Food Processor

This ginger beer is very spicy. Adjust the amount of lime juice and sugar to your taste.

We baked these treats in mini brioche pans; small fluted tartlet pans would work just as well.

The custard-filled crust can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Wait until just before serving to cut the dessert into bars; if crumbs and filling stick to the knife, wipe the blade clean between slices. Then decorate each bar with whipped cream. If you don’t have a pastry bag, use a resealable plastic bag with a corner cut off.

You can use a blender or a food processor to grind the rolled oats; 1 1/4 cups rolled oats yields 1 cup ground.

Cooking blintzes takes a bit of practice. A nonstick skillet is a great help. The first blintz is almost never perfect; just discard it and start again. The blintzes can be made through step 4 up to 2 hours ahead.

To achieve the greatest volume, whisk the egg whites in a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water until just warm to the touch.

For Valentine’s Day, bake the layers in two 9-inch heart-shaped cake pans.

Toast and peel the nuts for the cake and the garnish (recipe follows) at the same time. Bake the cake up to 3 days ahead; wrap well and keep at room temperature. The candied hazelnuts and chocolate curls can also be made 3 days ahead; store in airtight containers.

The candied orange peel can be made up to 3 weeks ahead; store it with the cooking syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator.