Baking

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A smooth filling enhanced with orange distinguishes this version of a holiday classic.

In order to create a realistic top for our "pumpkin," we used a church key can opener to make the indentations, but a vegetable peeler or knife would also work.

This cake and custard sauce can also be made ahead. Both should come out of the refrigerator, to take the chill off, when the first course is served. The accompanying caramelized pears, which require not more than a few minutes to sauté, make a welcome addition to the cool custard sauce and moist cake.

Shortbread is the ultimate sugar cookie, crisp yet tender, and bursting with buttery flavor. It's a good cookie to make when the cookie monster in you growls but you don't have any eggs in the house. Gluten-free rice flour (cornstarch can be substituted) is used with regular flour to give it a delicate crumb.

In my New York shop, this recipe calls for a trio of chocolate mousses, white, milk, and dark. But in order to simplify — and to give milk chocolate a chance to shine — I have eliminated the white chocolate mousse. It is a simple layer cake consisting of chocolate génoise and the mousses.

The crumb topping and cake are prepared from one simple mixture, so this dessert comes together in no time.

Proof that strawberries aren't the only kind of fruit that's perfect with shortcakes.

The topping spreads as it bakes, forming a crisp cookie-like layer.

One of our staff members is addicted to the rich, mellow taste of his friend Stephanie's walnut cookies. She began making them as a young bride thirty-five years ago, and her family has never celebrated the holidays without a batch or two since.

This dessert couldn't be simpler to put together. The no-bake crust is made from cookie crumbs and butter, and the pie itself cooks in just ten minutes.

It's hard to improve on chocolate layer cake, but we think we've done just that, thanks to a hint of mint. Offer vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt alongside.