We’ve seen a lot of techniques over the years — and written a lot of pressure-cooker cheesecake recipes, too — and we can tell you we heartily don’t get why people tend to overcomplicate what can be a fairly simple process for a rich, mousse-like (not New York–style) cheesecake.
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Nigella Lawson’s Emergency Brownies
This is for those times you urgently need a brownie, but don’t want to make – or, rather, can’t justify making – a whole batch.
Kentucky Bourbon Balls
My version of the candy classic tastes just enough of delicious bourbon without it feeling like you’ve done a shot when you pop it in your mouth. A little sorghum syrup brings out the earthiness of the pecans and bourbon. For a true indulgence, I like to dip these in milk chocolate, but you can use bittersweet for a more sophisticated edge, or a combo of both.
Lemon Ricotta Cake with Sweetened Whipped Cream and Berries
Because there’s not much flour in this batter, the crumb is chewy, sort of like a cross between a custard pie and a buttery cake. The cake is very thin but a good platform for the whipped cream and berries.
Gluten-Free Coffee Cake with Almond-Butter Crunch
There’s no reason to feel deprived if you’re doing without gluten—or if you know someone who is. It’s got a sturdy, toothy texture and intense, surprisingly “grainy” flavor. It’s also got both a buttery almond topping and a tart lemon glaze over that for the joy of sheer excess.
Julia Turshen’s Angel Food Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce
Julia Turshen considers baking, packing, and sharing this bread pudding “a tangible way to give back to [her] community.” We consider it the ultimate comfort dessert. Tripled, it feeds 60!
