Electric Mixer

Steamed artichokes would be a great beginning. Accompany the delicate and sophisticated goat cheese souffl with a mixed green salad, whole wheat baguette and some sliced tomatoes. Wrap up chocolate-dipped strawberries and shortbread cookies. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Tropical flavors give a new spin to these traditional holiday cookies.

Similar to a flourless cake, this one contains only a small amount of flour, which results in an incredibly rich, fudgelike dessert.

Because they contain so little flour, these cookies have a chewy, brownie-like texture.

The classic Passover sponge cake transformed: Here it's layered with raspberry sauce, lemon custard and sliced bananas.

Moist gingerbread is paired with a brandy-spiked dried-fruit compote in this luscious finale to the feast.

This lovely treat is usually filled with simple whipped cream and presented at teatime. Inspired by a dessert from Ballymaloe Cookery School, this one is dressed up with luscious coffee-whiskey cream and coffee-flavored meringues.

The almond paste in these muffins adds wonderful flavor and keeps them moist.

Here's a fine-textured cake with a luxurious cream cheese and whipped cream frosting.

Made with a fraction of the butter used for most upside-down cakes, this dessert has the flavor and texture of angel food cake — and it tastes so good that nobody will know it has been streamlined.

Chocolate chip cookies are taken to a crispy, crunchy new level.

"Whenever we're in the area, my husband and I stop at the Thompson House Eatery in Jackson, New Hampshire," says Sandra L. Michaud of Newtown, Connecticut. "I'm crazy about the freshly baked lemon bread that sometimes comes with meals there." This sweet quick bread would make a nice breakfast treat, too.

Either pink or green gooseberries work well in this rendition of the traditional English dessert.