Mindy Segal

Goat’s milk butter is mildly tangy, complementing the whole wheat flour and wheat germ in these cookies.

Every time my mother baked nut horns while I was growing up, she made the dough the day before and refrigerated it in a Tupperware container. Late at night I would sneak down into the kitchen and steal some of the dough, which tasted even better in its contraband form. In my professional cookie-making career, I have used my mother's nut horn dough to make countless cookies. It yields lovely Mexican wedding cookies, but it is especially good as a base for thumbprints. The center of the thumbprint is a praline, which I cook on the stove as the cookies bake. While the cookies are still warm, I spoon the praline into the indentations and then chill the cookies until the centers have set. I buy toasted and salted pecans. If using unsalted nuts, add a pinch or two more salt. If the nut pieces are very large, run a knife through them before making the praline.

These dream bars have made the rounds. My mother's friend Phyllis Grossman passed the recipe to my mother when I was growing up. My mother passed the recipe to me, and I have since passed it along to friends. We all make it. I have baked versions with milk chocolate and hot fudge, but the best filling by far is bittersweet chocolate. I melt the chocolate, spread it on a sheet pan and chill it, break it into shards, and press it into the dough. Then I spread a brown sugar meringue on top. I warn you—as I warn every new employee at Hot Chocolate—proceed with caution. You have to either never eat these or succumb to the fact that you will be addicted forever to Dream Bars.

"I love mint Oreos," says owner Mindy Segal. "This is my take on that combination." The smooth pots de crème are offset by a chocolate brittle that's so addictive and simple to make, we serve it on its own for a quick dessert fix.