Black Forest Mousse Cake

Whipped cream and chocolate curls crown layers of chocolate cake, Morello cherries and chocolate mousse. Look for sour cherries preserved in light syrup in jars at delis and supermarkets. If you prefer not to make the chocolate curls, just grate 2 oz (60 g) chocolate instead.

The Ultimate Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

A braided crust and leaf-shaped cutouts give this seasonal favourite an extra-special presentation. And the flavour? Unparalleled. Our secret ingredient is tapioca starch, which thickens the strawberry juices for a glossy, clump-free filling.

Caramel Apple Sticky Buns

These sticky buns only look elaborate. If you prep everything the day before, all that's left to do is pop them in the oven.

Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

Sourdough can claim to be the original bread as it's made with spongy starter, the leavener used in making bread before cake and granular yeasts were commercially available. Although it's not a last-minute project — the starter and the bread need time to develop the distinctive tangy taste — this crusty, chewy loaf is actually easy to make and well worth the time. And if you feed the starter regularly, you can enjoy making this bread for years to come.

The Ultimate Brûlée Lemon Tart

You'll need a blowtorch to create the caramelized brûlée top; look for one in kitchen supply stores or certain hardware stores. The flame goes farther than is visible, so use the blowtorch with caution, work slowly and always point the flame away from any flammables or people. Refrigerate the tart for at least four hours to ensure the filling is firm enough to slice neatly.

Maple Choux au Craquelin Nests

Flaky Seafood Pie

One of the pleasures of the cooking traditions of the British Isles is seafood pie, with its bounty of northern seafood in a creamy sauce topped with flaky pastry. You can make the pie a day ahead and refrigerate it or freeze it. If you prefer, use pie pastry (one double-crust recipe) instead of puff pastry.

Igloo Cake

This cake gets a whimsical touch with easy-to-make marzipan figures. Fondant is available at cake-decorating stores and some craft stores. Use your favourite ice cream flavour for the filling.

Merguez Sausages

Harissa, a paste made from crushed chilies, gives these North African-inspired lamb sausages their signature kick. Find boneless lamb shoulder and sausage casings at your butcher, and make sure the meat is chilled before you work with it. For easy prep, enlist a helper for filling the casings.

Easy No-Knead White Sandwich Bread

This simple beginner recipe is a terrific introduction to bread baking. Conveniently, it makes two loaves, so you can serve one right away and freeze the other for later. If you freeze your bread, let it cool completely before slicing so that it stays nice and moist.