Dairy Free

You can also use other whole nuts, such as almonds, macadamia nuts, pecans, or cashews. It is best to make these on a day with low humidity.

If you wish to make these with store-bought puff pastry, increase the sugar to one cup. Thaw and unfold the dough on the sugared work surface, then trim each piece into a ten-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick. Proceed with the recipe, sprinkling and rolling as directed. (Standard packages contain about one pound of dough, so the yield will be slightly greater than for our homemade version.)

Speckles of grated lime zest in this pretty soft-green icing give the finished cookies a fresh citrus flavor.

These light, crisp cookies are inspired by the Spanish biscuits sold in Olivier Baussan’s store, O&Co., in New York City. They are perfect in the morning with tea or coffee, as a snack anytime, or for dessert, served with ice cream or fresh fruit. You will need to bake them in batches, using two baking sheets each time. Run the sheets under cold water to cool completely, dry thoroughly, then proceed with the next batch.

For the prettiest chips, use blemish-free pears that are not quite ripe. A mandoline will help make the pear slices perfectly even.

Pile this meringue on as thick as you can for a splendid-looking pie. Meringue is a perfect opportunity for the home baker to get creative with the spatula. You can smooth it over, swirl it around, or make fancy peaks. No one way is better than the other. Mrs. Rowe insisted on using a chilled bowl for the mixing. It’s a bit of a mystery why, as modern bakers claim it’s unnecessary. Maybe her eggs were so fresh that they were still warm and she needed to bring them down to room temperature by using a chilled bowl. In any case, the bakers at Mrs. Rowe’s restaurants still use chilled bowls. Weeping can happen with any meringue. A “weeping” meringue occurs when the sugar solution comes out of the meringue in drops. Sometimes a weeping meringue makes a slimy layer on top of the filling. The meringue will still taste yummy, but it won’t be as pretty. Sealing the edges of the meringue is an important step in helping to prevent weeping; it also helps assure that the filling won’t spill over. Just add some water to your fingers and press the meringue to the crust along the rim.

Less puffy and showy, but just as delicious as Mrs. Rowe’s Meringue (opposite), this family recipe is a tougher breed. The salt and cornstarch fuse and stabilize it, making it easier to manage and giving it a harder glaze once it’s baked, which means less likelihood of weeping.

The vinegar in this crust is a flavorless stabilizer, making the dough more forgiving and patchable. In addition to being easy to work with, it also tastes great—even butter-loving pastry fans enjoy the flavor.

Anyone allergic to nuts, eggs, or dairy shouldn’t miss out on all the fun. Whether someone in your family has dietary restrictions or you’re making treats for a whole classroom of kids, these chocolate cupcakes should suit most needs. Divvies Bakery, which specializes in allergen-free sweets, kindly shared this recipe on The Martha Stewart Show.

Made with beaten egg whites, this frosting is similar to meringue, but is more stable and sturdy enough for piping. And, like meringue, it also takes well to browning with a small kitchen torch. Use immediately, as the frosting will harden quickly (have your piping bag ready).

Using meringue powder (or powdered egg whites), instead of raw egg whites, eliminates food-safety concerns. Look for the powder at baking-supply stores and many supermarkets. Royal icing hardens quickly, so if not using immediately, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator, up to one week; before using, stir with a flexible spatula until smooth.

Follow this recipe to make a glaze with any citrus flavor, such as orange, lemon, or lime.

This billowy meringue is used to pipe the “mushrooms” for the fruitcakes on page 249 as well as the flowers for the meringue bouquet cupcakes on page 264. (It is also serves as the foundation for Swiss meringue butter-cream on page 304.)