Dessert/2 recipes

Aunt Catherine's Italian Cookies: a heirloom cookie with almond extract, cinnamon, and chopped nuts, finished in pastel-colored powdered sugar icing. Stores for months in tins.

Rough puff pastry is the home cook's shortcut to puff pastry, made by folding walnut-sized chunks of cold fat through a soft dough four to five times. Flaky enough for tart shells, vol-au-vents, and turnovers.

Rabanadas are Portuguese fried toast soaked in rum-spiked sweet milk, dipped in beaten egg, and pan-fried in butter until golden. Finished with a dusting of cinnamon sugar.

Old-fashioned nut-free fruitcake with candied cherries, pineapple, grape jelly, and warm spices. Baked low and slow in three pans. Safe for nut allergies.

Moist pumpkin cake layered with spiced whipped cream. Brown sugar, cinnamon, sour milk, and pumpkin puree make a tender, old-fashioned two-layer cake for autumn dessert tables.

No-bake frozen blueberry ice cream cake with a cookies-and-cream crumb base, layered vanilla ice cream, and blueberry pie filling. A summer dessert that freezes firm in 2 hours.

Add something new to dinner with this simple and tasty bread pudding that everyone will enjoy!

Chaussons a la confiture: French jam turnovers made from puff pastry rounds folded over fruit jam and sugar-crusted on top. Flaky bakery-style handhelds with any jam in your pantry.

Lemon hazelnut torte stacks toasted hazelnut meringue rounds with tangy lemon curd folded into whipped cream. Frozen overnight and topped with fresh raspberries and raspberry sauce.

Cook a silky coconut custard filling in a double boiler, pour into a flaky crust, then crown with toasted coconut meringue for a classic cream pie that slices like a dream.

Lighter carrot cake loaf with crushed pineapple, whipped egg whites, and a smooth nonfat cream cheese topping. Warm cinnamon spice in every slice without the heavy guilt.

Three-ingredient vegan whipped cream blended from silken tofu, maple syrup, and vanilla. Dairy-free, cholesterol-free, and ready in 15 minutes. Spoon it over pies, cakes, fresh berries, or anywhere you crave a light, creamy topping.

Fresh gingerbread cake paired with whole pears poached in ruby port with ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla. Served with ginger-scented whipped cream for an elegant holiday dessert plate.

A nice dessert, there are three great toppings on the top, mixing very well!

This scrumptious spicy apple pie is served with a hot brandy sauce.

This buttery, tangy and fruity plum tart is so delicious, the almond crumble adds the extra crunchiness.