Graham Cracker

This cheesecake is a cross between a New York style and the creamier, no-bake versions. It is really good and really impressive looking (and really big). We usually save this for family parties since it serves twelve people, but if you are making it for your family, it can be refrigerated for four or five days or sliced, individually covered in plastic wrap, and frozen.

Don’t laugh . . . it works, and it’s good. The key is to make sure that your marshmallows are really toasted to a deep golden brown color on all sides to get the most flavor. Don’t walk away from the oven because the marshmallows brown quickly. Would a dollop of “Fluffy” Whipped Cream (page 154) on top be overkill? I think not! In the mood for S’mores? Just blend the toasted marshmallows into the Double Chocolate Milkshake (page 134) and add a few tablespoons of crushed graham crackers on top of the whipped cream.

Pat: This cool, creamy pie is as refreshing as a glass of lemonade—and it goes down just as easy. We use lemonade concentrate, sweetened condensed milk, and whipped cream to create a fluffy, light-textured filling, then cradle the filling in a graham-cracker crust and freeze the pie before serving. The result is a beat-the-heat, not-too-heavy dessert that can easily follow a big feast—and still disappear (not that anyone in our family is ever too full for dessert!). The lemon-zest garnish is not essential, but it sure is beautiful and fun to make, and it adds another little kiss of lemony love.

When you think about adding flavor to foods in the most healthful way possible, you think about the most intense flavor vehicles you can find. That’s why this recipe calls for vanilla bean. The tiny seeds inside pack a wallop of this most delicate and beloved taste. If you can’t find good strawberries, try whole raspberries or small slices of ripe peach.

There are no cracks in this New York cheesecake. A water bath is key for gentle heat during the baking process.

This old-fashioned classic has many renditions but we love this one best; feel free to substitute milk, white, butterscotch, or bittersweet chocolate chips for the semi-sweet and almonds, walnuts, or peanuts for the pecans.

Tangy, tart, and refreshing, with a bit of graham cracker crunch—just like the pie.
One of Ciao Bella's most popular recent flavor creations, this started as a seasonal offering for our chef customers and became wildly successful in our gelaterie. The popularity of Key Lime with Graham Cracker Gelato was a bit of a surprise because its flavor is decidedly tart, while Americans tend to have sweeter palates. There's always a fine line between creating what chefs appreciate and what customers will like, but in this case everyone was happy. This flavor is so popular that in less than a year it became our number-one retail gelato flavor in New York City.

There is something to be said for a big, sunny slice of lemon custard pie—and that is, "Oh, boy." Neither too sweet nor too sharp, particularly when served with plenty of freshly whipped cream, it provides a festive-yet-undecorated counterpoint to fancier desserts. The graham cracker crust, like the pie itself, is the embodiment of simplicity. It's also terrifically pantry-friendly.

A Meyer lemon is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. If you can't find any, substitute regular lemons. This pie's decadent cream filling is made from protein-rich tofu.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from by Lauren Chattman. Here is a wonderful summer cheesecake, great after a Latin-themed barbecue. The bright and acidic Mango Sauce cuts the sweetness of the coconut and gives the cake some extra tropical flair. Be sure to stir up the cream of coconut before measuring it out, because it settles and separates in the can.

This voluptuous rum-spiked pie will surprise you with its complexity—a hint of curry powder adds an elusive undertone that makes it particularly delicious.

It's impossible to go wrong with layers of graham, chocolate, and marshmallow. Broiling the gooey top creates an irresistible golden crown that crackles each time the pie is sliced.

Sweet crackers and cookies easily transform into delicious piecrusts. Be sure to use gingersnaps for the pumpkin ginger cheesecake pie and graham crackers for the chocolate s'more pie .

Editor's note: The recipe below is excerpted from Cal-a-Vie Living: Gourmet Spa Cuisine and is part of a healthy and delicious spa menu developed exclusively for Epicurious by Cal-a-Vie.

This mildly spiked dessert is so easy to put together, it will quickly become one of your summer-entertaining standbys.

Expect a line to form when you unveil this stunning dessert. It's swirled throughout with tangy lemon curd, which amplifies the richness of the surrounding cheesecake.

Amaretti cookie crumbs, sprinkled between layers of phyllo, give lots of satisfying flavor and texture this this apple-cranberry pastry.