chocolate black-bottom pie

the goods:

30 chocolate wafer cookies
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 and 1/4 cups heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse cookies until finely ground. Add granulated sugar, salt, and butter and pulse until combined. Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until crust is dry and set, 12 minutes. Let cool completely in plate on wire rack before filling.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave 1 and 1/4 cups cream until hot, about 3 minutes. Add chocolate and let stand until melted, 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk to combine. Pour 1 and 1/2 cups chocolate mixture into crust (reserve remaining chocolate mixture). Sprinkle nuts over top. Refrigerate pie 3 hours (or up to 2 days).

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 2 cups cream with confectioners' sugar on high until stiff peaks form, 2 minutes.

Top pie with whipped cream; dot with reserved chocolate mixture, reheated.

With a skewer, gently swirl chocolate through whipped cream.

maple cheesecake with roasted pears

the goods:

46 vanilla wafers

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 bars (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 cup cold heavy cream

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

nonstick cooking spray

1 medium pear, sliced lengthwise 1/8 inch thick

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse wafers until finely ground. Add granulated sugar, salt, and butter and pulse until combined.

Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom and halfway up sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

Bake until crust is dry and set, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely in plate on a wire rack before filling.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on high until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup maple syrup; beat until smooth. In a medium bowl, beat cream and confectioners' sugar on high until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. With a rubber spatula, stir about one-third the whipped cream into cream cheese mixture, then fold in remainder.

Transfer to crust and refrigerate until firm, 3 hours (or up to 1 day).

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange pear slices in a single layer on sheet and brush with maple syrup.

Broil until browned in spots, about 4 minutes, rotating sheet frequently. Let cool.

To serve, arrange pear slices on cheesecake.

heart-glazed cornmeal cookies

the goods:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 and 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1 to 2 drops red or pink food coloring

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar on medium-high until creamy, 3 minutes. Add egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until combined. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat to combine.

Place 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl; roll dough into 1-inch balls and coat with sugar. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. With bottom of a glass, flatten balls to 1 and 1/2 inches in diameter. Press a 1-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter gently into each (do not cut through). Bake until cookies are golden at edges, 10 minutes. Let cookies cool on wire racks.

In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 and 3/4 teaspoons cold water. Whisk in food coloring. With a small spoon, spread glaze inside heart. Let set 15 minutes.

oatmeal cream pies

the goods:

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 and 1/2 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

1/2 cup golden raisins

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, brown and granulated sugars, and molasses on high, scraping down bowl, until light and fluffy, 4 minutes. Add vanilla; beat until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition. With mixer on low, add flour mixture and beat just until combined. With a rubber spatula, stir in oats and raisins. Drop dough in 2-tablespoonful mounds, 2 inches apart, onto a baking sheet. Bake until cookies are just set at edges and slightly soft in middle, 11 minutes.

Let cookies cool on sheets, 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely. In a medium bowl, using mixer, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until light, 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.

Spread filling on flat side of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies.