dear cooks,

Someone's bound to make pumpkin pie, so why not surprise your Thanksgiving guests with a dessert that's outside the box? Here are two books full of sweet goodness that are holiday and all-year worthy . . .

The Craft of Baking

Karen DeMasco of New York City's Locanda Verde restaurant, was the pastry chef at Tom Colicchio's renowned Craft, Craftbar, and 'wichcraft restaurants for seven years—which garnered her a prestigious James Beard Award. Now home cooks can create the desserts that made her famous: simple, elegant confections that use seasonal ingredients to their tastiest advantage. Apple Fritters with Caramel Ice Cream & Caramel Sauce, Fig & Walnut Brioche Tart, and Concord Grape Pie are just a few of the fall and winter favorites that'll whet your appetite and inspire you to get baking! But don't just stop there—get creative with Karen's tips for varying or combining recipes. Turn a spring Rhubarb Rose Cobbler into a summer Mixed Berry version or add some Apricot Compote and Lillet Sabayon to a basic Almond Pound Cake for a stellar dessert.

Rachael Ray's Book of Ten

No home cook should go without Rachael's lists of top 10—from her husband John's 10 faves, her best $10 meals, and her recipes most requested by her fans. You're likely to find a few of your longtime favorites in here, as well as recipes that are destined to be included in your own top 10 list.

Moosewood Restaurant's
Farm Fresh Meals

about the deck

Cook up something fresh and fantastic any time of year with recipes from whole-food pioneers Moosewood Restaurant. Each recipe features fruits and vegetables peaking in summer, autumn, winter, or spring; take a few cards with you to your farmer's market so you always know what—and how much—produce you need to create complete, crowd-pleasing meals. Making the most of ingredients that are fresh and healthy, while you're being environmentally conscious, has never been easier—or more delicious.

Learn More >>

Grandma Rankin's Cashew Brittle
From The Craft of Baking

My Grandma Rankin started making what became her famous cashew brittle as a young adult, using a recipe passed down by her mother. Years later, she decided to give the salty-sweet candy as Christmas gifts. Before long she was sending my grandfather to the nut factory to buy nuts in bulk. For years she made 150 pounds of the candy every holiday season!

Makes 1¾ pounds

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
• 1½ cups (12 ounces) salted roasted cashews

Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; set it aside.

Combine the sugar, butter, corn syrup, and ½ cup water in a large saucepan. Stir together so that all of the sugar is wet. Cook the mixture over high heat without stirring until it turns a dark amber color, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Carefully whisk in the baking soda, followed by the salt; the caramel will rise and bubble. Using a wooden or metal spoon, fold in the cashews. Pour the brittle onto the prepared baking sheet, and using the back of the spoon, spread it out into a layer about ½ inch thick. Let it cool completely. Break the brittle into bite-size pieces, using a mallet or the back of a heavy knife.

The brittle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Varying Your Craft: Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Replace the cashews with 1½ cups (6 ounces) toasted pumpkin seeds.

Very Berry Crumble
From Rachael Ray's Book of 10

I like to use frozen berries for this crumble. Not only can I have it any time of year, but the juices left in the bag after thawing provide sweetness (without adding a lot of sugar) and sauce for the crumble.

4 Servings

Crumble Topping

• ¾ cup sliced almonds, lightly crushed
• 1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Hefty pinch of ground cinnamon
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened, plus more for greasing ramekins

Filling

• 1 10-ounce bag frozen raspberries, thawed
• 1 10-ounce bag frozen blueberries, thawed
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Grease four 6-ounce ramekins and transfer them to a foil-lined baking sheet and set aside.

To make the topping, in a bowl combine the almonds, oats, sugar, and spices. Add the butter, and, with your fingers or a fork, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until large, coarse crumbs form. Set aside while you make the filling.

To make the filling, put the berries into a strainer set over a bowl to catch the juices. Add the sugar and cornstarch to the juices and whisk until smooth and the starch dissolves. Gently fold the berries back into their juices, and divide the mixture among the greased ramekins. Top each filled dish with one fourth of the crumble topping and place on the baking sheet. Bake until bubbling hot and the topping is golden, about 20 minutes. Allow the crumbles to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.