26 vanilla bean recipes

Whole wheat muffins made with pureed anasazi beans, molasses, and carob. No butter, no oil, all blender. Moist, earthy, and packed with fiber and protein.

Elegant red wine fruit soup with poached pears, candied orange slices, pineapple, and a crème fraîche finish. A stunning French-inspired dessert layered with star anise, vanilla, and cardamom.

Flourless chocolate mocha cake made with bittersweet chocolate, ground espresso beans, and a water bath bake. Crowned with vanilla whipped cream, toasted pecans, and a zig-zag chocolate drizzle.

Frozen layered parfait with honey-almond cream base and raspberry mousse top, served with warm raspberry sauce. The dinner-party showstopper from the Masterchefs collection.

Cocoa meringue cake: two crisp cocoa-free meringue disks sandwiched with a mocha-chocolate filling and served in a pool of bright raspberry sauce. An elegant, low-fat dessert showpiece.

Wolfgang Puck's elevated pumpkin pie with a Grand Marnier cranberry layer, bourbon-spiked custard, and warm spices in a blind-baked crust. Serve with cinnamon ice cream for a holiday stunner.

Friendship Fiesta Cake hides mashed pinto beans in a spiced bundt cake with apples, raisins, nuts, and a vanilla glaze. Moist, dense, and nobody guesses the secret.

Triple-chocolate biscotti with Dutch cocoa, semi-sweet chips, and a dipped white chocolate base. Toasted hazelnuts, dark coffee, and twice-baked crunch make these the dunking cookie for serious chocolate lovers.

Spicy bean cake made with mashed pinto beans, diced apples, raisins, and warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Add cocoa for a chocolate version.

Whole pears poached in apple cider with vanilla bean and cinnamon sticks, then glazed with a reduced spiced syrup. An elegant, make-ahead autumn dessert.