Compote

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(COMPOTE DE CERISES NOIRES) When in season, fresh cherries can be used in place of the frozen ones.

Orange juice and pomegranate juice enhance the light sorbet. The compote would also be good over store-bought strawberry sorbet or ice cream.

A colorful combination of oranges, berries and kiwis teams up with crunchy biscotti for a delicious and wholesome finale.

Replacing the cinnamon with cardamom in this easy applesauce is a great way to appreciate the taste of the bracing spice.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 5 hr If you decide to use fresh pumpkin purée for this cake, be sure you drain it for the full eight hours we recommend in the procedure.

"While in Vancouver, we had a wonderful meal at Diva at the Met. The star of the show was the Stilton cheesecake. Could you persuade the chef to part with the recipe?" asks Mark Horne of Laurel, Mississippi. Editors' note: Pairing Stilton and rhubarb may sound like a joke, but we had to try it. It turns out that the joke's on us — the combination is terrific. Chef Michael Noble caramelizes the top with a blowtorch, but we think the cheesecake is also delicious without the crackly crust.

Port wine and balsamic vinegar deepen the fresh fruit flavors in the cherry sauce. Be sure to get started at least one day ahead; the panna cotta custards must chill for 24 hours before serving.

This recipe originally accompanied Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake with Cranberry Raspberry Compote Also good over ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Makes use of a microwave.

This recipe was created to accompany Roasted Monkfish with Fennel-Saffron Compote

(COMPOSTA DI CILIEGE E ALBICOCCHE) Delicious with the Rice Pudding Cake or with biscotti or vanilla ice cream.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Spoon this over vanilla ice cream, or serve it with dollops of Mascarpone Cream or sour cream.

At the Rob Roy Room of the Banff Springs Hotel at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, this delicious mousse comes in an elegant cookie basket.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe originally accompanied Gingerbread with Dried Fig, Apricot and Cherry compote Also sensational over vanilla ice cream.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Any extras are great cold for breakfast. As an alternative to the vanilla ice cream, top with sour cream or lowfat yogurt for a lighter interpretation.

Oranges and kiwis are among the fruits highest in calcium; almonds are the nuts with the most. This is a light and refreshing finish to any meal.