Alcohol

The recipe below was based on the apricot soufflés served by Sally Darr at her former New York City restaurant, La Tulipe. This recipe calls for five large egg whites. When separating your eggs, serve the yolks for the accompanying crème anglaise.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This drink is sometimes known as a Napoleon.

Variant: King's Peg (Napoleon)

Madeira is combined with Cointreau, honey and spices in a simple English-inspired hot drink for the holidays.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 3 1/4 hr

To serve as a drink, freeze until just slushy but not solid. Look for Angostura bitters in the liquor section of the supermarket.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A homemade version of vanilla extract.

Variant: Eddie Brown

This lovely finale is from Dwayne Fortier of La Reserve in Houston. Begin preparing it well before serving, as the mousse needs to freeze for at least six hours.