Tart

Serve this with the Raspberry-Apricot Compote With Champagne and Lemon Verbena.

Dried fruits and nuts are common in Moroccan pastries, but this tart is something special — the richness of the dough and the pop of the sesame seeds bring out that honeyed quality you normally associate with fresh figs. The cardamom cream is whisper-light, and the fresh orange segments are refreshingly cool.

Caribbean ingredients make these beautiful little tarts something special.

A semifreddo is a frozen, molded mousse. Here, we combine it with a walnut-shortbread crust for a tart that celebrates the coming of spring fruit.

Semolina flour gives extra texture to the crust.

This tart has a creamy, almost puddinglike center. We used bittersweet chocolate so the ganache filling wouldn't be too sweet. Choosing a quality brand results in more well-rounded flavor and even silkier texture.

Palmer wanders out behind the Dry Creek Kitchen to pick the apples for this tart. He generally goes for a combination of Macouns, Pippins, and/or Gravensteins, but we used easy-to-find Golden Delicious and were very pleased with the results. Palmer likes to serve this French classic warm, with a scoop of chestnut ice cream and crisp strips of candied bacon alongside. The three elements make for a textural symphony, but this caramelized beauty is also fantastic paired with a humble scoop of store-bought vanilla — or even by itself.

Two of these nutty nibbles are only 225 calories.

Editor's note: This recipe is from Erika Lenkert's book, The Last-Minute Party Girl: Fashionable, Fearless, and Foolishly Simple Entertaining For Lenkert's tips on throwing a last-minute New Year's Eve party, click here. A dessert secret that you should always keep in your back pocket, this recipe can be your last-minute savior provided you've got pastry dough in the freezer and a piece of fruit or two on hand. It takes no time or talent and is glamorous enough for the most special occasions.

Caramelized almonds and a sprinkling of fleur de sel take this right over the top.

Quinces take the place of apples, tarting up the classic dessert.

Here's a grown-up spin on the caramel apple — in tart form.

You'll feel positively Continental after your first taste of these tartlets, made with the thoroughly French combination of prunes and Armagnac. The creamy Italian mascarpone filling is just the thing to mellow out the sophisticated flavors.

This pie is an ideal dessert after a heavy meal. Just a bit of additional sugar allows the bright flavor of lemon to shine through.

Think of this pretty tart as a tropical version of traditional pecan pie. The sweet, buttery filling bakes up like a custard, and each slice is packed with macadamia nuts and sweetened flaked coconut.