Baking

I make a devil's food cake for David every Valentine's Day. At other times of the year, when he has been especially well behaved, I make him these. This quick and easy recipe makes a frosting as rich and chocolaty as much more complicated preparations. — Barbara

A high proportion of butter makes for an extra-smooth and rich icing. For best results, use Philadelphia-brand cream cheese.

This dessert, called sciummette ("little sponges") in Liguria, is the Italian version of the French oeufs à la neige. One look at these fluffy ovals of meringue will tell you where the name comes from.

These would make nice presents, too.

Dutch speculaas cookies are similar in taste to gingerbread men. This treat combines the spiced speculaas dough with another Dutch tradition: giving almond-filled tarts as gifts. Use a two-inch gingerbread-man cutter to make the cookies for the topping.

These are, without a doubt, the best rugelach I've ever tasted, and, to my mind, there is no point whatsoever in improving on perfection. From my friend Lora's wonderful book Cooking with Memories, this recipe was passed down to her from her mother. One of the reasons these rugelach are so special is that the dough itself contains a little sugar, making it softer and more cozy and buttery than the usual. Then there is the extra zing of tartness from the apricot preserves and the sweet, sharp sting of lots of plump golden raisins. As I mentioned, perfection! As Lora warns: "Beware, you can't eat just one!"

The streusel topping adds nice crunch.

These buttery cinnamon cookies are David's all-time favorite. Make them and you'll see why.

Chef Ludovic leFebvre writes: "I'm looking forward to the opening of my restaurant, Ludo, this fall. It's going to be different from the elaborate French cuisine I've done in the past: People are interested in lighter and healthier foods now, and I want my cooking to reflect that. For me, that means using the best ingredients in simple ways. "Before coming to America, I apprenticed with some of France's best chefs, like Marc Meneau and Alain Passard. I was lucky to have such great teachers, but after two years of working 17-hour days, it was time for a change. Moving to Los Angeles definitely altered my work habits. My days in the kitchen are shorter, and there's more opportunity to enjoy cooking at home. " Ideal for a party, these soft-center soufflé cakes can be prepared the night before, then baked in less than ten minutes.

Crisp European rolled cookies would be nice alongside this large, impressive custard.

An Italian twist on an English favorite.

This corn bread is less moist than others, but it's perfectly delicious for eating, especially when spread with butter. Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 1 hr (includes cooling)

Michael P. Hooley of San Francisco, California, writes: "While I was in London, I went to Fortnum & Mason and had a delicious currant-filled pastry called an Eccles cake. Would it be possible to get the recipe?" These sweet pastries are named after the town in Lancashire where they originated.

Dark beer and molasses add rich depth of flavor to this moist and delicious cake.

Jacqueline Willis of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, "Recently I had a superb chocolate soufflé at the Ercole Ristorante Italiano in Calgary. It was made with milk chocolate — a subtle but delicious variation. I would love to be able to re-create it for friends at home. " The restaurant calls this dessert a warm chocolate mousse, but it reminds us of soufflé. These may collapse quickly after coming out of the oven, so wait until each person has been served before topping with ice cream.