Christmas

Mascarpone cheese, with its slightly tart flavor, gets a sweet boost from honey. If you can't find mascarpone, top this with honey-sweetened sour cream or crème fraîche.

"Needing a cake for a surprise 60th birthday party for my husband and a friend, I used my mother's favorite cake recipe," writes Doris Lindsay of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. "It turned out that most of the party guests had never had gingerbread cake. It was so well received that I was inspired to send the recipe to you." Mrs. Lindsay sometimes mixes walnuts and raisins into the batter just before baking. It's also easy to double this recipe and have enough for a party; you'll just need 2 (9- by 2-inch) round pans or a 13- by 9- by 2-inch pan. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

The blend of dried herbs known as herbes de Provence usually consists of basil, thyme, rosemary and oregano. Sometimes lavender is also included, which adds a flavor that is the most evocative of Provence. An accompaniment to Herb-and Spice-roasted Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine-Shallot Sauce . Sharpen your chopping and mincing skills with our technique video.

If you set aside several hours on three days to make the house, that will allow plenty of time for all the icing to set firmly and plenty of time for you to have some fun. The completed house can stand for up to one month.

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.