Baking

The cookie-like dough is great for the novice pie maker, as any imperfections can easily be patched. Be sure to use ripe, juicy pears. Offer this with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

This rich and creamy fudge is a snap to prepare. For a special gift, associate food editor (and resident chocolate expert) Sarah Tenaglia sets the fudge in gold foil cups and packs them in white boxes tied up with French silk ribbon.

The upside-down cake—so popular in the fifties and sixties—has been making a come-back lately. This version has a banana, walnut and maple topping, and tender cake.

Two layers of tender orange sponge cake are embellished with a rich orange and honey chocolate glaze. Any leftover chocolate glaze can be chilled, rolled into small rounds and kept refrigerated to serve as truffles with coffee or tea.

Dried cherries and apricots highlight this impressive version of a southern classic.

A real oldie, this recipe. I first learned to make this cheesecake when I was working for a now-defunct caterer to support my then-career—acting. My job was to make what seemed like hundreds of these cheesecakes, which we also sold retail. After I moved to Los Angeles, far from the catering kitchen (located in the basement of a rock 'n roll club!) I went for years without making another cheesecake. One day, while cleaning out files that had moved across the country many times, I came across my recipe written on the back of a paper towel. Cheesecake. It seemed so corny and so old-fashioned, and it is. It is also still so good.

The lull between the main course and dessert is the best time to top the sweet potato pie with meringue and brown it. Cooks tempted to do this several hours ahead should be aware that the meringue will most likely weep.

At the restaurant, this pizza is made with smoked chicken, but turkey is easier to get and works just as well.

The base for these soufflés is made with Switzerland's Toblerone chocolate, which contains honey-almond nougat. These desserts can be assembled three days ahead and frozen; just bake before serving.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Tender chocolate shortbread topped with a rich chocolate ganache just might be the perfect gift for the chocoholics on your list. For an elegant accent, decorate the shortbread with gold leaf, place the cookies on a tray or round platter lined with gold-colored tissue paper, and wrap it all up with cellophane and gold ribbon.

"Banoffi," the Royal Hotel's name for this luscious pie, was coined by combining the words banana and toffee.