Total: 1 hr 30 minutes | Makes: about 5 dozen

Ingredients:

Cookies:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 tsp orange extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Frosting:

2 tbsp butter, melted

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp grated orange peel

1 tsp orange extract

1-2 tbsp milk

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter and sugar, in large bowl, with electric mixer on high speed until creamy. Add egg and orange extract, mixing well. Gradually add flour, mixing well.
2. Roll dough into 1″ balls. Place 2″ apart on greased baking sheet. Dip a flat-bottomed glass into sugar and flatten balls.
3. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Cool slightly on baking sheet; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
4. To prepare frosting, combine butter, sugar, orange peel and extract until smooth. Stir in milk, as needed, until frosting is spreading consistency. Spread on each cookie.

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream, cold

4 1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

2 tbsp unsalted butter

3 large eggs, separated

1 tbsp sugar

Caramel Sauce:

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup hot water

Instructions:

1. Whip the cream to form soft peaks and then refrigerate.
2. In a double boiler, combine the chocolate and butter over hot, but not simmering, water, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, until the chocolate is slightly warm to the touch.
3. While the chocolate is cooling, whip the egg whites in a medium bowl until they are foamy and begin to hold a shape. Add the sugar and beat until soft peaks form.
4. When the chocolate has cooled sufficiently, stir in the yolks. Then fold in about 1/3 of the whipped cream. Fold in half of the egg white until just incorporated. Fold in 1/3 more of the whipped cream. Then fold in remaining whites, and finally the remaining whipped cream.
5. Spoon the mousse into a serving bowl, glass ramekins or custard cups. Refrigerate at least 8 hours, or up to 1 day.
6. For the caramel sauce: Heat the sugar in a small skillet on medium low heat until it starts to melt and turn the color of dark amber (about 5-7 minutes).
7. Add the hot water carefully— it may splatter because the sugar is so hot. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring with a metal spoon, until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is syrupy. Remove the sauce from the heat and it will thicken as it cools.
8. When ready to serve, drizzle each mousse-filled ramekin with caramel sauce.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter (plus extra for greasing ramekins)

8 oz. semisweet chocolate

3 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

Fresh red raspberries

ice cream or gelato

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease 6 6-oz. ramekins with butter.
2. In a medium saucepan, stir the butter and chocolate over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove saucepan from heat.
3. Beat eggs, yolks, vanilla and sugar in a mixing bowl until thick and pale yellow in color. Fold 1/4 of the chocolate mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Then fold in the remaining chocolate mixture and flour until fully incorporated.
4. Pour mixture into prepared ramekins, dividing evenly, and place on a baking sheet.
5. Bake 10-12 minutes or until sides are set and centers move slightly when shaken. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
6. To serve, run a thin knife around sides of cakes to loosen. Invert onto serving plates. Serve warm with fresh raspberries and your favorite ice cream or gelato.

Prep time: 35 mins | Total time: 7 hours 15 mins (includes chilling) | Makes: 16 servings

Ingredients:

52 vanilla wafers, finely crushed (about 2 cups)

3 tbsp butter or margarine, melted

4 eggs, divided

4 pkg. (8 oz. each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

1 3/4 cups sugar, divided

3 tbsp flour

1 tbsp zest and 1/3 cup lemon juice from 2 lemons, divided

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 cup water

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 325°F.
2. Line 9×13″ pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Mix wafer crumbs and butter until blended; press onto bottom or prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
3. Separate 1 egg; refrigerate yolk until ready to use. Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour, lemon zest, 2 tbsp lemon juice and vanilla in a large bowl with mixer until blended. Add egg white and remaining 3 whole eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
4. Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool 1 hour. Refrigerate 4 hours.
5. Mix cornstarch and remaining sugar in medium saucepan; gradually stir in water and remaining lemon juice just until blended. Bring just to a boil on medium heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir until clear and thickened. Lightly beat reserved egg yolk in small bowl with fork until blended.; stir in tbsp of the hot cornstarch mixture. Return to remaining cornstarch mixture in saucepan; stir until blended. Cook 1 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Cool slightly.
6. Spoon lemon glaze over cheesecake. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Using foil handles, remove cheesecake on pan before cutting to serve.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup sugar

7 tbsp cocoa

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/2 packed light brown sugar

1 1/4 cup hot water

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Whipped Cream

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together 3/4 cup sugar, flour, 3 tbsp cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk, butter and vanilla; heat until smooth.
2. Pour batter into un-greased 9″ square baking pan. Stir together remaining 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar and remaining 4 tbsp cocoa; sprinkle mixture evenly over batter. Pour hot water over top. Do not stir.
3. Bake 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set. Let stand for 15 minutes; spoon into dessert dishes, spooning sauce over top. Garnish with whipped topping.

Makes 8 tartlets | Note: 8-4″ nonstick tartlet pans needed

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cold water

1 cup heavy whipping cream, divided

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix

1 pkg. (16.5 oz.) Nestlé Toll House Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Bar Dough

1-2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cpu mixed berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, or gooseberries

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Break off three squares of cookie dough and form into a ball. Lightly coat the dough with flour and roll on lightly floured surface to about 1/8″ thick (wide enough to fit tartlet pan). Place dough in un-greased tartlet pan (if you do not have non-stick pans, then grease). Push dough in to the grooves of pan and flatten the bottom with a drinking glass. Place tartlet pans on baking sheet.
2. Bake 14-16 minutes or until light golden brown on top. Remove from oven to wire rack. Cook 15-20 minutes (cookie shells will have risen a bit in the oven, but will settle upon cooling).
3. Meanwhile, beat water, 1/2 cup cream and pudding mix in small mixer bowl on low for 1 minute or until thoroughly mixed. Refrigerate for 5 minutes. Beat remaining 1/2 cup cream in another small mixer bowl on high until soft peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into pudding mixture until well incorporated. Remove shells from pans to serving plates with tip of knife. Spoon 1/4 cup of pudding mixture into each cookie shell up to rim. Place a small handful of berries decoratively on top. Refrigerate for up to 1 hour or serve immediately.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

Pastry for single-crust pie (9″)

3 1/2 cups sliced unpeeled fresh plums

3 tbsp plus 1 tsp coarse sugar, divided

1 tbsp cornstarch

2 tsp finely chopped crystallized ginger

1 egg white

1 tbsp water

Instructions:

1. Roll pastry into a 12″ circle. Transfer to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine plums, 3 tbsp sugar and cornstarch. Arrange plums in a pinwheel pattern over pastry to within 2″ of edges; sprinkle the plums with ginger. Fold edges of pastry over the plums.
2. Beat egg white and water; brush over pastry. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan to a serving platter.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly light brown sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1 cpu (6 oz.) Nestlé Toll House Premier White Morsels

1 tbsp grated orange zest

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugars in large mixer bowl until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture. Stir in morsels and orange zest. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto un-greased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Prep: 20 mins + chilling | Makes: 4 pie shells

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1 3/4 cup shortening

1 egg

1/2 cup cold water

1 tbsp cider vinegar

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Whisk the egg, water and vinegar; gradually add to flour mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide into four portions. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion of dough to fit a 9″ pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plates. Trim each pastry  to 1/2″ beyond the edge of plate; flute edges. Fill or bake shells according to recipe directions.