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Beat the cream cheese, ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add cooled gelatin mixture, beating on low speed and occasionally scraping sides of bowl with rubber spatula, until well blended. Stir in golden raisins.

Pour and spread cheese mixture evenly over prepared crust. Sprinkle top of bars with toasted almonds, if desired. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until firm. Use foil lining to remove uncut bars from pan to cutting board. Cut into bars. Store, loosely covered with foil or plastic wrap, in refrigerator.

MAKES 16 BARS.

ITALIAN PANFORTE PETITES

These dainty cookies capture the flavor of panforte, a dense Italian confection similar to American fruitcake. Cut the baked bars into bite-sized pieces.

1 (16.5-ounce) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1 cup canned unsalted mixed nuts, coarsely chopped

½ cup butterscotch baking chips

½ cup mixed dried fruit bits (or chopped dried fruit of choice)

½ cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with foil.

Break up the cookie dough into large bowl; let stand for 10–15 minutes to soften. Add the nuts, butterscotch chips, and dried fruit to dough; mix well with your fingers, the paddle attachment of an electric stand mixer, or a wooden spoon. With floured hands press dough into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the coconut over top of dough; gently press into dough.

Bake for 27–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into small squares.

MAKES 32 SQUARES.

KARMA KRUNCH BARS

Here’s an innovative twist on the no-bake cookie. Bright with the flavor of citrus, sweet with honey and tropical fruit, and peppery with ginger, they’re sure to be favorites at your next picnic pitch-in.

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup honey

4 cups miniature marshmallows

2 teaspoons ground ginger

6 cups oats and honey crispy cereal

1 cup dried tropical fruit bits or other dried fruit of choice

¾ cup roasted, lightly salted sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon grated lemon or lime zest

Lightly spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Melt the butter with the honey in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over low heat, stirring until blended. Add the marshmallows and ginger. Cook and stir until marshmallows are melted and mixture is blended.

Add the cereal, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, and zest to marshmallow mixture; mix well. With a large square of wax paper, press cereal mixture firmly into prepared pan. Cool completely. Cut into bars. Store in covered containers between layers of wax paper.

MAKES 24 BARS.

KEY LIME BARS

Whether the weather is already warm or just heating up, these chilled, tart, creamy bars have immense appeal. And even though they are excellent served cold on a sultry day, they are not exclusively hot-weather fare. It would be a shame to limit such pleasures to only one season of the year!

1 (18.25-ounce) package vanilla cake mix

1 stick (½ cup) butter, melted

1 large egg yolk

4 large eggs

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2/3 cup lime juice

1 tablespoon grated lime zest

Preheat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark-coated metal pan). Position oven rack in middle of oven. Spray an 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray (or foil-line pan; see page xxiv).

Reserve 1 tablespoon cake mix. Place the remaining cake mix, melted butter, and egg yolk in a large bowl. Blend for 1–2 minutes with an electric mixer set on low speed until well mixed and crumbly. Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

While crust bakes, whisk the eggs, condensed milk, lime juice, and reserved tablespoon of cake mix in a large mixing bowl until smooth; stir in lime zest. Carefully spread lime mixture over warm base layer.

Bake for an additional 20–24 minutes or until topping is set and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Refrigerate