Entertaining is a good thing. It gives you time to reconnect with old friends, to get to know new people, and — let’s admit it — to “pay off” social obligations. It inspires you to clean the house. But sometimes, even though the impulse is there, you just don’t have the time, money or energy to go through all of the hoopla and expense of making dinner. Remember that there’s nothing wrong with asking people over for dessert. It’s a good strategy for getting together with new neighbors or close friends on a weekday evening or Sunday afternoon. Or, after meeting for dinner or a movie, invite your friends to your place for dessert and coffee.

“Dessert” does not have to be an elaborate cake or other confection. A cheese course can work beautifully; and the new book “Cheese & Wine” by Janet Fletcher (Chronicle, 2007) can help you with your pairings. (For example, according to Fletcher, English Stilton, Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano and French Comte all go well with amontillado sherry; while a sparkling wine could accompany a plate of French Brie, Morbier and Italian Taleggio). On a Sunday afternoon, tea and cookies can fit the bill.

Unless you have invited a crowd, there’s no real reason to offer more than one dessert. But if you have a large group coming, don’t feel guilty about mixing store-bought desserts (cheesecake is always a winner) with homemade.

These recipes have been chosen for their great taste, eye appeal and relative ease of preparation. The elegant Budino, a molten, dense, chocolate pudding-cake, is from “Cooking from the Hip” by Cat Cora (Houghton Mifflin, 2007). The rustic Apple Pecan Upside-Down Pie (an American version of the French Tarte Tatin) is from the late Richard Sax’s “Classic Home Desserts” (Chapters, 1994). The cream puffs are from “River Run Cookbook” by Jimmy and Maya Kennedy and me (HarperCollins, 2001).

CHOCOLATE BUDINO

1/2 pound high-quality bittersweet chocolate, grated or finely chopped

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 large eggs, plus 3 large yolks

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

whipped cream or ice cream, for serving (optional)

Place a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease or spray a 9-inch cake pan with vegetable oil, wiping away any excess.

Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler or a large bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Melt slowly, stirring occasionally. When the chocolate is smooth, remove the bowl from the hot water and add the butter. Stir until smooth again.

In a medium bowl, gently whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and flour until well incorporated. Add to the chocolate mixture, mixing well.

Spoon the batter into the cake pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the edges just being to pull away from the pan. The center should still look moist and shiny. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

While the pan is still warm, place a baking sheet over the top and invert. Carefully lift the pan to release the cake. Transfer to a serving platter. It is best served warm, but is also delicious at room temperature. Serve plain, or with whipped cream or ice cream.

Yield: 12 servings

Recipe from “Cooking from the Hip” by Cat Cora (Houghton Mifflin, 2007)

APPLE-PECAN UPSIDE DOWN PIE

For the dough:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar

pinch salt

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3 tablespoons ice water, or more if needed

1 egg, to glaze the dough

For the filling:

1/4 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1-1/2 pounds apples, peeled, cut into eighths and cored

1/2 cup pecans

Make the dough: Combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse briefly until crumbly; do not over mix. Add the water gradually, pulsing in bursts just until the dough begins to clump together. Gather in a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a round slightly larger than a 9- or 10-inch ovenproof skillet. Transfer the dough to a cookie sheet lined with foil. Beat the egg lightly and brush it on the dough. Chill while you continue. Discard the remaining egg.

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 F. Set the skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the sugar and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until the sugar just begins to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the apple wedges and toss to coat. Remove from the heat and shake to evenly distribute the apples. Tuck the pecans in between the apples.

Invert the dough over the apples in the skillet, draping it egg-side down. Tuck the edges of the dough inside the rim of the skillet. Cut several short slits for steam vents. Bake until well-browned, 37 to 40 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Invert a serving plate over the skillet, hold it firmly in place and quickly invert the two. Remove the skillet and replace any apple pieces that stick to the pan. Cut the pie in wedges and serve warm, plain or with ice cream.

Yield: at least 8 servings

Recipe from “Classic Home Desserts” by Richard Sax (Chapters, 1994)

TOWER OF CREAM PUFFS

For the pastry:

1 cup water

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

generous pinch salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs, at room temperature

For the filling:

8 ounces semisweet chocolate

6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

3/4 cup heavy cream

    

Set the oven to 400 F. Line a cookie sheet with baking parchment.

In a saucepan, combine the water and butter and bring to a boil over low heat. Stir in the salt. Slowly add the flour, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and add the eggs, one at a time, stirring hard, quickly and continuously until well incorporated.

Form this sticky batter by the tablespoonful into 16 rounded mounds on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool.

Make the filling: Chop 6 ounces of the chocolate and melt it in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over simmering water. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until very smooth. Beat in the melted chocolate.

In another bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.

Slice the cream puffs in half horizontally and heap with filling. Put the top on and layer them on a platter, building a cone-shaped tower out of the filled puffs.

Chop the remaining 2 ounces of chocolate and melt in the top of a double boiler. Drizzle over the cream puffs. Serve within one hour.

Yield: 16 cream puffs

Recipe from “River Run Cookbook” by Jimmy and Maya Kennedy and Marialisa Calta (HarperCollins, 2007)

Marialisa Calta is the author of “Barbarians at the Plate: Taming and Feeding the American Family” (Perigee, 2005). For more information, go to www.marialisacalta.com.

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