Stand Mixer

Whipped cream becomes light—yet richer—with the addition of Calvados. It echoes the apples in the torte but also goes beautifully with the pumpkin plum tart.

You'll be happy that these are generously sized, and that the recipe will leave you with a few extras. Tender textured, with an oozing cheese center, they're sure to be devoured before the frying oil has had a chance to cool down.

Far from being little more than crisp vehicles for the prosciutto , these have the flavor of a freshly baked olive-oil bread.

Kids (and more than a few adults) will almost certainly shriek with joy at the sight of this fantasy dessert. Golden, buttery cake layers sandwich chocolate cookie crumbs and are topped with a custard frosting that calls to mind soft-serve ice cream. Crisp wafer cones are filled with batter and baked into their own little cupcakes, then crowned with swirls of ice-cream-style frosting.

Perfect for a Sunday-afternoon baking project, these light, crisp crackers take an hour to make (okay, maybe longer if you have a little helper).

This recipe was created by chef Geraldine Ferraro of the Four Swallows Restaurant on Bainbridge Island in Washington. It's part of a special menu she created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

This recipe makes lots of big cookies, but don't even think of saving half the dough for another day, because you won't want to stop eating them. Food editor Paul Grimes, who tested the recipe, has already slipped it into his personal recipe file. "Next time I need a peanut butter cookie," he says, "I'm turning to this." Happily, the recipe works with either conventional or natural creamy peanut butter.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Icebox Desserts by Lauren Chattman. This cake has all of the components of a classic trifle, but because it is contained by a ring of ladyfingers it has a tailored, formal look. Be aware that the cake is very soft, and pieces will be a little messy-looking on serving plates. So give your guests a chance to admire your handiwork before you serve it up.

If strawberry shortcake hailed from the Middle East, it might taste like this. Toasting the almonds lets their essence permeate the cake, making it a lovely partner for strawberries that have been macerated in lemon juice and just a hint of rose water. A dollop of freshly beaten cream melds the two beautifully.

Trompe L'Oeil "Egg" Talk about playing with your food. Our editors were doing double takes when they saw this dessert in the test kitchen — and we can guarantee that even your most eagle-eyed guests will do the same.

This dessert needs some last-minute assembly, so appoint a helper or line up the components to make it all go smoothly.

Amaretti According to legend, in the early 1700s, a Milanese bishop made a surprise visit to the town of Saronno in Lombardy. A young couple paid tribute to the bishop by welcoming him with their unique homemade cookies, made from crushed apricot kernels and almonds, egg whites, and sugar. The bishop so loved the cookies that he blessed the couple, and the recipe became a local favorite. Today, bakeries throughout the region, and in Italian communities around the world, carry amaretti di Saronno, but it's worth the (small) effort to make them yourself. The recipe is simple, and fresh from the oven, they have a crisp-yet-tender texture that's beyond compare.

Pan de Pascua This rich, slightly sweet yeast bread is ubiquitous in Chile during the Christmas season. Accompanied by cola de mono, an eggnoglike, spiced coffee drink spiked with aguardiente liqueur, it's the classic holiday snack. Similar to German stollen and Italian panettone, the recipe probably traveled to Chile with German immigrants in the early 1900s. This recipe can be baked in a 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides or, for a taller, narrower loaf like the one shown above, an 8-inch diameter clay flowerpot. It can be made a day ahead and rewarmed in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Leftovers make excellent French toast.

These tiny cakes make terrific gifts, packaged in sets of three — one of each flavor. The basic vanilla batter is also wonderful for other variations — try orange rind and white chocolate-chip, raisin-walnut, or "the kitchen sink" (that's whatever you need to get rid of in your pantry). I also like to keep some of these loaves in my freezer for impromptu breakfast parties. Just move them to the refrigerator before bed, and they'll be thawed by morning.

This is an all-day project, but it's worth the work. The repeated risings give the yeast time to add extra flavor and moisture, a difference you'll definitely taste in the finished product. The recipe will make two large loaves, perfect for holiday entertaining, or eight small ones, great for gift-giving. Well wrapped, they'll keep for days, and slightly stale leftovers can be turned into delicious into French toast.

Laden with chocolate, butter, and old-world charm, this babka is luscious served as dessert, with coffee, or as breakfast. While baking, the rich dough becomes incredibly tender, so it pulls apart in buttery pieces that melt in your mouth.