Velvet cheesecake with a nut crust was the best of the desserts.

Warm chocolate cake with a thin pine nut crust has a nice textural contrast, as does a napoleon with phyllo layers sandwiching lemongrass cream with raspberry sauce.

The nut crust, which browns quickly, adds eye appeal as well as flavor because, without it, the thin slices of fish would be cooked long before they were browned.

Prepare the nut crust and set aside.

The coconut-macadamia nut crust girdling the escolar was so savory that we could have happily discarded the fish and concentrated on the crust alone.

Place in the oven and bake about 10 minutes, until the nut crust just begins to color.

Pies include apple-cranberry crisp, chocolate-pecan, cranberry ice cream with graham cracker crust and lemon tart with pine nut crust.

And speaking of Nesselrode pie, there have been several inquiries on whether the nut crust must be baked.

Among entrees, the most disappointing was a rack of lamb with a pine nut crust that was too thick and too intrusive.

Her entree of tender pork loins in a nut crust was equally well received.