Before you start

Gather your ingredients.

Check your pantry before you begin. Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.

The cooking plan

How to make Brown Butter Pecan Cheesecake.

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Use a 9-inch springform pan with sides at least 3 inches high. Wrap the outside base and sides in wide, overlapping layers of heavy-duty foil to keep the water bath out.

2. Pulse the graham crackers and the crust pecans to fine crumbs. Mix with the crust sugar and salt, then stir in the 6 tablespoons melted butter. Press firmly over the pan base and partway up the sides. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until lightly colored, then let cool.

3. Melt the 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped pecans and stir for 4 to 5 minutes, until the nuts smell toasted and the milk solids turn golden brown. Remove from the heat before they darken and let cool.

4. Beat the softened cream cheese and filling sugar until smooth, scraping the bowl. Mix in the eggs one at a time on low speed, stopping as soon as each disappears. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla, then fold in the cooled pecans and all their butter.

5. Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Set the wrapped springform pan inside a roasting pan and place on the oven rack. Carefully pour hot water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the springform pan, staying below the foil edges.

6. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until the outer filling is set and a small area in the center still wobbles gently when nudged; it should not look liquid. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly, and leave the cake inside for 1 hour.

7. Lift the springform pan out of the water bath, remove the foil, and dry the outside. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until fully cold and firm. Run a thin knife around the rim before removing it. Serve with optional whipped cream, caramel, and extra pecans.

Before you start

Gather your ingredients.

Check your pantry before you begin. Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.

The cooking plan

How to make Cherry Crème Brûlée.

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Arrange six heatproof ramekins in a deep roasting pan. Coarsely chop the pitted cherries.
2. Heat 1 cup cream with the custard sugar, cherries and salt until gently simmering. Cook briefly, remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining cream.
3. Whisk yolks smooth in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the warm cream mixture a little at a time to warm the yolks without scrambling them. Divide cherries and custard evenly among ramekins.
4. Set pan on the oven rack and carefully pour hot water around ramekins to halfway up their sides, keeping water out of the custard. Bake about 35–40 minutes, until edges are set and centers tremble gently rather than slosh. The egg custard should reach at least 160°F. Ramekin size affects timing.
5. Carefully remove ramekins from the hot water. Cool briefly on a rack, then refrigerate promptly until thoroughly cold, at least 3 hours.
6. Just before serving, dry any surface moisture and sprinkle a thin, even layer of topping sugar over each custard. Use a culinary torch according to its manufacturer instructions, on a heatproof surface away from flammable items. Let the caramel harden before serving.

Before you start

Gather your ingredients.

Check your pantry before you begin. Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.

The cooking plan

How to make Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries.

1. Rinse strawberries under running water and dry thoroughly. Remove leafy tops, then carefully scoop a small hollow from each berry with a small spoon or paring knife.
2. Beat softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag or a clean food-storage bag with one corner snipped.
3. Pipe filling into the berries without overfilling. Arrange on a tray and refrigerate until serving.
4. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the filled berries just before serving so they stay crisp. Serve chilled.

Before you start

Gather your ingredients.

Check your pantry before you begin. Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.

The cooking plan

How to make Homemade Lemon Curd.

1. Whisk lemon juice, eggs, yolks and sugar in a heatproof nonreactive bowl. Set over gently simmering water, keeping the bottom above the water.
2. Whisk continuously, reaching the sides and bottom, until the mixture thickens and measures at least 160°F. It should coat a spoon. Keep the water at a gentle simmer; do not let the curd boil.
3. Lift the bowl off the pan using oven mitts. Whisk in butter pieces until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean shallow container.
4. Cover the surface and refrigerate promptly until cold and thick, allowing about 2 hours. Keep refrigerated until serving.