Baking

In these sweet tartlets, sliced bananas are sprinkled with brown sugar and caramelized under the broiler. Make the chocolate custard a day ahead to allow it to chill and thicken.

An updated version of Scottish shortbread.

"Recently my future in-laws came to dinner for the first time. My fiancé had mentioned their love of chocolate and coconut, so I knew I had to dazzle them with a sensational dessert," writes Sarah Smythe of New London, Connecticut . "This cheesecake worked beautifully."

This bread uses a yeast starter, which enriches its flavor and texture. Be sure to prepare the starter one day ahead. Humidity makes the crust crisper, so the recipe calls for spritzing the oven with water; simply use a standard spray bottle and tap water.

Using sweet soda pop in dessert recipes is a southern tradition.

"Although desserts are not my forte, I wanted to send in this simple yet impressive dessert, which contains only five ingredients," says Debra Anderson of Destin, Florida. "It reminds me of the beautiful pastries displayed in bakery shop windows in France."

The cake layers are brushed with Strega, an Italian liqueur flavored with herbs and flowers. Removing the torte from the freezer an hour before serving allows the whipped-cream frosting to soften, while the filling remains frozen.

"My fondest memories of growing up in the South are of times spent with my Alabama grandmother, Gorda Dyson," says Sandra Crook of Jacksonville, Florida. "In the afternoon we would retire to the front porch, sip iced tea, and eat traditional English biscuits, which we called tea cakes. She would tell me stories of her youth, and I felt so grown-up and special. I hope you enjoy the recipe." Sandra Crook serves her tea cakes warm, when they're nice and chewy, with jam or with strawberries and cream. When cooled and left unadorned, they become crisp and buttery sugar cookies. She uses the southerner's favorite flour, White Lily, which gives the tea cakes a wonderful crispness, but we also had good results when we tested the recipe with cake flour (self-rising).

"This delicious cookie was created by Anna Pieklo, a Polish immigrant who came to this country at the turn of the century," writes Diana Treese of St. Cloud, Florida. "My family is also Polish, and I love making these at Christmastime." Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

The traditional French "Christmas log" is accompanied by meringue mushrooms; the ones here—formed out of marzipan (a paste made from almonds, sugar and egg whites)—are much easier to do. Look for marzipan at specialty foods stores and in the baking products section of supermarkets.

Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr