The Bitten Word: Turkey Time: Thanksgiving Desserts

You've picked your turkey, selected your starters & sides, and now what?

Leave your guests to fend for dessert on their own?

Of course not!

Here's a look at what we served for Thanksgiving dessert last year, as well as what the food magazines are recommending this year.

Choose carefully!

Last Thanksgiving, after we had gone all out with a huge turkey and then copious amounts of starters and sides, we were faced with a dessert dilemma.

Should we go traditional, making a pumpkin pie or even an apple stack cake? Or should we succumb to our chocolate cravings?

Chocolate won out, and are we glad it did!

We selected these Chocolate Cranberry Cakes with Bourbon Whipped Cream (Gourmet November 2006) as our Thanksgiving dessert. They're outrageous. They're decadent. They're the kind of dessert that you don't want to ever end.

If Chocolate Cranberry Cakes aren't your thing, here are plenty more options, with a full list of what the food magazines are recommending for dessert this Thanksgiving.

What will you be serving?

GOURMET (NOVEMBER 2008)
Subscribe to Gourmet

Feature #1: Over the Top (aka Fancy Pants Thanksgiving)

Celery Apple Granita
Seckel Pear Tart with Poire William Cream
Spiced-Pumpkin Souffles with Bourbon Molasses Sauce

Feature #2: "Come Together" (aka Latin-Fusion Thanksgiving)

Lattice Apple Pie with Mexican Brown Sugar (in-magazine only)
Rum Ice Cream (in-magazine only)

Feature #3: "Four Hour Feast" (aka the Thanksgiving Meal That Looks Like You Slaved All Day Even Though You Didn't)

Cider Poached Apples with Candied Walnuts, Rum Cream and Cider Syrup

Feature #4: "Harvest's Home" (aka The Vegetarian Thanksgiving Zach and Clay are Unlikely to Ever Have)

Prune, Cherry, and Apricot Frangipane Tart
Pumpkin Tart with Anise-Seed Crust

BON APPÉTIT (NOVEMBER 2008)
Subscribe to Bon Appétit

Feature #1: "A Heritage Feast," (aka Thanksgiving with the Shakers)