Recipe Sifter

Three layers of genoise sponge brushed with espresso-rum syrup, filled and frosted with silky mascarpone cream, dusted with cocoa, and wrapped in chocolate shavings.

Whoopie pies sandwich two soft chocolate cake-cookies around a fluffy vanilla cream filling. Maine and Pennsylvania Dutch dessert with a cult following.

What's for dessert at Christmas day? How about some homemade candy cane ice cream? It's made of low-fat milk, egg yolks and crushed candy cane. It's creamy and silky, crushed candy cane adds some crunch and minty sweetness. Don't have to pay high price for hagen daz, this is as good as hagen daz, and it's lower fat.

Store-bought ice cream can never beat homemade ice cream, such as this chocolate fresh mint ice cream. It tastes minty-chocolaty, silky and rich. You won't believe it's actually made with 1% milk.

Crispy beer batter onion rings with rested batter for the lightest, lacy crust. Cold beer and egg yolks build crunch that holds. Same batter works on fish, vegetables, and seafood.

Santa's chocolate pie is a frozen mousse pie in a baked shell, built on melted chocolate, marshmallow creme, and whipped cream, with a whisper of coffee and almond. A make-ahead holiday dessert.

Oreo cheesecake with a crushed cookie crust, rich cream cheese filling studded with Oreo chunks, and a tangy sour cream topping. Three-stage baking for a crack-free, creamy result.

Beef Wellington wraps a roasted beef tenderloin in foie gras, mushroom duxelles, and puff pastry, served with a Madeira-truffle sauce. The classical French restaurant centerpiece for special occasions.

Baked key lime pie with a tangy custard filling of egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and tart lime juice in a buttery graham cracker crust. Topped with vanilla whipped cream and lime slices.

Polvorones: traditional Mexican pecan cookies made with butter and lard, spiced with cinnamon and anise seed. Sandy, crumbly, and sugar-coated.

Crab Rangoon stuffed with crab meat, cream cheese, garlic, and a savory hit of steak sauce, then deep-fried golden in folded wontons. Served hot with Chinese mustard and sweet red sauce for dipping.

Rich banana cream pie with sweetened condensed milk custard, layered ripe bananas, and a whipped cream topping in a flaky pie crust. A no-pudding-mix bakery-style pie.

Light-as-air sourdough chiffon cake with a subtle tang from sourdough starter, brightened by lemon juice and vanilla. Baked in a tube pan for sky-high lift and a cloud-soft crumb.

New England-style individual lobster pie with sherry cream sauce, egg yolk custard, and a buttery cracker-Parmesan crumb topping. Baked low and slow for a rich, elegant finish.

Lemon-Cheese Babka, an Eastern European yeast bread with a tangy cream cheese and cottage cheese filling, plump raisins and cinnamon-nut crumb on top. A bright, citrusy twist on the classic holiday sweet bread.

This festive babka is a rich, buttery yeast bread studded with raisins and topped with a cinnamon-sugar crumble. Baked in a springform pan, it's a showstopper for holidays and special occasions.