Stand Mixer

The dough for these simple cookies can be done ahead and refrigerated for up to two days before being sliced and baked.

The apple-essence syrup is brushed over the cake to infuse it with flavor and make it extra-moist. If you prefer, substitute apple cider for the brandy.

We used an empty 1/2-gallon cardboard milk carton as a mold for this cake to keep the checkerboard pattern even.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"My husband and I recently visited New York with some friends," says Helene M. Strassman of Gaithersburg, Maryland. "One evening, we had dinner at Babbo. The whole meal was fantastic, but the best part was the maple and mascarpone cheesecake. I asked our waiter for the recipe, but he politely refused. Maybe Bon Appétit could persuade pastry chef Gina DePalma to part with it." Be careful when boiling down the maple syrup for this recipe. It gets very hot, as a caramel syrup does. Use a heavy, large, deep saucepan because the syrup bubbles up high and vigorously when boiled. Let the syrup settle before measuring it.

You'll need two dozen lemon leaves or camellia leaves to make the chocolate decoration. If you don't have unsprayed leaves from your own or a friend's garden, get them from a florist.

Pastel de tres leches is a traditional Nicaraguan Celebration Cake usually reserved for the holiday season. In this recipe we preserve the traditional presentation, and add some typical American holiday flavors. The cake is composed of four components: Sponge Cake, Rum Milk Syrup, Meringue, and Cranberry Compote.

A tweed cake gets its name from the classic wool fabric it resembles. The effect is achieved by folding coarsely grated chocolate into the batter before baking. If you can't find matzo cake meal, you can grind batches of regular matzo meal in a clean electric coffee/spice grinder until it's the consistency of flour.

"This delicious cookie was created by Anna Pieklo, a Polish immigrant who came to this country at the turn of the century," writes Diana Treese of St. Cloud, Florida. "My family is also Polish, and I love making these at Christmastime." Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

You'll need a candy thermometer to monitor the fudge sauce and the marshmallows.