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COTTONWOOD CAFE FLAN

Terry Pogue contributed this recipe from a Washington, D.C.-area restaurant. Its texture is reminiscent of the late Houston restauranteur Ninfa Laurenzo’s flan.

Serves 8

3⁄4 cup sugar3 eggs3 egg yolks14 ounces sweetened condensed milk11⁄2 teaspoons vanilla2 ounces cream cheese14 ounces milk

Caramelize sugar by placing it in a skillet over medium heat until it melts and turns a nice golden brown. While doing this, mix very thoroughly the eggs, egg yolks, con-densed milk, vanilla, and cream cheese in a blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer to a large stainless steel bowl and add the milk, again stirring until smooth.

Pour the caramelized sugar into a 10-inch Pyrex pie plate; it will harden. Then pour the mixed ingredients over the hardened caramelized sugar.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the Pyrex dish in a larger baking dish; add boiling water to come up the sides of the Pyrex. Bake the flan in the water-filled dish for 70 minutes at 350°F. Cool, then turn into a serving dish (being careful not to splatter the now-softened cara-melized sugar).

Note: The Cottonwood Cafe serves this flan (almost cheesecake) with thin twisted slices of limes.

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BITTER CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

E. J. Giese contributed this recipe, adapted from one used at the Hotel Cipriani in Venice, Italy.

Makes 1 quart

11⁄4 cups sugar21⁄2 cups whole milk11⁄4 cups sifted unsweetened cocoa powder41⁄2 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate5 large egg yolks

In a heavy saucepan, cook 5 tablespoons of the sugar, undisturbed, over moderate heat, until it begins to melt. Cook, stirring with a fork, until the sugar is melted and a deep golden brown.

Remove the pan from the heat; dip it briefly into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Cool the pan for about 5 minutes, add the milk, and return the pan to medium heat. Cook, whisking, until the caramel is melted. Whisk in the cocoa and keep the mixture warm. Meanwhile, in the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate, stirring oc-casionally. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg yolks with the remaining sugar until thick and light-colored. Very slowly whisk in the hot milk and then the chocolate. Return the mixture to the saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat until a candy thermometer registers 140°F.

Remove from the heat and refrigerate until chilled. Pro-ceed according to directions for your ice-cream maker.

Notes: E.J. suggests serving with a chocolate soufflé.

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NUTELLA ICE CREAM TORTE

Contributed by Liz Harmon. “This ice cream torte is the fastest party dessert I know,” she writes. “It takes only minutes to prepare and swiftly disappears as soon as I serve it. The torte alternates layers of pistachio, straw-berry, and vanilla ice cream with Nutella. The Nutella freezes firm on the ice cream, but remains soft enough to cut easily.”

2 pints pistachio ice cream, softened until spreadable but not melted2 pints strawberry ice cream, softened until spreadable but not melted2 pints vanilla ice cream, softened until spreadable but not melted1 cup Nutella (13 ounce jar), at room temperature

Spoon 3 tablespoons of Nutella into a small re-sealable sandwich bag. Press out the air and seal. Set aside to use for the topping.

Spread the pistachio ice cream evenly over the bottom of 9-inch diameter springform pan with at least 2-inch high sides. Spread the ice cream carefully to the edges. Using half of the remaining Nutella, drop teaspoonfuls evenly over the ice cream. Do not spread the Nutella to the edge. When the springform sides are removed, the edges of the ice cream will show as pastel layers without Nutella.

Spread the strawberry ice cream evenly in the pan. Drop teaspoonfuls of the remaining Nutella over the straw-berry ice cream, but do not spread it to the edge. Spread the vanilla ice cream evenly in the pan. Use a thin metal spatula to smooth the top of the torte.

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Cut a small hole in one corner of the filled sandwich bag. Press the Nutella through the hole in the bag to form crisscrossing lines over the top of the torte. The lines should reach to the edge of the torte.

Freeze the torte 15 minutes to firm the Nutella topping. Wrap the torte tightly with plastic wrap, then cover with heavy aluminum foil, gently pressing the aluminum foil against the torte. Label with date and contents. Freeze at least 4 hours or up to 2 weeks.

Notes: The pistachio, strawberry, and vanilla ice creams make a pretty pastel color contrast, but you can substi-tute other flavors that contrast in color and taste.

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CARAMEL CORN

Laura Hunter contributed this recipe. “This is a great holiday gift,” she writes, “especially for younger people (or people like me who can never have enough sweet stuff around).”

Makes about 11 cups

10 cups popped popcorn (about 3⁄4 cup unpopped kernels)1 cup dry roasted peanuts (or your choice of nuts)1 cup firmly packed brown sugar3⁄4 cup butter (no substitutes!)1⁄4 cup light corn syrup1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda1⁄4 teaspoon salt

Combine popped popcorn and peanuts in a large roast-ing pan; keep warm in a 300°F oven while preparing syrup.

Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt in a heavy 2 quart saucepan. Bring to boiling over me-dium heat, stirring almost constantly. Boil gently (entire surface bubbling) for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Re-move from heat; stir in baking soda. Pour over popcorn and peanuts. Mix well.

Bake in a 300°F oven for 20 minutes, stirring once after 15 minutes. Immediately spread out popcorn mixture on a large piece of foil; cool completely. Break into clusters. Store tightly covered.

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MARGARITA JELLO

Chris Marksberry submitted this recipe, posted to the list in its early days.

6 ounces lime gelatin powder2 cups boiling water11⁄4 cups cold water1⁄2 cup tequila1⁄4 cup Triple Sec

Add the boiling water to the gelatin. Stir until dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add the cold water, tequila, and Triple Sec. Chill until set.

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CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA-NUT TART

Terry Pogue contributed this recipe from Martha Stewart Living.

Makes one 11-inch tart (plus extra pastry for a second tart shell)

Pâte Sucrée (sweet pastry):21⁄2 cups all-purpose flour3 tablespoons sugar2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut up into cubes2 large egg yolks4 tablespoons ice water

Filling:2 large eggs1 cup sugar1⁄2 tablespoon bourbon1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour1⁄4 teaspoon salt3⁄4 cup melted unsalted butter, at room temperature6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped21⁄2 cups unsalted whole macadamia nuts

For the pâte sucrée: Place the flour and sugar in the food processor; pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, 10 to 20 seconds. Lightly beat egg yolks; add ice water. Add to food pro-cessor while machine is running; process until the dough holds together.

Divide dough into two batches; turn out onto two sepa-rate pieces of plastic wrap. Flatten each into a circle, and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Makes two 11-inch shells.

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For the tart: Heat oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll one ball of pate sucree into a 14-inch circle. Fit pastry into an 11-inch tart pan; trim dough evenly along edge. Use trimmings to patch any thin spots in shell. Refrigerate 30 minutes.Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, and bourbon until combined. Whisk in flour and salt. Whisk in butter. Stir in chocolate. Pour into chilled tart shell. Cover top with nuts, pressing them halfway down into the filling.

Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F, and con-tinue baking until crust and nuts are golden, about 35 minutes. If tart gets too brown, place aluminum foil over top for remainder of cooking time. Cool on wire rack.

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2-1-1-1-ENOUGH PIE CRUST

Anne Bannon submitted this recipe, originally posted by Karen Brack. It draws its name from the required quantities of the five ingredients, and “makes absolutely the easiest handling, best tasting and most reliable pie crust recipe I’ve ever come across,” Anne writes. “I had a recipe for a lard-butter crust that tasted pretty good, but it only came out right when the stars aligned.”

Makes a double crust for one 9-inch pie

2 cups flour1 cup butter1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking powderEnough ice water to form the dough

Cut the dry ingredients and the butter together until the mixture is crumbly, with some pea-sized pieces through-out. Starting with a scant quarter cup, mix in the water by spoonfuls just until the dough comes together.

Wrap and chill for an hour or so. Roll to desired size and shape, fill according to your pie’s recipe, cover with second crust and bake according to directions.

You can also bake the crust blind (i.e. before adding a filling). This should take about 10 minutes at 375°F.

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PUMPKIN PECAN PIE

Contributor Laurie Thompson credits this to the Wil-mar Neighborhood Center, in Madison, Wisconsin.

1 prepared 8-inch pie crust

Pumpkin layer:1 cup mashed pumpkin1⁄4 cup brown sugar1 small egg, beaten1 tablespoon heavy cream1 tablespoon melted butter1 teaspoon vanilla extract1⁄4 teaspoon salt1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon1⁄8 teaspoon allspice1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg

Pecan layer:3⁄4 cup sugar3⁄4 cup dark corn syrup2 small eggs1 1⁄2 tablespoons melted butter2 teaspoons vanilla extract1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon cinnamon3⁄4 cup pecan halves

Combine pumpkin layer ingredients until smooth; pour into prepared crust.

Mix all pecan layer ingredients except pecans until opaque. Add pecans and spread over pumpkin filling.

Bake at 325°F until filling is set, about 1 1⁄2 hours. Watch crust edge and cover with foil if it starts to get dark.

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PLUM TORTE

Jennifer Kosco submitted this recipe, originally posted by Gretl Collins.

Serves 8

Batter:1 cup sugar1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature1 cup sifted flour1 teaspoon baking powderPinch of salt2 eggs1⁄2 teaspoon almond extract

Topping:12 or more pitted purple plums (the small ones called prune plums), halvedFreshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1⁄4 lemon)2 tablespoons granulated sugar1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon

For the pastry: Cream together the butter and sugar. Mix in the dry ingredients. Add the eggs and almond extract, and beat until smooth. Spread in a round cake pan, about 8 inches in diameter.

Cover the top of the batter with the plums, cut side down. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice, and dust the top with the combined sugar and cinnamon. Bake in a pre-heated 350°F oven for one hour.

Notes: Tester Anne Goldberg used regular plums instead of prune plums, which produced a slightly soggy pastry.

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RHUBARB CUSTARD PIE

Pat Belanger submitted this one during a list discussion of rhubarb pie. “This is my mother’s recipe,” she writes.

Serves 8

1 prepared 9-inch pie shell

4 cups rhubarb1 cup white sugar2 tablespoons flour1⁄8 teaspoon salt2 eggs, beaten

Peel rhubarb and cut in 1⁄2-inch slices. Beat the eggs. Mix sugar, flour, salt and stir into eggs. Add rhubarb. Pour into prepared pie shell. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes and then at 325°F for an additional 45 minutes.

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BLACK CAKE

Joanne Schweik posted this recipe. “This is Laurie Colvin’s Black Cake, written about in the November 1988 issue of Gourmet, where she says, among other things, ‘But black cake! Black cake is in a class by itself. It is elegance itself. I have never had anything else like it, but it is NOT an acquired taste. One bite is all it takes.’”

Makes two 10-inch cakes

1 pound raisins, minced1 pound pitted prunes, minced1 pound dried currants, minced1 pound glacéed cherries, minced6 ounces glacéed lemon peel, minced1 bottle (750 ml) Manischewitz Concord Grape wine1 bottle (750 ml) dark rum2 pounds dark brown sugar41⁄4 cups all-purpose flour4 teaspoons double-acting baking powder1⁄2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon4 sticks (2 cups) unsalted butter, softened10 large eggs1 tablespoon vanilla11⁄2 cups almond paste (about 3⁄4 pound), optional

Icing:7 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (about 2 pounds)6 large egg whites at room temperature2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juiceSilver dragées for decorating the cake

In a large bowl, combine well the raisins, prunes, cur-rants, cherries, peels, wine, and rum. Let the fruit macer-ate, covered, at room temperature for at least 2 weeks.

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In a heavy skillet combine 1 pound of the brown sugar and 1 cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil over moder-ate heat, stirring and washing down any sugar crystals clinging to the side with a brush dipped in cold water until the sugar is dissolved, and boil the syrup, swirling the skillet occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it is reduced to 13⁄4 cups. Let the burnt sugar syrup cool and reserve it.

Into a bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, the nutmeg, and the cinnamon. In the large bowl of an elec-tric mixer cream together the remaining 1 pound brown sugar and the butter until the mixture is light and fluffy, and then beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, the flour mixture, and 11⁄3 cups of the reserved burnt sugar syrup, reserving the remaining syrup for another use.

In another large bowl combine well the flour mixture and the fruit mixture, and divide the batter between 2 but-tered and floured 10-inch springform pans. Bake the cakes in the middle of a preheated 350°F oven for 1 hour and 50 minutes to 2 hours, or until the cakes are set and a tester inserted in the centers comes out with some crumbs adhering to it. (The centers of the cakes will be quite moist.) Let the cakes cool in the pans on a rack, remove the sides and the bottoms of the pans, and wrap the cakes in foil or waxed paper. Let the cakes stand at room temperature for 1 week.

Roll out half the almond paste between sheets of plastic wrap to form a 10-inch round and remove the top sheet of plastic wrap. Fit the almond paste layer over one cake, trimming the edge if necessary, and remove the other sheet of plastic wrap. Roll out and fit the remaining almond paste onto the second cake in the same manner.

Make the icing: In a bowl, combine 4 cups of confection-

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ers’ sugar, the egg whites, and the lemon juice. Beat with an electric mixer for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the mixture holds soft peaks. Beat in the remaining 3 cups confec-tioners’ sugar, and beat the icing until it holds stiff peaks.

Transfer 2 cups of the icing to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip, spread the remaining icing on the tops and sides of the cakes with a long metal spatula, and pipe the icing in the pastry bag decoratively onto the cakes. Arrange the dragées on the cakes.

Note: Silver dragées are available at specialty foods shops and many supermarkets.

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BLACK RUSSIAN CAKE

Sandra Beatie writes: “I’ve done this cake so many times over the past few years. Just last week a friend had her annual Chase Away the Blues party, and she said ‘If you don’t do that cake, nobody will come to my parties any more.’

“One guest even delayed her departure (on a dark and stormy night) to get hold of a piece.There was only one piece left on a plate that was on the back of the rather large microwave. My friend was out of the house for a while, and came back to find that Clare, the dog, had stretched up to get the cake and of course broke the plate it had been sitting on. Clare is a big dog but even that was a real stretch for her. So everybody likes it.”

Serves 12

1 package yellow cake mix1 small instant chocolate pudding mix1⁄4 cup vodka1⁄2 cup Kahlua1 cup oil4 eggs

Mix all ingredients together. Bake in a bundt pan at 325°F for 40 to 50 minutes, or until you can put in a knife and it comes out clean. For decoration sprinkle pow-dered sugar and/or lemon zest on top.

Note: Sandra often uses Smarties or M&Ms for decora-tion.

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DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COFFEE CAKE

Maryellen Casey contributed this recipe from Coffee Cakes by Ceri Hadda. “My husband, who’s not normally as much of a chocolate junkie as I am, absolutely loves this coffee cake,” Maryellen writes.

Serves 12

Crumbs:1 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips1 cup finely chopped pecans1⁄4 cup sugar1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cake:2 cups all-purpose flour1⁄3 cup cocoa powder11⁄2 teaspoons baking powder3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon cinnamon1⁄2 teaspoon salt1 cup butter, softened11⁄4 cups sugar1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract3 eggs1 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch tube pan and set aside.

To make the crumbs, combine the chocolate, pecans, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

To make the cake, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, then set aside.

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In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Change the mixer speed to medium and beat in the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time.

Change the mixer speed to low. Alternately beat in the flour mixture and sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and beating only until blended.

Spread half of the batter in the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the crumb mixture. Top with the remaining batter and crumb mixture, pressing the crumbs in lightly so they adhere to the batter. Quickly but gently cut through the batter and crumbs in an up-and-down motion with a knife. Lightly rap the pan once against a hard surface to settle the ingredients.

Bake for 40 minutes, then cover the top with aluminum foil. Continue baking until a skewer inserted halfway be-tween the side of the pan and the tube comes out clean, about 20 minutes longer. Be careful not to overbake.

Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Carefully loosen the cake from around the sides of the pan and of the tube. Invert onto the rack, turn right-side up and cool completely.

Notes: Be careful not to overbake. In a hot oven, 30 minutes might suffice. Some may also prefer the cake without the cinnamon.

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VANILLA BEAN CRÈME BRULÉE CHEESECAKE

Karen Brack, probably the list’s cheesecake expert (she’s made so many), submitted this recipe. “The re-sponse to this cheesecake is mind-boggling,” she writes.

Serves 8-10

1 9-inch cheese cake crust (see directions)2 vanilla beans1⁄2 cup cream5 8-ounce packages full-fat cream cheese, softened11⁄2 cups sugar4 eggs1 teaspoon vanilla extractSugar for top of cheesecake

Prepare a 9-inch springform pan with the crust of your choice. A graham cracker crust works well; so does a hazelnut crust, or any other you find and like.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Put cream in a small sauce pan. Split vanilla beans and scrape out seeds. Put seeds and beans in cream, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off heat and cool to tepid.

Beat cream cheese with sugar until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Remove vanilla beans from cream and add cream to cream cheese mixture. Add vanilla extract, and stir to combine.

Pour batter into springform pan; bake in center of pre-heated oven for about 50 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and center is still wobbly. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then run a small knife around rim to loosen. Continue to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

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Before serving, evenly sprinkle about 4-5 tablespoons of sugar over top of cheesecake. Using a small kitchen blow torch, work the fl ame over the sugar in small circles until sugar melts and turns golden. If you do not have a blow torch, put the cake under a hot broiler, but watch it carefully and rotate as needed. The goal is to melt the sugar without cooking the cheesecake. Let melted sugar harden for a few moments. Garnish, if desired, with strawberries and serve.

Get big RubberMaid garbage cans with sealing tops and use them to store 50-pound bags of sugar, fl our, dog food, etc., purchased at

your local warehouse store. The price per pound is absurdly cheaper, and most of these things don’t seem to get stale in these containers. Make sure you label them very clearly!—Rich Bowen

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INCREDIBLE CHRISTMAS CAKE

Matthew Hill contributed this rum-soaked fruitcake recipe from a 1969 (!) issue of Gourmet. “I realized from leafing through the mag that this is a James Beard recipe,” he writes.

Note that the recipe takes several days to prepare, and that properly stored and occasionally moistened with rum, it can keep for at least a year or two. “I might add that this is quite a crumbly cake, best sliced cold with a wet knife or a length of dental floss,” Matthew writes. “It is not to everybody’s taste, but then none of us are everybody.”

Serves a crowd

1 pound candied pineapple, sliced thin1 pound seeded raisins1⁄2 pound finely shredded citron peel1⁄2 pound candied cherries, halved1⁄2 pound sultana raisins1⁄2 pound currants1⁄4 pound shredded orange peel11⁄4 cups cognac1⁄2 pound filberts2 cups sifted flour1 teaspoon cinnamon3⁄4 teaspoon mace1⁄2 teaspoon baking sodaPinch ground cloves1⁄2 cup butter2 cups sugar (can include up to 1 cup light brown sugar)6 eggs, lightly beaten2 squares unsweeted chocolate, melted

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In a large bowl combine the candied pineapple, raisins, citron peel, candied cherries, sultana raisins, currants, and orange peel. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cognac over the fruit, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two days.

Toast the filberts at 350°F for 25 minutes, put in plastic bag to help shed paper-like skin, and set aside. Remove fruit from refrigerator and mix well with hands. Sprinkle with 1⁄2 cup of the flour and the filberts (halved or whole), making sure the skin is off them. Mix again.

Combine remaining flour with cinnamon, mace, baking soda, and ground cloves. Cream the butter until light; beat in sugar, eggs, melted chocolate, and the remaining 1⁄4 cup cognac. Gradually add the flour and spices. Mix well, pour over fruit, and mix thoroughly with the hands.

Butter loaf pans, springform pans, or what have you. Line with buttered brown paper, pour batter into pans, and bake in very slow oven (275°F) 11⁄2 hours for loaf pans, 3 hours for larger pans, or until skewer or tooth-pick stuck in comes out clean.

Remove pans from oven; let cool on rack for 2 hours. To keep, remove from pan, leaving paper on. Wrap in cheesecloth or muslin previously soaked with brandy, rum, or other liquor. Put in plastic bag and store in air-tight container, topped with liquor-dampened dishcloth.

Notes: James Beard noted that the cake can be steamed over hot water and served with hard sauce as Christ-mas pudding. Matthew substitutes brandy for cognac, and uses enameled cast-iron saucepans for baking. He stores the cake in a cold room, periodically anointing it with rum to keep it moist.

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LEMON MERINGUE CAKE

Yet another Elinor Klivans recipe posted by Constance Felten (the other is in the cookies chapter). This one has three crisp layers of lemon-flavored meringues filled with lemon curd and whipped cream. Lemon curd is a thick lemon butter sauce found with the jams and jellies in most supermarkets. The best quality lemon curd usually looks opaque rather than translucent.

Serves 10

Meringue:Butter and confectioners’ sugar for the panWhites of 5 large eggs, at room temperature1⁄2 teaspoon cream of tartar1 cup sugar11⁄2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Filling:2 cups heavy (whipping) cream2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 cup plus 2 tablespoons lemon curd

For the meringues: Preheat the oven to 250°F. Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper to fit 2 baking sheets. But-ter the paper lightly and dust with confectioners’ sugar. With the dull edge of a knife, mark two 8-inch circles on 1 piece of the paper and one 8-inch circle on the second piece.

Beat the egg whites and the cream of tartar with an elec-tric mixer on low speed until frothy. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat the mixture until soft peaks form. On medium speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Mix in the grated lemon zest.

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Reserve 1 cup of the meringue mixture and set aside. Spread the remaining meringue mixture over the three marked circles. The meringues will be about half an inch thick.

Spread the reserved meringue mixture on the empty section of the parchment paper in any shape, 1⁄2-inch thick. Bake about 11⁄2 hours, until the meringues are crisp and dry and no longer shiny. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet. The inside of the meringues will be soft but not wet and will become crisp as they cool.

For the filling: Beat the cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until firm peaks form.

To assemble: Carefully lift one of the cooled meringue circles from the baking sheet onto a cardboard cake circle or cake plate. Spread 1⁄2 cup of the lemon curd over the meringue; spread 1 cup of the whipped cream over the curd. Top with a second meringue and repeat the layers. Top with the third meringue circle; spread the remaining whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon curd over the top.

Crumble the remaining piece of meringue and press onto the sides of the cake. Cover and refrigerate. Serve, chilled, within 24 hours.

Note: To make your own Lemon Curd, see page 244.

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CHOCOLATE KAHLUA CAKE

Jennifer C. Kosco contributed this recipe posted by Suzy Waterman. “I’ve made this one a lot, too,” writes Jenni-fer. “It’s pretty basic and easy, but people LOVE it!”

Serves 12

1 package devil’s food cake mix4 eggs1 cup sour cream1 cup (or more) kahlua3⁄4 cup oil1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix together the cake mix, eggs, sour cream, kahlua, and oil. Beat for 3-5 minutes until well blended; add chocolate chips. Pour into prepared bundt pan. Bake at 350ºF for 50-60 minutes.

If you are baking a chocolate cake and the instructions say to grease and fl our the pan, you may use cocoa instead of fl our so no white is

visible on the sides of the cake.—Anne Goldberg