22 sweetmeat recipes

Chocolate leaves made by brushing melted chocolate onto real leaves and peeling away once set. An elegant no-bake garnish for cakes, tarts, and plated desserts.

Grilled lamb rib chops with a port and blackberry reduction sauce spiced with cardamom, clove, and jalapeno. An elegant dinner with a sweet-heat berry glaze.

Homemade chocolate walnut cream candies with marshmallow cream, fondant, and heavy cream cooked to the soft ball stage. Old-fashioned candy shop fudge you can make at home.

Poached orange roughy topped with a spiced tomato-orange marmalade sauce with brandy, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne. A light, elegant fish dish with sweet-heat complexity.

Strawberry sauce with grenadine, cinnamon, and a dash of hot sauce blended smooth. A sweet-heat dessert topping inspired by Pittsburgh's Union Grill.

Spicy ginger chicken stir-fry with bell peppers, pineapple chunks, and picante sauce. A sweet-heat skillet dinner with fresh cilantro, ready in 35 minutes.

Pan-seared pork chops glazed with a sweet-tart pineapple ginger pan sauce, topped with a cool watermelon relish spiked with jalapeño and lime. Sweet heat meets smoky crust in 30 minutes.

Florida fruit salsa with fresh mango, pineapple, peaches, dates, and hot salsa blended with cilantro and garlic. A sweet-heat condiment for grilled fish, chicken, or pork.

Spicy green beans glazed with orange juice, brown sugar, and butter with serrano chiles. Marinated for an hour, then simmered into a sweet-heat side dish.

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.

Crispy cumin-spiced corn fritters fried golden and served with a zesty orange marmalade dipping sauce spiked with ginger, mustard, and hot pepper. Sweet heat in every bite.

Fresh papaya salsa with red chili, mint, lime juice, and red bell pepper. A tropical, no-cook salsa with sweet heat. Pairs with grilled fish, tacos, and chips.

Flambed ice cream sauce of buttered green grapes, hot chiles, rum, honey, and warm spices. A sweet-heat dessert topping that takes 20 minutes and shocks the palate awake.

Caramelized banana tossed with golden raisins, cilantro, lemon zest, and Japanese chili spice for a sweet-heat salsa. Ready in under 15 minutes, it pairs with grilled meats and fish.

Reverse chocolate chip cookies flip the classic inside out: a dark chocolate dough studded with white chocolate chunks and chopped macadamia nuts. Rich, fudgy, and loaded with buttery crunch in every bite.

Chocolate mocha mousse: a French-style chocolate mousse with strong coffee, butter, egg yolks, and clouds of whipped cream and stiff egg white. The classic dinner-party finale, made the proper way.