Desserts

This classic, packed with Granny Smith apples, gets updated with grated lemon peel and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar over the crust.

The addition of beaten egg whites gives this luscious cheesecake its light, fluffy texture.

White cupcakes become a little more special when enhanced with almond paste and extract.

Frangipane is a thick pastry cream made with ground almonds. It imparts a delicious flavor and prevents the bottom crust from getting soggy from the fruit filling.

Panna cotta is an Italian dessert similar to a flan. Rather than using eggs to bind it together, however, it requires gelatin. Though the name panna cotta means “cooked cream,” there is relatively little cooking involved, which makes it an ideal dessert to prepare on a hot summer day.

Almond Paste BarsCooking Pleasures1 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 egg 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 (7-oz.) tube almond paste, chilled (1/3 cup) 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1/3 cup sliced almonds, if desired 1. Heat oven to 325°F. Grease 8x8-inch glass b

Crème fraîche is blended with cream cheese to make a frosting that’s so luscious and rich, you’ll be tempted to eat it straight from the bowl.

If cutout cookies are part of your holiday tradition, try this recipe in place of the usual sugar cookie. Ground almonds in the dough give the cookies a positively addicting nutty, rich flavor. They’re divine with no enhancement; or glaze them with icing or dip them in chocolate, if you prefer.

The dense, rich chocolate mousse pairs perfectly with delicate, almond-flavored cookie cups. For an attractive presentation, place the mousse in a large pastry bag with a star tip and pipe it into the cups.

These moist little cakes get their oversized flavor from almond extract, almond paste and a garnish of toasted almonds. The vibrant and fruity raspberry sauce that accompanies them incorporates almond liqueur, making the sauce the ideal complement. A regular muffin pan is just the right size for these cakes; make sure to fill the empty cups with water so the cakes bake evenly and the pan doesn’t warp or scorch.