Tart

Tarte au Citron There are different ways to make a lemon tart. At Bouchon, the French Laundry, and Per Se, we use a sabayon method, in which the eggs are first cooked with the lemon juice and sugar over hot water, then the butter is gradually incorporated — an easy method that results in a consistently good lemon custard or curd. The crust is made with sweet and nutty pine nuts, which I think are the perfect balance for the rich, tart custard.

Pink peppercorns add a lovely floral note to this pretty dessert.

The subtle citrus notes in this dark chocolate tart come from pink grapefruit and blood orange zests. It has a sublime buttery shortbread crust. Do-aheads: filled tart, 2 days; candied citrus peel, 1 week.

We used store-bought graham cracker crumbs to save time; if you prefer to make your own in a food processor, you'll need 13 crackers, each about 4 3/4 by 2 1/4 inches. Freezing the tart helps to chill it quickly. If you're not in a rush, simply chill the tart in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve it.

This dessert has been the grand finale for every type of fancy dinner at Highlands, from museum balls we've catered to family Thanksgiving meals to nightly desserts. Buttery sweet potato filling, sweet coconut, and crunchy pecans combine with a dark rum crème anglaise to make a minor classic. This also pairs well with a cinnamon crème anglaise (see Variation).

This candy-like tart with hints of rose, orange, and cloves was inspired by the delicate flavor of baklava. Serve it on its own or with honey-sweetened strained plain yogurt.

Combining the best of lemon meringue pie and lemon tart, a cloud of soft meringue tops the sprightly lemon curd filling and buttery cookie crust.

Pat Kyofski of Brooklyn, New York, writes: "I have a huge sweet tooth, so you can imagine my delight when my friends told me they were taking me to ChikaLicious, a dessert bar in the East Village, for my birthday. We all ordered something different, but soon found that one chocolate tart with pink peppercorn ice cream wasn't enough. Would chef Chika Tillman share the recipe?" At the restaurant, the tart is also served with a red wine sauce. The dough needs to chill overnight, so start preparing it a day ahead.

Camote is Spanish for sweet potato.

For this recipe, you will need a 13- by 4-inch rectangular tart pan with a removable fluted rim, available at specialty cookware shops.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This sensational caramel filling complements any kind of nut, so mix and match to suit your own taste.

Frangipane is a classic pastry filling with ground almonds. Here, pistachios are also added. Both the pastry and the filling can be made one day before baking.