Improve dessert with directions (7)
I believe the answer is:
sweeten
'improve' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both related to change as well as being verbs in their base form.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'dessert with directions' is the wordplay.
'dessert' becomes 'sweet' (synonyms).
'with' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'directions' becomes 'en' (east and north).
'sweet'+'en'='SWEETEN'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for sweeten that I've seen before include "Seen wet (anag.)" , "put in sugar" , "placate" , "We teens! (anag)" , "Add sugar or honey" .)