Raspberry

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, but requires additional unattended time.

This pie rivals peach pie for flavor and texture. The double-crust pie is piled high with lush tart nectarines interspersed with raspberries. The flesh of a nectarine is slightly firmer than that of a peach, producing a pie with an excellent texture.

Perhaps no other dessert typifies the excess of the 1980s more than this flourless chocolate cake—which makes for an interesting parallel to the fancy cakes of the 1880s. This version was inspired by the one Narsai M. David served at his eponymous restaurant, in California’s Bay Area, during the early '80s.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 4 hr (includes cooling)

Use any mixture of berries in this simple, quick compote. It tastes great with the <a>raspberry torte</a> and over ice cream or pound cake. Active time: 5 min Start to finish: 5 min

This recipe originally accompanied Passover Chocolate Torte with Raspberry Sauce .

The fresh berries at the open-air markets of Nice inspired this simple recipe. The wide surface of a large skillet reduces the cooking time, which helps keep the fruit flavor at its peak.

Begin at least a day before you plan to serve the vacherins. (Don't make them on a humid day; moisture prevents meringues from drying properly and staying crisp.) Use a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter or a 3 1/2-inch round can to trace the bases.

A purchased cake mix (spiked with Marsala for added zip) makes this elegant dessert a snap to prepare. For extra ease, you can assemble it the day before serving.

To accompany Frozen Nougat Terrine .

The flavors of this salad go well with honey-glazed grilled chicken or pork chops.

Thick hot fudge sauce spiked with raspberry brandy covers scoops of vanilla ice cream — or any other favorite flavor. The sauce thickens further when it hits the cold ice cream, creating a dessert reminiscent of the one served in old-fashioned ice cream parlors.

Here's a variation on the classic raspberry-jam-filled Viennese specialty, Linzertorte. Show off these cookies in a box that's lined with lace or a linen napkin, and trimmed with wire ribbon.