Baking

This turns a terrific gingerbread—created by Rick Rodgers, an accomplished baker and food writer—into a layer cake. Let the stout stand, opened, at room temperature overnight so that it’s flat when you add it to the batter.

(Baked Sweet Cherry Pudding) Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Here, buttermilk replaces nearly all of the oil. Very ripe bananas give the best flavor.

These crisp, low-fat cookies are just right for dipping into dessert wine or cappuccino.

Canola oil replaces butter in this light version of a classic.

Lots of fun: pizza with flavors reminiscent of the classic Reuben sandwich.

The children of Jean Garry, wife of editor-in-chief William J. Garry, may have left home, but they come back at Christmas for their favorite bread. The recipe was given to Jean by her mother (who isn't Swedish, but never mind). The bread which is lightly flavored with aniseed and orange, makes great toast for stocking-searching time. Sometimes Jean bakes the loaves in nine-inch aluminum pie tins. After they cool, she puts the breads back into the tins and wraps them up in colorful cellophane for gift giving.

This ultra-rich dessert is inspired by the classic Rigó Jancsi cake, named for the legendary Hungarian Gypsy violinist. Make it one day ahead to allow the flavors to meld.

Make this bread, which is used in the Southwest Corn Bread Stuffing with Corn and Green Chilies and Southern Corn Bread Stuffing with Smoked Ham and Yams recipes, at least one day and up to two days ahead of time.

Tarte au Sucre du Pays Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 9 hr

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr When Craig Claiborne accepted an invitation to a hunt breakfast in Virginia, he didn't understand that riding a horse would be part of the deal. He found the experience hair-raising but furnished us with a delightful account of that weekend — along with this fluffy rendition of the South's beloved grits. It makes a good side dish to almost any meat — especially ham, of course.

This bread uses a yeast starter that needs to be made at least one day ahead.