Dessert/2 recipes

The full showpiece version of Bruno's flourless Italian chocolate cake: three layers filled with rum-spiked chocolate whipped cream, wrapped in alternating dark and white chocolate strips, and garnished with chocolate leaves.

Apple dessert bars with a buttery shortbread crust, cinnamon-lemon apple layer, and a rich coconut-nut custard topping that bakes into chewy squares.

Classic American apple pie with a lattice crust, vanilla-scented filling, and half and half for extra richness. A from-scratch shortening crust that bakes up flaky and golden.

Easy two-layer peanut butter and chocolate fudge with sweetened condensed milk. No candy thermometer, no boiling sugar. Five ingredients, ready in three hours.

Diabetic-friendly chocolate bars made with cocoa, sugar substitute, and a hint of cinnamon, topped with melted chocolate chips. Fudgy, rich, and lower in sugar than traditional brownies.

No-bake margarita pie with buttery pretzel crust, fresh lime filling spiked with tequila and triple sec, and clouds of whipped cream.

Rose almond jumbles flavored with rosewater, packed with finely chopped blanched almonds, and dropped in ring shapes. A fragrant, old-fashioned cookie from the Victorian era.

British-style gingerbread men with golden syrup, butter, and warm ginger. Crisp edges, chewy centers, decorated with currants for classic holiday cookies.

No-bake oatmeal cookies with cocoa, peanut butter, and chopped nuts dropped onto wax paper. Ready in 20 minutes with zero oven time. Makes two dozen chewy chocolate cookies.

Apple pie topped with halved marshmallows that brown into golden, gooey peaks under a slow second bake. Tart apples, just sugar and nutmeg, no top crust. The midcentury trick that turns weeknight apple pie into something special.

French lemon pie is a simple rustic tart: a whole wheat butter crust filled with a buttery fresh lemon custard and baked golden. Tart, glossy, and finished in an hour with pantry basics.

Chocolate cinnamon angel food cake made with cocoa powder, cinnamon, and whipped egg whites. A fat-free, light-as-air cake with warm Mexican chocolate flavor.

Diabetic-friendly banana cream pie made with skim milk, only 3 tablespoons sugar, gelatin-stabilized custard, and firm-ripe bananas in a vanilla wafer crust. A lighter take on a classic.

Peanut Butter Ho Ho Cake with a devil's food cake base, fluffy whipped peanut butter filling, and pourable chocolate frosting. A nostalgic, no-fuss dessert that starts with a cake mix.

Apple pudding cake with self-making sauce: a magic one-pan dessert where apples, batter, and boiling water bake together, separating into tender cake on top and silky pudding sauce underneath.

Classic lemon bars with a buttery shortbread crust and a tangy lemon-egg curd top, dusted with powdered sugar. A two-layer dessert with bright citrus snap.