Make Ahead

Blackberries, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are layered with white chocolate cream and store-bought puff pastry for a beautiful finale.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This spice rub is also great with chicken. Team the steaks with a salad of boiled green beans and quartered radishes, and offer some favorite beer.

Because the more traditional dark fruitcakes aren't really to her liking, senior editor Sarah Belk created this one, filled with her favorite nuts and dried fruits. To make these gifts even more festive, she suggest decorating the glazed cakes with additional dried fruits and nuts.

For a particularly light and crunchy coating we used panko (coarse Japanese bread crumbs) on these crab cakes rather than regular bread crumbs. Panko is increasingly available in this country, not only in Asian markets but also in seafood shops.

Fred Provenzano of Seattle, Washington, writes: "While in Washington, D.C., for a convention, I discovered a delightful restaurant, The Little Fountain Cafe. It was so good that I went back for dinner two more times during my stay. Can you persuade pastry chef Lauren Cooper to divulge her recipe for chocolate chip bread pudding?" The pudding can be assembled up to one day ahead, then popped into the oven just before you sit down for dinner.

Dense, moist, and delicious, this bread is great as a quick snack or with a bit of whipped honey butter for afternoon tea.

I like to mix up several kinds of apples for great-tasting applesauce. I prefer it coarse, so I cook it for a short time and then mash it only slightly.

Farmers' markets offer the widest selection of fresh baby potatoes, but if you can't find golf-ball-size versions of any of the varieties in this recipe, simply purchase large potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2-inch pieces.

Tahini, a creamy sesame seed paste, adds a new twist to the dressing for the salad.

Executive editor Barbara Fairchild has a reputation as the staff chocoholic, so it's no surprise that her kitchen gift for the holidays is a big batch of brownies. A tried-and-true recipe from her mother, these treats are rich and very moist.

"My Aunt Rose, a consummate baker, perfected this pound cake, which for years has graced the table of every family gathering," says Barbara Chazan of New York, New York.

To prevent fingerprints or smudges, wear thin cotton gloves* while handling the eggs.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.