No-Cook

For as long as I can remember, tiramisù has been my favorite non-pie dessert. This pie has all the rich elegance and sophistication of the beloved Italian treat, plus a flaky pastry piecrust to add yet another element to this layered dessert.

Marzipan comes in plastic-wrapped seven-ounce logs and is available in baking-supply shops and most supermarkets. If you find the marzipan too sticky to shape, dust the work surface with a bit of confectioners’ sugar. If you’re preparing the Carrot-Ginger Layer Cake, make slightly larger carrots.

If you would rather make this frosting with only cream cheese, replace the goat cheese with an equal amount of whipped cream cheese, for a total of 18 ounces.

You can refrigerate the filling, covered, for up to one day; let it soften at room temperature before using.

Speckles of grated lime zest in this pretty soft-green icing give the finished cookies a fresh citrus flavor.

Fresh watermelon is a summertime treat throughout the South, where the melons can be seen sprawled in many backyard gardens. These days, watermelon can be bought almost any time of year at most grocery stores. This pretty pink pie makes a spectacular offering at a special brunch.

Pile this meringue on as thick as you can for a splendid-looking pie. Meringue is a perfect opportunity for the home baker to get creative with the spatula. You can smooth it over, swirl it around, or make fancy peaks. No one way is better than the other. Mrs. Rowe insisted on using a chilled bowl for the mixing. It’s a bit of a mystery why, as modern bakers claim it’s unnecessary. Maybe her eggs were so fresh that they were still warm and she needed to bring them down to room temperature by using a chilled bowl. In any case, the bakers at Mrs. Rowe’s restaurants still use chilled bowls. Weeping can happen with any meringue. A “weeping” meringue occurs when the sugar solution comes out of the meringue in drops. Sometimes a weeping meringue makes a slimy layer on top of the filling. The meringue will still taste yummy, but it won’t be as pretty. Sealing the edges of the meringue is an important step in helping to prevent weeping; it also helps assure that the filling won’t spill over. Just add some water to your fingers and press the meringue to the crust along the rim.