Dessert recipes

Cristina's brownies are dense, fudgy, and packed with a full pound of walnuts. Built on deep unsweetened cocoa and plenty of butter, then chilled overnight so they slice into clean, bakery-size squares. A serious brownie for serious chocolate lovers.

Spiced apple pound cake, a one-bowl Bundt cake made with butter, spiced apple yogurt, and a cinnamon glaze topped with chopped pecans. The autumn coffee cake that turns yogurt into the secret moisture weapon.

Halloween pumpkin pie with a from-scratch pastry crust, silky spiced custard, and fresh grated ginger for a livelier kick than the usual canned pie. The kind of pumpkin pie that earns its place on the autumn table.

Rolled baklava: walnut, sugar, and cinnamon spiraled inside crisp phyllo, sliced into bite-size pinwheels, baked, and soaked in honey syrup. An easier take on classic baklava, finished with sesame and an apricot glaze.

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting bakes a single tender butter-based cake layer with grated carrots, walnuts, and cinnamon. Topped with classic tangy cream cheese icing and brown sugar nut crumble.

Lemon poppy seed pound cake with buttermilk crumb and fresh lemon zest, finished with tangy lemon glaze. Tender Bundt or loaf for tea and brunch.

Strawberry cream crepes with sweetened condensed milk thickened by lemon juice, folded with fresh berries and whipped cream. No-cook dessert assembled in 15 minutes.

Chocolate ice cream blends melted unsweetened chocolate with cocoa powder, milk, eggs, sugar, and heavy cream for double-chocolate scoops. Custard-free Philadelphia-style at home.

This delicious chocolate ice cream is low fat and low calorie, easy to make, much better for health.

An easy recipe to make a delicious and moist chocolate zucchini bundt cake, it's great with a cup of coffee, or tea. I always put a dollap of plain yogurt to add some creaminess, of course if you prefer a richer taste, add some whipped cream!

Strawberry crepes flambe fresh berries in a citrus-butter-brandy syrup, then fold them into delicate crepes glazed with the reduced sauce. Showy New Orleans-style dessert ready in 30 minutes.

Luscious double-chocolate cupcakes that are easy to make and very moist. They bake to perfection with a near perfect crumb and sinfully rich chocolaty flavor.

Quick fudgy brownies made with unsweetened chocolate and butter melted in the microwave, with optional marshmallow chocolate frosting. The classic from-scratch fudgy brownie in one bowl.

Almond Brownies: deeply fudgy brownies built on melted chocolate chips with almonds for crunch. Two chocolate hits (melted in batter, folded in whole) for fudgy depth and nutty contrast.

Moravian white Christmas cookies are rich, butter-and-cream rolled cookies cut into fancy shapes. Pennsylvania-Dutch tradition with a crisp snap and tender middle.

Homemade sweet squares, chewy cornstarch-set candy in the style of Turkish delight, flavored with pineapple and cinnamon, dotted with candied fruit, and topped with chocolate candies. A fun treat for kids.