Electric Mixer

An elegant finale to the meal; the cake has a light texture, and the filling provides great pumpkin flavor with a hint of orange. Pour a late-harvest Sémillon with dessert.

Dark chocolate, light chocolate and coffee fillings alternate with nut meringue layers, and dark chocolate ganache covers the whole torte. This is an irresistible version of the traditional Parisian dessert.

If you can't find sorghum syrup, a combination of honey and molasses works nicely.

We recommend tempering the chocolate used for coating the patties, as it will result in glossier, firmer shells. Experiment with your favorite cookie cutters to create original patty shapes.

At the Rob Roy Room of the Banff Springs Hotel at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, this delicious mousse comes in an elegant cookie basket.

The coffee in this cake may be replaced with a sweet fruit liqueur or with orange juice.

Though similar in texture to a flourless chocolate cake, the addition of poppy seeds makes this torte delightfully different.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

If making these cupcakes for a large crowd, do not double the recipe but make multiple batches.

New York cheesecake is dressed up for the holidays with bright cranberry topping, white chocolate in the filling and a hazelnut crust. The cake can be prepared up to two days ahead.

Perhaps the year's most popular dessert: the chocolate soufflé cake with a rich molten center. Cinnamon, espresso and vanilla give the cakes a Mexican accent.

Indulge yourself even more by mixing some toasted coconut (the sweetened, shredded kind) and a dash of coconut extract into vanilla ice cream, and scooping it alongside.