This makes a great holiday or special occasion cake.

This is one of my favorite’s from my sister Judy. Make them all fall and anytime.

These moist fudgy brownies are easy to make and keep well. For a special dessert, warm the brownies and top with ice cream and your favorite chocolate sauce.

This crisp is slightly tangy. You may want to add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter dessert. And, as with most crisps, vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream is a wonderful complement to this dish.

My mother makes the best peach pie I’ve ever had. The rich cream cheese crust complements the simple flavor of really ripe peaches and the lightly sweetened whipped cream topping. Although the crust is baked, the filling is not, so this pie is great in summer, when you want to keep the kitchen cool. In fact, we advise that you make this only in summer, when peaches are at their peak.

This Foster’s classic is a variation of a recipe by Dorian Parker, a wonderful cook whom I met when we both worked as caterers for Martha Stewart. The coffee, dry mustard, and black pepper may sound strange, but they add a subtle dept of flavor so that the bread isn’t just sweet, it’s spicy. We serve it all day long–for breakfast, for tea, and even for dessert topped with warm applesauce, ice cream, or whipped cream.

A treat with breakfast or at tea, this coconut- and orange-flavored yeast bread is topped with a rich, gooey glaze that melts right into the bread.

Inspired by the creamy, flan-type desserts that I tasted on a trip to Argentina, this pie is much smoother than classic American pumpkin pie. (Sweetened condensed milk is the secret.) The pie will keep several days in the refrigerator, but make sure to serve it warm or at room temperature.