Dessert Recipes

An old family recipe, from Josephine Bowles Shepard, 1894-1966.

"A tall, impressive cake that showcases the flavors and smells of the holidays. A three-layer extravaganza with a touch of molasses and shredded apple to keep it moist. It fills the house with a fragrance that beats the most expensive holiday-scented candle. It will be talked about long after the party is over." Source: The Pastry Queen Christmas, by Rebecca Rather

Easy cherry pie with fluffy biscuit base, sweet cherry filling, and cinnamon streusel topping. No rolling dough required for this vintage shortcut dessert.

A hamantash (also spelled hamentasch, homentash, homentasch, (h)umentash, a filled cookie traditionally eaten during the Jewish holiday of Purim.

Fat-free pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving with a no-butter bread crumb crust, egg-white-only filling, and skim evaporated milk. A lighter holiday classic with all the warm spice.

Try this rich and delectable cake that will have your family eager to enjoy a second slice!

These biscotti is loaded with flavour, every bite yields bits of yummy goodness. Perfect for a snack with a cup of coffee or your favorite tea, and also make excellent Christmas gifts!

Cognac Nanaimo bars are a Canadian no-bake classic with a chocolate-coconut-pecan base, cognac-orange buttercream middle, and a glossy chocolate top. A boozy adult twist on the original.

Disgustingly rich brownies live up to the name with a full cup of butter, four eggs, and three quarters of a cup of cocoa. One bowl, one pan, fudgy center with a crackly top.

Mini-bites of heaven. Individual chocolate cheesecake topped with cherries.

Irish Christmas cake soaked in whiskey with dried fruits, almonds, candied orange peel, and a marzipan coating. A rich, dense celebration cake that starts with an overnight whiskey fruit soak.

Strawberry rhubarb custard pie suspends diced rhubarb and sliced strawberries in a silky egg-and-flour custard, baked into a single tender shell. The classic spring duo with creamy backbone.

A colonial-era chocolate pie with vanilla cake batter baked under a rich unsweetened chocolate sauce and topped with chopped nuts. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

For all of the trouble that this cake is to make the RAVE reviews are more than sufficient reward. The recipe I had years ago called for a dollop of sour cream as a garnish. That worked for me.

Buttery walnut biscotti inspired by Chez Panisse, laced with Cognac and vanilla. Twice-baked to a golden crunch, these elegant cookies bring California fine dining to your cookie jar.

Angel pound cake combines the richness of a butter pound cake with a lighter, more tender crumb. Made with butter, shortening, and a hint of lemon extract, baked in a tube pan for an hour and 15 minutes.