• Prepare your container(s): If you are using individual glasses, set your twelve 4-oz glasses on a baking sheet. If you are using a baking dish or bundt pan, spray it lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
• Boil water: For each of the 5 layers, you will use one 3-oz gelatin package, ¾ cup boiling water, ¼ cup milk, and ½ cup vanilla yogurt. Boil enough water for the gelatin (about 5 cups to account for evaporation). Keep the dairy ingredients refrigerated for now.
• Mix gelatin with boiling water: Pour each 3-oz package of gelatin into its own medium bowl. Add ¾ cup boiling water to each bowl, and whisk well, for about 30-60 seconds each, to make sure all of the gelatin granules are dissolved.
• Cool gelatin, add dairy: The gelatin will be hot and needs to be room temperature before you can add the dairy components. To speed the cooling time for the first color of gelatin, place it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, until it feels neutral to the touch — not warm. It should not be starting to set, but if you notice setting around the edges, microwave the bowl for 10 seconds and whisk well until completely fluid again. (Note: the other 4 bowls of gelatin will cool to room temperature on the counter, no refrigeration needed.)
• Add dairy to first bowl of gelatin: Add ¼ cup milk and ½ cup vanilla yogurt to the bowl of gelatin you'd like to use for the first layer. Whisk well, until you have a smooth and creamy pastel mixture. Divide it evenly between your glasses, using about 2 TBSP per glass. If you are using a large pan, pour the entire contents into the bottom of the pan.
• Chill the first gelatin layer: Place the tray of glasses or baking pan into the refrigerator to set, for about 15 minutes. (If you’re in a hurry, you can place it in the freezer for about 8 minutes, but don’t let it freeze completely!) Note that the timing might be slightly different if you are using a baking dish or bundt pan. When you touch the top of the gelatin with your finger, it should feel mostly set, but it’s okay if your finger leaves a slight mark in the top.
• Add dairy to next bowl of gelatin, layer, and chill: Once the first layer is set, make sure that the gelatin for the second layer is room temperature, then whisk in the milk and yogurt. Pour the second color on top of the first, and chill again for 15 minutes, until mostly set.
• Continue gelatin process with remaining colors: Continue to repeat this process with the remaining 3 colors. The gelatin that you mixed up in the beginning should be fine sitting at room temperature, but if you find that it does start to set around the edges, microwave it briefly and whisk well to make sure it’s fluid before adding the dairy.
• Refrigerate to fully set: After all 5 colors have been layered, refrigerate the cups or pan for at least 4 hours before decorating and serving, to make sure they’re set all the way through.
• Cover until ready to decorate: This dessert keeps very well in the refrigerator, so you can prepare the cups or cake up to a week in advance. It's best to decorate them just before serving — whipped cream and decorations will not hold up to prolonged storage. Wrap each undecorated cup individually or cover the baking dish with plastic wrap so the tops don’t dry out.
• Decorate and serve: A few hours before you plan to serve the gelatin, top each cup with a swirl of whipped cream, and whatever sprinkles or other decorations you’d like! If you are making a gelatin cake, whipped cream can be spread evenly over the set layers and decorated as desired. Store in the fridge until just before serving.
• Storage: Leftovers should be returned to the refrigerator as soon as possible and kept well wrapped. Eat within 2 days for the best taste and texture.

• Cut the bread into 1” cubes. If it is not already stale, you’ll want to toast it a bit.
• To toast: Place the cubed bread on a baking sheet, and put it in a 310 F oven for about 10-12 minutes, stirring every 3 or 4 minutes so that it doesn’t burn. The bread should just start to take on a golden color, but shouldn’t be dark and hard—you don’t want to make croutons! Let the bread cool completely.
• In an extra large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the pumpkin, evaporated milk, milk, and vanilla; whisk together until blended.
• Whisk in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
• Add the bread cubes and pecans, if you’re using them. Stir everything together with a spatula, and let it sit for 20-30 minutes to soak up the custard. Periodically stir to make sure everything gets distributed evenly.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick baking spray.
• Scrape the bread pudding mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes until it is puffed up, crispy on top, and the center doesn’t jiggle much when tapped.
• Let it cool for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve slices of bread pudding warm, with a drizzle of cinnamon syrup and whipped cream. If you prefer it cold, let the pudding come to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until you're ready to serve.
• Store leftovers, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

To Make the Edible Candy Pumpkin Bowls:

• You’ll need a clean, dry mini bundt pan made of nonstick metal or silicon. Place the candy coating in a medium bowl, and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after every 30 seconds to prevent overheating, until the coating is melted and smooth. I like to use mostly orange coating, with a few yellow and brown wafers thrown in, to make more of a “pumpkin” color. You can stick with plain orange if that’s what you have on hand.
• Dollop several large spoonfuls of melted coating in the bottom of one of the mini bundt cavities. Use a clean, wide brush to brush the melted coating up the sides of the pan in an even layer. Avoid covering the center core with any coating. Repeat until all of the cavities are lined with coating.
• Refrigerate the pan to set the coating, for 10-15 minutes. If there are any sparse or streaky areas on the sides, go back with a second coat and fill in any gaps in the coating. Refrigerate until completely firm.
• Gently remove the bowls from the bundt pan. If the coating is cold, it should be easy to slide from the nonstick metal or pop out of the silicon mold. Trim any excess coating from around the edges of the center hole, and place the bowls on a baking sheet covered with parchment.
• Warm up the remaining candy coating, and dollop a spoonful into the hole in the center of each bowl, until the hole is filled. Chill the bowls until set. Your candy bowls are now ready to be filled with mousse!

To Make the Pumpkin Spice Mousse:

• Combine the white chocolate chips and heavy cream (or pumpkin spice coffee creamer) in a large bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, whisking every 30 seconds, until the white chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
• Add the pumpkin puree, salt, and pumpkin pie spice to the bowl, and whisk them in. Add 5-7 drops of orange gel food coloring (optional) and whisk it in as well. (The color will look very dark right now, but will lighten later once the whipped cream is added.) Set the white chocolate bowl aside to cool until it’s slightly warm or room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• While you wait for the chocolate mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together the gelatin and the cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water.
• Whip the heavy cream to medium peaks, and set it aside for a moment.
• When the white chocolate is at room temperature, it’s showtime! Microwave the bowl of gelatin for 10-12 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin and white chocolate mixture together.
• Fold half of the whipped cream into the white chocolate, and once it’s incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream.
• Divide the pumpkin spice mousse between the edible candy bowls, filling each with a generous cup of mousse, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours to firm up the gelatin. (Overnight refrigeration is fine, too!) To serve, top the mousse bowls with a swirl of whipped cream and a shake of cinnamon, a pinch of crushed gingersnap cookies, a few sprinkles, or fall candies.

• Start by draining the ricotta cheese to remove excess moisture. Line a wire strainer with 2 layers of cheesecloth, extending up and over the sides of the strainer, and place the strainer over a bowl. Put the ricotta in the strainer, then gather the edges of the cheesecloth together around the cheese and fasten it with a rubber band, forming a tight bundle.
• Let the ricotta sit and drain in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours—overnight will work too. At the end, you should see significant liquid has seeped out of the cheese into the bowl below. Take the bundle of cheese and squeeze it gently to get out any extra moisture. Discard the drained liquid.
• Combine the drained ricotta, cream, orange zest, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar in a blender, and blend just until smooth, 10-15 seconds. Scrape down the mixer as necessary to make sure it all gets blended, but don’t overwork it—stop when everything seems nice and smooth.
• In a large bowl, stir the mascarpone cheese until smooth, then add about a quarter of the ricotta mixture and gently blend it together. Once mixed, add the rest of the ricotta and gently stir until everything is smooth and uniform. Refrigerate the filling for about 2 hours, until it has firmed up and is well chilled.
• While the filling chills, prepare the cones. Melt the chocolate or candy coating. Dip the tops of the cones into the melted chocolate. If desired, sprinkle the melted chocolate with chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, chopped candied oranges, or other decorations. Set the cones on baking sheets covered in waxed paper, and refrigerate until the chocolate is set.
• When you’re ready to assemble the cones, place the filling in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Start at the bottom of the cone and fill the entire thing with cream filling, then finish with a swirl about an inch above the top of the cone. Sprinkle nuts or mini chips on top, and garnish with a maraschino cherry if you’d like!
• These cones are best enjoyed shortly after assembly, because the filling will start to get soft at room temperature and will soften the cone as well. You can prepare both the filling and cones several days in advance, and just put them together before serving.

• Place the cookies in a food processor, and pulse in long bursts until the cookies are in fine crumbs.
• If you don’t have a food processor, place all the cookies in a heavy-duty gallon zip-top bag. Roll over the cookies with a rolling pin, pausing to adjust the bag and shift the cookies around as necessary. Smash/pound/roll them until they are mostly fine crumbs, with some small chunks remaining.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the instant pudding and milk, and whisk until it’s smooth and free of lumps. Let the pudding set for 5-7 minutes, until it has a thick, pudding-like texture.
• While you wait, whip the heavy cream to medium firm peaks.
• Once the pudding is set and the cream is whipped, gently fold the cream into the pudding.
• Add three-quarters of the cookie crumbs and stir them in to the pudding.
• Divide the pudding between eight 8-oz cups or jars.
• Stick 3 worms into the top of each cup.
• Spoon the remaining cookie crumbs on top of each cup and spread them out into an even layer. Top with chocolate rocks, if you have them.
• Enjoy immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve. Cover leftovers with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

To Make the Cake Layers:

• Preheat the oven to 300 F. (That is not a typo—I use a low and slow bake time for these, to help prevent the cakes from doming.) Line four 9-inch cake pans with parchment rounds, and spray the parchment and pan sides with nonstick cooking spray.
• Combine the sugar, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for about a minute to combine the dry ingredients.
• Lightly whisk together the eggs and 1/3 cup of sour cream, and set aside for now.
• Add the remaining 1 cup sour cream and the softened butter to the large mixing bowl and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Turn the mixer to medium speed and mix for a minute and a half.
• Add the egg mixture in three batches, mixing for 20-30 seconds after each addition, until you have a smooth batter. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and give the batter a few more stirs to make sure everything is incorporated. Divide the batter into four equal portions—if you are using a kitchen scale, this will be about 15 oz of batter per bowl.
• To one portion of the batter, add the zest from one large lemon, 1 tsp lemon extract, and a few drops of yellow food coloring. Taste, and add more extract if desired, then scrape into one of the cake pans and smooth.
• To the second portion of the batter, add the zest from two large limes, 1 tsp lime extract, and a few drops of green food coloring, with an additional drop or two of yellow. Scrape into the second cake pan.
• Place the freeze-dried raspberries in a food processor and process until they’re a fine powder. Add the raspberry powder and some pink food coloring to the third portion of batter, and gently stir until it’s incorporated. Try not to over-mix, or your cakes will be tough. Pour into the third cake pan.
• Process the freeze-dried blueberries in the food processor, and add the blueberry powder and purple coloring to the final portion of batter. Pour into the fourth cake pan.
• Bake the cakes at 300 F for 20-25 minutes, rotating halfway throughout, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Let the cakes cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then gently turn them out and let them cool completely. If you are making these in advance, they can stay in the freezer for up to several weeks.

To Assemble:

• Prepare your pan. You need a 9-inch pan with tall sides, and the ability to remove the bottom. Either a cake pan with a removable bottom or a springform pan will work. Place a cake cardboard in the bottom of the pan. Tape two long strips of an acetate cake collar together, to make one 8-inch tall strip of acetate. Line the inner wall with your extra-tall acetate collar. Make sure the acetate is long enough so that it overlaps itself. I strongly recommend using acetate—it will provide you with a firm structure in which to build your cake, and clean edges along the sides. If you don’t have acetate collars, you can try using a double layer of heavy-duty foil, 8 inches tall, to wrap around the inside of the cake pan. This should be stable enough, but it won’t produce the clean edges that acetate does.
• Set your lemon cake layer in the bottom of the cake pan on the cardboard. Prepare your passion fruit mousse (instructions below), pour it on top of the lemon cake, and smooth it into an even layer. You’ll notice that the mousse is somewhat loose and fluid, which is why it’s so important to have a stable layer of acetate or heavy duty foil around the sides of the cake, to prevent the mousse from overflowing the sides.
• Chill the cake for 10 minutes, so the mousse just starts to set but is still tacky to the touch. Add the raspberry cake layer on top, and return to the refrigerator while you prepare the cranberry mousse layer (instructions below).
• When the cranberry mousse is done, pour it on top of the raspberry cake, and spread it into an even layer. Chill the cake again for 10 minutes, then add the blueberry cake on top. Refrigerate again while preparing the final mousse, the blackberry layer (instructions below.)
• When the blackberry layer is done, pour it on top of the blueberry cake and smooth it. Chill for 10 minutes, then top with the final lime cake layer. Refrigerate the cake for at least 6 hours (longer is okay!) to firm up all the mousse and make it a stable, solid cake.
• To serve, remove the cake from the cake pan, then carefully unwrap the acetate or foil collar from around the cake. Top with vanilla frosting (recipe below) or whipped cream, and lots of sprinkles and candles! This cake is easiest to cut when it’s straight from the refrigerator, but I like it best when it’s sat at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, so the cake is not completely cold.

To Make the Passion Fruit Mousse:

• Combine the white chocolate, passion fruit puree, 1/4 cup of cream, and salt in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. It should not be warm to the touch at all.
• While you wait for the white chocolate mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together the gelatin and the cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water. When the chocolate is at room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin and white chocolate together. Add several drops of orange food coloring, and stir them in. The color will get very diluted when you add the whipped cream, so go darker than your intended color.
• Whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the white chocolate, and once it’s incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Try not to fold more than necessary, or the mousse will start to get grainy and break. Use immediately after it’s made.

To Make the Cranberry Mousse:

• Follow the instructions for passion fruit mousse, but with a few small changes: combine the white chocolate, 1/2 cup cream, and salt and microwave together. Use red food coloring instead of orange, and add enough to make a very bright red color. Place the freeze-dried raspberries in a food processor and process until they’re a fine powder. After you fold in the whipped cream, add the cranberry powder and stir it in gently.

To Make the Blackberry Mousse:

• First, blend the blackberries in a blender or food processor, then strain them to remove the seeds. Measure out 1/2 cup puree (save any additional puree for another use) and combine 1/2 cup puree, the white chocolate, and the salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Follow the instructions for the passion fruit mousse, but use blue food coloring instead of orange.

To Make the Vanilla Frosting:

• Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the sugar is moistened. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat again on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. You can add more milk or sugar, if desired, to get the consistency you want.

Make the Chocolate Ganache:

• Place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Pour one cup of heavy cream into a small saucepan, and place the pan over medium heat. Bring the cream to a simmer, heating it until bubbles appear along the sides of the pan, but it is not yet boiling.
• Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and allow it to sit and soften for a minute. After a minute, whisk the cream and chocolate together until the chocolate is smooth, shiny and melted. Press a layer of cling wrap over the top and refrigerate the chocolate briefly until it thickens to the consistency of soft peanut butter.

Make the Mascarpone Cream:

• While the chocolate is chilling, prepare the mascarpone mixture. Place the egg yolks and sugar in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the yolks and sugar together on medium-high speed until they are very thick and pale, about 2-3 minutes. When you stop the mixer and lift up the whisk, the yolks should slowly drip from the whisk in a thick ribbon.
• Add the mascarpone cheese, salt, and vanilla extract, and beat on medium-low until the cheese is incorporated and the mixture is free of lumps. Don’t overbeat, or beat too quickly, since mascarpone is prone to breaking if it’s overworked!
• Transfer the mascarpone cheese to another bowl, and in the same mixing bowl—no need to clean it—place the remaining 3/4 cup heavy cream. Whip the cream to firm peaks, then gently fold it into the cheese in several batches.

Assemble the Tiramisus:

• To assemble the tiramisus, spread a thin layer of chocolate on the bottom of six 10-oz dishes or cups. Working one at a time, dip a ladyfinger quickly in the hot chocolate so that it is submerged, then place it in the serving dish. You may need to break the cookies into several pieces to make them fit into an even layer in the dishes. Repeat until all of the dishes have a first layer of soaked lady fingers.
• Spoon a thick layer of the mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers—you may find that it’s easier to put the cream into a pastry bag with a round tip, or a plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Once all of the tiramisus have a layer of mascarpone, spoon a thin layer of chocolate on top. Repeat the layers, adding more ladyfingers, mascarpone, and chocolate, until you reach the top of your container. Make sure that you end with a layer of mascarpone cheese. Finish the tiramisus with a topping of shaved chocolate, unsweetened cocoa powder, or a big rosette of whipped cream. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and serve!
• Tiramisu keeps very well, and this dessert can be made up to five days ahead of time and kept, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To Make the Chocolate Cake:

• Line two 9-inch cake pan with parchment, but do not spray with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Add the butter and both sugars to the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat them together on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, and beat well until everything is fully incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running on low, add a quarter of the sifted flour mixture. When the flour streaks have almost all disappeared, add a third of the buttermilk to the mixing bowl. When that’s incorporated, continue to add the drys and wets in an alternating pattern, ending with the dry ingredients.
• When the dry ingredients are nearly incorporated, stop the mixer. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and finish mixing the cake by hand. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, and smooth it into an even layer. Bake the cakes for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool the cakes completely before using. They can be made in advance and kept in the freezer for up to several weeks until ready to use.

To Make the Candy Cane Mousse:

• Prepare your pan. You need a 9-inch pan with sides at least 3 inches tall, and the ability to remove the bottom. Either a cake pan with a removable bottom or a springform pan will work. Line the inner wall with a 4-inch high acetate cake collar or a strip of aluminum foil. Make sure the acetate or waxed paper is long enough so that it overlaps itself, and if you are using foil/waxed paper, make sure you cut the strip tall enough to extend at least an inch over the pan’s sides, since the cake is about 4 inches tall.
• Place a cake cardboard in the bottom of the pan, then carefully place the baked cake on top of the cardboard. This is optional, but it makes it easy to transfer the cake cleanly and neatly to your serving plate.
• Prepare the first mousse layer: combine 9 oz (1 ½ cups) white chocolate, 3/4 cup of cream, and ½ tsp salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour it into a large bowl, and let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• While you wait for the white chocolate mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together 2 tsp gelatin and 2 TBSP cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water. When the chocolate is at room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 10-15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin and white chocolate mixture together, then whisk in ½ tsp peppermint extract.
• Whip 1 cup heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the white chocolate, and once it’s incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Add 2/3 cup (4 oz) of the Andes peppermint pieces, and gently stir them into the mousse. Scrape the mousse on top of the cake in the pan, and spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate the cake for 15 minutes, until the mousse has just started to set and is firm enough that the cake layer can be added.
• Gently place the second chocolate cake layer on top of the mousse, then repeat the mousse-making process with the second candy cane mousse layer. Scrape the mousse on top of the cake, and refrigerate for at least 5-6 hours, preferably overnight, until the mousse is very firm and set.

To Glaze and Decorate:

• To finish the cake, push the bottom out from the pan, or unhinge the sides, and unwrap the acetate strip. Transfer the cake to your serving platter. Make a quick chocolate ganache by putting the chopped chocolate in a small bowl and heating the cream to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and whisk gently until the chocolate melts and you have a smooth, shiny mixture.
• Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, and use a spatula to nudge it right to the edge and over in evenly spaced drizzles. Don’t worry if the top is not smooth—it will be covered up! Let the cake sit for 10 minutes so the ganache starts to set, then top it with your candy of your choice—try using different sizes and shapes, like shards of peppermint bark, lollipops, candy canes, and ribbon candy. Sugar candy will get sticky over time, so don’t top the cake more than an hour or two in advance of when you plan to serve it.
• For the cleanest slices, cut the cake when it is well chilled. Use a large sharp knife, and wash it frequently between cuts. For the best taste and texture, allow the cake slices to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.