Yeast

"One Saturday morning I came up with this bread recipe, and now my family asks for it all the time," writes Priscilla Unger of Alberta, Canada. "My husband insists on having his first slice while the loaf is still warm from the oven, but I prefer mine toasted and topped with marmalade." The slightly sweet bread is great with butter and preserves.

It's important not to try to halve this recipe. When you need only a half recipe of dough, as for the pains au chocolat, use the rest of the dough for a batch of Parma braids or a princess ring. Or make a double recipe of those irresistible chocolate croissants and share them with friends. One batch of this dough is enough for 24 plain croissants, 32 chocolate croissants, 16 Parma braids, or 2 princess rings.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 3 hr.

Traditional biscuits are so intimidating to novices in part because most recipes require you to make them at the last minute. I wanted to come up with something anyone can do, and this is it. The yeast makes the day! The dough is easy to work with, and both dough and baked biscuit can be made ahead.

A touch of cardamom lends subtle spice to these innovative crescent-shaped rolls.

Our food editors especially liked the unusually soft and light texture of this oatmeal bread.

Rich with chocolate and dried apricots, this dessert is a stately yeast-risen cake that requires no kneading and very little attention. When you set it aside in a warm place, it does much of the work by itself. A large bundt or angel food pan can replace the traditional ornate mold.

Potatoes lend moistness, and caraway seeds and onions--two ingredients favored by German, Scandinavian and Eastern European immigrants--add flavor to these traditionally shaped rolls.

Be sure to bake these breadsticks until they are very crisp.

This recipe was created to accompany Mozzarella, Arugula and Marinated Tomatoes on Focaccia .