Almond

This dessert has a silky texture and intense flavors. Begin preparing it a day ahead.

Swiss butter cookies with rich ganache filling.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 30 min

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 40 min

Instead of the usual salty spiced nuts before dinner, these are served after dessert, with coffee.

"Last year I spent the holidays in Arizona with my aunt and uncle, who took me to a restaurant in Scottsdale called CREW," writes Lisa C. Holley of Washington, D.C. "I loved the goat cheese and mixed-green salad with candied nuts, and have looked for similar recipes on-line. I haven't found anything nearly as good." The candied almonds in this recipe are also delicious as a snack on their own—or sprinkled over ice cream.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

The crunchy honey-almond praline pieces in the ice cream are an easy, homemade version of turrón, a popular Spanish candy.

This is the pastry version of the popular Franco-German dessert.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 hr

The coating on these nuts is wonderfully delicate, and the method couldn't be simpler.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min

Candied, or crystallized, ginger is peeled fresh ginger root that has been cooked in a sugar syrup and coated with sugar.

Almond paste in the shortcake biscuits and fresh berries glazed with red currant preserves give this dessert a Swedish accent.

These rolls are based loosely on b'stilla — a phyllo-crusted "pie" of shredded chicken that's been simmered with Moroccan spices and then mixed with egg and nuts. The egg lends the filling an almost custard-like richness.

For a curved tuile-like shape, these cookies may be draped over a rolling pin after their second baking, while they are still warm. If the cookies become too brittle to form on the rolling pin, return baking sheets to oven for a few seconds to allow the cookies to soften.