Espresso

This cool Italian dessert is the perfect conclusion to a pasta dinner.

These individual soft-centered cakes are baked and served in ovenproof mugs. (As an alternative, eight-ounce ramekins or soufflé dishes can be used.)

Because they contain so little flour, these cookies have a chewy, brownie-like texture.

In 1897, the Sears catalog offered its customers a treat called brownies. No one seems to remember whether they were bar cookies or a chocolate confection named after a popular cartoon character. No matter; by the 1900s the brownie as we now know it had arrived. The recipe for these dense, moist brownies is from Heather Ho, pastry chef at Boulevard in San Francisco.

A simplified version of the classic Italian dessert, this looks lovely served in parfait glasses for a change. The recipe features pound cake and cream cheese instead of the traditional (but harder-to-find) ladyfingers and mascarpone cheese.

"My cousin and I had a delicious chocolate cake at Watershed, a restaurant in nearby Decatur," writes Joyce Jue of Atlanta, Georgia. "I'd appreciate your getting the recipe so I can learn to make it."

Purchased coffee ice cream is topped with a cinnamon-scented chocolate sauce that can be made three days ahead.

You might be tempted to bake 2 sheets of bars at a time in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Don't give in to this urge—they must go in the middle of the oven to cook through and brown evenly.

Dark chocolate, light chocolate and coffee fillings alternate with nut meringue layers, and dark chocolate ganache covers the whole torte. This is an irresistible version of the traditional Parisian dessert.

Cocoa, espresso and orange add a sophisticated note to a classic pecan pie.

(GELATO AL CAFFE) This gelato is an all-time favorite.

For added color in this luscious custard dessert, the chef outlines the plate with sauce of pureed raspberries.

Strawberry shortcake meets the ice cream sundae: what a match. The rich and easy-to-make Fudge Sauce called for here is also used in the Chocolate-Hazelnut Waffles.

These are one of my signature cookies. They taste like miniature brownies — but oh, the texture! They're reminiscent of a meringue, with a soft, chewy, fudgy center and a crisp exterior that crackles appealingly. Since these cookies are smaller and less dense, they have an elegance that brownies lack. And they don't require the same commitment as a big, gooey bar. I can never eat just one of these. They are also a particular favorite of Gramercy Tavern owner Danny Meyer, who can't eat just one, either!

Using stencils to add powdered sugar designs is a great way to dress up the treats.