Dessert/5 recipes

Mocha bundt cake: a doctored cake mix bundt with chocolate pudding, vodka, and Kahlua coffee liqueur, finished with a Kahlua-spiked powdered sugar glaze. Boozy and easy.

Pear bread pudding baked in individual ramekins with currants and Muscat wine, served with a silky lemon-infused Muscat custard sauce. An elegant French-style dessert.

Elegant chocolate mousse in a press-in chocolate pastry crust, topped with chocolate curls and powdered sugar stripes. A no-bake filling in a baked flan shell.

Peppermint cloud pie with rice, melted marshmallows, crushed candy canes, and whipped cream in a chocolate crust, drizzled with fudge sauce. A dreamy no-bake holiday dessert.

Molded cheese treats made by melting cheddar in the microwave and setting it in candy molds or lollipops. A one-ingredient party trick for kids' lunchboxes and holiday platters.

No-bake cherry cheese pie with cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla in a graham cracker crust, topped with cherry pie filling. The classic potluck dessert.

Dried figs simmered in orange juice, Grand Marnier, and ground ginger, then dipped in melted chocolate. An elegant no-bake confection for holiday candy trays.

Blended pear and ginger dessert made with ripe pears, fresh lemon juice, and a sliver of ginger. A three-ingredient, no-cook fruit puree ready in 10 minutes.

Tamora pudding made from blended papaya, fresh pineapple chunks, and orange juice, chilled until firm. A three-ingredient tropical fruit pudding with no dairy, no sugar, and no cooking required.

Peanut brittle Bavarian ring with a coffee-flavored gelatin mousse of whipped cream and egg whites over a crunchy peanut brittle base. A retro no-bake dessert with a cloud-like texture and caramel crunch.

Chocolate bar nut cake melts ten ounces of chocolate bars into a buttermilk batter loaded with two and a half cups of chopped nuts and chocolate syrup. Baked low and slow in a tube pan for 90 minutes. A dense, fudgy Bundt-style chocolate cake.

Torta di nocciole: Italian hazelnut cake made with toasted ground hazelnuts and barely any flour, topped with soft whipped cream. A light, elegant Piedmontese dessert with intense nut flavor.

Chocolate peanut butter frosting made with cocoa powder, peanut butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar. A no-cook, no-butter frosting with rich chocolate-peanut flavor.

Three-ingredient cheese crumb topping made with sharp cheddar, butter, and bread crumbs. A quick, savory sprinkle for casseroles, gratins, and baked vegetables.

French silk pie with a cloud-soft, no-bake chocolate filling whipped from butter, sugar, eggs, and unsweetened chocolate. Set overnight in a flaky pie shell for the silkiest slice.

Low-fat lemon meringue pie with a graham cracker crust, fluffy lemon filling sweetened with sugar substitute, and a lightly broiled meringue top. A diabetic-friendly take on the classic.