This is a lighter alternative to traditional cheesecake. The flaky crust and the addition of ricotta help lighten the affair, making it the perfect finish for early summer dinners. While this pie would be great with any fruit topping, I recommend strawberries and rhubarb, made with frozen or fresh strawberries and fresh rhubarb. More

Seldom do I promote a recipe so chock-full of store-bought components, but when there are Oreos involved, I make an exception. This is just the ticket for lovers of the cookies n' cream combo, when an ordinary bowl of ice cream just won't do. More

The composition of your parfait is your own adventure. The basic rule is that you want to choose an ice cream, a topping, and a sauce which act either in harmony or in unison with your pie flavor. For instance, you could compose a harmonious concoction by pairing a slightly tart apple pie with cinnamon ice cream, graham cracker crumbles, and caramel sauce; or, you could go matchy-matchy and pair a slice of grasshopper pie with mint chocolate chip ice cream, thin mints, and chocolate sauce. More

This pie, with its layers of sponge cake, vanilla pudding, and a slick of sweet dark chocolate glaze, is a classic. More

Alice Medrich, author of Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts has simplified the Austrian classic by making a rich, almond based dough that comes together in the food processor and never once necessitates the use of a rolling pin. More

This easy sugar and cream pie has an inviting sweetness and custard-like consistency. More

Notes: There's only a half-cup of almond flour in the tart crust but it's enough to add a mild, nutty note to the crust. If you're allergic to almonds, replace the almond flour with 1/4 cup sweet rice flour and... More

Where most lemon pies are single crusted affairs, this pie is double crusted with a thick, sweet lemon filling that's similar to the pudding-like innards of a Lemon Meringue. Once the pie is baked and cooled, its top is covered with what amounts to chocolate frosting. More

Making this pie is the best way I know to celebrate the coming of spring. While many people might only think of rhubarb in pie as a secondary ingredient, you'll be surprised and pleased at how well it can shine completely on its own. When adding the sugar, feel free to scale up or down, depending on your desired level of tartness. More

[Photograph: Lauren Weisenthal] This recipe is modified from Claudia Fleming's book The Last Course, which is currently out of print. About the author: Lauren Weisenthal has logged many hours working in restaurant kitchens and bakeries of Brooklyn and Manhattan. She... More

Creamy, rich crème brûlée makes an outstanding pie filling. More

Preparing a homemade version of the popular store-bought pastries is extremely easy, and placing rows of jelly beans in the middle is a vibrant way to make use of any straggler candy. The jelly beans become soft and slightly gooey while still the tarts are still warm; they form into flattened but soft little sugar lumps when cooled. More

This is a light and refreshing mousse pie made with mango puree, which you can make using fresh or frozen mangoes pureed in a blender, or with puree purchased from the store. Unlike many mousses, this one contains no egg whites and relies on whipped cream to give it volume and gelatin to stabilize it. I love serving this pie in the springtime, when mangoes are at their peak. More

This Southern classic is similar to pumpkin pie. Buttermilk adds a slight tang. More

This is a great, basic recipe for Chess Pie, the gooey, sweet Southern classic. The filling is a rich custard that's sweeter than most, balanced just slightly with the addition of white vinegar. A small amount of flour and cornmeal create a very thin, crispy caramelized crust over the top. More

This pie honors the classic Girl Scout cookie by combining an oaty cookie crust and a smooth peanut butter mousse filling. Of course a few Do-Si-Dos are the perfect topping. More

This is basically an awesome, tropical crème brûlée that's reminiscent of a pina colada, in tart form. More

A simple splash of Irish cream gives this already-delicious triple chocolate pie an intoxicating upgrade, adding a creamy and slightly bracing (in a good way) flavor contrast. More

Pâte sucrée is the sweet, crumbly French tart dough used for baking the bases of sweet tarts. The dough is chilled twice, once after mixing and again once it has been shaped in a tart pan. This recipe makes enough dough for two tarts. Make one now, and freeze the rest of the dough for next time. More

This variation on apple pie lends some variety in texture and flavor. You can (and should) customize the sweetness, based on the levels of tartness of the apples and dried fruits that you choose. More