Christmas

The pleasingly chewy biscotti are coated on one end with white chocolate. In our test kitchen, imported white chocolate, such as Perugina or Lindt, yielded the best results.

Because caramel hardens so quickly, make these lollipops in 2 batches, 10 at a time.

Start this at least one day before serving.

Crunchy candy-coated cranberries make festive garnish for this inventive dessert. Begin preparing the custards a day before serving.

Madeira is combined with Cointreau, honey and spices in a simple English-inspired hot drink for the holidays.

Cranberries originally grew wild in Wisconsin; now they are the state's leading commercial fruit crop. They're also a must on the Thanksgiving table. In this take on a holiday staple, the mincemeat filling is packed with dried cranberries, which lend a tart balance to the sweetness of the raisins.

Potatoes lend moistness, and caraway seeds and onions--two ingredients favored by German, Scandinavian and Eastern European immigrants--add flavor to these traditionally shaped rolls.

These truffles have a double dose of mint in the form of fresh mint leaves and Vandermint, a Dutch chocolate-mint liqueur.

Two new flavors enhance a classic.

This cookie is popular in most of Eastern Europe. It features a tender pastry and, in this rendition, a delicious not-too-sweet cranberry and walnut filling. The cookies are formed by rolling up triangles of the pastry into small crescents.

A cardamom- and orange-scented syrup is spooned over warm pears and scoops of vanilla ice cream in this lovely dessert. Refrigerate leftover poaching syrup to serve over ice cream later in the week.

Begin preparing the turkey a day ahead, as it needs to soak overnight in brine, which makes the roasted bird exceptionally juicy. Watch how to prepare and carve your bird with our streaming video demonstration.

This updated version of France's Christmas classic features orange mousse in a chocolate sponge cake roll and a decadent garnish of chocolate truffles. Kumquats and festive greenery add even more glamour.