Tart

The classic almond mixture known as frangipane fills an almond crust. Sweet plums and a brandied glaze top it off.

The creamy tequila-orange filling contrasts perfectly with the tart cranberry topping.

There's just a wee bit of the favorite Irish spirit in these treats.

A beautiful dessert for the December entertaining season.

The rich, fruity sweetness of a late-harvest Riesling (added to a syrup that is drizzled over the free-form tart) beautifully complements the natural sugars in roasted pears.

This tart is a great last-minute dessert for just about any meal, and it's quite possible you have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now. Grind your own crumbs if you've got whole graham crackers on hand.

Sandra Hersh of Groton, Massachusetts, writes: "A wonderful dinner with out-of-town friends at Mamma Maria, in the North End of Boston, was topped off with an outstanding chocolate hazelnut tart. It was a perfect finish to a great evening. I know the pastry chef would be happy to share the recipe." This impressive-looking tart is easy because the crust is pressed into the pan rather than rolled out. The pastry chef at Mamma Maria serves it with candied hazelnuts and a chocolate sauce.

We asked pastry chef Michael Laiskonis if we could compare two versions of the custard in his tart: one made with fresh pumpkin, the other made with canned, which he likes for its reliable consistency. When we tested the two tarts, we were surprised to find that we also preferred the custard made with canned pumpkin — but the choice is yours.

Filled with a mixture of nuts, brown sugar, honey and grated orange peel, this tart will dress up any holiday table. Serve it with whipped cream and, if desired, the Orange-Cranberry Compote

Sarah Lockerbie of Indianapolis, Indiana, writes: "When I visited my sister, Jessica, in Los Angeles, she showed me a fabulous time. One of the highlights was dinner at her favorite French restaurant, La Cachette. She's visiting me next month, and I'd like to surprise her by making the delicious dessert that we shared — okay, fought over."

A whiskey-spiked variation on classic pecan pie. Serve the tartlets with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

A classic combination of tender shortcrust pastry and soft, candy-like caramel filling.

Before grilling the pineapple, be sure to preheat your grill rack and then clean it with a metal brush to remove any bits of previously grilled food, which can give an off flavor to the pineapple. This recipe makes great use of the Börner V-slicer*. Other adjustable-blade slicers also work well, but if you don't have one, you can use a sharp 10-inch chef's knife. The smooth-sided tart in our photo was made in a springform pan, but since the crust is very delicate, it's much easier and less likely to break when made in a round tart pan with a removable bottom as called for in the recipe below. Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

(TARTELETTES AUX NOIX)

The unique filling has a flavor and soft texture reminiscent of orange marmalade.

For this recipe you will need two mini-muffin pans, each containing twelve 1 3/4 x 1-inch cups.

Malta This thin, cookie-like tart with a lattice crust is offered on a feast day that commemorates the birth of the Virgin Mary and the exit of the Turks in 1565.