Cream Cheese

Italy's sweet and buttery-smooth mascarpone cheese adds flavor and creaminess. Begin this cheesecake at least one day ahead.

"I started cooking when I was a 'young married' in my twenties and realized I liked it," writes Sheryl Hurd-House of Jupiter, Florida. "But I'm having even more fun cooking now that our three children are grown and it's just me and my husband, Garry." Frozen berries — thawed, of course — can stand in for fresh ones in the winter. Prepare the frozen "baskets" (made from cream cheese that’s lightened with whipped cream) at least two hours and up to three days before serving.

Every small town in Georgia seems to have its own peanut-dessert specialty for the holidays. This one features a creamy no-bake peanut butter filling in a crisp chocolate-crumb crust.

(Baked in a Tart Pan) For people who find even my less sweet Pecan Pie too sweet, or who are hopeless chocolate lovers, this is the answer. Cocoa perfectly tempers the sweetness of the filling and adds a full chocolate flavor that goes so well with pecans. If correctly baked, the filling, when cut, is soft and slightly molten. The surface of the pie is unusually appealing. Unlike the regular pecan pie where you can see clearly the shape of each nut, this filling cloaks the nuts with a dark milk-chocolaty glisten so you can just make out their shape.

This brownie, baked in a tart pan, gets its moistness from cream cheese and its fudginess from the best-quality cocoa and chocolate. Little puddles of ganache are poured into holes made in the brownie, after it has baked, with a the handle of a wooden spoon. Chocolate doesn't get better than this.

Gregg Thompson of St. Joseph, Missouri, writes, "A good many years ago, my wife and I enjoyed a beefy curried mousse at Snaffles restaurant in Dublin. The recipe was published in You Asked for It in your January 1972 issue. It's a wonderful dish that I have continued to enjoy through the years, and I believe it should be resurrected." Active time: 5 min Start to finish: 8 hr This is a great hors d'oeuvre to make the night before it's served, and it's best when made with the freshest garlic you can find.

You can start making these savory cookies up to three days ahead. Even easier: Serve the cheese roll with store-bought crackers. (We especially liked this roulade made with a spiced cranberry-apple chutney, but any thick chutney will work.)

Blackberries turn a familiar spice cake into a sophisticated finale.

"My sister, who lives near Chicago, takes me into the city for dinner at Erwin restaurant whenever I visit her," says Marion J. Matczynski of Parma Heights, Ohio. "One time I tried the peanut mousse cake; it was to die for."

When you're cooking with veggies, don't overlook dessert! This cake has great texture, thanks to both pureed and grated carrots. It's delicious with or without frosting and great for parties.

This needs to chill overnight, so plan accordingly.

Christine Warren of New York, New York, writes: "On a recent evening out on the town, my friends and I decided to go for Margaritas at Zarela. What started out as drinks soon turned into appetizers and then dessert (a well-balanced meal, in our view). We loved the divine peanut butter tart."

Make the cheesecake up to two days before serving (it must chill at least four hours).

Buttermilk makes the cake tender, and cream cheese adds great texture to the frosting.

Cream cheese enhances the texture of the custard in this tart. To create the pretty wave pattern, use an icing comb, available in cookware stores. Begin making the dessert a day ahead.

Serve with pan-fried potatoes. What to drink: A crisp Sauvignon Blanc from California or New Zealand, or a French Sancerre.