Snack

You'll be happy that these are generously sized, and that the recipe will leave you with a few extras. Tender textured, with an oozing cheese center, they're sure to be devoured before the frying oil has had a chance to cool down.

Far from being little more than crisp vehicles for the prosciutto , these have the flavor of a freshly baked olive-oil bread.

You'll reach for this recipe again and again for its stunning simplicity and for how well it works with any aperitif. Roasting the hazelnuts in the oven results in a deep nuttiness, which is then brought firmly into the savory realm with a sprinkling of salt and thyme.

Editor's note: Isaac Mizrahi shared his recipe for Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream exclusively with Epicurious. To read more about Mizrahi and take a peek inside his kitchen, click here. This classic ice cream is made more interesting by using a combination of bittersweet and semisweet chocolate chunks. Be sure to dry the mint leaves well; any water left clinging to the leaves will affect the texture of the finished dish.

Studies show that sweeter-than-sugar honey has disease-fighting antioxidants. It also makes Bonaparte's unique dessert bee-licious!

Sparkling cider, rather than sugar, gives our batter its touch of sweetness. The cider also ramps up the apple flavor and adds to the beignets' lovely golden hue.

Serve these handheld pies alone or with applesauce, mustard, or roasted apples.

This is a wonderfully easy cake with flavors for which Piemonte is known. The best hazelnuts in Piemonte are called tonda gentile delle Langhe—the “gentle round one of the Langhe”—and with a bit of chocolate, you have the match made famous in Torino, gianduja. I love this torte for its versatility as well. I serve it simply with powdered sugar or whipped cream, or you can flank it with a scoop of chocolate ice cream or give it a drizzle of warm chocolate sauce. In Piemonte, I’ve had the torte with zabaglione—and if you turn to page 156, you’ll find a perfect partner in Zabaglione al Caffe` Nero.

Moist spice cake layered with cream cheese frosting adds up to one irresistible autumn treat.

Leftover caramel will keep for a week in the fridge; rewarm it and serve over ice cream.

Look for a dark honey, such as forest honey, which is available at specialty foods stores and from kalustyans.com. WHAT TO DRINK: Try the 2004 Château Grillon, a delicious Sauternes that won't break the bank (France, $19 for 375 ml).

This rich dough takes a couple of hours to rise—just set it aside and forget about it.

In this free-form tart, the filling is mounded in the center of the pastry and the edges are simply folded up around it.

The tiny florets here are made from peach, pear, and guava nectar, but you can use any fruit juice you like except pineapple, kiwi, and papaya, which won't gel properly.

These classic candies (called sweetmeats by the British) look sinful but are little more than dried apricots, figs, and plums dusted with nuts, cocoa, or sugar.