Dessert/5 recipes

Buttermilk chocolate cake made with real unsweetened chocolate and topped with a from-scratch dark chocolate frosting. A rich, tender two-layer cake with deep cocoa flavor.

Vermont apple pie with layered tart apples, gingersnap-crumb streusel, crunchy walnuts, and a final pour of pure maple syrup. A New England-style heritage pie with deep fall flavors.

Raisin crumb pie layers plump raisins under a cakey batter and a buttery crumb topping in a flaky crust. A heritage Pennsylvania Dutch-style dessert that makes two pies at once.

This is one of the hottest recipes in New York right now. It was on the menu at Le Caprice and also at the buzzing new gastropub The Breslin. Now that strawberry season is almost over you can substitute raspberries with equally outstanding results.

A showstopper Boston cream pie with four layers of airy genoise, white chocolate pastry cream between each layer, a glossy dark chocolate ganache coating, and fresh raspberries on top. Patisserie-level dessert.

Microwave strawberry cheesecake lightened with stiffly beaten egg whites for an airy, mousse-like texture. A no-bake-style cheesecake on a zwieback crust with sour cream topping and fresh strawberries.

Mini carrot cakes with chutney, coconut, walnuts, and warm spices baked in mini muffin tins. Topped with cream cheese frosting for bite-sized party treats.

Saucy chocolate cake that creates its own hot fudge sauce as it bakes. Cocoa batter topped with brown sugar and boiling water transforms into cake over a pool of warm chocolate pudding.

Pineapple upside-down cake with a butterscotch brown sugar base, pineapple rings, and maraschino cherries baked in a round pan. Served warm with whipped cream.

Whole Bartlett pears cored and filled with currant jelly, wrapped in golden puff pastry and baked, served pooled in Calvados caramel sauce. A bakery-window dessert that looks impossible but isn't.

Indulgent cheesecake stuffed with chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough and extra chocolate chips. Chocolate cookie crust and whipped cream topping make this a cookie lover's dream dessert.

Tortilla chip wreath: a salty-sweet holiday candy wreath of vanilla-coated tortilla chips arranged in a circle and decorated with gumdrops. A no-bake Christmas dessert kids can help with.

Rosehip, Hibiscus & Currant Pie or Cake Filling recipe

Middle Eastern halvah cake made with tahini, semolina, and warm spices, soaked in a citrusy orange-lemon syrup. Dense, fragrant, and not overly sweet.

Nutty tahini paste blended with fresh orange juice and zest creates a uniquely flavored Middle Eastern cake studded with walnuts and golden raisins.

Two-layer diabetic-friendly brownies with an unsweetened coconut bottom and a chocolate top, made with sugar substitute. Low-fat, mailable, and perfectly portioned into 32 small bars from one 8-inch pan.