Combine sugar and 3 cups water in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan. Halve vanilla bean lengthwise with a paring knife and scrape seeds into pan, then add pod. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved.Add plums and simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes. Add apricots and tea bags and return to a simmer. Cook fruit, gently stirring once or twice, 5 minutes, then remove from heat...

Heat oven to 350F. Combine first 9 ingredients in a bowl. Puree figs in a food processor until smooth and scrape into a small saucepan. Place over low to medium heat, stirring constantly, until puree gently boils, about 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate. Whisk egg, honey, milk and oil in a bowl. Incorporate into flour mixture and blend on low with a hand mixer. Line a muffin tin with paper cups; fill each halfway with batter...

For bread dough:Whisk 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water and yeast in small bowl; let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 10 minutes.Mix flour, nigella seeds, and salt in medium bowl. Add yeast mixture and stir with wooden spoon until mixture clumps together. Add butter; mix until incorporated. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes...

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375F. Stir butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until melted and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.Stir flour, oats, sugar, rosemary, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl to blend. Pour buttermilk and melted browned butter over flour mixture; stir with fork until flour mixture is moistened.Turn dough out onto floured work surface...

Make dosa batter:Place rice and lentils in separate bowls. Fill each with water to cover by 2 inches and soak 4 hours.Drain lentils in a sieve and purée in a food processor with 3/4 cup water until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Drain rice in a sieve and purée in food processor with 1/3 cup water until a gritty paste forms, about 1 minute. (Rice paste will not be as smooth as lentil paste...

For streusel:Stir all ingredients in small bowl to blend.For gingerbread:Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350F. Butter 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Coarsely puree mangoes in food processor. Transfer 1 cup mango puree to large bowl (reserve any remaining puree for another use). Add buttermilk, oil, and eggs to puree; whisk until blended. Add flour mixture; stir just until combined...

Preheat oven to 400F. Whisk 1/2 cup cream, egg, and lemon peel in medium bowl. Whisk flour and next 5 ingredients in large bowl. Using large holes of box grater, grate butter over dry ingredients. Using fingertips, blend until coarse meal forms. Add raisins and cream mixture. Stir until moist clumps form, adding more cream by tablespoonfuls if dough is dry. Turn out onto floured surface; knead just until dough comes together...

Make starter:Stir together sugar and warm milk in a bowl. Stir in yeast and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.) Stir flour into yeast mixture, forming a soft dough. Cut a deep X in top with sharp kitchen shears. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature 1 hour...

Assemble and marinate terrine:Cook onion in butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl set in a bowl of ice. While onion cools, pulse salt, peppercorns, allspice, nutmeg, and bay leaf in grinder until finely ground. Add to onion mixture and whisk in cream, eggs, and brandy until combined well...

Stir together flour with salt in a bowl, then cut in lard with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles meal. Drizzle vegetable oil over and stir in warm water with a fork until a dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes, dusting hands occasionally with flour if dough is sticky.Form dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest 1 hour...

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500F. Melt butter in a 17- by 12-inch shallow baking pan in oven, about 2 minutes. Spread tortillas, in baking pan, overlapping slightly and turning each over once to coat with butter. Stir together sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle evenly over tortillas. Bake tortillas until golden and puffed in spots, 4 to 5 minutes...

Whisk together flour (2 cups), sugar, salt, and yeast in a bowl until combined. Whisk together water, oil, and egg in another bowl until combined well, then stir into flour mixture until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead, working in just enough additional flour to keep dough from sticking, about 2 minutes (dough will not be smooth)...

For cranberry gelées: Wipe 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish with damp cloth. Line dish with plastic wrap, pressing to adhere. Place small plate in freezer.Mix first 7 ingredients in heavy large saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer uncovered until fruit is very tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree mixture in blender until smooth.Transfer puree to heavy medium saucepan...

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350F. Generously butter a 9-inch square baking pan. Toast oats in another baking pan, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 12 minutes. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs, milk, and vanilla. Whisk together flour, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda, then beat into butter mixture until incorporated. Stir in oats, pecans, and cranberries...

Stir together warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar in bowl of mixer fitted with paddle attachment and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.) While yeast is foaming, whisk 4 cups flour with zest, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Add milk, vanilla, butter, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar to yeast, then mix at medium speed until combined...

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly butter parchment. Stir together butter, sugar, corn syrup, spices, and salt in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add nuts and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Spread nuts in 1 layer on lined baking sheet, separating any clumps...

Position rack in top third of oven; preheat to 375F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in bowl for glaze. Whisk flour, baking powder, lemon peel, salt, and 1 cup sugar in large bowl. Add chilled butter; using fingertips, rub in until coarse meal forms. Mix in cranberries and walnuts. Add 1/2 cup half and half and1 tablespoon lemon juice...

Place quartered kumquats in processor; puree 3 minutes. Measure 1/3 cup puree for glaze; set aside. Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350F. Spray two 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2-inch metal loaf pans with nonstick spray. Combine flour, tea powder (if desired), baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Using electric mixer, blend 1 1/4 cups sugar and oil in large bowl...

For cake:Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350F. Butter and flour 10-inch-diameter tube pan, then spray with nonstick spray. Mix egg whites, brown sugar, and salt in bowl. Mix in walnuts and 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time...

Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and oil parchment. Bring brown sugar, cream, butter, salt, and 1/4 cup rum to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until butter is melted, then boil over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until thermometer registers 248F (firm-ball stage), about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and remaining teaspoon rum...

Sterilize jars:Wash jars, lids, and screw bands in hot, soapy water, then rinse well. Dry screw bands. Put jars on a rack in canner or deep pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, covered, then boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, leaving jars in water. Heat lids in water to cover by 2 inches in a small saucepan until thermometer registers 180F (do not let boil). Remove from heat, leaving lids in water...

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375F. Stir together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, and chopped herbs in a bowl, then add butter and stir with a fork until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough in half and pat each half into a 6 1/2- to 7-inch round on an ungreased baking sheet. Crimp edges of rounds and cut each into 8 wedges with a sharp knife. Lightly brush with egg white and arrange 1 leaf of each herb on each wedge...

Add corn to a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling water. Return water to boiling, then cover and remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes. Transfer corn with tongs to paper towels to drain. Stir together mayonnaise and chiles in a small bowl. Heat skillet over moderately high heat until hot, then roast corn in 2 batches, turning occasionally with tongs, until blackened in spots, about 5 minutes per batch...

Lightly oil an 8- by 4-inch loaf pan (6-cup capacity) and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang at each end. Whisk together water, chickpea flour, sea salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan until smooth, then cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (to prevent lumps from forming), until very thick and mixture pulls away from side of pan, 20 to 25 minutes...

To skin peanuts, blanch in a 3-quart saucepan of boiling salted water 1 minute, then drain well. Slip off and discard skins using your fingers and transfer peanuts to a bowl. Bring 5 cups water to a boil with bay leaf in same saucepan. Add peanuts and reduce heat to moderate, then simmer, covered, until peanuts are soft enough to crumble easily when pressed with tines of a fork, about 30 to 45 minutes...