9 timbale recipes

Crispy, lacy fried pastry cups made with a timbale iron and a simple batter of flour, egg, and milk. Fill them sweet or savory for an elegant presentation that looks way harder than it is.

Individual baked corn custards with green onions and a crispy Parmesan breadcrumb topping. Scaled for two, low-calorie, and elegant enough for a dinner party side.

Fish timbales made with pureed cod or halibut, eggs, and nutmeg, baked in a water bath and served with a creamy curry sauce. An elegant seafood dinner from classic French technique.

Classic baked salmon timbales with olives, tarragon, and a tomato-tinted Mornay sauce. Retro custard-cup fish bakes that unmold neatly for a proper dinner party.

Can't make up your mind how fancy to get? Here are 2 presentations of this tasty squash--one homey and one for "dress-up".

Broccoli custard timbales baked in a water bath, topped with homemade hollandaise sauce. Elegant French vegetable side dish ready in 30 minutes for two.

Vegetarian saffron rice timbales stuffed with spicy black beans and topped with fresh avocado-tomato salsa. A stunning three-component plant-based main dish.

An elegant vegetarian plate of couscous, basmati rice, and quinoa timbales served over a silky roasted sweet corn coulis. Restaurant-worthy presentation for a dinner party grain course.

A no-bake chocolate mint cheesecake made with cream cheese, Vandermint liqueur, and chocolate pudding mix in a chocolate crumb crust. Five ingredients, zero oven time, all indulgence.