Candy Thermometer

"Although I’ve been a subscriber for almost ten years, this is the first time I’ve written to request a recipe," writes Danette Laver of Ambler, Pennsylvania. "The honey-garlic dressing on the salad I had at Fork in Philadelphia was so good that I used a chunk of bread to soak up every last drop."

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Because the oil in the pistachio paste separates from the solids, it is necessary to blend the contents of the entire can of paste in a food processor until it is creamy and light in texture.

Vanilla ice cream surrounds a soft lemon-cream and raspberry-sorbet center.

This luscious frozen dessert can be made without an ice cram maker. Begin preparing the recipe at least one day ahead.

Perfect for an elegant dinner party, this sophisticated dessert is a snap to make.

While not exactly diet food, this mousse allows chocoholics to indulge and spares them calories from yolks, butter and cream.

Whole eggs, angel food cake, light cream cheese and light sour cream bring the calorie count of this Italian dessert way down.

We call for English-style bitter orange marmalade (made with Seville oranges and often called Dundee) because other types made the ice cream too sweet and too soft. It's available at specialty foods shops and some supermarkets. This recipe makes about a dozen more florentines than you'll need for the sandwiches, but it's a good idea to have extra in case one or two break — and the cookies are delicious even without the ice cream. Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 7 hr (includes freezing)