Rum Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

With its cross-hatch pattern, this ruby-red cake makes a striking finale to brunch. Spring through early summer is the ideal time to shop for fresh rhubarb (and harvest it from your garden). Choose long crisp stalks that are blemish-free.

The Ultimate Crêpes

Master the (very simple!) art of crêpe-making and you've got endless possibilities, both savoury and sweet. The thin unleavened pancakes are an ideal base for everything from veggies and meat to fruit and chocolate.

Minty Swirl Sandwich Cookies

Drop cookies make a fuss-free base for these delightful sandwiches, as there's no rolling out or cutting required. The trick to getting the most uniform, round cookies is to rotate them between your palms before coating them in sprinkles. You'll find white nonpareils in bulk-food stores.

Gluten-Free Ginger-Spiced Snickerdoodles

Crispy edges and a soft, chewy centre—what’s not to love? These sweet and spicy gluten-free treats are bound to become a favourite. See below for our cream cheese sandwich variation.

North African Pork Chops With Cauliflower Couscous

Ras el hanout offers great bang for your buck in the flavour department. Just a bit of this North African spice blend adds depth to everything from meats to grains to sauces. It can be purchased premixed from Middle Eastern grocery stores or in specialty spice shops. If you can't find it, you can easily make your own using spices you already have on hand.

Rhubarb Bread Pudding with Honey Crème Anglaise

Toasted buttery croissants take this modest bread-based dessert to new heights. Use day-old croissants for the best results; you'll need six to eight in total. Layering the croissants and the rhubarb gives you a bit of everything in each bite. You can also substitute the same amount of thawed frozen rhubarb for the fresh—just thoroughly pat it dry.

White Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Tarte

A marzipan pumpkin patch turns a splendid pie into delicious whimsy.

Dragonfly Cookies

Fluttering dragonflies will catch everyone's eyes with their colourful sparkle and brilliant shades. Insert lollipop sticks into a few cookies before chilling them to make cookie pops.

Chocolate Brownie Croquembouche

Moist, fudgy two-bite brownies in colourful muffin-cup liners become a delicious "tree" — a sweet centrepiece that guests of any age will love. Cover the cone with foil and decorate the brownies with your favourite Valentine's Day candies if you like. Or, instead of assembling the tree, you can arrange the brownies in a pyramid shape on a cake plate.

Mint Brownie Ice Cream Cake