Pudding

This recipe was adapted from Richard Sax's ricotta Bavarian, in his book Classic Home Desserts. The pudding's flavor is similar to cannoli filling, but it has the lightness of Bavarian cream. It's important to use fine-quality candied fruit.*

Meriel MacDonald of London, England, writes: "Having grown up at Kinloch Lodge, my family's hotel on the Isle of Skye, I truly understand what it means to be too busy to cook. There were always guests to attend to, telephones ringing, and other interruptions. Still, my mother found the time to cook while overseeing the hotel's day-to-day business. Today, she continues to run Kinloch Lodge, and over the years she has shared with me many of her recipes and cooking tips, which have helped me in my job as catering manager for a large advertising agency. For work events, I often rely on family recipes, because they're dependable and delicious. I also use many of those same recipes for simple home suppers during the workweek." This pudding is really more like a warm chocolate soufflé cake.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This chilled dessert is a variation on summer pudding, that quintessential English sweet made with soft fruits such as raspberries and blackberries.

Studded with golden raisins, this rich and creamy Greek dessert is from Philadelphia's Chef Theodore.

A terrific family recipe for a classic dessert.

We found this recipe in Austin Leslie's cookbook. It is from his mother, Ruby — she was Aunt Helen's sister and assisted her at Chez Helene and its predecessor, Howard's Eatery. Although Leslie served the bread pudding with a rum hard sauce, we prefer it with a dollop of crème fraîche.

These colorful treats are like chilled fruity bread puddings. Start making them at least one day and up to two days before serving.

David Ross of Minneapolis, Minnesota, writes: "The bread pudding with banana sauce served at Galatoire's, in New Orleans, is superb. I'd love to get the recipe. It would be a boon to lovers of bread pudding everywhere." Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Minus the ice cream, this delicate pudding makes a wonderfully indulgent breakfast.

If your tomatoes are on the acidic side, add a little sugar to the sauce. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 14 hr (includes chilling)

Blancmange is a jelled molded pudding (similar to a bavarian) that is made with almonds and milk and is served cold, often with a fruit sauce. Originally, the dessert was thickened with powdered almonds; today gelatin is used in their place. This dessert is said to hail from the Languedoc region of France.

Featuring a bright layer of sweet mango, these colorful chia puddings are worth waking up early for. Make them ahead of time for a quick breakfast treat.

Stacked with chopped bananas, vanilla pudding, and crunchy Marie biscuits, these individual banana pudding jars are the perfect make-ahead summer dessert.

Free yourself from individual ramekins for a large-format, party-friendly version. (It jiggles!)

This giant panna cotta has a sleek mirror finish that’s a thing of beauty. No ramekins required.

Michael W. Twitty combines the best of custardy kugel with rich rice pudding of the American South for this take on the Rosh Hashanah classic.

Creamy pudding, fluffy whipped cream, crunchy wafers, and juicy summer berries. It’s the best of banana pudding, without the soggy brown bananas.