Raspberry

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The classic Passover sponge cake transformed: Here it's layered with raspberry sauce, lemon custard and sliced bananas.

Pears are eaten widely in this part of the country, and Campari-based aperitivi begin many meals. Here the herb-based drink shows up after supper, adding its festive color and distinctive flavor to an easy-to-make pear dessert topped with a sauce incorporating Italy's famous mascarpone cheese. The pears are even better when accompanied by glasses of the Italian dessert wine Malvasia delle Lipari.

Coeur à la Crème is an old French concoction that is both earthy and elegant, rustic and dressy — appropriate for any occasion. It's a wonderful complement to whatever summer berries are in season. This dessert is served at The Inn to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. It can be made in less than five minutes and never fails to knock em' out — even more so than an elaborate cake that took two days to execute. One large (16-ounce) or four individual (4-ounce) perforated heart-shaped ceramic molds lined with cheesecloth will be needed to create this dessert. The perforated molds allow the excess liquid, or whey, to drip through the cheesecloth, leaving the delicious "heart" of the cream. Coeur à la crème molds are usually available at kitchen supply stores.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 10 hr

This pie has an exceptionally flaky crust. It's wonderful — of course — with vanilla ice cream.

This compote makes a lovely (and low-fat) dessert on its own, but the addition of ice cream and won ton strips makes it something special.

The nutty topping is the perfect complement to the sweet-and-tart filling.

At the Rob Roy Room of the Banff Springs Hotel at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, this delicious mousse comes in an elegant cookie basket.

Try this sweet alternative to fat-and cholesterol-laden crème brûlée.

A very pretty, fresh-tasting dessert that can be assembled a day ahead.

Ruthie, Sara's chocolate-loving daughter, is a great fan of this recipe. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

"I’ve been cooking since I was twelve, and my husband, Bruce, picked it up during a "Mr. Mom" phase after our second daughter was born," writes Renee Davis of Cadiz, Ohio. "We have a great time coming up with recipes together. If he concocts a dish, I’ll taste-test it, and vice versa. Some of our best (and worst) dishes have been the result of enthusiastic experimentation. I used to serve fresh fruit with a cream-cheese-and-marshmallow dip as an easy dessert after big barbecue meals, but we improved on that by adding a cookie crust and ended up with an entirely new dish." Popular with kids and adults, this dessert pizza is incredibly easy to make. Top with your favorite summer fruit.

"Blue Moon in Dayton serves a fabulous goat cheese salad with a raspberry-poppy seed dressing," writes Susan M. Berry of Dayton, Ohio. "Would they share the recipe?"

Active time: 40 minutes Start to finish: 6 hours(includes making dough and cooling pie)