Citrus

We’ve reinvented the classic Key lime pie as a tart made with a homemade graham cracker crust. Key limes are smaller, rounder, and have a yellower cast than regular limes; look for them in gourmet shops and some supermarkets. Otherwise, substitute regular limes; six limes should yield 1/2 cup juice.

The puff pastry can be baked a day in advance; keep in an airtight container at room temperature. The blueberry sauce can be refrigerated for up to three days.

If you want to quickly cool the hot custard, pour it into a large bowl set in a larger bowl filled with ice and cold water. Stirring the custard frequently will help to cool it even faster.

The combination of cake flour and all-purpose flour produces a very tender crumb. You will need a paper cornet to pipe the dots and lines of lemon curd that top the buttercream frosting. Fully decorated, the cake looks fresh and whimsical-a perfect choice for a birthday party, baby shower, or other celebration.

It’s best to bake these cookies on cool, dry days so they can form and retain a curved shape. Because they are fragile, first line airtight containers with several layers of paper towels, then lay tuiles on top, in one layer, without crowding.

Classic lemon bars get a couple of twists: wheat germ adds texture to the shortbread crust, and lime juice and zest flavor the filling.

You can refrigerate the filling, covered, for up to one day; let it soften at room temperature before using.

You can bake the cookies and make the filling a day ahead.

Speckles of grated lime zest in this pretty soft-green icing give the finished cookies a fresh citrus flavor.

To keep these cookies flaky and light, do not over mix the butter and sugars; the dough must not become too soft before adding the remaining ingredients.

These cookies have a delicate texture and light, fresh taste.

Poppy seeds give these cakes an interesting texture and appearance, but you can certainly omit them if you prefer.

You know a pie recipe is old when several stories are told about its history. Some say the term chess pie goes back to an eighteenth-century English cheese pie. Another links the origins of the name to the Southern pie chest, or pie safe, a piece of furniture that holds kitchen confections. Another anecdote tells of a man who stopped to eat at a diner in Alabama. He loved the pie he was served, and when he asked what its name was, the waitress replied, “jes pie.” Whatever the truth may be, as food writer Stephanie Anderson Witmer says, “So many Southern pies, like the chess pies, are elegant in their simplicity. They use staple ingredients, but are divine.”

The icy strawberry filling in this pie is pleasantly complemented by the luscious whipped cream. The pie tastes just like a margarita—the tequila flavor adds quite a zing. The recipe calls for freezing the whipped cream on top of the pie, but you can also freeze just the strawberry part and add the whipped cream when you serve the pie.

This pie is unbelievably easy—you really can’t fail. You could make this pie in a plain pie crust, but why would you want to when this sweet and spicy alternative is available? When you prepare the egg yolks for the filling, remember to save the whites for the meringue.

This filling, which has a pleasant tartness, bakes up like a firm custard. The pie is at its best when served slightly warm. If it’s been in the refrigerator, 20 seconds in the microwave is all it takes to warm up a slice for that just-baked sensation.