Raspberry

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 45 min

Elegance doesn't come any easier than this treat made with purchased puff pastry.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The caramel sauce adds a grown-up edge to these summer treats.

Pretty ice cream treats, decorated five different ways. Turn the freezer to the coldest setting for best results. Pack the left-over ice cream into a container and freeze it to enjoy after the bonbons are gone. Begin this recipe at least a day ahead (and you can start up to a week ahead). Once you¸ve mastered the technique here, create bonbons of your own using other homemade ice creams or your favorite purchased ones.

Though these 1/4-cup dessert portions may seem small, you wouldn't want them any larger — they're extremely rich.

Bright red berries and a sour cream topping make this luscious cheesecake a Christmas favorite at the Old Manor Estate & Hotel on Nevis. Begin preparing the dessert a day before you plan to serve it.

I line the buttered pans with buttered wax paper, then flour them, to make unmolding the cakes easy after baking.

The trick to this gorgeous dessert is to use imported white chocolate and to melt it carefully, since white chocolate is extremely heat sensitive. Let the terrine mixture get only warm enough to melt the white chocolate and butter.

Seasonal fruits star in a lovely rustic dessert.

Instead of using a pastry bag to pipe the meringue for the baskets, just snip a corner off a resealable plastic bag. Begin preparing this one day ahead.

Assemble this modern take on a classic English dessert the day before to allow the juices to be absorbed. Look for the soft ladyfingers in the cookie or specialty foods aisle of the supermarket.

(GRANITA DI LAMPONE) Sicily's Arab conquerors were on to something when they chilled sarbat (sweet fruit syrups) with snow from Mount Etna. The evolution from chilled syrup to frozen syrup-granita-was only a matter of time. Granita is still very popular in Sicily, where the most common kinds are coffee and lemon. But it is also enjoyed throughout Italy in a host of other flavors. A big plus to this refreshing ice is that it is prepared without an ice cream maker.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Peach Baked Alaskas with Spiced Peaches and Raspberries.