In the intro to Flour, Joanne Chang talks about her traditional Chinese upbringing, which was sadly devoid of sweets. These Black Sesame Lace Cookies take flavors of her childhood and combine them with her later-in-life love affair with pastry for ethereally light, crisp cookies. More

In Asia, black sesame ice cream is as classic a flavor as vanilla in the States. There's not much to improve on it—it just works. Ground black sesame seeds take on the texture of tahini in that "so creamy it changes your perception of what creamy can be" sort of way. The rich, roasted flavors of the seeds, which give off an aroma as complex as fine chocolate, are a perfect match for a light custard. More