420 zest recipes

Homemade apple-pear butter with orange juice and orange zest, slow-cooked until thick and spreadable, then canned in a boiling-water bath. A classic fall preserve that keeps for months.

Banana chocolate marble cake swirls melted semi-sweet chocolate into a moist sour cream banana batter, finished with a glossy orange-scented chocolate ganache.

Geneva pear flan, a Swiss shortcrust tart piled with fresh pears, candied citrus peel, raisins and walnut oil, moistened with white wine and finished with a blanket of baked cream. An old-world tart from the French-Swiss border.

Showstopper cheesecake with a pecan shortbread crust, cranberry glaze layer, white chocolate orange filling, and candied orange slice topping. A stunning holiday dessert that requires overnight chilling.

Christmas stollen with raisins, almonds, walnuts, lemon and orange zest in a buttery yeast dough, frosted with powdered sugar glaze. Make two to three days ahead for best flavor.

Light carrot cake made with applesauce instead of oil and egg whites instead of whole eggs, studded with raisins and drizzled with a fresh orange glaze. Lower in fat but still full of flavor.

A rich, egg-laden yeast bread studded with raisins and scented with anise, lemon zest, and orange zest. Makes 4 fragrant loaves with a tender, golden crumb.

Whole pears poached in spiced white wine with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, vanilla bean, and citrus zest, served warm with burnt sugar ice cream. An elegant make-ahead dessert.

Plums in Port preserves whole plums in a cinnamon-orange syrup spiked with tawny port wine. A stunning canned fruit for cheese boards, desserts, and holiday gifts.

New England apple pie with a butter pastry, crumb topping, and heritage apples like Northern Spy or Rhode Island Greening. Cinnamon and lemon zest brighten the filling, and a two-stage bake browns the crust without burning.

Tiny fruit turnovers filled with a stovetop apricot-date filling and chopped nuts, wrapped in a lemon-scented cookie dough. Bite-sized pastries for holiday trays.

This is a hearty healthy recipe, great appetizer or salads, can be used in many ways.

Homemade peach liqueur infused with fresh peaches, vodka, lemon peel, and cinnamon. A DIY fruit liqueur that steeps for 8 weeks into a smooth, fragrant sipping cordial or cocktail mixer.

Light, citrusy orange muffins topped with mandarin segments shaped like little butterflies. A charming breakfast treat kids will love, ready in 40 minutes.

Flourless chocolate cake made with four kinds of nuts, bittersweet chocolate, and citrus zest, served with honey-glazed grilled orange sections. A Sephardic-inspired dessert.

Homemade cranberry orange sauce studded with dried apricots and raisins. This fruity, jewel-toned holiday condiment can be made up to 4 days ahead and thickens beautifully as it chills.