The heavy cream must be ice cold; if not, it won’t hold stiff peaks, no matter how long or hard you beat it. Soften the cream cheese at room temperature; the microwave will cause the cheese to separate.

ready in about 35 minutes; serves 8
You might need to buy:
  • Fruit Layer
  • sugar
  • table salt
  • fresh raspberries
  • Chiffon Layer
  • boiling water
  • Whipped Cream Topping
  • sugar
ready in about an hour; serves 12
You might need to buy:
  • Cookie Crust:
  • all-purpose flour
  • confectioners sugar
  • salt
  • ice water
  • Cheesecake Filling:
  • sugar
  • Stonewall Kitchen Pure Vanilla Extract
  • eggs
  • Stonewall Kitchen Wild Maine Blueberry Jam

You can melt chocolate in a double boiler or in a microwave. If using a double boiler, be sure the water in the bottom pan does not touch the base of the top pan and that it never boils. Any moisture, including steam, that comes in contact with the chocolate could cause it to seize into a lumpy mass. (To save seized chocolate, whisk in vegetable oil or solid vegetable shortening, 1 tsp. at a time, until smooth.) If microwaving the chocolate, check it every 30 seconds to avoid scorching. When the chocolate is shiny and soft, remove it and stir until smooth.

ready in about 35 minutes; serves 12
You might need to buy:
  • Tbs. light corn syrup
  • raspberry jam
  • raspberries
Acidic ingredients, such as citrus juice, tomatoes, vinegar, wine and many vegetables, will react with certain metals, including aluminum or cast iron. Although the reaction is harmless, it may turn a mixture gray or leave behind a metallic aftertaste. The same reaction occurs when eggs are cooked in aluminum or cast-iron pans. Therefore, recipes that include these ingredients, such as lemon curd and pastry cream, call for the use of nonaluminum pans. Stainless-steel and enamel-lined pans are excellent choices.
ready in about an hour; serves 8
You might need to buy:
  • sugar
  • Tbs. finely grated lemon zest
  • Sweetened whipped cream for piping

These bites come together quickly, thanks to packaged mini phyllo shells. The filling doesn’t need to be cooked.

CALORIES 49(37% from fat); FAT 2g (sat 0.6g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 1.3g; CHOLESTEROL 3mg; CALCIUM 21mg; SODIUM 65mg; FIBER 0.7g; IRON 0.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 6.7g

ready in about 20 minutes; serves 15
You might need to buy:
  • sugar
  • honey