Baking

Here's an excellent new use for maple syrup. These bar cookies are very sweet and deliciously sticky.

Chocolate lovers will be in heaven when they taste these ultra-moist treats. The marbled topping works on most bar cookies.

This cake was first made in the north of England by young women for their fiancés. It's usually just layered with whipped cream and strawberries, but in this recipe the cake is spread with a berry and rhubarb compote for extra moistness. If your guests don't eat all of this, serve it with tea the next day.

This old-world pastry is known in Italian as crostata della Nonna.

This dessert, prominent in the window of virtually every Paris pastry shop, is a true classic. The puff pastry rounds are usually filled with an almond mixture, but my version features hazelnuts and chocolate. Purchased pastry makes it approachable for the modern cook. Since it reheats nicely, the Pithiviers can be made ahead.

Purchased phyllo pastry is used here instead of a regular pie crust for quick and easy assembly. This tart is best when served at room temperature.

This Italian version of fruitcake is dense, chewy and candy-like. Wrap it in brightly colored cellophane for giving.

Fresh raspberries and blueberries enhance both the filling and the topping of this creamy and delicious dessert. Begin preparing it a day before serving.