213 crackling recipes

Classic French chocolate loaf cake bakes in a water bath for a dense, fudgy crumb with a thin crackly top. Semi-sweet chocolate, espresso, and whipped egg whites do the work. Flourless using cornstarch.

Creme brulee, the classic French dessert: silky vanilla custard made from just cream, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla, baked gently in a water bath and finished with a crackly torched sugar crust.

Classic pumpkin pie with a silky brown-sugar custard, warm pumpkin pie spice, and a two-temperature bake that sets it without cracking. Topped with amaretto whipped cream. The Thanksgiving standard, made easy.

Caprese-style tomato basil and mozzarella salad drizzled with olive oil and cracked black pepper. A fresh no-cook summer salad with only 5 ingredients and 20 minutes of prep.

Chicken breast with sour cherry sauce, cracked peppercorns, and coriander in a white wine-brandy reduction. A French-inspired pan sauce built right in the skillet.

Ginger molasses muffins fold whipped egg whites into a buttermilk batter spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and fresh ginger. Crackly tops, tender tangy crumb, and the warming bite of dark molasses in every bite.

Homemade Swiss roll, a light sponge cake baked thin, rolled while warm to keep it crack-free, then spread with vanilla buttercream and rolled into a tender, swirled slice. A classic teatime treat from scratch.

Garlic steak marinated in steak sauce, cracked pepper, and crushed garlic then broiled to juicy medium-rare. Five ingredients, one hour marinade, and dinner is handled.

Butter-seared filet mignon topped with mango chutney and cracked black pepper, then flambéed with Armagnac. Five ingredients, restaurant-caliber steak in 30 minutes.

Meetha lassi, a sweet Indian yogurt drink blended with sugar, ice water, and cracked ice. A cool, creamy refresher ready in 5 minutes.

Crunchy Italian taralli made with white wine and cracked peppercorns. These boiled-then-baked bread rings from Southern Italy are the ultimate snack for antipasto boards and wine night.

Margarita Sunrise blended with tequila, frozen orange juice concentrate, fresh lime, and powdered sugar over cracked ice. A frothy, citrus-forward frozen cocktail with sugar-rimmed glasses.

Crispy cast-iron cornsticks with cracked fennel seeds and black pepper, baked in a sizzling hot mold for crunchy golden edges. Ready in 20 minutes, served piping hot with butter.

This colorful low fat salad can be enjoyed warm or cold.

A simple salad with big health credentials: avocados are an excellent source of good fats, and more recently have been shown to also inhibit inflammation when eaten in combination with foods that typically trigger it. They are also a rich source of potassium (which balances sodium to keep blood pressure levels stable) and vitamin E, an important antioxidant.

Grapefruit Margaritas blend tequila, triple sec, and fresh grapefruit juice with cracked ice - a brighter, slightly bitter twist on the classic that serves 8 in 10 minutes.