Nothing could be simpler—or better—than this tart. The flavor of the filling is of course entirely dependent on the quality of the chocolate you use, so hang the budget and get the best available—you only need a single pound. We’re fortunate that chocolate now comes labeled with its cocoa content—the actual percentage of ground up roasted cocoa beans in the mixture. For this tart, I would choose any chocolate in the 65 to 70 percent range. More than that might be just a little too bitter. Makes one 10- to 11-inch tart, about 10 servings 1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream 1/4 cup light corn syru ..read more

In Italy, where they make savory pies from almost every vegetable imaginable, kale is a popular choice, especially in Tuscany where it’s known as cavolo nero or black cabbage. Teamed up with pancetta, onion, garlic, ricotta, eggs, and grated pecorino, its slightly bitter flavor is complemented rather than hidden. This is a great solo dish or delicious accompaniment to plain grilled meat or fish. Makes one 9-inch pie, about 8 servings One 9-inch cake pan, 2 inches deep, lined with Olive Oil Dough (below), using two thirds of the dough for the bottom crust and the remaining dough for the top Fi ..read more

This cake was created by the pastry chef Josef Haslinger of Vienna’s fanciest fancy food store, Julius Meinl am Graben, in honor of the beginning of the twenty-first century. It is a rich chocolate nut cake with a chocolate glaze, decorated with gold leaf. This is my version of the cake, not the official recipe from Meinl. One 10-inch round cake, about 12 servings  CAKE BATTER 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 2/3 cup sugar 7 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled 7 large eggs, separated 1 1/3 cups (about 5 1/2 ounces) ground hazelnuts or walnuts 2/3 cup dry ..read more

The traditional French Christmas log exists in many variations of flavor and presentation. I like this one because the chocolate cake and coffee buttercream are not an excessively sweet combination. Also, the marzipan decorations can be prepared well in advance. Makes one 16-inch long rolled cake, about 12 servings One chocolate roll layer (see below)   COFFEE BUTTERCREAM 2 tablespoons dark rum 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder 4 large egg whites 1 cup sugar 1 pound unsalted butter, softened 2 teaspoons vanilla extract   MARZIPAN 8 ounces almond paste 2 cups confectioners’ sugar ..read more

These are fragile and buttery and easy to pipe because the dough is rather firm. The dough is also fine for putting through a cookie press if you have one. These cookies don’t need to be finished off with anything before or after baking, but you can dust them lightly with cocoa powder, sprinkle them with sprinkles, or place a quarter of a candied cherry, an almond slice, or a chocolate chip (flat side up) in the center of each before baking. You can also use a floured fingertip to make a small cavity in the center of each and spoon in some preserves after the cookies have cooled. Makes about ..read more

Brownies are not only easy to prepare, they're really practical for this last week of holiday madness.  Bake a batch today, wrap and freeze them, and thaw, cut and serve for Christmas.  Get ready:  everyone will ask for the recipe. TRUFFLE BROWNIES Makes twenty-four 2-inch square brownies  16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60% to 62% cocoa solids) cut into 1/4-inch  pieces 2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed 1 cup all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off) 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 large eggs 2 teaspo ..read more

Although fig bars are standard American fare, fig-filled cookies are also very traditional in Sicily, where they are called cucidati. I’ve decided to merge the two and make a fig bar that is shaped like the industrially-made one, but has some typical Sicilian seasonings in it for extra flavor. Makes about 30 cookies Filling 1 1/2 pounds dried Calimyrna figs 1 cup water 1/2 cup apricot preserves 1/4 cup dark rum 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves Dough 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off) 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 ..read more

This is so much more practical to prepare and serve than a standard apple pie baked in a sloping sided pie pan. It’s free-standing on a platter for serving and only needs to be cut into wedges, with none of the sometimes destructive digging underneath the bottom crust to extract wedges from the other type of pan. It’s also much more elegant looking than a plain apple pie. I like to use a little flour to thicken the juices of an apple filling such as this one–it’s easy to do (just mix the flour with the sugar) and, unless you use too much, it provides just the slight thickening needed so the j ..read more

The sweet, mellow flavor of Bourbon has a great affinity for chocolate and pecans.  Serve this unadorned cake with a little unsweetened whipped cream or top with the easy chocolate frosting below. Makes one 8-inch cake, 8 to 10 servings 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off) Pinch of salt 5 large eggs 3 tablespoons best-quality Bourbon 1/2 cup turbinado or dark brown sugar 4 1/2 ounces pecan pieces, lightly toasted ..read more

A gateau Breton is a wonderful French cake, very much like a very dense pound cake, and is a specialty of Brittany. This non-traditional version of it adds a layer of a cooked apple filling between layers of the dough. The crust is easy to prepare—you just press it into the pan. For the top crust you’ll need a couple of cake cardboards or tart pan bottoms the same diameter as the pan. My dear friend Stephanie Weaver gave me this recipe close to 30 years ago and I have made it countless times, always to rave reviews. Because the baked dough has a cake-like rather than a crisp texture, it freeze ..read more