Dessert/9 recipes

A cherry twist on classic tiramisu with espresso-soaked ladyfingers layered with whipped cream, chopped semi-sweet chocolate, and fresh Bing cherries. No baking required.

Rich banana cream pie with sweetened condensed milk custard, layered ripe bananas, and a whipped cream topping in a flaky pie crust. A no-pudding-mix bakery-style pie.

Light chocolate chiffon cake made with egg substitute and sugar substitute for fewer calories. Fluffy whipped egg whites create airy texture without oil or butter.

Low-fat chocolate mousse skips the cream and yolks, using skim milk, cocoa, gelatin, and whipped egg whites for an airy diet-friendly dessert. Sugar or sweetener, your choice.

Pineapple casserole: a Southern bread pudding-style side dish with crushed pineapple, white bread cubes, butter, and sugar. The traditional sweet companion to baked ham at Easter and Christmas.

Classic prune whip dessert with mashed prunes folded into stiff meringue with cooked oatmeal and cinnamon. A light, airy no-bake treat with no fat and minimal sugar.

German pfeffernusse cookies spiced with cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, cloves, and nutmeg, then rolled in powdered sugar while warm. Crunchy little spice balls with a molasses backbone.

A decadent and delicious cake that will have you going bananas after every bite!

Lemon tea snow with strawberry sauce: a light, airy gelatin dessert flavored with lemon and instant tea, beaten with egg whites into a cloud. Served with a warm-set strawberry-currant sauce. Retro Southern tearoom fare.

Classic family cheesecake with a cinnamon graham cracker crust, rich cream cheese filling, and a whipped sour cream topping baked on in the final minutes. Chill 24 hours for the best texture.

Orangesicle pie layers a creamy orange custard over a graham cracker crust, finished with a sweetened cream cheese topping. Tastes like a frozen orange creamsicle in pie form.

French chocolate decadence cake with over a pound of dark chocolate and just one tablespoon each of sugar and flour. Served with whipped cream and raspberry-liqueur sauce.

7 Up Cake with Pineapple and Coconut Frosting recipe

Pumpkin cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust, a cinnamon-and-nutmeg spiced pumpkin filling sweetened with maple syrup, and a glossy maple-walnut topping. The Thanksgiving dessert that outshines pumpkin pie.

A two-layer Jello salad with a cherry pie filling base topped by a creamy lemon layer of cream cheese, pineapple, whipped cream, and marshmallows. Serves 12 from a 9x13 pan.

Russian torte: a yeast-leavened pastry layered with cinnamon-walnut filling and apricot preserves, then crowned with meringue and sugared nuts. The Old World dessert that disappears at every gathering.