Ice-Cream Sundaes

If ice cream says summer, then homemade ice cream screams delicious – and this one doesn't even need the help of an ice-cream machine. Make either the gooey caramel or rich chocolate sauce to pour over top. Then choose toppings from bowls of crushed nut brittle, fresh fruit and candy sprinkles to lavish over top – and create the ultimate hot-weather treat.

Canadian Maple-Glazed Doughnuts

In cooking, a sponge is a batterlike mixture that becomes foamy. Here it makes lightweight but not airy doughnuts.

Butter Tart Ice Cream

Chunks of buttery shortbread and a sweet butterscotch ripple make this ice cream taste just like Canada's favourite tart. If you like raisins or pecans in your butter tarts, swirl a small handful into the ice cream when you add the butterscotch and the cookies.

Brown Sugar Rounds

Apricot Sesame Thumbprints

Sesame seeds add the perfect amount of savouriness to these otherwise sweet cookies. For a pretty finish, use your fingers to pinch together any cracks in the dough after you've formed the thumbprints.

Honey Pecan Pie

This classic fall dessert uses honey in place of highly processed corn syrup. Preheat the baking sheet along with the oven. This will help the pastry cook to a perfect golden brown on the bottom. Serve at room temperature to allow the filling to set.

Caramel Pumpkin Custard

Pastry chef Miriam Folkins prefers the dense orange butternut squash to pumpkin in this delicious Thanksgiving version of crème caramel.

Chocolate Cherry Rugalach

Chewy, crunchy and sticky—these fruity, chocolaty bites have it all! A mix of jam and dried fruit in the filling delivers maximum cherry flavour without being overly sweet.

Spiral Sugar Cookies

Sprinkles and coloured dough make these cookies whimsical additions to your plate. The dough is easy to stir by hand, so kids won't need a mixer. Adults can help out with the slicing and baking.

Candy Cane Cookies

Use a heavy pan or rolling pin to crush the candy canes, then shake through a fine sieve to remove the powdery bits. Avoid the food processor because it will crush them to dust. Instead of candy canes, you can cut the dough into a variety of holiday shapes.