Recipe Sifter

Two whole chickens simmered with leeks, carrots, celery, and fresh thyme yield a crystal-clear broth and tender diced meat. A from-scratch chicken soup that's worth every minute of the 2.5-hour simmer.

Only 3 ingredients: bittersweet chocolate, butter, and eggs. This flourless truffle torte bakes in 15 minutes and sets into pure, dense chocolate silk.

Chocolate peppermint pinwheel cookies swirl cocoa-rich chocolate dough with crushed peppermint candy dough into a spiral slice-and-bake Christmas cookie. A holiday tin classic with bracing mint and deep chocolate.

Flourless-style chocolate almond torte with fresh raspberries and framboise, layered with raspberry jam glaze and a poured chocolate ganache. A showstopping French-inspired dessert.

Flourless chocolate raspberry torte with bittersweet chocolate, framboise, and raspberry creme anglaise. Dense, fudgy, restaurant-style gluten-free dessert.

Loaded chocolate pecan pie with homemade butter pastry, toasted pecan halves, semi-sweet chips, and unsweetened chocolate in a gooey dark corn syrup filling. A Thanksgiving showstopper.

No-bake cafe au lait cheesecake: silky coffee-and-Kahlua cream cheese filling on a buttery cookie crust. Whipped cream and folded egg whites give it a mousse-light texture.

Flourless fallen souffle cake with a full pound of bittersweet chocolate, butter, and nine eggs. A dense, fudgy French-style chocolate cake with a soft center, dusted in cocoa and powdered sugar.

Patriotic layered parfaits with red gelatin, creamy vanilla pudding, and fresh blueberries. These make-ahead Fourth of July desserts look stunning in clear glasses.

Gateau St. Honore with a puff pastry base, caramel-dipped cream puffs, brandy-raisin chocolate mousse filling, and piped whipped cream in alternating chocolate and vanilla stripes. A showstopping French patisserie centerpiece.

Triple chip brownies loaded with semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, and butterscotch chips in a fudgy bittersweet chocolate batter with walnuts. Six cups of chips total. These are not messing around.

Black currant vodka cheesecake on a toasted almond and graham crust, baked low in a water bath for a silky, crack-free top. Crowned with fresh strawberries and a glossy strawberry-Kurant glaze.

L. J's chili with overnight-marinated beef, tomatoes, mushrooms, crushed chilis, and peppers simmered open-pot for four hours. A bold, slow-cooked chili with a distinctive reduction technique.

Lemon loaf cake with a sticky lemon glaze and homemade lemon ice on the side. A two-part dessert with a tender citrus pound cake and a tart granita-style ice for the perfect summer-afternoon plating.

Lemon curd cheesecake with a tangy cream cheese and sour cream filling topped with homemade lemon curd. Baked low and slow for a crack-free, silky finish.

Pan-fried catfish marinated in soy sauce, orange juice, and ginger, served with a reduced orange butter sauce. An Asian-inspired take on Southern fried catfish.