This festive trifle will carry you through the holidays -- it’s a great do-ahead dessert with show-stopping results. Buttermilk pound cake is blanketed with layers of cranberry compote, orange-infused mascarpone cream and candied walnuts. Each bite is light and airy with the pop of sweet-tart cranberries and the crunch of cinnamon-dusted nuts, so be sure to get a little bit of everything in every spoonful.

Don’t let the length of this recipe deter you. It’s composed of several separate short recipes for each component that can (and should) be prepared well in advance of assembling the trifle, and the trifle can also be assembled in advance of serving. This will leave you with plenty of time to wrestle with that turkey.

Cranberry Orange Trifle With Candied Walnuts

Assembly Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Makes one large trifle, serving 8 to 10; or 8 individual trifles

1 buttermilk pound cake loaf (recipe follows or store-bought)

Cranberry Compote (recipe follows)

Orange Mascarpone Cream (recipe follows)

Candied Walnuts (recipe follows)

Finely grated orange zest, for garnish

Cut the pound cake into 3/4-inch cubes. Set aside a few whole cranberries from the compote for garnish.

Pour a thin layer of cranberry compote into the bottom of the trifle dish or individual serving glasses. Arrange a layer of pound cake over the compote. Top with a layer of cream. Sprinkle a few of the nuts over the cream.

Repeat the layering process, finishing with a layer of cream and nuts. Garnish with the reserved cranberries and finely grated orange zest.

Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 6 hours before serving.

(Optional: Brush each layer of pound cake with Cointreau or Gran Marnier for an adult version of this dessert.)

Buttermilk Pound Cake

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Yield: Makes 1 loaf

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment and butter the parchment.

Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Cream the sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.

Add half of the flour, then the buttermilk, and then the remaining flour, mixing to combine after each addition.

Pour into the loaf pan. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a rack and cool completely.

(The pound cake may be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate until use.)

Cranberry Compote

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: Makes about 1 3/4 cups

12 ounces cranberries, fresh or frozen

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the cranberries pop and release their juices, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and cool completely.

(The compote may be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Refrigerate until use.)

Candied Walnuts

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 1/2 cups walnut halves

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment. Spread the walnuts on a separate baking tray and bake 10 minutes.

Heat the sugar over medium heat in a small saucepan. As soon as it begins to dissolve, stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar liquefies and is amber in color.

Immediately add the walnuts, salt and cinnamon and stir to coat. Remove from the heat and spread the walnuts on the parchment-lined baking tray. Cool completely, and then break into coarse pieces.

(The nuts may be prepared up to 1 week in advance. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.)

Orange Mascarpone Cream

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: Makes about 3 cups

8 ounces mascarpone cheese, chilled

1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled

1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur, such as Cointreau (optional)

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, plus extra for garnish

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add the mascarpone to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a wire attachment and mix on medium-low speed to soften.

With the machine running, slowly add the heavy cream and mix to combine. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form.

Add the sugar, liqueur (if using), orange zest and vanilla, and beat until stiff peaks form.

(The cream may be prepared up to 6 hours in advance of assembling the trifle. Cover and refrigerate.)

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

I don’t bake muffins often, but when I do, I try to make them healthy and have them on hand for an easy breakfast or a snack. My issue with muffins is that they often resemble mini-cakes, packed with sugar and fat. To some extent, this can't be avoided if you wish to eat a muffin that doesn't resemble a hockey puck or bird food.

But I adjust, reducing some of the sugar and fat and adding healthy grains or cereals, fruit and nuts to the batter. I also add grated fruit, which is a key ingredient for natural sweetness and moisture.

Grated apple is the star of this recipe, which also includes raisins, chopped nuts and oats for extra fiber. As muffins go, they are reasonably healthy, while sufficiently naughty to indulge a craving for something moist and sweet. You can tweak this recipe if you like -- just make sure to follow the ratios. In place of apple, try adding grated carrot, zucchini or pear; and bran can be substituted for the oats. There’s no need to peel the fruit. The nutrients in the skin add a little extra healthy boost -- I’ll take my small victories where I can.

Apple Oat Muffins

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: Makes 12 (2 1/2-inch) muffins

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup unsulphured molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup raisins

1 medium sweet and crisp apple, such as Honey Crisp, grated, about 1 cup

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 12-muffin tin (or line with paper liners).

Mix the sugar and oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the molasses and vanilla, and then mix in the buttermilk.

Whisk the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Add to the sugar mixture and mix on low speed until just combined, without overmixing. Stir in the raisins, apple and walnuts, if using.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tin or paper liners, filling them. Transfer to the oven and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and cool the muffins completely on a rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

There are one-pan dinners, and there are sheet-pan dinners. They both make sense. By limiting the cooking action to a single pan, there is less to wash up, which is a definite bonus at the end of a long day. But there’s a more important advantage: One-pan cooking ensures that every ingredient mingles together during the cooking process, sharing the spices and flavorings while contributing to the pan juices, which, in turn, promises a very tasty and comforting dish.

I’ve prepared this recipe in various iterations for years. It was originally inspired by a Bon Appetit recipe, and since then I’ve tweaked and improvised it along the way. The key method remains the same -- which is that the whole lot is spread on a rimmed baking sheet at once, coated in a spicy garlic-infused oil, and then banished to the oven for just enough time to thoroughly cook the chicken. During the cooking process, the tomatoes cook down to a juicy sludge and melt into the pan juices, while the nubby chickpeas enjoy a bath in the fragrant sauce.

Before you know it -- voila -- you have a fragrant, saucy chicken dinner, ready in about 40 minutes, while most of that time is hands-off oven time. The flavorful sauce is the best part to this dish, so I serve the chicken over a bed of couscous to capture every drop, and serve the finished dish with a cooling dollop of spiced yogurt.

Sheet Pan Chicken Breasts with Tomatoes and Chickpeas

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro and/or mint

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon cayenne or piment d’Espelette

Salt

4 large boneless chicken breasts, with skin, 6 to 8 ounces each

1 pound grape tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Yogurt Sauce:

1 cup Greek whole milk yogurt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne or piment d’Espelette

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Whisk the oil, garlic, cilantro, paprika, cumin, zest, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Arrange the chicken, skin-side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Rub half of the oil all over the chicken pieces, between the skin and meat, and lightly season with additional salt.

Add the tomatoes and chickpeas to the bowl with the remaining oil and turn to coat. Spread on the cooking sheet around the chicken. Transfer to the oven and roast until the chicken is thoroughly cooked, 25 to 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat.

While the chicken is roasting, whisk the yogurt sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Arrange the chicken on serving plates, with couscous if desired. Garnish with fresh mint or cilantro and serve with the yogurt sauce.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS