125 hard sauce recipes

Classic hard sauce made with creamed butter, powdered sugar, lemon extract, and fluffy egg white. This old-fashioned British dessert topping is the traditional partner for Christmas pudding.

Here I adapted an 18th century English spice cake recipe which also makes nice cupcakes.

Easy deviled eggs with a creamy, tangy filling, mayo and sour cream brightened by honey mustard, red wine vinegar, and a whisper of curry, plus minced celery for crunch. A make-ahead cold appetizer.

Swiss chard leaves rolled around a filling of mashed potatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, and roasted pepper, baked tender and drizzled with silky pureed carrot sauce. Vegan comfort food.

Pasta with tomato, chard, and sunflower seed sauce where ground toasted sunflower seeds thicken a fresh tomato-basil sauce. A vegan, nut-free pasta with hidden protein and earthy greens.

Crab and avocado salad with a spicy picante-mayo dressing, sliced olives, and hard-boiled egg garnish. A no-cook Tex-Mex-style crab salad served in avocado halves that comes together in 20 minutes.

Devilled crabs with fresh-picked crab meat in a creamy mace-seasoned sauce with hard-boiled eggs, stuffed back into the shells and baked or deep-fried golden.

Seafood gumbo loaded with shrimp, crab, and five pounds of okra smothered with tomatoes, garlic, and hot sauce. An authentic okra-thickened Cajun gumbo, no roux needed.

Louisiana-style shrimp and crab spaghetti with hard-shell crabs simmered in a chili-spiked tomato sauce. Pasta cooks straight in the sauce, soaking up every drop of seafood flavor.

Whole hard-shell crabs simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce with red pepper flakes, cracked and tossed over spaghetti. Messy, hands-on, and worth every napkin.

Gulf-style shrimp and crab spaghetti simmered in a rich tomato sauce with chili powder, basil, butter, and garlic. Whole crabs in the sauce make this a messy, hands-on feast.

Red potato salad with sour cream, horseradish, and mustard dressing. Loaded with hard-boiled eggs, celery, cucumber, and green onions. Dressed while warm for maximum flavor. Feeds 8.

New Orleans seafood gumbo loaded with shrimp, hard-shell crab, and shucked oysters in a roux-thickened broth with okra and the holy trinity. Served over rice, Cajun style.

Chinese whole crab wok-fried with fresh ginger, scallions, and red pepper in a glossy sherry-soy sauce thickened with cornstarch. Messy, hands-on, and absolutely worth it.

Crab, shrimp, fish, and squid braised in a clay pot with ginger, coriander root, mung bean noodles, and fresh basil in a soy-oyster sauce. A spectacular Thai seafood feast for four.

Shrimp, chicken, water chestnuts, and Chinese ham wrapped in pork caul fat, deep-fried into crispy golden rolls, and served with hoisin dipping sauce. An impressive Chinese banquet appetizer with showstopping presentation.