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2. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool for a couple of minutes, then transfer the cookies to a rack to cool further. Store in a covered tin for up to 3 days.

APPLE CRISP

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: ABOUT 1 HOUR

IN PLACE OF APPLES, you can use pears here or a mixture. In fact, this is a universal crisp recipe and will work with just about any fruit. Almost needless to say, it’s great with vanilla ice cream.

3 cups peeled, cored, and sliced apples or other fruit

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Juice of ½ lemon

⅓ cup brown sugar, or to taste

2½ tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits, plus butter for greasing the pan

¼ cup rolled oats

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut (optional)

2 tablespoons chopped nuts (optional)

Dash of salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the fruit with half the cinnamon, the lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar and spread it in a lightly buttered 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan.

2. Combine all the other ingredients, including the remaining cinnamon and sugar, in a food processor and pulse a few times, then process for a few seconds more, until everything is well incorporated but not uniform. (To mix the ingredients by hand, soften the butter slightly, toss together the dry ingredients, and then work in the butter with your fingertips, a pastry blender, or a fork.)

3. Spread the topping over the apples and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the topping is browned and the apples are tender. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

TIME: 20 TO 30 MINUTES, PLUS TIME TO CHILL

THE RICHEST, most elegant dessert you can make with so little work.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 eggs, separated

¼ cup sugar

½ cup heavy cream

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a double boiler, a small saucepan over low heat, or the microwave, melt the butter and chocolate together. Just before the chocolate finishes melting, remove it from the heat and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.

2. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a bowl and beat in the egg yolks with a whisk. Put the bowl in the refrigerator.

3. Beat the egg whites with half the sugar until they hold stiff peaks but are not dry. Set aside. Beat the cream with the remaining sugar and vanilla until it holds soft peaks.

4. Stir a couple of spoonfuls of the whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it a bit, then fold in the remaining whites thoroughly but gently. Fold in the cream and refrigerate until chilled. If you are in a hurry, divide the mousse among 4 to 6 serving cups; it will chill much faster. Serve within a day of making.

FLAN

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: ABOUT 45 MINUTES

IF YOU USE vanilla in place of the cinnamon and omit the caramel (step 2), you can call these pots de crème. No matter how you make them, though, be careful not to overcook, or the eggs will curdle instead of becoming silky and creamy.

2 cups milk, cream, or a mixture

1 cinnamon stick or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup sugar

2 eggs plus 2 yolks

Pinch of salt

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F and put a kettle of water on to boil. Put the milk in a small saucepan with the cinnamon; turn the heat to medium. Cook just until it begins to steam, then cool a bit.

2. Meanwhile, combine ½ cup of the sugar with ¼ cup of water in a small, heavy saucepan. Turn the heat to low and cook, shaking the pan occasionally (it’s best not to stir), until the sugar liquefies, turns clear, then golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately pour the caramel into the bottom of a large heatproof bowl or 4 ramekins.

3. Beat the eggs and yolks with the salt and remaining ½ cup sugar until pale yellow and fairly thick. Remove the cinnamon stick (if you used it) from the milk and add the milk gradually to the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Pour the mixture into the prepared bowl or ramekins and put it/them in a baking pan,