British

Resist the temptation to use soft-ripe pears in this recipe as they will disintegrate during cooking and produce too much liquid.

In England, these crisp raisin-flecked treats are called Madeira biscuits-biscuit being the British word for cookie, and a glass of Madeira being a favorite accompaniment for this particular type.

An updated version of Scottish shortbread.

This recipe was created to accompany Spiced Beef in Mini Yorkshire Puddings with Mustard Dressing.

Cranachan is Scotland's traditional harvest-time pudding, a blend of Crowdie (an artisanal cottage cheese), cream, toasted oats, berries, whisky, and honey. Here, it's updated with crème fraîche (instead of the Crowdie), toasted hazelnuts, and grated chocolate, and served parfait-style in individual goblets. To allow the flavors to meld, assemble the parfaits ahead of time and chill them overnight before serving.

This summery trifle is simple to make since it calls for a purchased pound cake. Begin preparing the trifle one day ahead.

This dark, moist cake gets its deep flavor from blackstrap molasses, which may not sound appealing on its own but is wonderful in this cake.

This dessert is simple and delicious, especially when made with very ripe strawberries and thick Devonshire cream. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 3 hr

These pretty mixtures of bread and sweetened berries are inspired by the classic English dessert called summer pudding. Begin preparing them one day before serving so that the bread will absorb the delicious juices.

Called Upper Peninsula Pasties, the original crusts, made with barley flour and little fat, were tough enough to survive a day in the copper mines. Boston-based pastry chef Greg Case has devised this more tender version. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 2 1/4 hr

Fools are traditionally prepared with pureed fruit mixed with whipped cream, or egg custard, or a combination of the two. (The term fool probably comes from the French fouler, meaning "to crush.") They seem to be especially successful when made with sharply flavored garden produce like rhubarb, gooseberries, and black currants, which still have enough bite to be interesting when blended with cream. But strawberries, which are much easier to find, also work quite nicely. Strawberry fool is best when the fruit is mashed rather than pureed, resulting in a more appealing texture. Serve it with cookies.

(Soft White Rolls)