Chocolate

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 25 min

These delectable treats can be kept in the freezer for up to one month. They're great to have on hand for snacks or for serving to unexpected company.

Active time: 45 minutes Start to finish: 5 hours

We call for English-style bitter orange marmalade (made with Seville oranges and often called Dundee) because other types made the ice cream too sweet and too soft. It's available at specialty foods shops and some supermarkets. This recipe makes about a dozen more florentines than you'll need for the sandwiches, but it's a good idea to have extra in case one or two break — and the cookies are delicious even without the ice cream. Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 7 hr (includes freezing)

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Two ultimate comfort foods — ice cream and hot fudge — team up in an exceptional all-American dessert. (And, yes, the hot fudge sauce gets chewy when it hits the ice cream.)

This decadent dessert is even better made a day ahead, so the flavors can mellow overnight in the refrigerator.

White chocolate plus dark chocolate equals the ultimate combination. Here's a dessert sandwich of white and dark chocolate hearts filled with luscious chocolate mousse. Keep the hearts cold as you work with them (and until serving) to prevent breakage.

Purchased pound cake is sliced and toasted or grilled, then dressed up with a luscious chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream.

This dessert comes from Boulevard restaurant in San Francisco, California. The pastry chef, Karen Shaw, created the treat.

The espresso-flavored cream puff pastry and fluffy coffee and chocolate custard filling vary from the traditional plain pastry and praline buttercream. Delicious on its own, this is even better with the chocolate caramel sauce.

A bourbon-laced cream filling and rich chocolate glaze turn the classic layer cake into something really special.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.