Baking

Unlike most commercially available chocolate biscotti, these have a deep chocolaty flavor.

Neapolitan in origin, this make-ahead savory pie is delicious either warm or at room temperature.

If time is an issue, you can always buy flatbread crackers, but the store-bought kind will never compare to these homemade ones.

(Torta di Bietola ed Erbe) In the more rugged areas of Tuscany, like the Garfagnana and Lunigiana in the northwest, savory tarts are as popular as their sweet counterparts. Vegetable tarts are quite common and usually include greens and herbs. This one features Swiss chard, thyme and oregano. Other herbs used in such tarts are tarragon, sage, nettles and borage.

Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 4 hr A wonderful welcome to spring, this butter- and oil-free torte gains its richness from pecans. If you want to keep the cake pareve, or if you intend to serve it several times, leave it unfrosted.

I have always loved the combination of lemon and pistachios. Maybe it's the idea of yellow and green or the fact that the acidity of lemon perfectly tempers the richness of pistachios. Be careful on the second baking of these biscotti — if they get a little too dark the pistachios will turn brown and you'll lose their lovely green color.

This super-easy pie from the Harvest Market is loaded with maple flavor.

"Aunt Gert always made the best strudel," writes Leslie Berman of Skokie, Illinois. "I've adapted her recipe over time, and I get rave reviews when I make this version with dried cherries and chocolate." Serve with hot coffee or tea for an excellent afternoon snack.

(Schiacciata) Originally cooked in the ashes of the hearth, schiacciata, which means "squashed," is usually about an inch thick. Variations of the bread are made throughout Italy; Tuscans simply brush it with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt. Sometimes they add herbs or make a sweet version with grapes and sugar. Remember that bread doughs can have different consistencies depending on the climate: This one should be soft, but not too sticky. Add more flour if it feels too wet.

"I love cooking with the new recipes every month when Bon Appétit arrives," writes Gabriella Hughes of Windham, Maine. "One dish I'd really like to make is the gingerbread with lemon icing from Standard Baking Co. in Portland, Maine. Could you request it?" Serve these tender gingerbread muffins with whipped cream for teatime or dessert.

Cool the apples thoroughly before filling the crust (warm apples could soften the lattice).

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

These soufflés may be made several hours in advance and kept in a refrigerator until just before baking. If refrigerated, bake an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Alternatively, the soufflés may rest at room temperature for up to 1/2 hour before baking with no effect on cooking time.

"My husband and I recently went to Chez Mimi in nearby Santa Monica," writes Randi Fine of Sherman Oaks, California. "We shared a luscious dessert called caramel chomeur, a cake baked atop caramel sauce and served with vanilla ice cream. I've searched my cookbooks, but I can't find a recipe close to it." Chef Mimi Hebert tells us that this dessert from the Great Depression era was called chomeur (from the French word for "unemployed") because it was inexpensive to make.