Prune

This fabulous sorbet is a twist on the classic prune Armagnac ice cream. The prunes can macerate in the Armagnac indefinitely if kept in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

The rich flavors in this moist cake intensify with a little bit of age. Though the Armagnac toffee sauce and Armagnac ice cream make festive partners, leftover cake is excellent served plain with tea or coffee. To give extra height to the cake, we call for an 11-cup Kugelhopf pan, a taller-than-ordinary bundt pan (available by mail order from Bridge Kitchenware, tel. 800-274-3435 or 212-838-1901). You may also use a regular 11-cup bundt pan for a slightly broader cake.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time. A fantastic ice-cream sauce.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr (includes cooling)

In this recipe, a casserole dish stands in for the traditional tagine. Serve with couscous or an Israeli salad of tomato, cucumber, and sweet onion.

A hearty sweet and savory stew that's a perfect seasonal meal when teamed up with crusty bread and a green salad.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Apple Crisp with Prune Tequila Ice Cream . Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 days (includes macerating and freezing)

This stuffing is based on ingredients prevalent throughout the Midwest. Michigan dried cherries are often used to accent dishes in that state, while prunes, raisins and dried currants are often found in many sweet and savory recipes from Ohio and Indiana. Using only three tablespoons of butter for ten servings makes this dish low in fat, too.

This tsimmes created by Chef Lenard Rubin of the Phoenician Club in Phoenix, Arizona, is so good that I sometimes serve it alone without stuffing it into the chilies.

For a great one-dish meal, serve this rich stew over rice. If you want to make it even more authentic, use couscous, a small grain-shaped pasta that is often found in North African and Middle Eastern cooking. It's available at many supermarkets and specialty foods stores.

The pastry for this tart is very light and crisp. For best results, handle it as little as possible and keep it cool. You will need a 12 1/2- by 1-inch fluted round tart pan with a removable bottom, available at cookware shops and by mail order from Bridge Kitchenware, tel. (800) 274-3435 or (212) 838-1901.

This dish, or some form thereof, can be found in most Scandinavian countries. The apples and prunes are usually stuffed inside the pork roast, but here we've put them in the sauce.

In most of France, turkey with chestnuts has become a standard Christmas dish, but in the southwest, goose is preferred.

Roasted pork loin, which is commonly served on special occasions in Denmark, is here richly flavored with cardamom, juniper berries and currant jelly. Ask the butcher to cut into the chine bone of the rib roast to make it easier to carve. Note that the pork needs to marinate at least 12 hours before roasting, so plan accordingly. Uncork a fruity Merlot to go with it.

The ultimate Danish holiday dish from chef Torben Jensen of Gråbrødre Torv 21 restaurant.

The perennial Christmas gift gets a luscious face-lift in this impressive cake. We guarantee that it won't get shuffled around, and no one will make any jokes about it. Store the cake in the refrigerate for up to three weeks before giving. Wrap it in some red or green cellophane, and present it in a decorative box (a hatbox is fun) tied with a big, bright bow.