Berry

These pretty mixtures of bread and sweetened berries are inspired by the classic English dessert called summer pudding. Begin preparing them one day before serving so that the bread will absorb the delicious juices.

"Last summer we spent a week in Paso Robles, California, and had an excellent dinner at Bistro Laurent," say Rusty and Stacey Willi of Santa Rosa, California. "To our delight, dessert—a warm raspberry clafouti topped with vanilla ice cream—turned out to be one of our favorite vacation memories." This dessert has a more cake-like texture than a traditional clafouti. The version here is even better topped with ice cream.

Buttermilk makes the cake tender, and cream cheese adds great texture to the frosting.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 9 1/2 hr (includes cooling and chilling)

Cardamom pods can be found in the spice section of most supermarkets; 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom can be substituted.

White and red wines go equally well with pork. A lightly oaked Chardonnay and a fruity Merlot would be nice.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 9 hr

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 2 1/4 hr

"A few weeks before my best friend’s wedding in San Francisco, I flew into town for her bridal shower," writes Constance Stevenson of Portland, Oregon. "The luncheon was catered by Thymes Two Catering. For dessert, they served an elegant blueberry and lemon layer cake with a tangy lemon frosting."

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 4 hr

Blackberries turn a familiar spice cake into a sophisticated finale.

When freshly baked, these appealing cookies are chewy, crisp, and tender all at the same time. If stored in an airtight container for a day, they are still delicious, only softer.

The dried figs add a chewy sweetness to this delicious sauce.

So good — and no cooking required. Prepare the relish at least a day ahead, and add more cardamom before serving if you'd like a stronger flavor.