Lemon

No Italian Easter is complete without a ricotta pie. This light, citrus-tinged pie, with its creamy ricotta filling and sweet crust, sings of spring. Although this savory pie is traditionally served as a meal, it can also satisfy a sweet tooth. There are many different varieties of Sweet Ricotta Pie (pizza dolce) out there, but we stick to a very basic pie that will please all palates. If you’re feeling adventurous, try adding candied orange peels, grated lemon zest, miniature chocolate chips, or nuts to the filling.

Although this is a cream pie, it can also be considered a fruit pie, with all the fruit that gets packed into it. Not only is the flavor combination of blackberries, lemon, and lime explosive, but its refreshing taste is perfect for warm summer nights. As an added bonus, the pie is so light you’ll have plenty to go around (or go back to!). For best results, prepare the Blackberry Glacé at least 6 hours and up to a day prior to assembling the pie in order to let it completely cool and set. Also, place the condensed milk and mixing bowl used to prepare the filling in the refrigerator for 30 minutes prior to use. The assembled pie will need to be refrigerated overnight before serving, so plan accordingly.

This pie has a lot to offer in one light and fluffy package—it’s not too tart and not too sweet, which makes it a great choice for pleasing all of your guests. It is the perfect ending to a heavy meal, when you want something to satisfy that sweet tooth, but don’t have a lot of room left for a big dessert.

As if the bold, tart flavor weren’t appealing enough, this pie is absolutely beautiful to behold. A mound of fluffy white meringue, toasted on top and offset by the rich yellow of the lemon curd, makes for a picture-perfect slice of pie. Best served the same day it is made, you can make the lemon curd in advance and refrigerate it in the pie shell for up to two days prior to serving, but the meringue is best made and eaten the same day.

This pie allows for indulgence in a sweet treat. Blueberries pack enough flavor that you’ll never even know that traditional sugar is missing.

In place of the almond flour, you can substitute two ounces (about 1/2 cup plus two tablespoons) blanched almonds, finely ground in a food processor. Feel free to vary the flavoring by replacing part or all of the lemon zest with orange zest, or omitting it altogether and adding one teaspoon of vanilla extract.

We love to serve a variety of shapes and sizes of tartlet shells filled with different flavors of fruit curd; feel free to mix and match flavors to your liking. Similarly, you may choose to top some with meringue while leaving others unadorned. The ones pictured at right are filled with Lemon and Passion Fruit curds. Grapefruit Curd and Lime Curd work equally well. These tartlets are especially appropriate for garden parties or bridal showers.

The puff pastry can be baked a day in advance; keep in an airtight container at room temperature. The blueberry sauce can be refrigerated for up to three days.

If you want to quickly cool the hot custard, pour it into a large bowl set in a larger bowl filled with ice and cold water. Stirring the custard frequently will help to cool it even faster.

The combination of cake flour and all-purpose flour produces a very tender crumb. You will need a paper cornet to pipe the dots and lines of lemon curd that top the buttercream frosting. Fully decorated, the cake looks fresh and whimsical-a perfect choice for a birthday party, baby shower, or other celebration.

Classic lemon bars get a couple of twists: wheat germ adds texture to the shortbread crust, and lime juice and zest flavor the filling.

These cookies have a delicate texture and light, fresh taste.

Poppy seeds give these cakes an interesting texture and appearance, but you can certainly omit them if you prefer.

You know a pie recipe is old when several stories are told about its history. Some say the term chess pie goes back to an eighteenth-century English cheese pie. Another links the origins of the name to the Southern pie chest, or pie safe, a piece of furniture that holds kitchen confections. Another anecdote tells of a man who stopped to eat at a diner in Alabama. He loved the pie he was served, and when he asked what its name was, the waitress replied, “jes pie.” Whatever the truth may be, as food writer Stephanie Anderson Witmer says, “So many Southern pies, like the chess pies, are elegant in their simplicity. They use staple ingredients, but are divine.”

This pie is unbelievably easy—you really can’t fail. You could make this pie in a plain pie crust, but why would you want to when this sweet and spicy alternative is available? When you prepare the egg yolks for the filling, remember to save the whites for the meringue.

A trio of citrus zests brightens simple cupcakes. The ones pictured are finished with lime-flavored glaze and finely grated lime zest, but lemons or oranges could replace the lime. Or, for a particularly pretty display, divide the glaze into thirds and flavor each portion with a different citrus, with garnishes to match.