Chocolate

An old-fashioned layer cake topped with a lusciously sticky icing.

It's the extra chocolate that enriches and elevates this dessert from the simple to the sublime. And it takes about 2 minutes longer to prepare than pudding from a boxed mix. What a difference 2 minutes makes.

Cheese fondue originated in Switzerland, but chocolate fondue was a New World recipe created in 1964 by Konrad Egli, a Swiss-born chef working at New York's Chalet Swiss restaurant. Zurich's Toblerone chocolate works well in the dish, because its honey-nougat blend echoes the honey and almond flavoring that are also in the recipe.

A version of the southern classic; this one has a fudgy texture.

A big finish for a big celebration dinner.

With some warm corn bread, this chili is a meal in itself. You wouldn't know there was chocolate in the recipe, but it adds a subtle depth of flavor to the dish.

Grand Marnier and grated orange peel add a touch of elegance to this simple indulgence. Prepare the fondue just before serving, and keep it warm while dipping so that it will remain smooth. Use a traditional fondue pot, or place the pan of the fondue on an electric hot plate. Either way, be sure the heat is low; too much heat will cause the chocolate to burn. Angel food cake, pound cake and a variety of fresh and dried fruits make great accompaniments.

Just like some Mexican moles, this chili has a bit of chocolate in it. Serve sour cream and shredded sharp cheddar cheese alongside.

Chef Christian Thornton serves the cake with caramel ginger ice cream and a berry compote, but for the home cook he suggests an infinitely easier ginger whipped cream: Beat 2 cups chilled heavy cream to soft peaks and fold in 1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger. Its airy softness tempers the intensity of the rich chocolate.

In 1897, the Sears catalog offered its customers a treat called brownies. No one seems to remember whether they were bar cookies or a chocolate confection named after a popular cartoon character. No matter; by the 1900s the brownie as we now know it had arrived. The recipe for these dense, moist brownies is from Heather Ho, pastry chef at Boulevard in San Francisco.

The sophisticated chocolates are deceptively easy to make and are particularly nice with coffee (and Cognac) after a special meal.

"My mother makes the most delicious chocolate caramel graham crackers," writes Barbara Walt Gustin of Kalamazoo, Michigan. "Everyone who tries them goes wild. They're so easy to make that the recipe gets passed on and on." Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 1 hr

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For kids of all ages, this dessert is dense and chocolaty, and comes in a cute package. When was the last time you had a cupcake with chocolate sprinkles on top?

Wheatmeal crackers (sometimes called digestive biscuits) have a flavor similar to graham crackers. For this particular recipe, we prefer Carr's brand wheatmeal crackers, which are available at supermarkets and labeled as "whole wheat crackers." (Don't use Carr's Wheatolos, which are a bit too sweet.) Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 9 3/4 hr (includes chilling)

Everything's ready: The pumpkin is carved, the costumes are made, and the front yard is looking absolutely frightful. All that's missing from this Halloween scene is something sweet—for the kids, of course. How about caramel apples? You could make them, and then the kids could help with the decorating. That would be a great way to introduce them to one of your childhood favorites. After all, you’re much too mature these days to take a big, sticky bite out of a succulently sweet caramel apple, but the kids will devour them. And at least they’ll be eating apples — even if they are coated with delicious caramel, and even if they are decorated with chocolate and nuts and sprinkles. Our resident candy expert and senior food editor, Sarah Tenaglia, developed an easy recipe for the caramel, and she outlined straightforward steps to follow while making it. She also came up with all sorts of decorating ideas. Perfect. Now you have everything you need for Halloween — for the kids, of course. Making the caramel requires the use of a clip-on candy thermometer, which should be tested for accuracy before starting. Attach it to the side of a medium saucepan of water, and boil the water for three minutes. The thermometer should register 212°F; if it doesn’t, take the difference into account when reading the temperature.

There's a hint of cinnamon in the chocolate filling and the whipped cream topping.