Chocolate

This torte has a crisp top that shatters when cut and a fudgy tart cherry center.

This dessert is an Italian takeoff on a classic French dish, Poire Belle-Hélène-poached pear with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. Here the pear is teamed with a hazelnut-orange_semifreddo_ (a sweet Italian frozen mousse) and a Frangelico chocolate sauce. For smaller appetites, cut the semifreddo into eight portions and the pears in half.

There's just a hint of chocolate in these.

This recipe was created to accompany Caramelized Banana Purses with White Chocolate Sauce. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

We particularly like this dessert made with coffee ice cream, but youcan use any flavor that goes well with chocolate and peanuts. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 2 1/4 hr

White chocolate custard tops espresso custard in this luxurious make-ahead dessert. It's pretty garnished with fresh strawberries and coffee beans.

"My parents and I recently celebrated my mom's birthday at a local restaurant called The Farmhouse," writes Karen Eschenbach of Emmaus, Pennsylvania. "We ended a wonderful meal with an even better dessert—chocolate-peanut butter 'beggars' purses.'" Each elegant phyllo "purse" contains a flourless brownie topped with peanut butter and chocolate ganache.

A small slice of this delightfully dense chocolate cake goes a long way.

For the fudgiest brownies, be sure not to overbake these, from Steffi Berne's Cookie Jar Cookbook.

Active time: 5 min Start to finish: 5 min

To accompany Frozen Nougat Terrine .

This recipe was created to accompany Gianduia Torte with Chocolate Glaze.

The cake can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; bring it to room temperature to serve. If desired, you can garnish the cake with sugared mint leaves: Whisk egg whites until they are foamy, then brush them over mint leaves and sprinkle leaves with sugar.