Christmas

A simmer and soak in sugar syrup glazes kumquats and liquifies their interiors so they taste like delicious shots of marmalade.

All of the elements for this elegant last course can be prepped at least two days ahead; assemble just before eating for the ultimate, light-but-luscious Valentine’s dessert.

Essentially rows of buttery shortbread encased in a rich chocolate ganache, we suggest having a slice of this dessert by the fire with a strong cup of coffee.

With a wheat-free coconut-date cookie crumb–like crust, a creamy coconut layer, and a rich chocolate topping, these bar cookies will remind you of your favorite candy but taste so much better.

This recipe looks more daunting than it actually is. You basically make a bread dough with a bit of butter and egg in it, knead it for a while, the leave it alone to do its thing.

A classic, simple mince pie, devoid of bells, whistles and creative meddling. The pastry is a rich but workable short crust. It won't collapse in the carol singer's mittens. The pies themselves will stand or fall by the quality of mincemeat. Go for broke, Christmas is not the time for parsimony. The little darlings are at their most delicious when eaten warm. Baked a day or more before, they reheat nicely.

Coating blanched ducklings in orange liqueur makes them develop a crisp, deep mahogany skin as they roast on a bed of orange slices and other aromatics.

A coating of crushed, freeze-dried raspberries and pink sanding sugar adds color, sparkle, and crunch to these festive cookies.

Adding ground coffee to both the cookie dough and the filling turns these cookies into something deeply more interesting than your average holiday spice treats.

This dough is too delicate to weave into a true lattice without breaking. Instead, arrange the strips in a crosshatch pattern, crossing over in a few places (it will look just as pretty).

Precooking the squash seasons and softens it, but don’t let it get dry or brown. The moisture it retains ensures it will be tender after baking and helps keep the caramel saucy.

You can make and chill these mashed potatoes up to two days before the big night.

Choose shallots that are all about the same size so that they soften evenly as they cook. And if spicy is not your thing, skip the Fresno chiles.

Figs bring a touch of sweetness to this bright, chutney-ish sauce and nicely offset the sharpness of the vinegar.