Yam recipes

Velvet cake is a flourless-style chocolate showpiece pooled over white chocolate and raspberry sauces. Dense, fudgy, and made with just six ingredients in the cake itself, it slices like a torte and tastes like ganache.

Classic English trifle with raspberry-jam-soaked sponge cake, brandy, sherry, silky vanilla custard, and whipped cream. A showstopping layered dessert served in a glass bowl for maximum visual drama.

Apple pie with apricot glaze layers tart Granny Smith apples over a custard pastry cream and finishes with a layer of apricot preserves under the top crust. A French-style twist on classic American apple pie.

Greek Pasta Flora with a Cognac-butter pastry crust and a rich filling of stewed apricots, dried figs, raisins, apricot jam, and orange zest. A traditional Athenian lattice tart.

Velvet corn soup is a classic Chinese egg drop soup with creamed corn, chicken broth, fresh ginger, and dry sherry, thickened with cornstarch and swirled with frothy egg whites.

Ham and broccoli stir-fry in a savory oyster sauce with rice wine, ginger, and toasted walnuts. A quick Chinese-inspired wok dish served over gingered rice.

Mandarin hot soup: the classic Chinese hot and sour soup with shredded pork, black mushrooms, wood ears, bamboo shoots, and silky egg ribbons. Tangy, peppery, and ready in 30 minutes.

Old-fashioned blackberry jam cake with warm spices, pecans, and raisins topped with silky caramel icing. Southern heritage cake with allspice, cloves, and buttermilk crumb.

Mango mousse cake with airy sponge base, raspberry jam ribbon, fresh mango cream mousse, and a crown of toasted almond slices and whipped cream rosettes. A patisserie-worthy showstopper.

Slow-simmered black beans with ham, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and cilantro in chicken broth. A from-scratch dried bean recipe with Cuban-inspired flavors topped with sour cream.

I used Cornish Game Hens, but you could also use a cut up chicken. If you can't get winter melon, watermelon will work. Winter melon is white, very mild tasting and a tad denser than watermelon. I think you could get away using something like Honeydew too.

Peanut Butter Picnic Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting recipe

Savory Southwest corn muffins stuffed with diced ham, pepper jack cheese, green chiles, and red bell pepper. Hearty enough for a meal with a side salad.

An Italian chocolate hazelnut cake from Turin with homemade gianduja paste, whipped chocolate cream filling, apricot jam, and a brandy-liqueur soak. A show-stopping patisserie-level dessert.

Raspberry chocolate pie layers a glazed raspberry topping over a billowy cream cheese filling on a vanilla wafer pecan crust sealed with melted chocolate. A no-bake-style chilled dessert.

A creamy raspberry chocolate pie with cream cheese filling on a pecan vanilla wafer crust sealed with melted chocolate. Topped with jam-glazed berries for a make-ahead chilled dessert.