Desserts

A tender, flaky all-butter pie crust the old way: cold butter worked in until pea-size, ice water with a tablespoon of vinegar, stopped while the dough is still shaggy. Makes two crusts, plus how to blind bake a shell at 425 degrees.

The old Southern batter peach cobbler: butter melted in a 9 by 13 dish, a simple batter poured over it, canned or fresh peaches spooned on top, cinnamon sugar, and nobody stirs. Baked at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes until the crust rises through the fruit.

Old-fashioned pumpkin bars baked in a 15 by 10 inch jelly roll pan at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, then covered in thick cream cheese frosting. Cups and grams, the cooling rule, and how to cut them for a crowd.

Saltine cracker toffee in a 10 by 15 sheet pan: a single layer of saltine crackers under a butter and brown sugar toffee boiled for 3 minutes, baked 5 minutes at 400 degrees, topped with melted chocolate chips, chopped pecans and flaky salt, chilled and broken into pieces. Exact amounts and times.

The classic Victoria sponge the way British show judges still want it: two butter sponges baked in 8 inch pans at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, raspberry jam in the middle and a dusting of fine sugar on top. US cups with grams.

Old-fashioned Watergate salad, the green pistachio fluff of every seventies potluck: instant pistachio pudding mix stirred into crushed pineapple with its juice, whipped topping, mini marshmallows, pecans and a little coconut. No stove, five minutes, chilled 60 minutes.

The from-scratch yellow sheet cake with cooked chocolate fudge frosting: a buttery 9 by 13 yellow cake, and a frosting of butter, cocoa and milk boiled in a saucepan, beaten with powdered sugar and poured over the warm cake so it sets with a shine. Cups and grams, oven temperature and time.

The old Yorkshire curd tart: fresh curds made at home from whole milk and lemon juice, mixed with sugar, butter, eggs, currants, lemon zest and nutmeg, baked in a 9 inch pastry shell at 375 degrees. Cups and grams, the times, and how to drain the curds.

Old-fashioned cake-style apple cider donuts: cider boiled down to a syrup, a soft spiced dough chilled an hour, cut with a glass, fried in two inches of oil at 365°F and rolled in cinnamon sugar while hot. Cups and grams.

The classic three-layer German chocolate cake with the coconut pecan frosting cooked in a saucepan from egg yolks, evaporated milk, butter and sugar, stirred about 12 minutes until thick and caramel colored, spread between the layers and on top only, with the sides bare.

The famous impossible coconut pie: milk, eggs, sugar, melted butter, vanilla, sweetened flaked coconut and half a cup of baking mix whirled in a blender, poured into a greased 9 inch pie plate with no crust, and baked at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes until it separates into a crust, a custard and a toasted coconut top.

Old-fashioned lazy daisy oatmeal cake: quick oats soaked in boiling water, a soft brown sugar and cinnamon cake in a 9 by 13 inch pan, then a topping of butter, brown sugar, evaporated milk, coconut and pecans spread on the hot cake and broiled until it bubbles. Cups and grams, oven time and broiler time.