Electric Mixer

The butter for the yams gets a lift from the peel of oranges, plus chili powder and cayenne pepper. Making the topping ahead saves time on the big day.

Jalapeño chilies give this a nice spicy kick. An accompaniment to Chicken Chili Verde .

The peanut butter in this dough creates a crumbly cookie.

These delicate, buttery cookies are nice with a cup of tea or coffee.

Enjoy the crisp, delicate treats on their own or with ice cream or mousse.

(GERMINUS) Sardinia has many interestingly named sweets, and these cookies called germinus are the most famous of all. They are flatter and chewier than classic meringues and get a crisp accent from the nuts.

These cookies have a wonderful texture; chewy yet crunchy-just like a candy bar.

You can make this up to three days ahead; be sure to start at least one day in advance.

Tracy Tortora of Marion, Massachusetts, calls these cookies Venetians and said they were the best from the assortment her grandmother baked every Christmas.

This recipe originally accompanied Frozen White Chocolate and Hazelnut Dacquoise .

It's unusual to butter and flour the pan when making a chiffon cake, but we liked the delicate crust that resulted. Because we did it this way, the cake must be cooled, inverted, on a rack, not on a bottle (the usual procedure for chiffons), or it will fall right out of the pan! Don't be tempted to substitute lemon juice for orange juice in the recipe, as the cake will not be as tender.