Coffee

The rich flavor of espresso is a perfect partner to the chocolate. Place each piece of fudge in a paper or foil candy cup and arrange in gift boxes lined with holiday paper.

Definitely not Ye Olde English Classic, but very delicious and very contemporary. Using store-bought sponge cake (ask for it at your supermarket bakery) or pound cakes simplifies assembly.

At Valentino, pastry chef Michelle Robie cuts the cake into individual heart shapes and sometimes serves them with a blood orange sauce.

Invented in the 1800s, the baked Alaska was possibly named to commemorate America's purchase of that northern territory. The dessert was a big hit in the fifties because convenience was a watchword, and for all the showy effect it created at the table, baked Alaska was not difficult to make. Restaurants served ornately decorated versions under flaming cascades of liqueur, while home cooks could just bake it in the oven. Either way, the magic was there—a layer of meringue kept the ice cream inside from melting in the oven. These days, store-bought premium ice creams help baked Alaska taste even better and offer a wide range of flavor options.

These ultra-rich and chocolaty sandwich cookies have creamy, coffee-spiked centers.

Loosely translated, tiramisù means "pick me up," and it has been picked up on practically every menu in America. Since the early eighties, it has been one of the most famous Italian-American desserts, and like spaghetti and meatballs, it is far more prevalent here than in Italy. Purchased angel food cake makes this especially easy.

You don't need an ice cream maker to prepare this classic frozen treat. Accompany with amaretti or other Italian cookies.

Cups of steaming cappuccino inspired this chocolate cake accented with cinnamon and coffee. It's a perfect dessert for any birthday celebration. The velvety cake is easily cut into layers, each of which will hold a generous quantity of frosting.

Favorite Italian flavors — espresso and hazelnut — come together in these appealing treats.

For a nice gift, simply decorate the jars with gold ribbon, and attach tags that include the rewarming instructions. Or pack a basket with a jar of this sauce, Chocolate-Almond Sauce , an ice cream scoop and four or six sundae goblets.

Tender chocolate shortbread topped with a rich chocolate ganache just might be the perfect gift for the chocoholics on your list. For an elegant accent, decorate the shortbread with gold leaf, place the cookies on a tray or round platter lined with gold-colored tissue paper, and wrap it all up with cellophane and gold ribbon.

This dessert had its heyday on American menus about 15 years ago, and it turns up a little less frequently these days. The popularity of tiramisu never wavered in Rome, however, where it continues to be served at dinner parties and restaurants.

Marty Rosencranz of River Vale, New Jersey, writes: "Even though I am a professional chef — at the Valley Brook Golf Club in New Jersey — when I cook at home I make dishes that are good but fast. I took two years to perfect the recipe for my chewy chocolate cookies. They're so good that they are now a signature item on the club's menu." Butterscotch chips could easily stand in for the peanut butter chips.

This recipe creates enough batter for a 3-quart bundt pan, but it can also be baked in smaller pans, though baking time will vary accordingly.