Baking

Early French gardeners developed the espalier method of growing fruit trees-the trees are trained to grow flat against a wall or trellis-so they could take full advantage of the sun and use small plots of land efficiently. October finds markets full of newly harvested crisp apples that add wonderful flavor to this traditional French tart.

A luscious tropical treat enhanced with a delicious crust made of gingersnap cookies and macadamia nuts. Begin preparing this one day before you plan to serve it.

Homespun treats like cobblers and this crisp never go out of fashion for home cooks, but the past 12 months saw them show up on a lot of restaurant menus.

These pretty tartlets can be made one day ahead. Arrange them in a single layer in a shallow plastic container for transporting.

Our food editors especially liked the unusually soft and light texture of this oatmeal bread.

California is among the four leading honey producers in the country. And Texas produces some of the finest pecans. This pie has a touch of honey in the filling, in the topping and in the crunchy coating for the pecan garnish. An extra batch of the honeyed pecans is a great snack or holiday hostess gift.

Lemon brightens the sweet tang of buttermilk in this dairy-state specialty.

Easy, do-ahead heart-shaped cookies to go with the strawberries.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

These fruit-rich, nutty muffins were a highlight on a summer-beach-weekend menu. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In this recipe, dense chocolate cake is topped with a glaze made from raspberry jam and chocolate-fresh berries are the finishing touch. This dessert is elegant picnic fare: Prepare the bars a day ahead, and pack in a covered container.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Like steamed Boston brown bread, this baked version is quickly mixed together and makes a dense, fragrant loaf. Rye bread flour is sold at natural foods stores, specialty food stores and some supermarkets.

In the United States, mincemeat pies tend to be the size of regular pies, but this recipe yields the more diminutive British-style tartlets. If desired, top them with a dab of hard sauce, made by mixing softened butter with powdered sugar and a little brandy.

In this easy version of the classic napoleon, crisp phyllo pastry squares are layered with lemon cream and raspberries. Jars of ready-made lemon curd are available in the preserves section of most supermarkets.