Mini Cheesecakes

• Mini cheesecakes have all the richness of regular cheesecake -- they just come in a smaller serving size. Press the butter and cookie crumb base mixture in the bottom of each paper-lined cupcake mold. It’s important to use cupcake liners because they help in getting the delicate cheesecakes out of the molds without breaking the dessert. Fill each mold three-fourths full with a cheesecake mixture and bake or chill as directed by the recipe. Try vanilla cheesecake with blueberry topping for a classic treat or chocolate cheesecake with walnut crust for an indulgent twist.

Tartlets

• Tartlets are small pies without a top. They’re usually filled with fruit or custard, although almost any filling work. While you can buy special tartlet molds, cupcake molds work just as well. Press pastry or pie dough into the bottom and one-third the way up the sides of each lightly oiled cupcake mold. Bake the dough as needed. Fill the cooled dough with filling and chill or bake the tartlets. Use the tip of a knife to remove each tartlet from the mold. Make a strawberry-kiwi tartlet with lime glaze for a zesty treat or a cherry-topped vanilla custard tartlet for a creamy dessert.

Gelatin Cups

• Pour any flavor of gelatin into cupcake molds to turn the jiggly treat into individual cups that can stand alone on a plate. Lightly spray the cupcake molds with cooking spray, even if they’re nonstick molds. Fill each prepared cup three-fourths full with the gelatin and chill it. Slide the tip of a knife around the edge of each cup and then turn the cupcake pan upside down to release each portion. Wipe the excess oil gently from each gelatin cup with a paper towel. Try layering strawberry and lime gelatin in each cup for a colorful dessert with tang. Drop a cherry into each lemon gelatin cup for a sweet that echoes the flavor of berry lemonade.

Pastry Cups

• Pressing puff pastry into cupcake molds gives the dough a natural cup shape that you can fill with almost any ingredient. Press the dough into the bottom and three-fourths of the way up the sides of each paper lined or lightly oiled cupcake mold. Bake a pastry filled with minced apples, cranberries, walnuts and brown sugar for a fall-flavored dessert. You can also bake the plain pastry, let it cool and then fill it with mocha ice cream.