Dessert/9 recipes

Fruit compotes are a typical dessert for a Sabbath meat meal.

Bacardi rum cake made with yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding, pecans, and dark rum, then soaked in a buttery rum syrup. A boozy, sticky bundt cake that's a holiday classic.

Mother's Christmas cheese cakes: cream cheese pastry tartlets with two fillings, one pecan-brown sugar and one coconut-vanilla. A classic holiday cookie tin stalwart.

Triple chocolate mocha cookies layer melted semisweet chocolate, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips with a hit of espresso for deep, fudgy chocolate intensity. Optional toasted pecans add crunch.

Creamy white chocolate cheesecake studded with fresh raspberries on a pecan-cinnamon crust, crowned with a glossy rum-spiked raspberry sauce. A showstopper dessert.

Bolognese sponge cake layered with vanilla custard and rum, frosted in coffee zabaglione buttercream, then crowned with chocolate-dipped almonds and walnut sides. From Il Cantoncino restaurant in Bologna.

Three-layer chocolate caramel bars with a fudgy brownie base, gooey pecan caramel topping, and a lacy semi-sweet chocolate drizzle. Makes 54 bars that store beautifully for 10 days. Think homemade turtle candy in cookie bar form.

Loaded chocolate pecan pie with homemade butter pastry, toasted pecan halves, semi-sweet chips, and unsweetened chocolate in a gooey dark corn syrup filling. A Thanksgiving showstopper.

Mexican mocha pie with a chocolate Kahlua mousse filling, whipped cream, and butter-toasted almonds in a baked pie shell. A no-bake chiffon pie with coffee liqueur and dark chocolate.

Yuletide chocolate chip cookies loaded with candied cherries, currants, pecans, and almonds. A festive holiday cookie with brandy flavoring and warm pumpkin pie spice that ages beautifully in the cookie tin.

Mini almond cheesecakes with a ground almond crust, no-bake cream cheese filling, and fresh peach puree sauce. Light, frozen, and individually portioned.

Fudgy Southern chocolate cake with melted unsweetened chocolate, pecans, and a two-temperature baking method. Dense, rich, and brownie-like with a cocoa-dusted pan for extra chocolate flavor.

Amaretto cheesecake with chocolate wafer-almond crust and tangy sour cream topping. Rich, creamy filling that chills overnight for best flavor.

Cranberry pear crisp with a brown rice base topped with oats, pecans, and coconut. A unique fall dessert with tart cranberries and sweet pears.

Chewy oatmeal raisin cookies built with dark brown sugar and a touch of honey for deep caramel flavor and lasting softness. The classic lunchbox cookie with crisp edges and a soft, raisin-studded center.

Crisp rolled molasses cookies with a full tablespoon each of cinnamon and ginger, dark molasses, lemon extract, and a splash of vinegar for tang. Thin and snappy.