Pastries

The following recipe comes from my mother's home economics class in Louisiana back in the 1940's. I hope your readers enjoy the muffins as much as I do.

"Benne" is the Carolina Low Country word for sesame seeds, which came to the United States from Africa. This biscuit dough is made a day or so ahead, then formed right before baking. Angel biscuits, so called because of their tender, light texture, will not keep well at room temperature once baked

The most delectable cinnamon rolls Karen Cabral of San Antonio ever tasted are those at the Pecan St. Bakery & Cafe in Blanco, Texas.

These layered biscuits require a little more effort than the conventional kind, but they're worth it. The recipe calls for White Lily all-purpose flour, which is made from an extra finely ground softer wheat than regular all-purpose flour and results in a lovely, tender texture. Active time: 40 minutes Start to finish: 1 1/4 hours

Cream takes the place of butter in these irresistible biscuits.

You might be tempted to bake 2 sheets of cookies at a time in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Don't give in to this urge—the cookies must go in the middle of the oven to cook through and brown evenly.

These tiny turnovers have the same balance of filling to dough as my number one favorite cookie, rugelach, but they are easier to prepare because they aren't rolled. Rugelach means rolled; therefore, I have dubbed these "un-rugelach." The buttery cinnamon/walnut flavors fill your mouth with opulent pleasure, but despite their richness, they are easy to keep on eating because of the fresh tangyness from the apricot jam filling.

These hors d'oeuvres are a nice addition to a cocktail party.

These mini-biscuits freeze well — but don't be surprised if they disappear before you can wrap any up.

The preserves keep these moist and tender.

(Cream Puff Pastry)

These scones are terrific with butter and honey or marmalade.

Taiglach (little pieces of fried dough dredged in honey) are eaten for celebratory occasions like Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Purim, weddings, and births. Ceciarchiata means "chickpeas" or "little bits" in Italian. This festive taiglach is similar in nature to the French croquembouche, though it's a crown, not a mountain. It is a spectacular centerpiece with its clusters of dough and nuts, and is totally addictive.