Dessert/5 recipes

Pineapple upside down gingerbread cake with molasses, cinnamon, and ground ginger baked over caramelized brown sugar and pineapple rings. A spiced twist on the classic retro dessert.

Honey mustard balsamic vinaigrette with Dijon, garlic, and a kick of hot sauce. A sweet-tangy, emulsified salad dressing that takes 5 minutes and beats anything store-bought.

Mocha icing whips butter, powdered sugar, cocoa, egg yolk, and coffee into a silky chocolate-coffee frosting for cakes and cupcakes. Three-ingredient base, ready in minutes.

Rich chocolate mousse made with semisweet chocolate, Kahlua, instant espresso, whipped cream, and a splash of Grand Marnier. Silky, intensely chocolatey, and spiked with coffee and orange.

Rum-flamed bananas sauteed in butter with powdered and brown sugar, then ignited with a full cup of rum for a dramatic tableside dessert. Serve over vanilla ice cream.

Rough puff pastry is the home cook's shortcut to puff pastry, made by folding walnut-sized chunks of cold fat through a soft dough four to five times. Flaky enough for tart shells, vol-au-vents, and turnovers.

Maple mousse made with real maple syrup, whipped cream, and egg whites for a light, airy dessert. Just six ingredients and no baking required.

Homemade spumoni with vanilla bean custard, whipped cream, maraschino cherries, candied orange peel, and slivered almonds frozen in a mold. Classic Italian ice cream dessert without a machine.

Mocha mousse made with semi-sweet and unsweetened chocolate, brewed coffee, cocoa powder, and whipped cream. A triple-chocolate coffee dessert that's airy, rich, and intensely dark.

Old-fashioned peach ice made with fresh peaches, sugar syrup, and beaten egg whites for a light, airy texture. A vintage frozen dessert from the days before electric ice cream makers.

No bake date drops, chewy stovetop cookies made by cooking chopped dates with butter and eggs, then folding in crispy rice cereal and chopped nuts for a quick treat.

Besan burfi, a traditional Indian fudge of chickpea flour slow-toasted in ghee with cardamom and sugar. A four-ingredient festival sweet cut into diamond pieces.

Oven-fried bananas ready in 10 minutes with just butter and bananas. Serve savory with salt and pepper as a side dish, or sweet with cinnamon and sugar as a quick low-fat dessert.

Classic British summer pudding made with softened berries and white bread, chilled overnight until the juices soak through. Unmold for a jewel-toned dome of fruit served with whipped cream.

Orange date muffins made with a whole blended orange, orange juice, and chopped dates for natural sweetness. An intensely citrusy muffin with real orange pulp in every bite.

Spiced rhubarb preserve with cinnamon, allspice, and apple cider vinegar simmered into a thick, tangy spread. A versatile condiment for ham glaze or biscuit topping.