Preheat the oven to 350°.

Grease the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan.

Line the pan with a circle of parchment or wax paper.

Grease the paper and sides of the pan.

Put the almonds in a large nonstick skillet and toast, stirring frequently, until aromatic and barely colored, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer to a plate and let cool.

Put the cooled nuts, chocolate, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor and finely grind.

Reserve.

In a medium bowl, blend the egg yolks, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of the sugar with an electric beater or mixer until pale and thickened, about 3 minutes.

With a wooden spoon, mix in the reserved nut mixture.

In a clean large bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites to soft peaks.

Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and beat until stiff.

Mix about ⅓ of the beaten whites into the reserved nut mixture to lighten, and then gently fold in the remaining whites.

Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and bake 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

If using the sauce, make it while the cake is baking.

When the cake is done, let it cool in the pan on a rack for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the whipped cream if using.

Turn out the cake and remove the paper.

Invert onto a plate.

You can decorate the cake while whole with the cream, sauce, and berries, or cut the cake into wedges and top each piece just before serving.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Grease the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan.

Line the pan with a circle of parchment or wax paper.

Grease the paper and sides of the pan.

In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Set aside.

Put the chocolate pieces and sugar in a food processor.

Process until chocolate is finely chopped.

With machine on, pour the boiling water through the feed tube, processing until the chocolate is melted.

Add the eggs.

Process 20 seconds.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the butter, sour cream, and vanilla.

Process 20 seconds.

Add the reserved flour mixture and pulse 6 to 8 times, or just until mixed.

Turn the batter into prepared cake pan.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing.

When the cake is done, let it cool in the pan on a rack 5 minutes.

Invert the cake to unmold, remove the paper, and cool on the rack.

When the cake is completely cool, frost with the icing.

Decorate with chopped nuts.

Dissolve the yeast and ½ teaspoon of the sugar in the warm water.

Set aside until it bubbles, about 5 minutes.

In a food processor, place flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt.

Add the yeast mixture.

Put the warm water and oil in a cup, and, with the processor running, pour this through the feed tube.

Process 60 seconds.

Dough should clean the sides of the bowl as it processes.

Transfer the dough to a greased bag or bowl, turning to grease the dough all over.

Press down and cover with plastic wrap (or seal the bag).

Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the pizza topping.

In a medium skillet, cook the pork, breaking it into bits as it cooks.

Add the onion, oregano, and cumin.

Cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

Add the tomato, salsa, and salt.

Cook, stirring, until the mixture is nearly dry.

Drain off excess grease as necessary.

Cool off heat until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 425°.

Grease two baking sheets.

Punch down the dough.

Divide in half.

Shape each half into a ball.

Place each on a baking sheet.

Using your hands, pat dough into 12-inch circles.

Dough will be resilient, so keep patting it into shape, making the edges slightly thicker.

Spread the cooled cooked topping over each circle of dough.

Then add the cheese, onions, and jalapeño chiles.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

Add optional garnishes.

Make the Quick Mexican-Style Rolls dough and divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.

Cover and let the dough rest 10 minutes to relax the gluten.

With hands, form each piece into a 3- × 4 1⁄2-inch rectangle.

Arrange 2 inches apart on a large baking sheet.

Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Using the rounded handle of a long wooden spoon, firmly press 2 indentations lengthwise in each roll.

(Finished rolls will have 3 rounded humps across the top.

) Bake until pale brown and sound hollow when tapped, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool completely on a rack before using.

Grease 2 baking sheets.

In a small bowl stir the yeast into ¼ cup of the lukewarm water.

Stir in 1 teaspoon of the sugar.

Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Put the flour, salt, and remaining teaspoon of sugar in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.

Pulse 4 to 5 times to blend.

Pour in the yeast mixture.

With the lid on and the processor running, add the oil to the remaining cup of warm water and pour through the feed tube.

Process until dough forms and cleans the side of the bowl, with a few pieces whirling around the bottom.

Process for 1 minute.

(Dough should be soft and slightly sticky.

) If too sticky, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to achieve a soft, less-tacky dough.

Cut dough into 12 pieces and flatten each portion into a 4-inch circle.

Then fold the top edge toward you, covering 2⁄3 of the circle.

Press firmly to seal.

Then fold lower half over, envelope style, and pinch the seam along its length to seal tightly.

Form into a football shape, tapering the ends.

For each roll, dip the seam side in the cornmeal and place seam side down on the baking sheets.

Cover lightly and let rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until an impression remains in the dough when lightly pressed with your finger.

Preheat oven to 375°.

With a sharp, thin-bladed knife, make a lengthwise cut about ½ inch deep on top of each roll.

Bake rolls (in batches, if necessary) until they are lightly browned and sound hollow when tapped, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool on a rack.

Grease 2 insulated baking sheets.

Place flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in bowl of food processor fitted with the plastic dough blade, and process briefly to combine.

In a glass measuring cup in the microwave, or in a small saucepan on the stove, heat the ⅓ cup water with the oil to 125° on an instant-read thermometer.

With the machine running, add the liquid to the dry ingredients, pouring only as fast as it can be absorbed.

Process 40 seconds, or until a homogeneous dough forms.

If the dough is too dry, add water a little at a time, or if the dough is too sticky, add flour a little at a time.

Remove dough to a work surface and knead by hand until it becomes more elastic, about 1 minute.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest 20 minutes.

Cut dough into 12 pieces and flatten each portion into a 4-inch circle.

Then fold the top edge toward you, covering 2⁄3 of the circle.

Press firmly to seal.

Then fold lower half over, envelope style, and pinch the seam along its length to seal tightly.

Form into a football shape, tapering the ends.

For each roll, dip the seam side in the cornmeal and place seam side down on the baking sheets.

Cover lightly and let rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until an impression remains in the dough when lightly pressed with your finger.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450° and set oven racks on the two lowest positions.

Place a shallow heavy baking pan on the lower shelf.

On the stove, boil the 2 cups of water and keep hot for later use.

(You may not need all of it.

)

When the rolls are ready, cut a 1-inch-deep, lengthwise slash in the top of each roll with a sharp, thin-bladed knife.

Open the oven and pour about ¼ cup of the hot water into the hot pan in the oven (being careful of the resulting steam).

Place the pans of rolls on the upper shelf.

(Bake in batches, if necessary.

) Lower heat to 400°.

After 3 minutes, pour another ¼ cup hot water into the oven pan.

Bake 13 to 15 more minutes, or until the rolls are pale golden and sound hollow when tapped.

Remove rolls to a rack to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Spray 1 small loaf pan (33⁄4- × 71⁄2-inch) with vegetable oil spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours and the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Make a well in the center.

In a medium bowl, mix together the egg, pineapple juice, sour cream, sugar, oil, and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the well in the dry ingredients and fold together just to combine.

Do not over mix.

(The batter will be very thick.

)

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, level the top, and bake about 35 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Turn the bread out onto a wire rack.

Cool at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Grease two 9- × 5- × 3-inch loaf pans and line with waxed paper or parchment paper.

In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, and salt.

In a medium bowl mix the mashed bananas, sugar, and eggs.

Add the butter and mix well.

Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and mix very well.

Stir in the orange juice, milk, and vanilla.

Fold in the pecans.

Spoon half of the batter into each loaf pan.

Bake 15 minutes; then reduce the oven temperature to 325° and bake 45 more minutes, or until browned on top and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Grease 2 baking sheets.

In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.

Set aside.

Put the sugar and butter in a food processor.

Process until fluffy, about 10 seconds.

Add the egg.

Process about 15 seconds.

Add the applesauce and vanilla.

Process 5 seconds.

Add the dry ingredients and pulse 10 to 12 times to mix well.

Scrape the dough into a bowl.

(The dough should be stiff enough to hold its shape, but not dry.

) If too dry, add applesauce 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time.

If too moist, add 1 tablespoon flour at a time and pulse again.

Stir the nuts into the batter.

Drop by generous tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets.

Bake until brown on the bottom and lightly browned on top, 10 to 12 minutes.

Cool in the pan on a rack.

Store in a sealed plastic bag.