Beverages

A lattice crust is easily altered to replicate a number of artisanal basketweave designs, such as this striking six-point star pattern. The filling is also out of the ordinary—a blend of dried, not fresh, fruits is poached in a fragrant spiced syrup.

For this woven pie-dough pattern, the spacing of the strips is varied to create a seemingly complex geometric design that is actually no more difficult than a basic lattice. Rum-poached pineapple pieces peek out from beneath the open-weave crust.

The layered finish that tops this apple pie is created by shingling the leaves. Pastry cutouts in any shape can be arranged in this manner; here, a flurry of leaves accentuates the pie’s autumnal nature.

These fanciful tartlets are easy to construct with make-ahead components. The fresh figs can be roasted and then chilled, with the flavorful cooking syrup, for up to a week. The cream filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; the fluted pastry shells also can be baked the day before and held overnight at room temperature.

With scalloped pastry edges and a fruit-streaked, creamy filling, these tarts are almost too pretty to eat, but they’re too delicious not to. The filling is similar to a British spoon dessert called fool, which consists of a fruit sauce (in this case, blackberry) folded into whipped cream; more sauce and fruit is spooned on top. Elderflower cordial, another English specialty, flavors the whipped cream; you can omit the liqueur from the recipe if you want. You could also use it to flavor homemade ice cream to serve alongside.

An all-time favorite fruit pie—strawberry-rhubarb—is utterly charming in miniature. These pielets would be welcome at a family reunion, graduation party, or other summer occasion. Baking the lattice-topped pies in mini muffin tins makes large batches easy to manage. If you’d like to serve the pielets à la mode, use a melon baller to form tiny scoops of ice cream.

Chocolate and caramel are enhanced with port wine, Spanish Marcona almonds, and fleur de sel, a delicate sea salt, for ultra-rich miniature tarts that are wonderfully unctuous, like fine truffles. The large yield of this recipe makes it perfect for parties; just don’t expect to have any left over. These tartlets have a tendency to disappear rather quickly.

This vibrant tart heralds the arrival of spring. First-of-the-season rhubarb stalks are poached in spiced brandy, then spooned over a silken citrus-and-yogurt mousse. The cornmeal crust is baked in a springform pan for extra height. You can bake the crust one day, fill with mousse the next, then chill overnight before topping and serving. The rhubarb can also be poached a day ahead and chilled separately.

Fresh figs and strawberries are favorite summer fruits that make a delicious pairing. Here, they are arranged in a pâte brisée shell, then surrounded by a hazelnut batter, which turns golden brown as it bakes. The batter is similar to frangipane, a classic filling for French pastries, notably pithiviers, and all manner of tarts; it is traditionally made from almonds, but other nuts are also common. Armagnac is a fine French brandy; Cognac or another top-quality brandy can be substituted.

This stunning dessert may be a showstopper, but its crust is remarkably simple; it’s an easy-to-make oversize almond macaroon. The strawberries are macerated in sugar and liqueur before arranging on the tart; if allowed to rest for a couple of hours, the airy base will begin to soak up some of the deliciously boozy syrup. Since it’s flourless, the galette is an excellent choice for Passover.

A cocoa shell forms a crisp foundation for two silky-smooth fillings: an even layer of creamy, tangy mascarpone cheese and gorgeous rosettes of espresso-flavored chocolate ganache. The flavors are strong, yet not particularly sweet; if you prefer, you can mix one to two tablespoons of sugar into the mascarpone filling. To produce perfect ganache every time, make sure the mixture is at room temperature before you start to beat it with an electric mixer. Any warmer or colder, and the mixture may seize or become grainy.

Any berry will work in Old Bachelor’s Jam; here, it’s made with blackberries, raspberries, and kirsch. Some say the liqueur-infused jam was named for its capacity to warm single gentlemen on winter nights. Jam will keep for 1 month, stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

Cornmeal and blackberries appear together in many baked goods and desserts, as their late-summer flavors complement each other beautifully. This recipe calls for you to prepare your own jam, for which you will be rewarded with a few extra jars. Otherwise, seek out a top-quality store-bought jam to use in its place; spike it with two tablespoons kirsch.

The filling for this Italian-style tart begins with a flavorful reduction of port wine and brown sugar; half a fresh Thai chile is added for a subtle—but entirely optional—bit of heat. Start with the best fruit you can find. Small, oval Italian prune plums are firmer and sweeter than other plums; plus, since they are a freestone fruit, their pits are not attached to the flesh and are therefore easily removed.

Consider this pie comfort food for grown-ups. Rum adds a spirited kick to both the custard filling and the whipped cream topping. A vanilla bean does double duty, as well: Its seeds dot the filling, and the pod infuses the whipped cream topping with a delicate flavor.

Long a harmonious pair, here coffee and pie are served together as one. Chocolate-covered espresso beans hint at the flavor of the filling below, which is spiked with both instant espresso and coffee liqueur.

Here’s a great weeknight dessert option—no rolling pin required. The cream cheese dough comes together quite easily, and is simply patted into a thin round. A single pear is thinly sliced, then tossed in a bowl with pear brandy, sugar, and lemon juice. The mixture is then fanned out over the dough before baking. Whipped cream makes a nice accompaniment, as does a snifter of pear brandy, naturally.

In addition to using this as a dressing for salads, try it as a marinade for grilled meat. This vinaigrette will keep in the fridge for up to three weeks.

Like an iced latte on steroids, our espresso ice cream is sure to keep you up and running. It’s as potent as it is delicious, so we suggest it for an afternoon dessert and not for late-night consumption.

A friend of ours is a hunter, and we created this ball after he brought us back the goods from a successful outing. It’s based on a classic Cumberland sauce, and we’ve added a touch of chocolate and butter to add richness and the extra fat that the lean and gamy venison requires. Venison is typically paired with juniper berries, which we like to crush and mix in along with a splash of port wine. Serve with Mushroom Gravy (page 63) and Smashed Turnips with Fresh Horseradish (page 80).