Walnut

"While my sister was visiting me, we had dinner at Asher Restaurant in nearby Roswell," writes Terry Taylor of Suwanee, Georgia. "She loved the meal — the rhubarb crisp with buttermilk ice cream in particular. I'd love to surprise her by making this dessert the next time she's in town."

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The apple-essence syrup is brushed over the cake to infuse it with flavor and make it extra-moist. If you prefer, substitute apple cider for the brandy.

A great cocktail snack to have on hand, these will keep for a week before serving.

Adding fleur de sel at the end transforms this tart into a delicious cross between a cheese course and dessert.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

You can serve this dish—a cheese and fruit course in one—in lieu of dessert. Half a pear with some greens also makes a nice first course or light brunch.

Type: Drop cookie
Habitat: United States
Description: These are my first-ever memorized recipe, which I make again and again. These are easy and quick to make and combine sweet, crunchy vanilla-scented meringue with toasted walnuts and dark chocolate morsels.
Field Notes: My mom found this recipe in a church cookbook, where they were called Surprise Meringues. The surprise is that you only see a hint of the chocolate and nuts inside the cookie; when you bite into them, there is an explosion of flavor and textures.
Lifespan: 2 weeks at room temperature in airtight container.

A crunchy and colorful salad with a lively dressing. Pomegranate juice and pomegranate seeds can be substituted for the cranberry juice concentrate and cranberries.

This is a free-form tart with a crisp flaky crust topped with crunchy walnuts and sweet/tart cranberries. It is easy to make and an attractive dessert on a holiday table. Serve the galette with crème anglaise or vanilla ice cream.

Colorful bits of cranberries, walnuts, and pistachios make these simple cookies sparkle for the holidays.