Recipes with light cream (half&half)

Rich chocolate caramels: chewy homemade candies cooked to firm-ball stage with brown sugar, corn syrup, half-and-half, and unsweetened chocolate. Wrap individually in waxed paper for the perfect homemade gift.

Filet farcis a la creme: flounder fillets rolled around a shrimp, crab, and mushroom stuffing, baked in a cognac cream sauce under melted Swiss. Vintage French bistro elegance.

Chilled cream of vegetable soup with spinach, carrots, celery, and green pepper, pureed and enriched with egg yolks and half-and-half. Served cold with sour cream and fresh herbs.

Boston cream pie made entirely in the microwave, with vanilla rum custard between two yellow cake layers and a glossy chocolate corn syrup glaze drizzling down the sides.

Chocolate Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Creme Anglaise-Clh recipe

Mexican quiche baked in crispy tostada shells with Swiss cheese, crumbled bacon, green chiles, and a half-and-half custard. Mini quiches with a cayenne kick for an unusual brunch presentation.

Apple praline pie with Granny Smith apples in a double crust, topped with a bubbly brown sugar, butter, and pecan praline glaze poured over the baked pie. Two desserts in one.

Grilled beef patties with soy sauce, green pepper, and a homemade ketchup-brown sugar basting sauce. Juicy barbecue burgers basted on the grill for a sticky glaze.

Crab quiche with sweet crabmeat, sharp cheddar, half-and-half custard, and scallions baked in a flaky pie shell. Brunch dish that doubles as a light dinner.

Curried shrimp in a creamy sauce with golden raisins, orange marmalade, and half-and-half, spooned over split baked potatoes and topped with cucumber and mint.

Coffee soda built with chilled double-strength coffee, half and half, coffee ice cream, and a top-up of fizzy soda water. The grown-up float you'd find at a 1950s soda fountain counter.

Three-layer butter pecan cake filled with rich, from-scratch burnt-sugar caramel, frosted in buttercream and crusted with pecans. A classic Southern caramel cake worth the fuss.

Southwestern quiche with whole green chilies stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese, arranged in a pie crust and baked in a creamy French onion soup custard with Swiss cheese, dry mustard, and hot sauce.

Ham and potato bake folds diced cooked potatoes and cubed ham into a sharp cheddar cream sauce with bright pimento. Five-ingredient one-dish casserole that turns leftovers into dinner.

Stirred custard sauce is a quick microwave crème anglaise with egg yolks, half and half, amaretto, and vanilla. Silky and ready to spoon over fresh fruit.

Microwave chocolate pots de crème made for two with German sweet chocolate, half-and-half, and egg yolks. Silky French custard, no oven, no water bath. Chills in the fridge.