phyllo cups with cinnamon-chocolate cream

the goods:

3 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon cocoa powder, plus more for garnish

1 cup cold heavy cream

2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lay 1 sheet phyllo on a work surface, brush phyllo with one-third the butter and sprinkle with one-third the butter. Repeat layer twice more with remaining phyllo, butter, and sugar. Cut stacked phyllo into 6 equal pieces and gently press each square into a cup of a standard muffin pan, crimping edges as needed so phyllo sits flat in bottom of cup.

Bake until phyllo is golden brown, about 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine cocoa powder, cream, condensed milk, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until firm but not dry peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Fill phyllo cups with cream and sprinkle with cocoa powder. Serve immediately.

lemon mousse with blackberries

the goods:

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, strained

2 and 1/4 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin (from 1 packet)

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup cold heavy cream

1 cup fresh blackberries

In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and 1/4 cup cold water. Sprinkle gelatin on top and let it sit until softened, 2 minutes. Fill a medium bowl with ice water.

In a small saucepan, combine gelatin mixture, sugar, and a pinch of salt over medium heat and stir until gelatin and sugar dissolve, about 4 minutes. Pour gelatin mixture back into small bowl and set in ice bath. Stir until mixture reaches room temperature, about 1 minute.

In a large bowl, whisk cream until soft peaks form. Poor cooled gelatin mixture into whipped cream and whisk until soft peaks return.

Divide evenly among four 8-ounce dishes or cups and place in freezer until mousse springs back lightly when pressed, 10 minutes. Sprinkle blackberries on top.

healthy strawberry shortcake

the goods:

12 wonton wrappers

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup whole natural almonds, finely chopped

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons honey

1 and 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place wonton wrappers on a baking sheet and brush with butter.

Sprinkle with sugar and almonds. Bake until golden brown and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer wontons to a wore rack to cool.

Dividing evenly, top 6 wontons with a dollop of yogurt, a drizzle of honey, and strawberries.

Top with remaining wontons. Serve immediately.

chocolate-zucchini cakes with walnuts

the goods:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup finely grated zucchini (from 1 medium zucchini)

3 tablespoons sour cream

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup (3 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips

nonstick cooking spray

24 walnut halves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together butter, sugar, salt, and egg until combined.

Add vanilla, zucchini, and sour cream and stir until incorporated.

Sift flour and cocoa powder into bowl and stir until combined.

Stir in chocolate.

Spray two mini muffin pans or 1 cupcake pan with cooking spray. Fill each cup with 2 tablespoons batter for mini muffins, or 1/4 cup batter for cupcakes.

Top with a walnut.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes. Let muffins cool slightly in pans on wire racks before serving.

chocolate tart with raspberries

the goods:

32 chocolate wafer cookies (about 8 ounces)

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1 and 1/4 cups heavy cream

1 and 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (6 ounces)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, combine cookies, sugar, and salt. Process until very fine crumbs form. Add butter and pulse until mixture just comes together.

Press crumbs firmly into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Place on a baking sheet and bake until crust is dry and set, 20 minutes. Let cool.

In a large bowl, combine chocolate and a pinch of salt. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a bare simmer over medium-high. Immediately pour cream over chocolate and let stand 1 minute. Stir gently until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.

Pour chocolate into cooled tart shell and refrigerate until set, 30 minutes.

To serve, remove tart from pan and scatter raspberries on top.

Mexican hot chocolate cookies

the goods:

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 and 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon chili powder



Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 and 1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat to combine.



In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and chili powder. Using heaping tablespoons, form balls of dough and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture.



Place about 3 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until cookies are set in the center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheet on wire rack 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to rack to cool completely.

raspberry whoopie pies

the goods:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup fresh raspberries (6 ounces)
confectioners' sugar, for serving



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and lemon zest until light and creamy. Add vanilla and egg and beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk and ending with flour mixture (scraping down bowl as needed). Beat well to combine.



Drop batter in 2-tablespoon mounds, about 2 inches apart, onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until puffed and pale golden around edges, 17 to 19 minutes. Repeat with fresh parchment. Let cakes cool completely on sheets on wire racks.



In a large bowl, whip cream and 3 tablespoons brown sugar to soft peaks.



In a small bowl mash raspberries with a fork, then fold into whipped cream.



Divide raspberry cream evenly among bottom half of the cakes, then sandwich with remaining cakes.



Using a fine mesh sieve, dust whoopie pies with confectioners' sugar.