Easy Desserts

This warm citrus dessert is an updated version of the old-fashioned half grapefruit broiled with brown sugar. In addition to vitamin C, the recipe provides vitamin E from the scattering of sweet and crunchy almonds on top.

An updated version of the classic and delicious camping treat made with a creamy hazelnut spread and sweet bananas.

This version of the soda-fountain favorite relies on Virginia's honey-based Dominion Root Beer, but any artisanal root beer will do.

One of the easiest desserts to make, these chocolate cupcakes are made of buttermilk, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract.

The chilled ricotta served over warm apples here expresses chef April Bloomfield's style and makes an amazingly fast dessert.

Parisi made several versions of these brilliant little jam-topped cheesecakes, substituting fromage blanc and other tangy soft cheeses for the usual sour cream. Some versions were sweeter, others more tart; all were delicious.

In this takeoff on the campfire classic, Grace Parisi replaces crunchy graham crackers with buttery store-bought pound cake, sandwiched with marshmallow fluff and peanut butter and served alongside a cup of warm melted chocolate for dipping.

Arborio rice is great for Stephanie Prida's pudding, because the plump grains stay perfectly firm and chewy.

Marcia Kiesel loves serving cold Japanese plum wine as an after-dinner drink. Here, she uses it to quick-soak plums.

A dusting of unsweetened cocoa adds an appealing bitterness to this simple one-bite dessert.

This dessert is also a terrific breakfast topped with maple syrup.

A perennial family favorite, these peanut butter cookies are both crunchy and chewy, no easy feat.

"I top fresh ricotta with cherries that I've picked in the spring and frozen. The cherries absorb the natural sweetness of the port,"; explains pastry chef Gale Gand about one of her favorite three-ingredient desserts.

As if the chocolate-hazelnut spread gianduja isn't delicious enough straight off the spoon, we've folded in whipped cream and crème fraîche to create a truly decadent (and ridiculously easy) mousse. For a supereasy ice cream sandwich, spoon the mousse between chocolate wafers and freeze overnight.

This gooey bread pudding made with caramel-like dulce de leche from Latin America is so much more than the sum of its five parts. To add even more flavor, throw in a handful of fresh or frozen raspberries or blueberries before baking.

Thomas Keller tops the fruit with a dollop of Petit Suisse, a French fresh cheese sold in small tubs at some specialty food stores, and a sprinkling of whole toasted almonds. He prefers marcona, the delectable Spanish nuts.

Louis Lambert believes that the best way to finish off a spicy meal is with a cool and creamy custard. He combined his grandmother's tapioca recipe and his own recipe for crème brûlée to make this super-rich pudding.

A nutrition course at the Culinary Institute of America in New York's Hudson River valley put chef Annabel Langbein on the course to healthier eating, teaching her how to prepare low-fat dishes that didn't make her feel deprived, like this decadent-tasting soufflé, a swirl of berries and marshmallowy meringue.

Nothing could be easier than slapping a piece of chocolate on a slice of bread: Spanish children do it all the time as an after-school snack. But by sprinkling the melted chocolate with sea salt and extra-virgin olive oil, Ferran Adrià turns kid food into something parents will want to try.

For his superquick version, blend vanilla ice cream with bourbon and use a high-quality black cherry soda like Stewart's or IBC.

This juicy and bright apple cobbler is just the right amount of sweet, with an irresistibly tender and crunchy crust on top.