Blackberry

Here's a beautiful pie with a sweet-tart filling and a sensational crust.

A finale that is great on its own or served with some whipped cream that has been accented with brown sugar.

The frozen berries aren't thawed before you use them, so this dessert is super fast.

"I have prepared the plum torte from Marian Burros’s The Best of De Gustibus many times, and I’ve also tried variations using different kinds of fruit," says Peter Wayne Gagnon of Pineville, North Carolina. "My experiments helped me arrive at my own version of this dessert." Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Here's a sophisticated combination of homemade blackberry gelatin layered with vanilla cream. Make the gelatin at least one day ahead so that it has time to set.

"My husband and I celebrated two of our anniversaries at the restaurant in the Morrison-Clark Inn, in Washington, DC, and enjoyed the experience both times." says Michelle M. Berberet of Alexandria, Virginia. "We are especially fond of the lemon chess pie. Do you think you can get the recipe, or is it a state secret?" It's no state secret—pastry chef Sol Schott was happy to share. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Dark chocolate never goes out of fashion, but white chocolate was all the rage in the eighties. Foodies couldn't get enough, enjoying it in truffles, tarts and sumptuous ivory-colored mousses like this one.

The frozen berry sabayon is smooth and creamy, like ice cream.

A rainbow of four purchased sorbets plus vanilla ice cream make this beauty one of the easiest desserts ever. Prepare the stunning terrine up to four days ahead.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Rote Grütze "My husband and I always have the Rote Grütze at the Kempinski Hotel Atlantic when in Hamburg, Germany," says Mary Futchik of Naples, Florida. "Could you could help us get the recipe?" Consider this a cross between a spoonable pudding and a fruit soup.

This softly set ice cream isn't churned, so you don't need an ice cream maker.

Brandysnaps are popular in Scotland, and lemon curd is a British fixture. Here is a double treat of lemon curd: Some goes into the ice cream; the rest is offered as a sauce.

Pudding is a term that is used interchangeably with dessert in Ireland, so not all Irish puddings are the milk-based treats Americans think of when they hear the word. Here's a fine example: a pretty dessert of bread and assorted sweetened berries are in season, but many people want to eat this delicious pudding even when fresh berries aren't available. Fortunately, frozen ones work just as well. Begin preparing this a day before serving so that it can set up overnight.

As a child, I was a picky eater and this cobbler was especially hard for me to take, since it's sort of an ugly dish. After being threatened with a trip to the doctor for vitamin shots, I did start eating more, and the cobbler turned out to be one of my favorites. It's a classic North Carolina recipe and is one of my mom's signature dishes. It's so simple and takes no time to make.