This big chocolate tart makes it easy to be fancy

Because Christmas.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story December 20, 2023 Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. This big chocolate tart makes it easy to be fancy By Melissa Clark I think most of us who are cooking this Christmas have figured out the main course by now. At my house it'll be duck, and I can't wait for the burnished skin and all that extra fat for weeks of crispy potatoes. But what about dessert? I was getting ready to make an old school English trifle, but then I saw my colleague Genevieve Ko's stunning big chocolate tart recipe. Jazzed up in the spirit of Piet Mondrian's late compositions, it's a genius presentation that feeds a crowd with as much élan as a classic French chocolate tart, and far less effort. Genevieve's secret, which she learned from the pastry chef Pichet Ong, is to replace the traditional ganache with a silky chocolate cream that's stabilized with sweetened condensed milk. Since it's baked in a 9-by-13-inch metal cake pan rather than a tart pan, it's easy to unmold, cut into irregular rectangles and decorate with freeze-dried or fresh berries, candied citrus peels, chopped nuts and flaky sea salt. It's a pièce de résistance for the eyes and the palate. Featured Recipe Big Chocolate Tart View Recipe → One Christmas dinner a few years ago, a friend contributed a platter of pork- and chile-stuffed tamales, a tradition carried on from her Mexican American family, and I've dreamed of them ever since. Rick Martínez has a new tamales recipe that's perfect for any celebration — holidays, baptisms, confirmations, weddings, Fridays. Half the fun is assembling them, ideally at a tamalada, or tamale-making party, where friends share food and stories while communally folding the masa mixture, spicy pork shoulder filling and corn husks into plump packets. And isn't this the time of year when one party flows genially into the next? Let us not forget the sides and salads. I love how Naz Deravian's cucumber pomegranate salad fills both roles, with its Christmas-y red and green topping of mint leaves and shimmering seeds. The oniony, citrusy dressing is so good you might be tempted to slurp it from a spoon. Don't say I didn't warn you. A few days are left, though, before the genial-but-inexorable slide down the holiday chute. For those dinners I'm thinking easy, warming and 30 minutes max. Lidey Heuck's Moroccan-spiced chicken meatballs, scented with cumin, ginger and cinnamon, can be served with a quick garlicky yogurt sauce or just lemon wedges to give them that final acidic bite. And I constantly come back to Yewande Komolafe's crispy tofu with cashews and blistered snap peas for its creamy coconut-ginger sauce that coats those lovely pillows of soft-centered tofu and crunchy nuts. It works equally well with chicken or pork. Lastly, let's make sure you get a warming and healthful breakfast: Lidey's baked oatmeal. Top it with any combination of dried or fresh fruit, and maybe some nuts for extra protein and texture. It will shore you up for all your holiday festivities, even if that just means cozying up festively on the couch with a cup of tea and a book. Naturally, you'll want to subscribe to get all these recipes and so many more. You can save 50 percent on your first year of New York Times Cooking during the holiday sale, but act quickly, as the sale ends soon. If you need any technical help, the brilliant people at cookingcare@nytimes.com are there for you. And I'm at hellomelissa@nytimes.com if you want to say hi. That's all for now, but I'll be back on Monday, Christmas Day. May it be filled with delicious joy for you and everyone you love. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Tamales By Rick A. Martínez 5 hours 45 minutes Makes 16 tamales Mark Weinberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. Cucumber Pomegranate Salad By Naz Deravian 20 minutes Makes 4 to 6 servings Kate Sears for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Moroccan-Spiced Chicken Meatballs By Lidey Heuck 30 minutes Makes 4 servings  David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Crispy Tofu With Cashews and Blistered Snap Peas By Yewande Komolafe 30 minutes Makes 4 servings Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Baked Oatmeal By Lidey Heuck 50 minutes Makes 6 servings Sign up for the Five Weeknight Dishes newsletter Fresh dinner ideas for busy people who want something great to eat, with NYT Cooking recipes sent to you weekly. Get it in your inbox Sign up for The Veggie newsletter Tanya Sichynsky shares the most delicious vegetarian recipes for weeknight cooking, packed lunches and dinner parties. 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