Cream Cheese

This cookie is popular in most of Eastern Europe. It features a tender pastry and, in this rendition, a delicious not-too-sweet cranberry and walnut filling. The cookies are formed by rolling up triangles of the pastry into small crescents.

You'll find all the flavors of a traditional Linzertorte — a hazelnut, spice and raspberry jam tart — in this delicious cake. The top is covered with a piped frosting that imitates the lattice crust of the classic dessert. One ingredient that is a definite departure from the original is the Chinese five-spice powder; it adds a lovely nuance.

A Greek man answered an ad we ran in The New York Times for a baker. He said he baked Lindy's cheesecakes. "You get me the ingredients I want—pure cream cheese, eggs, and heavy cream and I'll make you Lindy's cheesecake." He was a gem. He baked Lindy's cheesecake for our restaurant. Miriam Perlof, founder, the Country Club Restaurant and Pastry Diner, Philadelphia

You can prepare this brightly colored dip up to two days ahead.

Cheesecakes have been popular in Britain for five hundred years. Our version has a shortbread crust, butterscotch topping and a filling laced with Scotch whisky.

Much richer than the average cookie, these treats start with a brownie crust, which gets filled with a luxurious mocha cheesecake mixture. The whole thing is finished off with a sour cream topping and then cut into bars. Be sure to bake the crust and filling a day before serving the bars.

I hated this salad when I was growing up: It was pink, had too many ingredients in it, and my very Southern family loved it — three good reasons to abstain. During Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, my mother would always go back for seconds, chiming, "You don't know what you're missing." But I knew, all right — an unappealing mishmash of canned fruit and mayonnaise. No thanks. However, as I've grown older my family's "Southern classics" don't embarrass me as much. I've actually eaten this salad many times as an adult, and though I'm not saying it's my favorite, sometimes I need seconds to be sure.

Garnish with whole gingersnaps, cherries and mint for a beautiful presentation. Begin preparing the cake a day before the party.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve this appealing hors d'oeurve with cut-up fresh vegetables and breadsticks.

Ultra-rich mascarpone in the batter produces an extraordinarily creamy cheesecake. The cheesecake must be chilled at least six hours before serving.

The ideal summer dessert and make-ahead treat (it can chill for two days before serving). Instead of the traditional custard, whipped cream folded into cream cheese is the easy filling in this version.

A high proportion of butter makes for an extra-smooth and rich icing. For best results, use Philadelphia-brand cream cheese.