Focus on bite-size desserts

As soon as we round the corner into November, my mind turns toward Thanksgiving.

One of the best gifts that my friend Nathalie Dupree has ever given me was instructions on holiday planning. By cooking ahead and stocking the freezer, I can drastically cut down on the kitchen chores that usually accompany not only Thanksgiving dinner, but also the days before and after. Baked goods freeze well, so that's where I start.

"The Craft of Baking: Cakes, Cookies & Other Sweets With Ideas for Inventing Your Own." Known for a simple approach, author Karen DeMasco was the pastry chef for desserts at Craft, Craftbar and 'wichcraft, NYC restaurants of "Top Chef" Tom Colicchio. She builds "upon traditional recipes," tweaking them as in the gingersnap recipe below, using butter instead of the traditional shortening, and fresh ginger instead of dried. Other examples are great for this season: Coffeecake Muffins With Pecan Streusel (just take as many out of the freezer as you need so there's no whole cake to crumble on the counter); carrot cupcakes and gingerbread cupcakes (ditto); Grandma Rankin's Cashew Brittle, with variations of Cocoa Nib Brittle, Pumpkin Seed Brittle and Honeycomb Brittle (what a great tin of standbys).

Of course, there also are many, many other lovely desserts. DeMasco is a master at her craft. Hardcover. Clarkson Potter/Publishers. $35.

"Bite-Size Desserts: Creating Mini Sweet Treats from Cupcakes and Cobblers to Custards and Cookies." This is the 10th dessert cookbook from European-trained pastry chef Carole Bloom. You can see that I gravitated to single-serving desserts in "The Craft of Baking" because they are so handy to have in the freezer during the holidays.

In Bloom's book, I particularly like the bite-size scones, which are usually scaled so large. She offers up Cornmeal & Dried Cherry, Raisin & Walnut, and Macadamia Nut & Toasted Coconut. Hardcover. Wiley. $24.95.

Gingersnaps

Makes 3 dozen

Adapted from "The Craft of Baking" Clarkson Potter/Publishers

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup granulated sugar

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature

2 large eggs

1/4 cup blackstrap molasses

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

1/2 cup Demerara sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or foil. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Beat the sugar and butter in an electric mixer on medium with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, molasses and ginger to combine. Gradually add flour mixture on low, beating just until incorporated. Shape dough into 24 ( 3/4-inch) balls. Coat in Demerara sugar. Space evenly on baking sheets. Bake, rotating halfway through, until dark golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks to cool.