.

Chocolate sugar cookies made with melted unsweetened chocolate and butter, rolled in sugar for a crackly, sparkly crust. Chewy centers with crisp edges, ready from one bowl with no mixer needed.

Grilled pork loin on the bone, rubbed with fresh rosemary, cracked pepper, and salt, then slow-roasted over indirect coals until the crust crackles and the center stays juicy and pink.

Ritzy chocolate-covered nuts are candied slivered almonds with a crackly sugar shell, roasted to toasty perfection and dipped in melted chocolate. A three-ingredient homemade holiday candy for gift tins.

Spiced almond macaroons: gluten-free five-ingredient cookies with crackly tops and chewy almond centers, lifted with warm cinnamon. Bake on greased sheets and finish with a scatter of sliced almonds.