Tart

This tart has a looser texture than typical lemon tarts. Chill overnight before serving.

The do-ahead steps make this recipe great for entertaining.

The unusual crust is made of brioche dough.

Apples are traditional, but peaches are divine.

Before grilling the pineapple, be sure to preheat your grill rack and then clean it with a metal brush to remove any bits of previously grilled food, which can give an off flavor to the pineapple. This recipe makes great use of the Börner V-slicer*. Other adjustable-blade slicers also work well, but if you don't have one, you can use a sharp 10-inch chef's knife. The smooth-sided tart in our photo was made in a springform pan, but since the crust is very delicate, it's much easier and less likely to break when made in a round tart pan with a removable bottom as called for in the recipe below. Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

(TARTELETTES AUX NOIX)

The unique filling has a flavor and soft texture reminiscent of orange marmalade.

For this recipe you will need two mini-muffin pans, each containing twelve 1 3/4 x 1-inch cups.

Malta This thin, cookie-like tart with a lattice crust is offered on a feast day that commemorates the birth of the Virgin Mary and the exit of the Turks in 1565.

Here, grapes top rounds of puff pastry (purchased, for ease), which form the crust of the two rustic tarts.

"My mother's favorite restaurant in Sacramento is Biba," writes Grace Bannor, San Francisco, CA. "She claims it's the most authentic Italian food she has tasted outside her native Florence. Whenever the jam tart is on the menu, it's a must-have for my mother. If I had the recipe, I could make it for her next birthday."

Fuji or McIntosh apples work best for this tart; other varieties may be too juicy.