Candy Thermometer

A buttery crust is topped with caramel, then a layer of chocolate ganache. The recipe is Granger's take on a traditional Australian dessert. "I used to buy a version of this at school fairs," he says.

The sugared herb sprig is a super-easy, sophisticated garnish.

This sophisticated dessert makes the most of contrasting textures. The subtle floral flavor of wildflower honey connects all of the components.

This recipe is an accompaniment for <epi:recipelink id="230635">Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce, Creamed Spinach, and Truffled French Fries</epi:recipelink>. You'll need a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil.

Here, sliced fresh peaches and a rich brown sugar caramel sauce accent scoops of ginger-flavored frozen mousse. Margarita glasses make terrific sundae dishes.

(Caramel Walnut Fudge Bars)

Fudge is a holiday favorite throughout the South — some versions are creamy and others are granular. This recipe makes a deliciously dense, grainy fudge.

The fudge in the following recipe, with its unusually creamy texture, is too soft to serve at room temperature. It must be served chilled.

This recipe is used to prepare Chocolate Orange Dobostorte.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

To prevent fingerprints or smudges, wear thin cotton gloves* while handling the eggs.

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.)

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Wonton wrappers are used for these samosas instead of traditional pastry dough. Betelnut Pejiu Wu in San Francisco serves them with a tropical chutney.