MAKES 32 TO 40 PIECES

A straight-sided traditional (not nonstick) metal baking pan works best for making baklava; the straight sides ensure that the pieces will have nicely shaped edges, and the surface of a traditional pan will not be marred by the knife during cutting, as would a nonstick surface. If you don’t have this type of pan, a glass baking dish will work. Make sure that the phyllo is fully thawed before use; leave it in the refrigerator overnight or on the countertop for four to five hours. When assembling, use the nicest, most intact phyllo sheets for the bottom and top layers; use sheets with tears or ones that are smaller than the size of the pan in the middle layers, where their imperfections will go unnoticed. If, after assembly, you have remaining clarified butter, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator; it can be used for sautéing.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
We wanted our baklava recipe to produce crisp, flaky, buttery lozenges, light yet rich, filled with fragrant nuts and spices, and sweetened just assertively enough to pair with a Turkish coffee. To achieve this goal, we sprinkled store-bought phyllo dough with three separate layers of nuts (a combination of almonds and walnuts) flavored with cinnamon and cloves. We clarified the butter for even browning. We found that cutting the baklava rather than just scoring it before baking helped it absorb the sugar syrup. Finally, allowing the baklava to sit overnight before serving improved itsthe flavor of our baklava recipe and was worth the wait.

http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/bake-it-better/2012/10/secrets-to-better-baklava/

MAKES 64 ONE-INCH BROWNIES

Either Dutch-processed or natural cocoa works well in this recipe. These brownies are very rich, so we prefer to cut them into small squares for serving.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
To develop a rich, deep chocolate flavor for our fudgy brownie recipe, we ultimately found it necessary to use three types of chocolate: unsweetened chocolate laid a solid, intense foundation; semisweet chocolate provided a mellow, even, somewhat sweet flavor; and cocoa smoothed out any rough edges introduced by the unsweetened chocolate (which can contribute a sour, acrid flavor) and added complexity to what can be the bland flavor of semisweet chocolate. We focused on flour, butter, and eggs to arrive at the chewy texture we wanted in our brownie recipe. Too little flour meant the batter was goopy; too much made the brownies dry and muted the chocolate flavor.

http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/cooking-science/2012/11/we-prove-it-gentle-folding-stops-tough-quick-breads/

Serves 6 to 8

Leftover turkey wings, thighs, or drumsticks can be used in place of the carcass.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Turkey and rice soup is a great way to make use of leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Unfortunately, all the turkey and rice soup recipes we found tasted of weak broth studded with undercooked rice and rubbery turkey. Our Creamy Turkey and Wild Rice Soup recipe avoids these pitfalls by sautéeing and simmering the turkey carcass with vegetables and a combination of chicken broth (for flavor) and white wine (for brightness), which produced a rich, savory broth. To speed up the cooking of the rice, we added a small amount of baking soda to the soup—this helped break down the tough fibers in the rice and reduced our cooking time by about 15 minutes. Adding the leftover turkey at the very end of cooking ensured that it stayed tender.

Want a coffee cake that’s sure to impress houseguests? Put a ring on it.

Makes 2 rings, each serving 6

A single tube of almond paste makes enough filling for two coffee cakes; bake both at the same time or freeze one and bake it up to one month later.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Why buy inferior boxed versions when you can make a better coffee cake at home—one with buttery layers of dough, a sweet almond filling, and a smooth glaze of white frosting? To achieve our ultimate recipe, we mixed almond paste with cream cheese for an intense, nutty filling that didn’t leak out of the dough when baked. We also used honey in place of sugar to sweeten our dough and keep it moist. It also lent our Almond Ring Coffee Cake recipe a slight caramel flavor.

http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/bake-it-better/2012/11/the-secrets-to-ring-shaped-coffee-cake/

MAKES ONE 9-INCH CAKE, SERVING 12 TO 16

Depending on the oven and the temperature of the ingredients, the cheesecake may bake about 15 minutes faster or slower than the instructions indicate; it is therefore best to check the cake 1 1/4 hours into baking. Although the cheesecake can be made up to three days in advance, the crust will begin to lose its crispness after only one day. To make slicing the cheesecake easy and neat, use a knife with a narrow blade, such as a carving knife; between cuts, dip the blade into a pitcher of hot water and wipe it clean with paper towels. The cheesecake is good on its own, but the Brown Sugar and Bourbon Cream (related recipe) is a grand addition.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
We discovered a few keys to the perfect pumpkin cheesecake recipe: For a smooth and creamy texture, we blotted the canned pumpkin puree with paper towels to remove excess moisture before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients. We passed over brown sugar, which overpowered the pumpkin, in favor of milder granulated sugar. Baking the cake in a water bath in a moderate oven also helped give our pumpkin cheesecake recipe its velvety texture.

http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/cooking-science/2012/11/we-prove-it-gentle-heat-guarantees-smooth-custards/

Serves 4

This recipe works best with either a metal colander that sits easily in a Dutch oven or a large pasta pot with a steamer insert. To prevent excess evaporation, it is important for the lid to fit as snugly as possible over the colander or steamer. A steamer basket will work, but you will have to transfer the hot potatoes out of the basket to rinse them off halfway through cooking. For the lightest, fluffiest texture, use a ricer. A food mill is the next best alternative. Russets and white potatoes will work in this recipe, but avoid red-skinned potatoes.

Serves 4

To reduce fat and calories further, substitute 2 percent milk for the whole milk; the pudding will have a slightly looser consistency. Don’t use 1 percent or skim milk; in our opinion, the pudding won’t be worth eating. Once the pudding comes to a boil, make sure to simmer it for a full 2 minutes to cook out the flavor of the cornstarch. To learn more about cocoa powder, see related tasting.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
We wanted our Low-Fat Chocolate Pudding recipe to feature rich chocolate flavor and a thick, creamy texture—and many fewer calories than traditional recipes. We found that a blend of bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder reduced the fat level and maximized our pudding’s flavor, while cooking the chocolate from the start—rather than stirring it in at the end—intensified the chocolate’s flavors. We also found that whole milk thickened with cornstarch came close to approximating the heavy cream used in most chocolate pudding recipes.

Traditional homemade chocolate pudding has 581 calories, 34 grams of fat, and 202 milligrams of cholesterol per serving. Our Low-Fat Chocolate Pudding has 286 calories, 13 grams of fat, and 21 milligrams of cholesterol per serving.

What’s in a name? A lot, actually.

MAKES 24

With their unique folds, buttery gloss, and tender crumb, Parker House rolls are classic American dinner rolls at their very best. When rounding the dough and shaping the rolls, it is important to keep the remaining dough covered, otherwise it will quickly dry out and develop a skin. Rolling the dough into symmetrical rounds takes a little practice, but you will quickly get the hang of it. A dry, unfloured work surface helps because the dough will stick a little. Although we like using a French-style rolling pin for flattening the rolls, a more traditional option is a thin dowel or the handle of a wooden spoon. Whatever your choice, lightly flour it or the dough will stick to it.

http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/bake-it-better/2012/11/secrets-to-parker-house-rolls/

Makes 4 pieces
This recipe worked best with a high-protein all-purpose flour such as King Arthur brand. Do not use nonfat yogurt in this recipe. A 12-inch nonstick skillet may be used in place of the cast-iron skillet. For efficiency, stretch the next ball of dough while each naan is cooking.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
We wanted a light and tender naan that approached the quality of the best restaurant naan, without the need for a tandoor. We started with a moist dough with a fair amount of fat, which created a soft bread that was pleasantly chewy, but the real secret was the cooking method. While we thought a grill or preheated pizza stone would be the best cooking method, we discovered that they cooked the bread unevenly. A much better option was a covered skillet. The skillet delivers heat to the bottom and the top of the bread, producing loaves that are nicely charred but still moist.

MAKES 4 PIECES

This recipe worked best with a high-protein all-purpose flour such as King Arthur brand. Do not use nonfat yogurt in this recipe. A 12-inch nonstick skillet may be used in place of the cast-iron skillet. For efficiency, stretch the next ball of dough while each naan is cooking. This variation, which can be prepared in about two hours, forgoes the overnight rest, but the dough may be a little harder to roll out.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
We wanted a light and tender naan that approached the quality of the best restaurant naan, without the need for a tandoor. We started with a moist dough with a fair amount of fat, which created a soft bread that was pleasantly chewy, but the real secret was the cooking method. While we thought a grill or preheated pizza stone would be the best cooking method, we discovered that they cooked the bread unevenly. A much better option was a covered skillet. The skillet delivers heat to the bottom and the top of the bread, producing loaves that are nicely charred but still moist.