Stand Mixer

This dessert can be made one day ahead and stored in the freezer, making it ideal for entertaining. You can create the decorative meringue swirls and peaks with a rubber spatula, table knife, or spoon, but an offset spatula works best.

The cake pans, cardboard rounds, and dowels are available at cake and candy supply stores; or call Jane's Cakes and Chocolates at 800-262-7630.

This fluffy puree makes a sumptuous side dish, as well as a creamy base on which to serve pan-seared salmon or scallops.

Founded in Boston in the nineteenth century, Schrafft's shops soon became renowned for the quality of their candies, ice creams, and especially their cookies. Eventually they opened several stores in New York City, but according to food writer and food historian Judith Jones, true Schrafft's cookie aficionados believed that the Boston version of their oatmeal cookies was superior, and so they would travel to Boston by train to buy them. This recipe is based on the original Schrafft's formula but I've added some dark brown sugar for the rich color and flavor that it imparts. This is a soft, pleasantly chewy cookie, with plenty of raisins and nuts.

These spice cookies are reminiscent of those our associate food editor enjoys on frequent visits to Norway. Cut them into different shapes and enjoy their crisp texture.

This cake, bursting with berries, is perfect for a picnic. Dress it up for company with unsweetened whipped cream and a simple vanilla custard sauce.

This pull-out-all-stops dessert layers a white chocolate pistachio cake with strawberries and a do-ahead pistachio butter-cream. For the finishing touches, whipped cream is piped up the sides, and a marzipan top is crowned with fresh strawberries.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 6 1/4 hr (includes cooling and chilling)

You might be tempted to bake 2 sheets of cookies at a time in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Don't give in to this urge—the cookies must go in the middle of the oven to cook through and brown evenly.

The prepared poppy seed filling is available in the kosher food section of most supermarkets across the country.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.