Chocolate

A dessert worthy of the finest steak houses in Chicago, Denver or New York. White chocolate and milk chocolate filling and a bittersweet chocolate frosting give a sophisticated spin to an American favorite.

(Coffee Custards)

Here's a rich treat that's filled with creamy chocolate ganache and garnished with ripe strawberries.

A joint effort by Leigh McLean and Sweet Dreams Bakery in Memphis.

Here's an updated version of the ice cream pie — a dessert popular in America for years. It has a parfait filling instead of ice cream and is assembled in a springform pan. The familiar cookie crust and fudgy topping are still part of the recipe, but the dessert is now sophisticated enough for company.

Chocolate lovers will be in heaven when they taste these ultra-moist treats. The marbled topping works on most bar cookies.

This dessert, prominent in the window of virtually every Paris pastry shop, is a true classic. The puff pastry rounds are usually filled with an almond mixture, but my version features hazelnuts and chocolate. Purchased pastry makes it approachable for the modern cook. Since it reheats nicely, the Pithiviers can be made ahead.

This Italian version of fruitcake is dense, chewy and candy-like. Wrap it in brightly colored cellophane for giving.

Set the truffles in paper or silver-foil candy cups, and offer them in baskets wrapped in clear cellophane and tied with raffia and pinecones. If you prefer, coat the truffles in 12 ounces of melted bittersweet chocolate instead of white chocolate.

Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings for a lovely presentation.

Freezing the rugelach before baking helps the cookies maintain their shape. For gift giving, layer them between sheets of waxed paper and arrange in tins lined with colorful cellophane or tissue paper.

Christina has been making these super-easy brownies since she was a teenager.