Almond Flour

Sometimes the oddest-sounding things are the most mind-blowing. Case in point: this savory, crunchy, juicy, sugary sundae.

Totally decadent. Naturally gluten-free.

Moist, marzipan-y mini cakes win weeknight desserts, afternoon snacks, and weekend picnics.

When we opted to cut out grains from our diet, one of the hardest things to give up was, strangely enough, stuffing-the kind you eat with Thanksgiving dinner. Most stuffing is made with bread crumbs, and that just wouldn't do. So Ryan put a lot of effort into developing and testing more nutritious alternatives, and eventually came up with this-a delicious and more-than-satisfying substitute. When they taste it for the first time, many people want to know his secret. They're shocked when he tells them it's omitting the bread crumbs. But there's no denying this dish tastes like the real deal, and it's more filling (so it involves less actual stuffing of the face!). It pairs nicely with any poultry, so there's no need to wait until Thanksgiving to make it. Try it with our Sweet Cherry Sauce for an extra decadent side.

A combination of brown rice flour, almond flour, and arrowroot replaces wheat flour in these delicious gluten-free muffins. The flavors of orange, coconut, and almond blend nicely here, with maple syrup adding a subtle back note of sweetness. Serve these for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack.

Make this stunning flourless pink and green cake for Passover or to end any and every spring celebration.

These decadent silver dollar-style pancakes are inspired by the classic British banoffee pie but are completely free from refined sugars—and they're gluten-free to boot. Sticky and sweet dried dates are soaked in hot water and blended to create the luxurious toffee-like "caramel." If you're feeling extra indulgent, whip up a batch of Coconut Whipped Cream to go on top.

Rich, sweet, moist and yet completely free from flour and refined sugar, this Italian lemon and almond cake is a great way to end a meal. It is technically a cheesecake, but has very little in common with the heavy American versions. In Italy, most delis have their own version of ricotta. The most delicious one is made from sheep's milk–try it in this recipe, if you can find it. We often prepare the cake a day in advance. It makes it even creamier and enhances the flavors.

There are many stories about the origins of this cake, known as both Clichy cake and Opéra cake. Many believe that Louis Clichy was its creator because he premiered the gâteau, with his name written across the top, at the 1903 Exposition Culinaire in Paris. It became the signature cake of Clichy's shop on the Boulevard Beaumarchais. However, another pastry shop, Dalloyau, sold a very similar dessert, known as L'Opéra (in honor of the Paris Opera), and some claim that theirs was the original.

If you can find candied chestnuts, simply toss them in the cocoa with one tablespoon of brown sugar (no need to glaze them first).

I'm glad I'm no longer addicted to pastries, but to be honest, I still feel an occasional twinge of nostalgia for scones—tender and crusty, with just a touch of fruity sweetness. My husband's to blame for this grain-free recipe; after trying one of his scones, I had to banish the rest from the house, fearing I'd eat the entire batch in one sitting. (Of course, since then, I haven't been able to stop thinking about them. Argh.)

For a moist cake, be sure to use finely ground polenta labeled "quick-cooking" or "instant"; cooking times listed on the package will be five minutes or less.

Here's another dessert that was inspired by a wine-tasting dinner. It's often hard to come up with a dessert that pairs well with wine, but this savory-sweet dessert does. At its center is a Seckel pear, a small, reddish pear with a slightly spicy flavor. It has a firm flesh that makes it perfect for poaching. In this dessert I poach the pears in pomegranate juice with some ground black pepper. A chunk of Cabrales cheese, a strong blue cheese from northern Spain, is sandwiched between the top and bottom halves of the pear, and a Szechuan Ice Cream is served with it, sitting on a diamond of baked almond cream.

Jumbo shrimp. Airline food. Boneless ribs. Fuzzy logic. Some words just don't seem to belong together. I'm betting you'd say healthy brownie falls into that category. Au contraire! How do I know that isn't the case? Because there was a lot of "yumming" in my kitchen as a gaggle of brownie aficionados devoured these. Refined white sugar out; Grade B maple syrup in. See ya white flour; hello almond flour and brown rice flour. Fare-thee-well butter; come-on-down olive oil! Add dark chocolate, walnuts, and cinnamon, and the result is a decadent culinary oxymoron for the ages.

Nadine Levy Redzepi created this incredibly rich, moist cake. "Fat with fat—what could be better?" asks her husband. Serve it for dessert or with coffee or tea for breakfast.

These are like the best Pop- Tarts you've ever had. Raspberry jam is traditional, but try any fruit preserve.

Finely ground black sesame seeds create a deeply flavored and dramatically hued cake.

This is a cross between a cookie and a crostata. Orange marmalade is one of the only fruit tart fillings that we don’t make from scratch because there are so many good versions of orange marmalade available in stores. Almond meal is available in the baking section of specialty food stores. If you can’t find it, grind fresh almonds in a food processor with a small amount of confectioners’ sugar until the almonds are the texture of fine meal. You will need a 3 1/4-inch round cookie cutter to make these.