Vanilla

To give these cookies a pretty curved shape, drape them over a wooden dowel or the handle of a wooden spoon immediately after removing them from the cookie sheet.

A joint effort by Leigh McLean and Sweet Dreams Bakery in Memphis.

This recipe requires some advance preparation: The yogurt needs to drain for 12 hours. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional sitting time.

Christina has been making these super-easy brownies since she was a teenager.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Mascarpone Cheesecake with Quince Compote .

Sugar cookies are the perfect accompaniment to this colorful finale.

Definitely not Ye Olde English Classic, but very delicious and very contemporary. Using store-bought sponge cake (ask for it at your supermarket bakery) or pound cakes simplifies assembly.

Ginger's peppery flavor is the perfect foil for white chocolate. Here, the ginger is used in several forms, each contributing its own nuance: Crystallized ginger provides texture and a warm bite to the filling, gingersnaps are used for the crust, and ground ginger enhances both crust and filling. Begin making this dessert a day ahead.

You don't have to be in the kitchen at the crack of dawn to prepare a terrific breakfast. In this recipe the French toast is soaked overnight like bread pudding — in the morning all you need to do is add the topping and pop it in the oven. Serve it with coffee, juice, and fresh fruit and you've got a well-rounded way to start the day.

Pear wedges are tossed with brown butter (easily made by melting butter, then keeping it on the heat until golden and nutty) for an especially comforting treat.

This classic southern dessert is very rich and sweet and should be served in small wedges.

A delicious spread that would be perfectly at home with hot tea and warm scones on a winter's day.