Chocolate

These rich and chocolaty treats are great for holiday gift-giving—if you can bring yourself to part with them.

(Dark Chocolate Mousse Pies)

This recipe was created to accompany White Chocolate Cream

A fast and delectable dessert combining purchased toffee candy and two simple sauces loaded with rich flavor.

Ana Garcia of Cuernavaca, Mexico, writes: "My great-grandmother, Josefina, was a highly regarded butcher, and she taught me the communal style of cooking that Mexico is known for. That's one of the reasons I opened my own cooking school, La Villa Bonita — to show others how authentic Mexican cuisine is prepared, as opposed to the usual tacos, burritos, and Tex-Mex dishes. "My husband, Robb, and I also run our own restaurant, Reposado. He insisted that we open the place because he thought my recipes deserved a wider audience. At the restaurant I like to experiment — the menu at Reposado is nouvelle Mexican — but at my cooking school I feature more traditional recipes. Working at both places gives me the chance to show off both cooking styles. " Unlike the classic delicate flans, these are made with condensed milk and cream cheese, which results in a rich texture.

In this dessert, two fillings — a dark mocha ganache and a white chocolate ganache — are swirled together with a small knife for a dramatic effect.

The addition of fresh fruit gives these irresistible sundaes seasonal appeal. The rich creamy sauce is a do-ahead.

Rich with chocolate and dried apricots, this dessert is a stately yeast-risen cake that requires no kneading and very little attention. When you set it aside in a warm place, it does much of the work by itself. A large bundt or angel food pan can replace the traditional ornate mold.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.