Dried Fruit

Feel free to substitute 2 1/2 pounds of your favorite dried fruits for the ones called for here. If you choose larger fruits, such as pears or apples, be sure to cut them into a 1/4-inch dice before using. Cakes can be wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to six months.

This was inspired by a favorite ice cream, rum raisin. For the deepest flavor, use a dark rum, such as Myer’s; light rum just won’t taste the same.

Small squares of this tart make excellent hors d’oeuvres. Save the extra peach purée to blend with sparkling white wine for a refreshing cocktail.

This free-form dough can be shaped into two longer loaves or one big round; you may need to adjust the baking time.

Our version of this traditional Christmas bread calls for an assortment of dried fruits; feel free to include candied citrus peel, whose distinctive, slightly bitter flavor is more characteristic of Italian panettone. If substituting larger fruits, such as apricots, pears, or cherries, chop them finely before using.

Try this bread toasted in the morning for breakfast.

These pastries would be delicious with a cup of tea in the afternoon.

These classic drop cookies are large, soft, and chewy. Look for grade B maple syrup, which has a deeper flavor than grade A.

The addition of raisins, caraway seeds, and egg makes this version richer and even more delicious than traditional Irish soda bread.

The dough for these savory scones gets its unique texture and flavor from a combination of butter and olive oil. It was inspired by a similarly flavored yeast bread sold at Amy’s Bread in New York City.

Feel free to substitute other dried fruits for the apricots. We particularly like using sour cherries, cranberries, golden raisins, or chopped figs.

Sanding sugar is coarser than granulated sugar and lends a lovely sparkle when sprinkled over the tops of scones, biscuits, pies, and cookies before baking. It is available at baking-supply stores and many grocery stores.

Be sure to use unsulfured molasses—not sulfured or blackstrap—in this recipe. Also, buy the freshest, moistest dates you can find.

Amish and old-order Mennonites bake this pie, also called rosina pie (German for raisin) or “funeral” pie, during any season. Some recipes include milk, making it more like a custard pie, and others use water, but they all seem to agree on the necessity of a double-crusted pie, often with a lattice top. If you like raisins, you’ll love this pie. Walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, or almonds would be perfect choices for the chopped nuts.

Mrs. Rowe attributed this recipe to her friend Mrs. John Martin, a Mennonite from Harrisonburg. The custard is slightly grainy, which is normal for this old-fashioned pie, and its pleasant, refreshing flavor is unusual to the modern palate. For plumper raisins, bring them to a boil in a small amount of water, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain the raisins thoroughly before proceeding with the recipe.

There are never any leftovers of this flavorful pie at Mrs. Rowe’s Country Buffet. Because green tomatoes have such a short season, customers have many long months to look forward to this pie, with its robust spice and vinegar essences perfectly mingled with an underlying sweetness. The flavors unfold with every bite. Longtime regular customers know to get to the restaurant early enough to enjoy a slice. If the green tomato season slips by, try tomatillos instead. This pie also works as a side dish with pork chops or chicken.