Espresso

This dessert had its heyday on American menus about 15 years ago, and it turns up a little less frequently these days. The popularity of tiramisu never wavered in Rome, however, where it continues to be served at dinner parties and restaurants.

At Valentino, pastry chef Michelle Robie cuts the cake into individual heart shapes and sometimes serves them with a blood orange sauce.

Loosely translated, tiramisù means "pick me up," and it has been picked up on practically every menu in America. Since the early eighties, it has been one of the most famous Italian-American desserts, and like spaghetti and meatballs, it is far more prevalent here than in Italy. Purchased angel food cake makes this especially easy.

Judith W. Harris of San Mateo, California, writes: "I recently made these chocolate almond bars for a tea. They were all consumed with requests for more." Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 hr

There's enough espresso cream to top 6 cakes for a quick, elegant dessert. The leftover 6 are great to keep for snacks.

This makes more pastry dough than you'll need for 24 tartlets. We chose not to reduce the recipe because pastry can be a bit tricky—the slightest change can affect the outcome (halving eggs tends to increase the chance of error). If you want to make more tartlet shells—which could be filled with fruit, ice cream, or pudding for another party—they can be frozen for 1 month. The leftover dough can also be used to make cookies.

(Café Liègeois Onctueux) Liège is a province of Belgium; café liègeois is usually coffee ice cream with whipped cream, but it can also be iced coffee with whipped cream. This thick drink—served elegantly in wineglasses—combines the two styles into one delicious dessert.

Rich brownies are baked with a chocolate syrup that sinks to the bottom and thickens into a fudgy sauce, creating a luscious layering of textures.

Kids and adults alike will get a kick out of this tower of ice cream. It makes a spectacular-yet easy-dessert for summer birthday celebration.

Favorite Italian flavors — espresso and hazelnut — come together in these appealing treats.

Definitely not Ye Olde English Classic, but very delicious and very contemporary. Using store-bought sponge cake (ask for it at your supermarket bakery) or pound cakes simplifies assembly.

These sweets are enjoyed with coffee or tea at Bewley's on Grafton Street, a Dublin institution that has long been part of the city's folklore and culture.

Set the truffles in paper or silver-foil candy cups, and offer them in baskets wrapped in clear cellophane and tied with raffia and pinecones. If you prefer, coat the truffles in 12 ounces of melted bittersweet chocolate instead of white chocolate.

Layers of toffee-studded, coffee-flavored mousse and chocolate ganache fill an almond and sugar-cookie crust.