Pudding

Lewis Rossman of Half Moon Bay, California, writes: "I'm a chef, and Mediterranean is probably the best way to describe the kind of cooking I do at my restaurant, Cetrella. There's an emphasis on seafood, plus several dishes inspired by places I've visited like Provence and Catalonia. This is one of my favorite recipes from the menu. It also happens to be the thing I make at home all the time."

Commonly served for breakfast in parts of Southeast Asia, this dish also makes a great dessert. Chinese black rice, sometimes called forbidden rice, works well, but if you live near a Southeast Asian market you can use this same method with the more traditional Thai black sticky rice. If you can't find any kind of black rice, substitute brown rice (not quick-cooking) — it will result in a thicker, light-colored pudding but will still be delicious.

These tender individual treats are like a cross between a molten chocolate cake and a steamed pudding. The cinnamon gives them a warm, deep scent, which you can intensify by serving them with purchased cinnamon or ginger ice cream in place of the whipped cream.

Que delicioso! A Spanish makeover for this simple pudding creates an elegant dessert for any fiesta.

These luxurious little desserts are like gooey flourless chocolate pudding cakes.

When leading ladies such as Christina Applegate and Kate Hudson crave a facial followed by some light fare, they venture to this day-spa-cum-café. Kinara's menu is slightly more indulgent than standard spa cuisine, featuring a cheese plate, steak, Champagne, and dessert. Of course, this treat does more than satisfy your sweet tooth — all the fruit in it made the USDA's list of the top 20 antioxidant-rich foods.

If you're using reactive metal molds for your panna cottas, make sure there are no rust spots — the acid in the buttermilk and the fruit will react to the exposed rust and cause the panna cotta to discolor. We had the best luck with molds made of nonreactive materials such as stainless steel, glass, and ceramic.

Don't be concerned if the pudding cracks a bit when you invert it onto the plate; it will taste just as good.

The creamiest, most intense chocolate pudding you'll ever taste.

If you are also making the duck pozole , prepare this dessert while the stew simmers.

Hachiya persimmon puree flavors the pudding; using arborio (the starchy, short-grained risotto rice) gives it an especially tender, creamy texture.

Elise McBryde of Stamford, Connecticut, writes: "I would love to have the recipe for the Valrhona chocolate pudding served at the City Limits Diner, in Stamford, Connecticut."

Serve as dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or on its own as a wonderful brunch dish.