Baking

This no-hassle mix-and-bake dessert is like the old-fashioned cake Grandma always had ready after dinner, even though you never saw her working on it.

Their sweetness tempered by the tang of lemon zest, these little macaroons are the ideal dessert when you're short on time and still craving a fast, fresh ending to dinner.

Several traditional southern themes — pecans, Caribbean spices, and, of course, thick, tangy cream cheese frosting — come together in this gorgeous layer cake that's both down-home and elegant.

Corn bread gets fancy in dainty individual portions — and the flecks of red add more than just cosmetic flair. These tiny bits of pimento provide bursts of flavor that marry the corn bread beautifully with the rest of the main course.

Using three high-quality cheeses makes all the difference in these bars. The result is a versatile hors d'oeuvre that's sure to be a hit.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from A Year at Ballymaloe Cookery School, by Darina Allen. My brother, Rory O'Connell, introduced me to this fantastic combination, which then fired my imagination, and many experiments have followed. We have been having fun ringing the changes with this recipe. Bread and Butter Pudding is also delicious with apple and cinnamon or even mixed spices. I can't wait to try gooseberry and elderflower as soon as they come back into season. Don't cut down on the cream in this recipe and don't use too much bread.

Get your chocolate fix with this lush torte from executive pastry chef Philippe Niez at The Mayflower Inn & Spa. It tastes so rich, you won't even want seconds!

These little gems stirred up our childhood memories of coconut-filled candy bars. We baked them in extra-large muffin cups to make them more like little individual cakes. If you choose to use regular-sized muffin cups, the recipe will yield 24 cupcakes and the cooking time will be shorter.

This lightly sweet, tangy bread pudding is a snap to assemble. Feel free to use any kind of white bread you like — presliced sandwich bread (cut into 1-inch pieces) will give a smoother texture, while cubes of French or Italian bread with their crusts will make the pudding chunkier.

Editor's note: This recipe was created by chef Einat Admony for an Israeli Passover menu. This is one of those desserts that magically improves as it sits — you could serve it after one day, but it's even better on the third day, as the matzoh soaks up the lemony syrup. To avoid a cloying rose flavor, be sure to use rose water (available at Middle Eastern markets and adrianascaravan.com), not rose syrup.

Semolina flour gives extra texture to the crust.

Frozen puff pastry makes an instant crust for sautéed apples.

Ready in under an hour, these shortbread cookies call for all purpose flour, sugar, salt and chilled unsalted butter. These tried-and-true ingredients yield a cookie that's a classic for a reason. 

These crustless individual cheesecakes have a gooey, honeyed topping.

The unusual duo of honey and chocolate is a winner in this layer cake. It needs to set up overnight, so begin a day ahead.

These are just a tiny bit sweet. For the tenderest result, stir in dry ingredients just until blended.

This dessert has it all — a pecan crust is filled with a layer of vanilla ice cream, topped with lemon curd, and then frozen. And the finishing touch? A golden brown crown of meringue.

Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from chef Paul Flynn of The Tannery in Dungarvan, Ireland. This dish is Flynn's contemporary take on a classic English dessert called Eton Mess. Traditionally, the recipe calls for whipped cream and crumbled meringues to be chilled together, then topped with fresh fruit. Flynn's twist is to freeze the meringue and cream base, making it a cooler contrast for the juicy berries. If time is short, feel free to substitute store-bought meringues rather than making them from scratch. Use eight 2-inch shells. Begin preparing this recipe one day ahead.