Recipe Sifter

Old-fashioned raisin cream pie layers a vanilla custard base with plumped raisins, all under a fluffy meringue top. A heritage Sunday-supper pie that uses the whole egg, no waste.

It was nice and moist, if a tad on the heavy side. The recipe is actually for cupcakes, but can make one big layer. The frosting is outstanding, a definite keeper.

Molletes are traditional Mexican cookies made with cornmeal, butter, egg yolks, and pine nuts. Lightly sweet with a sandy, crumbly texture from the cornmeal.

Classic moussaka casserole with layers of fried eggplant, spiced ground beef and lamb in red wine tomato sauce, and a rich bechamel with egg yolks and lemon juice. Topped with a golden Parmesan crust.

Spritz dainties for the cookie press, made with brown sugar instead of white for a deeper butterscotch note. Buttery shaped cookies brushed with egg white wash and decorated for the holidays.

Sunshine cake is a tall, lemon-kissed cousin of angel food and sponge cake, leavened entirely by whipped egg whites and yolks with bright lemon zest and juice.

Old-California empanadita pastry with a flaky cream cheese and butter dough. A versatile chilled make-ahead dough for sweet or savory hand pies, brushed with egg wash before baking.

Orange biscotti with fresh orange zest, rum, and olive oil, rolled thin, cut into scalloped strips, and baked twice with a butter-sugar glaze. Crispy Italian cookies for dipping in coffee or dessert wine.

Painted sugar cookies decorated with vibrant egg-yolk paint before baking, set on a no-leavening rolled cookie that holds its shape and color. A craft-and-bake project for kids and holidays.

Parmesan twists braid a buttery cheese-and-sour-cream dough into golden savory straws topped with caraway or poppy seeds. Crisp cocktail party appetizer that bakes in 10 minutes.

Pastel de pescado: a showstopping fish pie of cod and spiced Swiss chard wrapped in buttery pastry, twisted into a rustic topknot and baked golden. A centerpiece dish worth the time.

Italian Christmas cookies (Patina di Natale) studded with toasted pine nuts and brightened by lemon zest. A buttery, golden-glazed cookie-cutter classic from the holiday tables of southern Italy.

Deep dish apple pie with a layer of sour cream over tart apples, sealed inside an egg-glazed double crust. The old-fashioned American classic served warm with cheddar or whipped cream.

Pecan praline cookie pizza with a buttery brown sugar shortbread crust, sour cream topping, and toasted pecans. A festive dessert that slices into wedges like a pie.

Pineapple sour cream pie on a graham crust with a tangy pineapple-sour cream filling thickened with egg yolks and crowned with toasted meringue. Tropical, tart, and old-fashioned in the best way.

I liked these a lot. The poppyseed taste is subtle yet makes them a little different and more "elegant" than ordinary butter cookies.