Ingredients

-1-1/4 cups graham crumbs, divided
-2 Tbsp. non-hydrogenated margarine, melted
-1 pkg. (250 g) Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese, softened
-2 pkg. (4-serving size each) Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding
-3 cups cold milk
-5 bananas, sliced
-1-1/2 cups thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping

Directions

Mix graham crumbs and margarine until blended. Reserve 1/4 cup; press remaining onto bottom of 13x9-inch dish.

Beat cream cheese in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Add dry pudding mixes; beat 2 min. Gradually beat in milk.

Cover crust with layers of bananas, pudding mixture and Cool Whip. Sprinkle with reserved graham crumbs. Refrigerate 3 hours.

Ingredients

-1 cup packed light brown sugar
-3/4 cup dark corn syrup
-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
-2 tablespoons bourbon
-2 tablespoons molasses
-1 tablespoon butter, melted
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-2 large eggs
-1 large egg white
-2/3 cup pecan halves
-1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
-Cooking spray
-1/2 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine first 10 ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in pecans. Roll dough into a 13-inch circle; fit into a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan coated with cooking spray. Trim excess crust using a sharp knife. Spoon sugar mixture into prepared crust. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over tart.

Ingredients

-8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
-4 ounces white chocolate
-1 cup confectioners' sugar
-2 large eggs
-2 large egg yolks
-1 tbsp red liquid food coloring
-2 tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa powder
-6 tbsp all-purpose flour
-confectioner's sugar, for dusting
-melted dark or semi-sweet chocolate, to decorate (optional)
-raspberries or sliced strawberries, for serving

Directions

Set a rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray 4 6-ounce ramekins with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt the butter and white chocolate in the top of a double boiler, stirring until smooth. When completely melted, stir in the confectioners' sugar. (I melted my white chocolate and butter in the microwave in bursts of 15 seconds.)

Lightly whisk the eggs and egg yolks in a large bowl. Stir in the red food coloring and melted chocolate mixture.

Whisk the cocoa and flour in a small bowl to combine. Add to the batter and stir until just combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the ramekins. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until the sides of the cake are set but the centers are still soft , 14 to 15 minutes. Let the cakes rest for 2 minutes, then invert them onto dessert plates.

Serve the cakes immediately, dusted with confectioners's sugar and with berries on the side. (I dusted mine with the sugar, then drizzled with melted dark chocolate, and served with fresh raspberries.)

Ingredients

For the Crust
-1 cup flour
-8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
-1⁄4 cup sugar
-1 tsp. lemon zest
-1⁄4 tsp. salt
-1 egg yolk
-1⁄2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved

For the Filling
-2 1⁄2 lb. cream cheese, softened
-1 1⁄4 cups sugar
-3 tbsp. flour
-1 1⁄2 tsp. orange zest
-1 1⁄2 tsp. lemon zest
-1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract
-5 whole eggs, plus 2 yolks
-1⁄4 cup heavy cream

Directions

For the crust: 

Combine flour, butter, sugar, zest, salt, yolk, and vanilla seeds in a bowl; rub with fingers until dough forms. Form dough into 2 rounds; wrap each in plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour. Press 1 dough round onto bottom of a 9" springform pan; pull off pieces from remaining dough and press around sides of pan. Set aside.

For the filling: 

Heat oven to 500°. Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, zests, and vanilla in a large bowl on medium-high speed of a hand mixer until smooth. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition, until smooth; stir in cream. Pour filling into pan, and bake until top begins to brown, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 200°, and bake until just set, about 1 hour more. Transfer to a rack, and let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. Remove cake from pan and cut into slices to serve.

Ingredients

-2 cups store-bought ricotta
-1 cup cold heavy cream
-1⁄3 cup sugar
-2 tbsp. instant espresso
-1 tbsp. powdered gelatin
-Shaved chocolate

Directions

Purée ricotta in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.

Whip together heavy cream and sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Bring 1⁄4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Whisk 2 tbsp. of the water with espresso in a small bowl. Whisk remaining water with gelatin in another small bowl until dissolved.

Stir espresso mixture into ricotta, then gelatin mixture; fold in cream in 3 stages. Chill mixture for 1 hour, then transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe mixture into 6 sundae glasses; refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Garnish with shaved chocolate.

Ingredients

-3 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese
-1 cup ground chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
-4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
-3⁄4 cup sugar
-2 cups heavy cream, chilled
-1 tsp. kosher salt
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-4 eggs
-1 egg yolk
-1⁄2 cup coconut milk
-1⁄2 cup confectioners' sugar
-2 oz. white chocolate, shaved

Directions

Place a Thai incense candle in a 3″-wide bowl; place within a larger bowl containing cheese. Light candle; cover bowl with foil. Smoke for 30 minutes. Uncover bowl; set aside.
Heat oven to 300°. Mix crumbs and butter in a bowl; press into bottom of a 9″ springform pan wrapped in foil. Bake until set, about 15 minutes; cool. Process cheese and sugar in a food processor until smooth. Add 1 cup cream, salt, vanilla, eggs, and yolk; process until smooth. Pour cream cheese custard over cooled crust; bake until cheesecake jiggles slightly in center, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Cool, and chill for 4 hours.
Whisk remaining cream, coconut milk, and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form; spread over cake. Sprinkle with chocolate to garnish.

Ingredients

-100 g 70% cocoa dark chocolate , broken into pieces
-300 ml full-fat milk
-85 g sugar
-3 free-range egg yolks
-300 ml whipping cream

Directions

Put the chocolate pieces and milk in a heavy-based saucepan. Heat gently, stirring, until smooth, then remove from the heat to cool slightly.

Beat the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl until pale and thick. Stir in the cooled chocolate milk, then strain back into the pan. Cook the custard over a gentle heat, stirring all the time, until it thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Don’t allow the mixture boil or it will curdle. Pour into a bowl and leave to cool, stirring occasionally.

Whip the cream into soft peaks, then fold into the cooled chocolate mixture. Churn in an ice-cream machine, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, until it’s frozen.

Ingredients

For the dough
-6 oz. (1-1/3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more as needed
-1/8 tsp. table salt
-2 Tbs. vegetable oil; more as needed
-1/2 tsp. cider vinegar

For the filling
-10 oz. (1-1/4 cups) farmer cheese
-2-3/4 cups fine fresh breadcrumbs
-1/2 cup whole milk
-4 oz. (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened
-6 Tbs. granulated sugar
-1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest (from 1/2 medium)
-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
-3 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
-1/2 cup sour cream
-1/2 cup golden raisins

For assembly and serving
-2-1/2 oz. (5 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted
-Confectioners’ sugar (optional)

Directions

Make the dough
Put the flour and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the oil, vinegar, and 7 Tbs. water in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, add the liquid to the bowl and mix to form a soft dough that cleans the sides of the bowl. If the dough seems stiff, add a bit more water, 1 Tbs. at a time; if it’s too loose, add more flour, 1 Tbs. at a time.

Switch to the dough hook. Knead the dough on medium-low speed until a slightly sticky ball of dough with a somewhat ragged surface forms, about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to an unfloured work surface. Knead by hand, occasionally picking up the dough and forcefully throwing it down onto the surface, until it’s smooth, elastic, and tacky like a Post-it note, 1 to 2 minutes. If it is too sticky to knead, lightly sprinkle flour on it as you work.

Gather the dough into a ball, put it on a plate, and lightly oil the top of the dough. Cover tightly with plastic and let rest at room temperature for at least 30 and up to 90 minutes; the longer, the better. The dough will be tender and not at all sticky after resting.

Make the filling
Heat 3 Tbs. of the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1-1/2 cups of the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool completely.

Using a silicone spatula, work the cheese through a medium-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Stir the remaining 1-1/4 cups breadcrumbs and the milk in another medium bowl.

Beat the remaining 5 Tbs. butter in a large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer on medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar, zest, and vanilla and beat until light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating until combined before adding another. Add the cheese, breadcrumbs, and sour cream, beating until combined.

In another medium bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Stir about a quarter of the whites into the cheese mixture, then fold in the remaining whites. Fold in the raisins.

Stretch the dough
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

Choose a work area that you can walk around on at least 3 sides, such as a rectangular table, the end of your kitchen island, or another work surface that’s about 2x3 feet. Cover with a patterned cotton or polyester tablecloth. Dust the cloth generously with flour and rub the flour into the cloth. Lightly flour the dough on all sides. Set the dough in the center of the surface and use a floured rolling pin to roll it as thin as you can, about 21 inches round, moving the dough occasionally to make sure it isn’t sticking to the cloth.

Lightly flour your hands and forearms. Pick up the dough by an edge. Let gravity and the weight of the dough help stretch it as it hangs from your fingers, then use the back of your hands to gently pull and stretch the dough. As the dough stretches, use your forearms to support it.

When the dough becomes too large to hold, place it on the work surface, leaving an edge of the dough hanging over one edge of the table. Slip your hands underneath the dough and use the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull it, easing it even thinner (as if gently fluffing a bedsheet). Continue pulling and stretching, moving around the work surface as necessary, until it is tissue thin and about 2 feet wide and 3 feet long (including the thin overhanging dough); you should be able to clearly see the tablecloth pattern through the dough . Don’t worry about a few small holes, as they won’t be noticeable when the strudel is rolled. Using scissors, trim away and discard the thicker edges of the dough. Immediately proceed with assembling the strudel so the dough doesn’t dry out.

Assemble and bake the strudel
Using a silicone pastry brush or your hands and working quickly, spread about 3 Tbs. of the melted butter over the dough. Sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs evenly over the dough, then spoon the cheese filling in a 6-inch-wide strip about 3 inches from a short edge of the dough.

Using the tablecloth as an aid, fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Continue to roll the strudel over, using the cloth , to the end of the dough. Lift the strudel (be brave; it’s sturdier than you think) and transfer it to the prepared sheet, curving it into a gentle U shape to fit. Tuck the dough ends under the strudel and gently shape the filling so it’s even inside the pastry. Brush the dough with the remaining melted butter, leaving any milk solids in the bottom of the pan.

Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, until deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Slide the strudel and parchment onto a cooling rack and cool for at least 30 minutes before using a serrated knife to cut thick slices; it’s best served within an hour or two of baking. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if using, and serve warm.