Berry

This cake is a southern tradition for festive occasions. It can be completely assembled and chilled one day before serving.

Almond paste in the shortcake biscuits and fresh berries glazed with red currant preserves give this dessert a Swedish accent.

Thanks to the native Wampanoags, the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620 were quickly introduced to such important New World foods as cranberries and corn. The newcomers returned the favor by planting apples, which flourished and were soon available in many American varieties. This wonderful holiday pie, with its cornmeal crust and mixed-fruit filling, celebrates that early culinary sharing. It's a delicious combination of some of our most traditional American flavors.

Here's a sophisticated combination of homemade blackberry gelatin layered with vanilla cream. Make the gelatin at least one day ahead so that it has time to set.

Here we take two of the best treats from days gone by and combine them in one dessert. The cookies are also superb on their own.

This luscious pound cake is not as rich as the traditional version. Note that the cake batter will come only half way up the sides of the pan.

A berry dessert that's a great finish to the spiced chicken breast meal.

Perhaps the ultimate springtime dessert — classic strawberry shortcakes are spruced up with white chocolate mousse.

(Panna Cotta con Salsa di Fragole al Vin Santo) As tiramisù became the Italian restaurant dessert of the 1980s, so did panna cotta take over in the 1990s. The original recipe for "cooked cream" comes from Piedmont, but Tuscans have appropriated it. Their version of the eggless custard is often topped with honey and pine nuts, since the Tuscan city of Pisa is Europe's largest producer of pinoli. This recipe incorporates those ingredients into the custard, then tops it off with a delicious strawberry sauce laced with Vin Santo, the cherished dessert wine of the region. Begin making this one day ahead.

Mini pound cakes are not only delicious but a perfect dessert for picnics or box lunches. For a more formal look, pur
e some blueberries with a little sugar and serve the sauce over the cakes. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 45 min

"My husband and I celebrated two of our anniversaries at the restaurant in the Morrison-Clark Inn, in Washington, DC, and enjoyed the experience both times." says Michelle M. Berberet of Alexandria, Virginia. "We are especially fond of the lemon chess pie. Do you think you can get the recipe, or is it a state secret?" It's no state secret—pastry chef Sol Schott was happy to share. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Perfect for celebrations, the elegant torte has a filling of strawberries and chocolate ganache, which is also used as the frosting.