Tart

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

An impressive but easy dessert that's like a custard with fruit baked in it. In the summertime, make it with fresh peaches or plums instead of the pears.

A version of the southern classic; this one has a fudgy texture.

A buttery free-form crust joins forces with a lucious fruit filling to make the perfect seasonal dessert. Just add vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream.

This confection calls for half of our recipe for sweet tartlet shells. Use the remaining half for Chocolate Raspberry Bites.

Lime curd and tart cranberries are balanced by a layer of sweet white chocolate cream. For best results, use imported white chocolate, such as Lindt or Perugina. Begin preparing the tart two days before you plan to serve it.

What to drink: Malvasia, a sweet Italian dessert wine, or a dessert Sherry made with Pedro Ximénez grapes. Susan Simon likes the Carlo Hauner 2000 Malvasia delle Lipari Passito, also from Salina.

Purchased puff pastry makes the flaky crust super-easy, while using a nonstick cake pan makes the tarte a cinch to remove.

This large rustic tart has hints of anise, cinnamon and clove, spices that are also found in the noted honey cake of Burgundy, pain d'épice. The apples can be roasted one day ahead so that the tart can be baked early in the day on Christmas Eve.

This elegant no-bake cheesecake has a smooth, airy filling similar to a mousse. To make the graham cracker crumbs, blend graham cracker pieces in a food processor.

An elegant tart with a cookie-like crust.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 10 hr

This tart was inspired by a plum tart often cooked by the mother of Lisa's college roommate. Due to Lisa's reckless dissemination of that recipe (which caused an overpopulation of plum tarts up and down the eastern seaboard), her recipe-exchange privileges with said mother have been revoked.

Maureen Abood of Chicago, Illinois, writes: "Whenever my mother visits my sister and me in Chicago, we have dinner at Mon Ami Gabi, where we can look out the large windows onto Lincoln Park as we eat. I'd love to make the luscious chocolate tart served there for my mother the next time I'm home." The soft caramel filling is a terrific showcase for — and contrast to — the toasted nuts.