Chocolate

It’s tough to beat a classic brownie for sheer chocolate pleasure. At least as long as it is a fudgy brownie rather than a cakey one (and who are those mysterious people who prefer cakey brownies?) and is sufficiently bold with chocolate flavor. There are about eleventy-billion brownie recipes out there, many of them good-to-great …

This peanut butter brittle is a delightful treat. It’s light and crisp, a bit like the inside of a Butterfinger. That lightness is the result of a dash of baking soda that introduces about a zillion air bubbles and transforms brittle into a delicate, crunchable candy. The peanut butter and absence of mix-ins make it …

These crispy-topped brown sugar bars are at once familiar and surprising. The ingredient list is short and grocery store and pantry-friendly. The combination of Rice Krispies (or whatever puffed rice cereal you choose) and chocolate is reminiscent of a Nestle Crunch bar. But this particular arrangement—a layer of crisp and buttery brown sugar cookie covered …

These cookies. Oh, these cookies. They’re everything I want in an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. Best is a bold claim, I know. And obviously it’s a subjective one. But I stand by it here. They’re chewy with a nubbly texture from the rolled oats. They have an almost butterscotch flavor from the dark brown sugar …

This chocolate peanut butter tart is basically a giant peanut butter cup. One with a crisp chocolate shortbread crust, filled with a peanut butter mousse made with a bit of crème fraîche for a subtle tang to lift the peanut butter flavor, and topped with a bittersweet chocolate ganache. It’s rich, and there’s nothing subtle …

These brownies, oh, these brownies. These almond shortbread brownies are something special. They might be the dessert I’ve made the most frequently in the last ten years. They are rich fudgy brownies baked on a buttery shortbread crust. Before the first time I made them, it never occurred to me that brownies would benefit from …