Most of the big snack companies sell some variation on a cream-filled, chocolate-covered cupcake. We love the concept, just not the artificial, bland flavors. Could we make cream-filled cupcakes from scratch at home? Here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

• Use the reverse creaming method, which means cutting the butter into the dry ingredients (as with biscuit dough), to achieve a tender, close-crumbed cupcake. A more traditional large-crumbed cake wasn’t sturdy enough to hold the cream and support the thick frosting.
• To fill the cupcake, cut a cone-shaped hole in the top of the cupcake, remove a portion of the interior, and fill the hole with cream. The frosting will cover any evidence of the hole.
• Add light corn syrup to the glaze so that it clings tightly to the cupcake and has a glossy texture.

Bake the cupcakes in a greased and floured muffin tin rather than paper cupcake liners so the chocolate glaze can run down the sides of the cooled cakes.

Refer to the illustrations below when layering the batter and streusel in the pan. A fixed-bottom, 10-inch tube pan (with 10-cup capacity) is best for this recipe. Note that the streusel is divided into two parts—one for the inner swirls, one for the topping.

Refer to the illustrations below when layering the batter and streusel in the pan. A fixed-bottom, 10-inch tube pan (with 10-cup capacity) is best for this recipe. Note that the streusel is divided into two parts—one for the inner swirls, one for the topping.

To prepare the asparagus for this salad, we found that broiling concentrates the flavor of the asparagus and lightly caramelizes the peel. We prefer to use thin (under 5/8-inch) asparagus under the broiler-this lets us skip the peeling step and allows the spears to cook more evenly.

Do not substitute lowfat or skim milk for the whole milk in this recipe. To ensure a sticky and crisp topping, make the topping just before baking. Walnuts can be substituted for the pecans.

Catfish, trout, haddock, thick sole fillets, or tilapia can be substituted for the cod. Stay away from very delicate fillets or thick, meaty fish such as swordfish or tuna. If some of the pieces have thin, tapered ends, tuck them under before breading to prevent them from overcooking and drying out. Generously coat the fish with the Melba crumbs, but do not pile them on or they will not adhere to the fish; there will be crumbs left over. Serve with Tartar Sauce, (see related recipe).

This recipe was published in our cookbook The Best Light Recipe.

Fresh pasta is the best choice for this dish; supermarkets sell 9-ounce containers of fresh pasta in the refrigerator section (see related article for tasting results). When boiling the pasta, undercook it slightly (even shy of al dente) because the pasta cooks an additional minute or two in the sauce. Note that Fettuccine Alfredo must be served immediately; it does not hold or reheat well.

The ultimate weeknight dinner, this salmon is on the table in less than 15 minutes from the time the pan hits the stove. With the addition of the fish fillets, the pan temperature drops; compensate for the heat loss by keeping the heat on medium-high for 30 seconds after adding them. If cooking two or three fillets instead of the full recipe of four, use a 10-inch skillet and medium-high heat for both preheating the pan and cooking the salmon. A splatter screen helps reduce the mess of pan-searing. Serve salmon with a sweet and sour chutney (see related recipe), a fresh salsa, an herb-spiked vinaigrette, or squirt of lemon or lime.

If your chops are on the thinner side, check their internal temperature after the initial sear. If they are already at the 140-degree mark, remove them from the skillet and allow them to rest, tented with foil, for 5 minutes, then add the platter juices and glaze ingredients to the skillet and proceed with step 3. If your chops are closer to 1 inch thick, you may need to increase the simmering time in step 2.

Make full-flavored, fresh-tasting chicken pot pie without spending all afternoon in the kitchen.

You can make the filling ahead of time, but remember to heat it on top of the stove before topping it. Mushrooms can be sautéed along with the celery and carrots, and blanched pearl onions can stand in for the onion. If you don’t want to make a pastry topping, make the related biscuit recipe, stamp out 8 rounds of dough, arrange dough rounds, over warm filling and bake as directed.