Raisin

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This signature dessert from New Orleans is a classic Creole dish.

Coffee cakes rank among the most popular of comfort foods, welcomed at breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and as the name indicates, coffee breaks. A coffee cake batter is generally more liquid than a quick bread one and contains a bit more sugar, and as a result, the final product is lighter and moister. On the other hand, coffee cakes tend to be less sweet than butter cakes. There are many versions of kuchen, this streusel-topped sour cream type being a very popular one. It is commonly served at the meal following Yom Kippur, or Shavuot, and on Sabbath afternoons or the melaveh malcha ("accompanying the queen") party following the Sabbath. For the later occasion, spices are added to the batter and topping, reflecting those used during the havdallah ceremony signaling the end of the Sabbath.

Tonya Morrison of Lewis Center, Ohio, writes: "My husband and I had a wonderful time on our vacation to Kiawah Island, South Carolina. One night we had dinner at Rosebank Farms Café in Bohicket Marina Village. The recipe for their roast pork tenderloin with apple and raisin chutney would make a delicious souvenir." In this imaginative main course, the chutney adds a sweet, tart contrast to the herb-roasted pork and the rich, creamy corn.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 35 min

"The scones from Bon Bonerie in Cincinnati are moist, light and sweet," says John Van Eeckhout of Norfolk, Virginia. "When I lived in the area, one of my favorite ways to spend a Saturday morning was to read the newspaper in the bakery's adjacent tearoom while enjoying a raisin scone with clotted cream, preserves and a cup of coffee." Raisin Scones are also delicious served with butter and jam.

This dairy bread pudding–like custard baked between layers of matzo is delicious for brunch or dessert.

These delicious chocolate chip cookies are worth the calorie splurge.

Capirotada The cheese in this recipe melts into the pudding and contributes more texture than flavor.

Every year for nearly twenty years Gourmet's production director baked this cake for our mailroom manager on his birthday. Suffice it to say that this delectable dessert has stood the test of time.