The secret ingredient in many professional layer cakes and a kind of magic to the home baker is called simple syrup and it’s precisely that: a syrup made simply of equal parts water and sugar.

The concept of simple syrup is, well, simple. Take equal amounts of sugar and water, cook and use as a sweetener. It is indeed quite simple to make, but the name almost obscures the many directions ...

Steeping chiles and fresh ginger slices in basic simple syrup infuses it with a kick ideal for the holidays. You can add more of one or the other if you’d like more warm gingery heat or chile spice.

1 teaspoon super-fine sugar, OR 2 tablespoons simple syrup 4 dashes Angostura Bitters or Fee Brothers' Old-Fashioned Bitters 1/6 medium orange, a nice thick wedge 2 to 3 ounces Bourbon or rye whiskey ...