Dessert/2 recipes

Lemon chiffon pie made with a silky cooked-yolk lemon curd folded with whipped egg whites and whipped topping. A bright, cloud-light dessert that sets up in the fridge thanks to a touch of gelatin.

Simple sweetened whipped cream filling with just three ingredients: heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla. Whip until stiff in 5 minutes for cakes, pastries, and pies.

Spiced applesauce chocolate cake topped with fluffy meringue-style chocolate frosting. Cinnamon, cocoa and applesauce make a moist, vintage 13x9 sheet cake.

Chunky white chocolate macadamia cookies scooped by the 1/3 cup for thick, bakery-sized rounds. Buttery dough with brown sugar, white chocolate chunks, and halved macadamias.

Impossible banana cream pie blended in 30 seconds with Bisquick, eggs, milk, and sugar that forms its own crust while baking. Topped with fresh bananas and sweetened whipped cream.

Individual baked chocolate fig puddings with cocoa, stewed California figs, and vanilla, topped warm with marshmallows and walnut halves. A vintage dessert with old-fashioned charm.

Double chocolate mint chip cookies with melted mint chips in the dough plus whole chips folded in. Rich, fudgy, and intensely minty with chopped nuts.

Maple syrup nut cake with a full cup of real maple syrup baked into a tender two-layer cake. Studded with chopped nuts and ready to frost with your favorite icing.

Crunchy sundae topping made from toasted oats, brown sugar, butter, and salted peanuts. A make-ahead crumble for ice cream, pudding, and desserts.

Pears poached in red Burgundy wine with cinnamon and lemon zest. An elegant French dessert with just 5 ingredients, served warm or cold in ruby-red syrup.

Cranberry wine gelatin mold with fresh cranberries simmered in red wine, set with raspberry gelatin, and studded with chopped walnuts. A jewel-toned holiday side or dessert.

Festive pumpkin pie with a cream cheese-enriched filling, warm spices, and a sour cream topping baked right on. Part pumpkin pie, part cheesecake, all holiday showstopper.

Old-fashioned coconut fudge candy shaped into little haystacks. Brown sugar, butter, and shredded coconut cooked to soft-ball stage, then dropped onto wax paper. Makes about 60 pieces.

Chilled peach soup with white wine, orange liqueur, maple syrup, and whipped cream. A silky, boozy fruit soup that works as an elegant summer dessert or first course.

Classic homemade peach pie with a flaky vinegar crust, warm cinnamon and nutmeg, and juicy sliced peaches. A from-scratch double-crust beauty ready in about an hour.

Cantaloupe and honeydew melon balls soaked in fresh watermelon juice with rum and sugar. A boozy, refreshing summer fruit dessert that chills overnight for maximum flavor.