Dessert

This batter is very adaptable: If you want savory crêpes, simply omit the sugar. For flavored crêpes, replace the vanilla with a flavored extract such as almond, a liquor like rum or brandy, or a flavored liquor such as Kirsch or Amaretto.

Crêpes freeze well—you can make a big batch and stack them, separated by sheets of waxed paper, in a tightly sealed container or plastic bag. Stored this way, they'll keep for several months. Allow them to defrost at room temperature, then reheat as described in the do-ahead instructions below.

This beautiful parfait tastes so much richer than it is. You can serve it for breakfast or for dessert. Look for organic yogurt that has no thickeners or gums added to it.

Cold-brewed coffee has far more potential for cooking, including desserts.

For a beautiful and tasty touch, sprinkle a bit of turbinado sugar over the top of the bread pudding before baking. When choosing bread for the recipe, look for a cinnamon raisin loaf made with only whole wheat flour.

Sweet potatoes and apples add moistness and natural sweetness to this simple cake. 

These savory biscotti are ideal for a soiree. Their crisp texture is accented by the richness of parmesan and the bite of black pepper — perfect for nibbling in between sips of wine.

This cake is also delicious the day after it is baked. The spices meld and the texture gets even more like a steamed pudding.

California pastry chef Sherry Yard, who is part of the Wolfgang Puck restaurant empire, makes these cookies with something she calls "fat raisins." She poaches golden or Red Flame raisins. The cookies, she writes in "Desserts by the Yard," are favorites of former president Bill Clinton. This batter works best if chilled for about 1 hour.

Rich, deeply chocolate, and chewy on the inside, these cookies keep extremely well. The trick is not to over bake them; take them from the oven and let them cool and they will firm up.