Coffee

Serve these sensational ribs with an avocado, citrus and red onion salad, some cold beer - and plenty of napkins.

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.

The rich flavor of espresso is a perfect partner to the chocolate. Place each piece of fudge in a paper or foil candy cup and arrange in gift boxes lined with holiday paper.

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.

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

Invented in the 1800s, the baked Alaska was possibly named to commemorate America's purchase of that northern territory. The dessert was a big hit in the fifties because convenience was a watchword, and for all the showy effect it created at the table, baked Alaska was not difficult to make. Restaurants served ornately decorated versions under flaming cascades of liqueur, while home cooks could just bake it in the oven. Either way, the magic was there—a layer of meringue kept the ice cream inside from melting in the oven. These days, store-bought premium ice creams help baked Alaska taste even better and offer a wide range of flavor options.

These ultra-rich and chocolaty sandwich cookies have creamy, coffee-spiked centers.

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.

You don't need an ice cream maker to prepare this classic frozen treat. Accompany with amaretti or other Italian cookies.

Cups of steaming cappuccino inspired this chocolate cake accented with cinnamon and coffee. It's a perfect dessert for any birthday celebration. The velvety cake is easily cut into layers, each of which will hold a generous quantity of frosting.

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