Cocoa

This recipe is used to prepare Chocolate Orange Dobostorte.

This cake is good sprinkled with powdered sugar or topped with vanilla frosting.

To make the very thin layers for this torte, the batter is spread on inverted cake pans. It is important that the batter be spread evenly and that the layers not be overbaked. (Do not use dark metal or non-stick pans.)

(BONET) This Piedmont specialty is made with two of the region's best-known products: chocolate and amaretti cookies. Begin preparing the dessert a day before serving. A slightly sparkling, floral and fruity Moscato d'Asti would complement it beautifully.

Sue Shadley of Indianapolis, Indiana, says that the biscotti from The Bakehouse in Bloomington are addictive. These can be baked three weeks ahead and frozen, making them an ideal Christmas gift.

A thick layer of pure white chocolate truffle separates the amaretto-brushed layers, and a bit more truffle filling is used to flavor the whipped cream icing.

This recipe originally accompanied Chocolate Mint Layer Cake .

Spice Cookies Rice paper is traditionally used in this recipe, but is not essential. You can bake these cookies on buttered baking sheets instead.

An updated version of Scottish shortbread.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

(Baked in a Tart Pan) For people who find even my less sweet Pecan Pie too sweet, or who are hopeless chocolate lovers, this is the answer. Cocoa perfectly tempers the sweetness of the filling and adds a full chocolate flavor that goes so well with pecans. If correctly baked, the filling, when cut, is soft and slightly molten. The surface of the pie is unusually appealing. Unlike the regular pecan pie where you can see clearly the shape of each nut, this filling cloaks the nuts with a dark milk-chocolaty glisten so you can just make out their shape.

Known as biscuits in the United Kingdom, these rich treats get their chewy-crunchy texture from Scottish pinhead (steel-cut) oats. For a more tender cookie, use old-fashioned oats.

Depending on the size and shape of your waffle pan, the yield for this recipe will vary. Freeze extra waffles to enjoy later. Karen Barker makes her own chocolate sauce and chocolate chip ice cream with cherries.

Named for the "muddy" Mississippi River, this is a dark and rich chocolate cake.

These cakes are actually better made ahead. They become richer and fudgier one to two days after baking.

Melissa Harden of Omaha, Nebraska, writes: "To celebrate our recent engagement, my fiancé and I spent a long weekend at the Mondrian in Los Angeles. Our stay was perfect, as was dinner at the hotel's Asia de Cuba restaurant, where I couldn't get enough of the rich Cuban Opera cake." A traditional Opera cake is made from very thin layers of cake, coffee buttercream, and coffee mousse — all covered with chocolate glaze. This version, which is perfect for a special occasion, is taller than your average Opera cake, owing to its thicker layers.