Before you start

Gather your ingredients.

Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.

A few useful notes.

The specified deep pan and headroom matter; a shallow tart ring has less capacity.

The filling contains almonds, dairy, eggs and Calvados. It is not described as alcohol-free.

Use unsweetened shortcrust rather than a highly sweetened cookie-style crust.

The cooking plan

How to make Apple, Almond and Calvados Tart.

1. Roll the chilled pastry about 1/8 inch thick and line a 10-inch metal tart pan at least 1 1/4 inches deep. Ease it into the corners without stretching, trim and refrigerate until firm. Heat the oven to 350°F.

2. Set the tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Line the pastry with parchment and fill with pie weights. Bake until the edges look set, starting to check around 20 minutes. Remove weights and parchment carefully, then bake until the base looks dry, checking after another 5 minutes.

3. Whisk the weighed egg with the sugar, cream, almond flour and Calvados until evenly combined. Arrange the apple slices in the partially baked shell.

4. Pour the custard around the apples, keeping the filling at least 1/4 inch below the pastry rim. Do not force in excess filling. Bake any extra custard separately in an ovenproof cup set in a water bath, checking its center for the same temperature endpoint.

5. Bake the tart until the apples are tender, the filling is set with only a slight movement at the center, and the custard center reaches at least 160°F. Start checking around 35 minutes and continue as needed. Shield the pastry edges with foil if they brown too quickly.

6. Cool on a rack, then refrigerate within 2 hours at 40°F or below. Chill until firm before removing the pan sides and slicing. Use within 3–4 days.

Before you start

Gather your ingredients.

Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.

A few useful notes.

Use ordinary Grand Marnier liqueur in the measured amounts. Concentrated orange extracts are different products.

This dessert contains alcohol, including liqueur stirred in after cooking.

Six crêpes at about 60 g filling each use about 360 g filling; keep any extra refrigerated.

The cooking plan

How to make Orange Crêpes with Grand Marnier Cream.

1. For the filling, heat the milk until steaming. In a bowl, whisk the yolks, filling sugar and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly whisk in the hot milk, then return everything to the saucepan.

2. Cook over medium heat, whisking into the corners of the pan, until thick and bubbling in the center. Continue whisking for 1 minute after bubbling begins. Remove from heat, press through a fine sieve and stir in the filling butter and vanilla.

3. Spread into a shallow heatproof container, cover the surface and cool promptly. Refrigerate within 2 hours at 40°F or below until completely cold. Stir smooth, then mix in the candied peel and the filling portion of liqueur. Keep refrigerated and use within 2 days.

4. For the sauce, simmer the orange juice, sauce sugar and lemon juice until the liquid measures about 50 ml for the base batch. Remove from heat and whisk in the cold sauce butter a few pieces at a time. Stir in the sauce portion of liqueur. Keep away from open flames; there is no flambé step.

5. Warm the cooked crêpes gently in a covered skillet or low oven. Spread about 60 g of the chilled filling down the center of each crêpe and fold or roll it. Keep any extra filling refrigerated.

6. Plate promptly and spoon over the warm orange-butter sauce. Assemble only what you will serve; keep the remaining cream chilled.

Before you start

Gather your ingredients.

Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.

A few useful notes.

Use ovenproof ramekins, with enough room above the custard for safe handling.

This version has a chilled, dense chocolate texture. The base batch makes four small portions.

The cooking plan

How to make Baked Dark Chocolate Custard Cups.

1. Heat the oven to 300°F. Set four ovenproof ramekins of about 3 fluid ounces each in a deep roasting pan. Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.

2. Heat the cream and milk in a small saucepan until steaming. In another bowl, whisk the weighed egg gently. Slowly whisk a little hot dairy into the egg, then gradually whisk in the rest.

3. Pour the warm mixture over the chocolate. Let it soften briefly, then stir gently until smooth. Divide among the ramekins, leaving headroom.

4. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the ramekins. Bake until the edges hold their shape and the center of each custard reaches at least 160°F. Start checking around 20 minutes and continue as needed; the centers may still tremble slightly.

5. Lift the cups carefully out of the water. Cool promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours at 40°F or below. Chill until firm and use within 2 days.

Before you start

Gather your ingredients.

Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.

A few useful notes.

This version specifies ground green cardamom, with no cinnamon or orange powder.

The spice amount is a defined home choice for the measured dairy batch.

Six small custards are a serving suggestion.

The cooking plan

How to make Honey-Cardamom Crème Brûlée.

1. Heat the oven to 300°F. Arrange six shallow ovenproof ramekins, about 5 ounces each, in a deep roasting pan. Heat water for the bath.

2. Mix the yolks, custard sugar, honey, vanilla and weighed ground cardamom until evenly combined, without beating in air. Stir in the milk, followed by the cream. Strain through a fine sieve.

3. Divide among the ramekins, leaving headroom. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up their sides, keeping water out of the custards.

4. Bake until the edges are set, the centers have a gentle wobble and each center reaches at least 160°F. Start checking around 30 minutes and continue as needed for the dishes and oven; time alone is not the endpoint.

5. Remove carefully from the bath, cool promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours at 40°F or below. Chill thoroughly, preferably overnight, and use within 2 days.

6. Before serving, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of the finishing sugar evenly over each custard and caramelize with a kitchen torch following its instructions. Let the crust harden briefly and serve.