Baking

Delicious as an afternoon treat with a cup of coffee or tea.

"Mimosa, a delightful French bistro in Los Angeles, has a catchy motto: 'No Truffles, No Caviar, No Bizarre Concoctions,'" says Bob Woods of Garden Grove, California. "The food is spectacular, and the setting is lovely. After dinner one evening, I had a slice of meringue with custard sauce, caramel sauce and candied almonds, a dessert called Île Flottante." Mimosa's version of this classic French dessert is impressive in presentation and taste. Note that you can prepare the caramel sauce, the custard and the almonds a day ahead. Be sure to reserve the egg yolks for use in the custard sauce.

Kugels are baked puddings that come in many forms; Their base may be noodles, matzo, or bread or cake crumbs; most are sweet but some are savory; and they may be served warm or cold. Traditionally part of Jewish sabbath and holiday meals, slightly sweet noodle kugels are often served as a side dish. The following kugel would also work well as a dessert.

One day I wanted to use up a case of bananas that were overripe, and this cake was the result. The olive oil adds moisture to the cake. You can serve this cake warm; it is very rewarding with Vanilla Ice Cream.

My grandmother Marie "Nanney" Spivey (I am her namesake) always doubles this family favorite and uses two pie shells. She says, "Everybody loves it. You can stir it up in five minutes."

The soufflés can be baked once and served immediately in their own dishes, or they can be made ahead, unmolded and baked again before serving, making them ideal for entertaining. Cucina—in London, England—sets the twice-baked soufflés on a bed of mixed greens tossed with a light vinaigrette.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 3 3/4 hr (includes cooling)

Betty Caldwell was Gourmet's production director for many years. She has an avid interest in cooking and gave us this recipe, which became an instant holiday classic.

Nut pies can be very sweet — mixing in tart cranberries keeps everything in check.

"I’ve been cooking since I was twelve, and my husband, Bruce, picked it up during a "Mr. Mom" phase after our second daughter was born," writes Renee Davis of Cadiz, Ohio. "We have a great time coming up with recipes together. If he concocts a dish, I’ll taste-test it, and vice versa. Some of our best (and worst) dishes have been the result of enthusiastic experimentation. I used to serve fresh fruit with a cream-cheese-and-marshmallow dip as an easy dessert after big barbecue meals, but we improved on that by adding a cookie crust and ended up with an entirely new dish." Popular with kids and adults, this dessert pizza is incredibly easy to make. Top with your favorite summer fruit.

Be sure to make this dessert at least one day ahead to allow the flavors to blend.

Pissaladière is a classic dish in Provence. Its thin pizza-like crust is piled high with caramelized onions, then topped with anchovies, olives, and fresh herbs.

The sweet, nutty filling might remind you of a pecan pie — with melted chocolate chips.

Active time: 40 minutes Start to finish: 6 hours(includes making dough and cooling pie)

Pecan pie dresses up for the holiday. Chocoholics, take note: In addition to the bits of chocolate in the filling, there's cocoa powder in the delicious crust.

Active time: 30 minutes Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours