Recipe Sifter

A rustic free-form peach pie heaped with juicy peaches and brandy-plumped cherries over a layer of toasted almonds, the pastry folded loosely over the top and dusted with cinnamon sugar. Juicy and golden.

It seems odd that thyme is connected with dessert, but this recipe actually works out in this way, and these elegant looking bars are amazingly delicious!

Torta Divina is a rich Italian flourless chocolate cake laced with Cointreau, baked in a water bath, and finished with whipped cream and fresh raspberries. Gluten-free by nature.

Handmade tortelloni stuffed with acorn squash, escarole, ham, and ricotta, finished in a buttery pecorino-tomato cream sauce. An Italian masterclass worth every minute.

Turnip gratin with potatoes, Gruyere cheese, and fresh dill baked under a crispy breadcrumb topping. A creamy, nutmeg-scented side dish that can be prepped a day ahead.

Savory Italian spinach torta with mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, and toasted pine nuts baked in a Dijon-brushed pie crust. A stunning brunch or dinner centerpiece that's golden, cheesy, and herb-filled.

Two-color chocolate brownies: ultra-rich dark chocolate brownies with walnuts, topped with a white chocolate cream icing and ground nuts. A bakery-style double-batch for a crowd.

Braised venison stew with red wine, raspberry preserves, green peppercorns, and cream. A refined, fruity twist on game meat that turns tough cuts into something elegant.

Classic chilled vichyssoise made with leeks, potatoes, and cream, puréed until velvety smooth and garnished with fresh chives. The quintessential cold summer soup.

This co-winner in the filled-cookie category from Dorothy O'Neill of Whitefish Bay makes a delicate, crispy cookie. Dipping in chocolate and nuts adds flavor and texture.

Walnut crescent cookies rolled in powdered sugar, made with ground walnuts, butter, and egg yolks. Delicate, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread that improves with age.

White chocolate brownies (blondies) with chunks of semisweet chocolate folded into a tender, butter-rich batter. Sweet, dense and dotted with dark chocolate pockets. Better than the box mix.

White chocolate macadamia brownies with a full cup of butter, 10 ounces of white chocolate, and chopped macadamias. Dense, fudgy, and pale golden blondies.

Six ingredients. One bowl. Fudgy, crackly-topped brownies loaded with real melted chocolate and crunchy walnuts. No cocoa powder shortcuts here, just the real deal from scratch in under an hour.

Yule log cake (buche de Noel) is the classic French rolled sponge cake for Christmas, made from a delicate whole-egg genoise baked thin, filled, rolled, and decorated to look like a wintry wooden log.