Baking

Cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and cloves team up with cocoa in meringues that are layered with chocolate cream. Serve these pastries the same day they are made for a crisp texture, or make them a day ahead for a soft and chewy texture.

Almond "Pound Cake" Panque is apparently a phonetic spelling of "pound cake," though it really isn't very similar. The texture is somewhat more like a sponge cake. My recipe is an adaption of one by Mària Concepción Portillo de Carballido.

An impressive-looking layer cake with great flavor—and lots of room for candles.

Velvety frosting and tender cake make this dessert rich and indulgent enough for any special occasion, any time of year.

As these little chocolate-dipped cookies bake, they fall and spread somewhat, so they won't be as tall as when first piped onto the baking sheets.

Brandysnaps are popular in Scotland, and lemon curd is a British fixture. Here is a double treat of lemon curd: Some goes into the ice cream; the rest is offered as a sauce.

France's classic layered dessert of puff pastry, pastry cream and icing fell out of favor for a while, but it recently experienced a revival. This contemporary version features phyllo instead of puff pastry, an espresso-flavored pastry cream and bananas, which were used in many treats in 1997.

(Onion, Anchovy, and Olive Tarts)

You might wonder why we freeze the chocolate filling for these charlottes before baking them. The coldness prevents the chocolate from overcooking in the oven.

Adapted from Pierre Gagnaire The French, who invented soufflés, understand that the whole point is that everything that rises falls. Soufflés should not be overcooked; they should be slightly creamy in the middle.