Rum

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Any leftover sauce would also be terrific served over ice cream. This recipe is an accompaniment for Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with Cinnamon-Rum Sauce.

"Inventing desserts is my passion," says Laura Gambrill of Washington, D.C.. "This is a twist on an all-time favorite, bananas Foster. The mango, crystallized ginger and pineapple complement the banana and rum nicely — and so does the toasted coconut that I sprinkle on top."

(BONET) This Piedmont specialty is made with two of the region's best-known products: chocolate and amaretti cookies. Begin preparing the dessert a day before serving. A slightly sparkling, floral and fruity Moscato d'Asti would complement it beautifully.

In these sweet tartlets, sliced bananas are sprinkled with brown sugar and caramelized under the broiler. Make the chocolate custard a day ahead to allow it to chill and thicken.

A quick 2-hour marinade of maple syrup, mustard, and rum turns the salmon dark and glazes the flesh. Boneless sides of Atlantic farm-raised salmon are available everywhere year-round, they're consistently good, and they can be prepared simply: roasted in a hot oven. You'll need parchment paper for this recipe, available at some supermarkets or at specialty food shops.

The classic dessert gets a holiday twist with eggnog flavors and an opulent presentation. Begin making this one day before serving.

Check the supermarket produce section for fresh peeled and sliced mangoes. You'll need about four cups of diced mangoes.

This cake, thought to have first appeared in the 1920s, has had such names as pineapple glacé and pineapple skillet cake.

To create the dome shape, bake this flourless chocolate cake in a foil-lined bowl. The cake is crusty outside with a tender center: rich, fudgy and irresistible. And it's a great addition to your holiday table.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

This cool indulgence is actually made with light cream cheese and low-fat sour cream. Begin preparing it the day before your party.