Baking

The more succulent the berries, the better. The cake layers absorb the juices, which is why this cake must be assembled at least 8 hours before serving.

Begin at least a day before you plan to serve the vacherins. (Don't make them on a humid day; moisture prevents meringues from drying properly and staying crisp.) Use a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter or a 3 1/2-inch round can to trace the bases.

This makes more pastry dough than you'll need for 24 tartlets. We chose not to reduce the recipe because pastry can be a bit tricky—the slightest change can affect the outcome (halving eggs tends to increase the chance of error). If you want to make more tartlet shells—which could be filled with fruit, ice cream, or pudding for another party—they can be frozen for 1 month. The leftover dough can also be used to make cookies.

Refreshing peppermint ice cream is sandwiched between the delicate heart-shaped meringues and then served in a pool of rich fudge sauce.

This recipe was created to accompany Minted Berry Spongecakes. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This luscious cake has two chocolate mousse fillings and a rich dark-chocolate topping.

A purchased cake mix (spiked with Marsala for added zip) makes this elegant dessert a snap to prepare. For extra ease, you can assemble it the day before serving.

Crunchy hazelnut praline adds a touch of sophistication to this rich cheesecake. Begin preparing the cake a day before serving.

Parisians love chocolate, and cooks in Paris might make this with Valrhona, one of the best French brands. Begin preparing the dessert a day ahead.

Phyllo-wrapped goat cheese gives this salad served at Un Grand Café in Chicago, Illinois, an elegant touch.

Lavash, a Middle Eastern flatbread, comes in a variety of sizes and textures, from crisp rectangular crackers to large folded pliable rounds. It is the latter called for here. To form the lavash into cups, you'll need a pan with 12 mini-muffin (1/8-cup) molds, each about 1 3/4 inches across the top and 3/4 inch deep. Caponata is a piquant Sicilian dish of eggplant, onions, tomatoes, anchovies, olives, and capers, generously laced with olive oil; this variation is much lighter-and contains no added fat-because it omits the oil, anchovies, and olives.

Called limpa in Sweden, this impressive bread is flavored with a combination of molasses, orange peel, crushed aniseed, and caraway and fennel seeds.

These sweets are enjoyed with coffee or tea at Bewley's on Grafton Street, a Dublin institution that has long been part of the city's folklore and culture.