Desserts

A traditional Yemeni pastry, khaliat al nahl are sweet, cloudlike balls of dough that are filled with cream cheese and drenched in cardamom-infused honey before they are topped with crunchy white sesame seeds and black nigella seeds. Pair these Yemeni honeycomb buns with a strong cup of Yemeni coffee for a sweet breakfast or afternoon pick-me-up.

This velvety-smooth, berry-topped mousse requires very little time to make – it comes together in just 15 minutes, and then needs just an hour in the refrigerator to firm up. Ricotta cheese, quickly whipped in a food processor with honey and vanilla, forms the base of the mousse. Folding whipped cream into the ricotta yields a luscious, velvety dessert. With a recipe like this one that calls for just a few ingredients, it's important to use the best you can find. Start with homemade ricotta, or the best, freshest ricotta you can find at the store or farmer's market. Then, to complement the subtly milky, pleasantly grassy flavor of that ricotta, use a mild clover honey. The honey-ricotta mousse is a beautiful canvas for all kinds of toppings. Here, it's garnished with crunchy sliced toasted almonds and juicy fresh strawberries and a final drizzle of honey, but it's adaptable to what's in season or what you like best: you can substitute sweet orange segments or jammy figs for the strawberries, change up the honey drizzle with maple syrup, or try another crunchy topping, like your favorite granola or crushed pistachios, in place of the sliced almonds.