15 leaven recipes

Homemade naan with a yogurt-leavened dough, no yeast required. Cooked on a cast-iron skillet then finished under the broiler for charred spots and puffed bubbles. Makes 9 pieces.

Traditional German rye sourdough starter (Sauerteig): a three-phase rye flour and water leaven built over 3 days for authentic German rye bread baking. Maintainable and long-keeping.

Heavenly hash candy made with unsweetened chocolate, cream, marshmallows, roasted almonds, and pecans boiled to soft ball stage. A vintage chocolate fudge-style confection cut into squares.

Heavenly sauce folds egg yolks and powdered sugar into whipped cream with dried figs, toasted almonds, and crystallized ginger. A no-cook dessert topping for ice cream or cake.

Baked bananas layered with cinnamon cream cheese and heavy cream, sauteed in butter first for caramelized edges. A warm, creamy banana dessert with just 6 ingredients.

Himmel und Erde (Heaven and Earth) layers German blood sausage with sweet apple compote, mashed potatoes, and fried onions. A traditional Rhineland comfort dish.

Two-ingredient chocolate ganache made with milk chocolate and cream. Serve as a rich truffle base with optional raspberry sauce and swirled chocolate bark garnish.

Rhubarb heavenly hash layers tart rhubarb sauce, sweet whipped cream, mini marshmallows, and toasted almonds in a parfait-style chilled dessert. A no-bake spring sweet that comes together in 15 minutes.

Chocolate rice pudding made with Mexican chocolate, cinnamon, and vanilla, set with gelatin and layered with Kahlua-spiked whipped cream. A rich Mexican-inspired dessert.

Baked apples and pears layered with buttered cake and topped with a peaked meringue. A classic British fruit dessert with warm spice and lemon.

Homemade cat food with canned sardines, cooked rice, minced liver, and parsley. A simple 4-ingredient recipe your cat will love, ready in 5 minutes with no cooking required.

Soft chocolate oatmeal cookies made with cocoa, yogurt, and chocolate extract instead of butter. Low-fat, slightly puffy, and rich in chocolate flavor without the guilt.

Frozen angel food cake layered with frozen yogurt and frosted in whipped topping, then garnished with fresh fruit. A light, easy ice-cream-style cake you can customize to any yogurt flavor.

Chocolate banana creme log with sliced banana layered with sweetened ricotta, drizzled with chocolate syrup, and topped with shredded coconut. A no-bake single-serving dessert in 10 minutes.

Lemon pie with a crisp baked meringue crust, lemon curd filling, and sweetened whipped cream topping. A no-pastry dessert that's light, tangy, and completely gluten-free with a cloud-like meringue shell.