dessert

If you're responsible for bringing the dessert to a bridal shower, look no further than this decadent, special occasion treat which feeds a large group of people. Petit fours are miniature layered cakes that take a long time to prepare, but as all will attest, they are so worth it. These are taller than your average petit four, but that's because there are four layers of sour cream-cheese pound cake with sweet cherry preserves filling. The bride and the rest of her party are sure to love the towering tiers of sweetness. To see how it's done, in photos, keep reading.

Now that I've accepted that I have a severe gluten intolerance, I've started enjoying food a lot more. Thanks to people like Lena Kwak — the food developer for chef Thomas Keller — we all have better gluten-free options. She has developed a flour called Cup4Cup that can be used interchangeably with all-purpose flour. So grab a bag and start baking these awesome cookies. Like the name suggests, I put just about everything in them — it just depends on what I have on hand.

Keep reading for the recipe!

Hot-pink stalks of rhubarb and rosy-shouldered strawberries practically beg to be simmered together; add perfume-like cardamom to the mix, and it's hardly surprising that this crumble is a keeper. Even better, it's a low-effort proposition, perfect for casual entertaining or baking up as a spontaneous treat for oneself.

Particularly when working with cardamom, make certain to grind the spice fresh, as it rapidly loses its fragrance once pulverized to a powder. Other than that, this recipe is simple, satisfying, and more than worth the minimal effort expended — try it yourself tonight.

Who doesn't love Pop Rocks, the faddish candy of the 1980s? When Molecule-R sent us Popping Sugar ($4 for 2.8 ounces), I knew I had to sprinkle it over some sort of confection.

Popping Sugar is a neutral-tasting, carbonated sugar that reacts with liquid to release carbon dioxide bubbles, which causes all that snapping and sizzling inside your mouth. For my first experiment, I was inspired by Chuao to start with chocolate bark because it's relatively easy to make and an oh-so-fun way to experience the electrifying sugar juxtaposed with the melting chocolate.

The ingredients are simple: just chocolate and the Popping Sugar. Temper the chocolate; spread it on a nonstick mat, cover it in the Popping Sugar, and let the chocolate set before snapping it into the bite-size bark pieces.

Bring it to parties, and let the grin-inducing cracking begin. Keep reading for the recipe.