Simple Cooking

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

The custard-filled crust can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Wait until just before serving to cut the dessert into bars; if crumbs and filling stick to the knife, wipe the blade clean between slices. Then decorate each bar with whipped cream. If you don’t have a pastry bag, use a resealable plastic bag with a corner cut off.

To achieve the greatest volume, whisk the egg whites in a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water until just warm to the touch.

These spice-laden cookies originated in colonial New England; the candied ginger is our own addition. As the name implies, the bars are best after being hidden away for a day or two, so the flavors have a chance to deepen.

Be sure your kitchen is well ventilated when you soak the New Mexican and guajillo chiles; their vapors can be a mild irritant.

Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Once the palmiers are in the oven, watch them closely, as they may go from a perfect dark golden brown to burned in seconds.

The lined baking sheets can be marked with flour-dipped cookie cutters to help guide you in piping the dough into uniform shapes. (See how-to on page 652.)

These turnovers are a variation on the classic pain au chocolat. For maximum flavor, look for the highest-quality chocolate possible, such as Callebaut, Valrhona, or Scharffen Berger.