Hazelnut

Make and shape the dough one day ahead for convenience, then just transfer from fridge to oven 20 minutes before serving.

Oregon's Willamette Valley produces great wines — as well as prunes, hazelnuts, and apples, which combine in this dessert.

The Middle Eastern tone is part of this cake's appeal. A very nutty cake is suffused with a honey-citrus soaking syrup, much like baklava in concept but flour-free, making it suitable for Passover. A little goes a long way. For large Seder crowds, you can double the recipe and bake it in a 9-inch springform pan or a 9 by 13-inch rectangular pan. I serve this cake cut into small squares or diamonds placed in small muffin liner cups. Copeland Marks, in his book Sephardic Cooking, attributes this to Turkish cuisine. Joan Nathan calls it "Tishpishiti" in her book, Jewish Cooking in America and points to Syrian, as well as Turkish roots as does Claudia Roden in her book, Mediterranean Cookery. A nutty classic indeed! My version is inspired by a recipe simply called "Nut Cake," found in From My Grandmother's Kitchen, by Viviane Alcheck Miner with Linda Krinn. If you are interested in Sephardic recipes along with a very engaging family history, this book is a real find.

This vegetarian entrée makes an elegant and easy lunch. Serve with: Italian Pinot Grigio • arugula with balsamic vinaigrette • warm ciabatta • vanilla gelato topped with fresh strawberries

Dark chocolate, light chocolate and coffee fillings alternate with nut meringue layers, and dark chocolate ganache covers the whole torte. This is an irresistible version of the traditional Parisian dessert.

The nutty topping is the perfect complement to the sweet-and-tart filling.

We've added a topping of walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds to a southern favorite.

These are drizzled with melted semi-sweet chocolate. Other cookie-cutter shapes may be used as well.

New York cheesecake is dressed up for the holidays with bright cranberry topping, white chocolate in the filling and a hazelnut crust. The cake can be prepared up to two days ahead.

Prepare this sensational cake one day before you plan to serve it.

Bake this dessert ahead so it can chill overnight.

"I love green vegetables and always make an effort to do something special with them for dinner parties," says Jeanne Thiel Kelley, contributing editor to Bon Appétit. "Brussels sprouts are a Thanksgiving staple at our house, and this year I'm dressing them up with colorful golden beets that I buy at farmers' markets, as well as crunchy turnips and sautéed hazelnuts. For convenience, the vegetables can be cooked a day ahead and then reheated. You can use regular beets instead of golden, but they should be sautéed separately and combined with the other vegetables just before serving, or the beets will turn everything red."

The sweet, nutty filling might remind you of a pecan pie — with melted chocolate chips.

These classic cookies, known in Italy as baci di dama ("lady's kisses") taste great with espresso. This recipe, by chef Carla Tomasi of the "Tasting Places" cooking course in Tuscany and other regions of Italy, uses hazelnuts instead of the more traditional almonds. Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 2 1/4 hr

White Chocolate Tartlets with Strawberries and Bananas These irresistible sweets feature a hazelnut crust that is lined with dark chocolate and filled with white chocolate mousse.

"I’ve never been much of a fish lover, but on a trip to New York, I ordered the hazelnut-crusted trout at Tribeca Grill," writes Corrie Reid of Stafford, Texas. "It was by far the best fish I’ve ever had, and the sauce served with it was just heavenly." To crush the toasted nuts, seal them in a plastic bag, and pound with a rolling pin.