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8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for the pans

¼ cup sugar, plus more for the pans

5 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 large eggs, separated, plus 2 large egg yolks

4 scoops coffee ice cream (1 pint)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 4 cups in a jumbo nonstick muffin pan, leaving the 2 center cups empty. Coat lightly with sugar, and set aside. Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl; set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally, until melted and thoroughly combined. Remove from heat; set aside.

2. Combine the 4 egg yolks with 2 tablespoons sugar, and whisk until the mixture is pale yellow and thick. Stir in the melted chocolate mixture.

3. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and whisk until stiff and shiny but not dry. Fold into the chocolate mixture. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, and bake until set and slightly springy to the touch, about 25 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven, and transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool for 15 minutes in the pan; carefully run a knife around the edges of the cakes, and unmold. Serve each cake with a scoop of coffee ice cream.

pear-cranberry upside-down cake

MAKES ONE 10-INCH CAKE

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

1¾ cups firmly packed light-brown sugar

3 firm but ripe pears, such as Anjou

Juice of 1 lemon

1 cup fresh cranberries

2½ cups all-purpose flour

2½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

3 large eggs

1 cup milk, room temperature

Spice Ice Cream (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine 6 tablespoons butter and ¾ cup brown sugar in a medium skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until melted and thoroughly combined, about 6 minutes. Pour into a 10 × 2-inch professional round cake pan.

2. Peel the pears, core, and slice into ½-inch-thick wedges. Coat with lemon juice, and arrange on top of the brown sugar mixture in a spiral pattern around the edge of the pan. Fan out the slices in the center. Sprinkle ½ cup cranberries over the pears, and set aside.

3. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger together in a medium bowl; set aside. Combine the remaining 6 tablespoons butter and cup of brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, and beat until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the milk alternately with the flour mixture, beginning and ending with flour; beat until smooth. Stir in the remaining ½ cup cranberries; pour over the fruit in the pan.

4. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and invert onto a serving platter. Serve with spice ice cream.

spice ice cream

MAKES ABOUT 1½ QUARTS

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

4 cinnamon sticks

1 whole star anise (optional)

2 cups milk

6 large egg yolks

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups heavy cream, very cold

1. Place the vanilla bean and scrapings, cinnamon sticks, and star anise (if using) in a saucepan with milk over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover, and remove from heat. Allow to steep for 30 minutes; then strain, discarding the solids.

2. Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl, and whisk until pale yellow and thick, about 3 minutes.

3. Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside. Return the milk to the stove, and bring just to a simmer. Slowly pour the milk mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return it to the saucepan, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. The custard should retain a line drawn across the back of the spoon with your finger.

4. Remove the pan from the heat, and immediately stir in the cold cream. Pass through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl