Coconut

Intense chocolate flavor accented with orange highlights this lovely layer cake.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Begin preparing this a day before serving.

The coconut tuiles (cookies) that go into this layered dessert (left) are delicate, so the recipe provides for quite a few extras to allow for breakage. Tuiles are also terrific with ice cream. The syrup gets an interesting (and delicious) kick from nontraditional dessert ingredients like black peppercorns and a jalapeño chili.

These cookies travel well and sustain travelers well, too.

When our executive food editor was a little girl, she liked the Christmas cookies at her best friend Allyson's house better than any others. Mrs. Kolbert, whose recipe this is, was apparently the author of much goodness in this world, as it was she who first introduced Allyson's parents to each other.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Here's proof that an elegant dessert does not have to take hours to make. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Try these for both dessert and breakfast. They're great with their pan juices or the Apple Custard Sauce.

Dried cherries and apricots highlight this impressive version of a southern classic.