Recipe Sifter

Tender buttermilk muffins bursting with tart rhubarb and topped with cinnamon-brown sugar crumble. A spring breakfast treat that makes the most of garden-fresh stalks.

Elephant ears: Pennsylvania Dutch yeast-dough fritters stretched thin, deep-fried until golden and bubbly, then dusted with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. The state fair classic.

A German-style no-yeast Christmas stollen with cottage cheese, rum, almonds, currants, sultanas, and candied lemon peel. Brushed with butter and dusted in powdered sugar for a snowy finish.

Banana cream pie with a buttery pecan-shortbread crust, a thin chocolate layer, vanilla custard folded with whipped cream and fresh bananas. Makes two pies for the county fair winner's circle.

Texas-style chocolate sheet cake bakes a thin, fudgy buttermilk-cocoa cake in 25 minutes, then gets crowned with warm pecan-laced fudge icing poured straight onto the still-warm surface. Sixteen squares from one 9x13 pan.

Buttery lemon anise biscotti: twice-baked Italian cookies flavored with bright lemon zest and warm anise. Crisp, dry, and made for dipping in coffee or sweet wine.

Barely-baked chocolate truffle squares with a full pound of melted semi-sweet chocolate, whipped egg whites, and a tangy sour cream swirl on top. Chilled, sliced, and frozen for make-ahead indulgence.

Old English yeasted Christmas cake spiced with cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, and caraway seeds. A buttery yeast-risen holiday loaf, closer to brioche than to fruitcake.

White chocolate mousse layered over genoise sponge with candied citrus peel, pine nuts, and chocolate curls. A showstopping dessert with bright citrus and creamy white chocolate in every bite.

Old-fashioned raisin cream pie layers a vanilla custard base with plumped raisins, all under a fluffy meringue top. A heritage Sunday-supper pie that uses the whole egg, no waste.

Tart Granny Smith apples and whole cranberries under a buttery oat-brown sugar crumble topping. Baked low and slow until bubbling and golden, this cranberry apple pie is fall on a plate.

Chocolate walnut torte is a flourless-style European cake built on bittersweet chocolate, butter, ground walnuts, and whipped egg whites. Dense, fudgy center with just enough flour for structure, finished with a chocolate rum glaze.

Savory basil red pepper muffins with olive oil, scallions, and egg whites. A low-fat, no-butter muffin that works as a side for soups, stews, or on its own for brunch.

Sour cream chocolate chip tube cake with a hidden chocolate chip center layer and cinnamon sugar topping. Tender crumb that stays moist for days.

Traditional egg-enriched challah bread with a golden crust and soft, pillowy crumb. This from-scratch yeast dough recipe makes beautiful braided loaves topped with poppy or sesame seeds.

A rich, egg-laden yeast bread studded with raisins and scented with anise, lemon zest, and orange zest. Makes 4 fragrant loaves with a tender, golden crumb.