Baking

If you don't have apple brandy, simply substitute apple cider. In addition to the crystallized ginger, the cinnamon sugar sprinkled on the crust adds a lovely essence. To serve this very special pie, I suggest topping each slice with a bit of cheddar cheese.

Cylindrical cookie presses are a fast and convenient way to make uniform intricate shapes. If you prefer something other than a wreath-shaped cookie, change the disk of your press and decorate as desired with colored sugars, nuts, or dragées to create Christmas trees, snowflakes, or poinsettias. The possibilities are endless.

Thyme adds a holiday touch to these light, buttery biscuits.

Root vegetables were often used to lend sweetness to eighteenth-century cakes and puddings. The carrot cake layers in this recipe are sandwiched with marmalade and iced with a cream cheese frosting.

The rich flavors in this moist cake intensify with a little bit of age. Though the Armagnac toffee sauce and Armagnac ice cream make festive partners, leftover cake is excellent served plain with tea or coffee. To give extra height to the cake, we call for an 11-cup Kugelhopf pan, a taller-than-ordinary bundt pan (available by mail order from Bridge Kitchenware, tel. 800-274-3435 or 212-838-1901). You may also use a regular 11-cup bundt pan for a slightly broader cake.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, but requires additional unattended time.

These can be prepared one week ahead.

These light, tender, and delicious scones are a breeze to make with the aid of a food processor.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

Cream of coconut is added to the batter and the whipped cream frosting. You can make and chill the cake up to one day ahead.

"I literally didn't know how to boil an egg until I was in my 20s — when I tried to impress a guy by making dinner for him," writes Sally Siegel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "I didn't have much success with the dinner or the guy, but I regrouped and put together a repertoire of fairly elegant dishes I felt confident making. Over the years, my cooking style has become more casual; I make dishes that are not too demanding, but still special for company."

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.