Grand Marnier

Soufflés bring to mind fancy French restaurants, special occasions, and loads of calories. Why wait for a special occasion when you can whip up these incredibly light and delicate soufflés at home and save tons of calories? The Grand Marnier sauce is a must. For a richer sauce, you can use a half cup of evaporated skim milk and an equal amount of heavy cream.

Warm caramelized plums are delicious paired with cool and creamy mascarpone. You can also cook the plums under a broiler for about 10 minutes or on a tabletop grill for 5 minutes.

Here’s another recipe in which just a few ingredients come together to make a big, big impression. It’s not as dense as the name suggests, because the beaten egg whites lighten it up considerably, as do the crumbled cookies. Think of this next time you’re looking for an unusual birthday cake; with its layer of marmalade and crumbled cookie topping it’s elegant enough for any important occasion.

What can I say, girlfriends? It is not uncommon for my husband to serve me mimosas, along with breakfast in bed, on a Sunday morning. You think he’s looking for something in return? I figure we work hard all week and he’s just treating me special. I tell you what, though: Nothing kicks off a lazy, loving Sunday like a sip of bubbles. We make these drinks one at a time, allowing the shifting strawberries to mix the drink as you sip, but you could also combine the ingredients in a large serving pitcher.

Gina: I love a little bit of whimsy, and what better time for that than when you are kicking back with your man enjoying a cocktail? I didn’t think Pat would be too keen on sipping a pink drink, so I made his bright blue. Both variations are potent and delish, so just pick the flavor (or color) that suits your mood (or matches your shoes or your handbag . . .).

The original Soufflé Rothschild, created for James Rothschild by Antonin Carême, was a baked soufflé embellished with gold leaf. Since then, there have been all kinds of “Rothschild” soufflés, salads, and other dishes— the name is used to denote extravagance or richness. This frozen soufflé Rothschild was conceived by the famous pastry chef Gaston Le Nôtre, for a grand dinner at the home of one of the Rothschilds. It was served to me at a dinner party in Paris, and is one of the most delicious desserts I have ever tasted. Neither an ice cream nor a sorbet, it is technically a bavaroise glacée, a frozen parfait based on eggs and cream. The best part of this recipe is that it is quite quick to make. Just watch— your guests will sneak back for seconds and thirds!

I make this for a holiday dinner or when I'm planning to have a large group of friend and family over. The outside of the turkey is encrusted with a baked-on pepper rub. Inside, the meat is juicy and tender.

These little crescents are gone in a couple of bites and can be surprisingly addictive. Their cinnamon sugar coating reminds me of churros, the deep-fried, cinnamon-sugar-coated lengths of sweet dough so popular in Mexico and in my own home state. For a dramatic buffet presentation set them on a tiered dessert tray along with Pequeño Chocolate-Pecan Tartlets (page 166) and Chubby’s White Pralines (page 168).

In the early 1990s we hired a chef who loved to bake, and he came up with this pie. It became an instant classic. The fruit is only lightly sweetened, and its tartness combined with the sugar-crumb topping is a perfect pairing. Served warm with vanilla ice cream, it's heavenly. If you use frozen berries, increase them by 1/2 cup each and defrost slightly before tossing with the other ingredients.

Orange-flavored liqueur and orange peel add a citrusy note to this very tender cake. Candied blood oranges keep the citrus theme going—and make for a lovely garnish.

French pastry chefs dedicated this classic dessert to the Russian royal family. In this version, Grand Marnier-soaked berries are served with a tangy homemade ice cream (in place of the usual whipped cream). If you'd like, serve some sweet, crisp cookies alongside.