Season 3

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  New York Cheesecake

  A true New York-style cheesecake should be pure and minimalist, but also have just the right color, flavor, and density. With a crisp graham cracker crust and a filling that fades from creamy to cakelike, our cheesecake is worthy of any diner in New York.

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  Two Chocolate Cakes

  Who can resist a chocolate cake? We wanted cakes that would be great tasting and easy to prepare, and we came up with two: old-fashioned, moist, and homey; the other elegant, dense, and ethereal.

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  Shortcake and Cobbler

  What could be more all-American than strawberry shortcake? But sometimes this classic summer fare can go terribly wrong. And cherry cobbler can have its own problems—sweet Bing cherries become insipid when baked, so sour cherries are a must. But where do you get sour cherries? Are jarred cherries a worthy alternative?

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  Lemon Meringue Pie

  Lemon meringue pie is a three-part recipe—crust, lemon filling, and meringue—and each one can be a challenge. We discover which rolling pins are best and whether you can use store-bought pie crust in a pinch. Then we perfect the filling and meringue.

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  Cookie Jar Favorites

  Thick, chewy chocolate cookies and spiced molasses cookies are classics. Watch as we discover which types of chocolate and molasses make these favorites great again.

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  Rustic Bread at Home

  Real country bread, the kind made by an artisan and never found at the supermarket, is a thing of beauty. We wanted to develop a recipe that was every bit as good as the best country loaves but that was still doable for the cook who bakes in a home oven.