Make Ahead

Even if you're not an eggnog lover, you're going to love this custardy ice cream. Freshly grated nutmeg and the rounded complexity of dark rum lend it a rich flavor — plus a lovely aroma that will put you in the holiday spirit while you make dessert.

A prized Christmas sweet from Tuscany, panforte means "strong bread" — but it's more like an almost-flourless fruitcake.

A dream-come-true holiday dessert: so easy to assemble, yet so very impressive (and delicious, too).

The key to delicious Linzer cookies is striking just the right balance of the tart raspberry jam filling with the thin, tender, and slightly sweet cookies. We think we've hit it with these — and they only get better after a few days.

This is a miniature version of a New York favorite: A cakey cookie with sweet half-moons of vanilla and chocolate icing.

The intricate swirls are attained with a specific kitchen skill: slice and bake. You'll get a little sweet pastry and a little fig filling in every bite.

"You really have to wait," says Barbour. "After a couple of days, the cookies' texture becomes lovely and melting. Earlier, they are good, but later, they're transcendent. Honest." Barbour likes these best with half strawberry and half cherry preserves.

The surging popularity of sandwich wraps and quick Mexican snacks like quesadillas has turned the flour tortilla, a staple once largely confined to northern Mexico, into something found in supermarkets across the United States. Of the store-bought varieties, we are big fans of those from Maria & Ricardo's Tortilla Factory (800-881-7040), available at high-end supermarkets such as Whole Foods and by mail order from the company. (Dry-toast them slightly to freshen before using.) That said, we are even bigger fans of homemade flour tortillas. Fragrant and slightly puffy, they fall squarely into the "staff of life" category.

This recipe makes a lot of dough. If you don't need all of it, freeze the extra. For impromptu entertaining, you can slice the still-frozen dough into cookies and pop them in the oven for a quick dessert.

Start the confit at least two weeks ahead. This would also be delicious on its own served with mashed potatoes.

Loaded with dried fruit, toasted almonds, and bittersweet chocolate, these blondies combine the best of a brownie with what you wish fruitcake could taste like. A terrific addition to any holiday cookie platter, they are also a satisfying stand-alone dessert.

A perfect ending to any Asian meal.

Elaine O'Toole of Phoenix, Arizona, writes: "This recipe for chocolate cake is a family favorite at our celebrations all year, but especially during the holidays. It's so rich that my sons eat small squares of it as if they were brownies. And since it can be made ahead, it's a great dessert to take to a party."

This sauce blends fresh cranberry relish and cooked cranberry sauce.

This fresh side is a delicious alternative to cranberry sauce.

Once you've soaked the chiles for 2 hours, this mole comes together in 45 minutes.