and bake it completely. This baked crust will then be ready to take various toppings. In a few situations you might want to only par-bake the crust -when doing a baked apple pizza, for example. Toppings: Cheeses: For the sake of simplicity and good taste, cheeses can be narrowed down to three: ricotta, mascarpone and cream cheese. Fruits: Just about any fruit will work. Using fresh fruit will control the moisture. Nuts: Walnuts, pecans, almonds, and pine nuts are favorites. Miscellaneous: Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves work well. Crushed or ground amaretto cookies make a great topping over cheese and fruit. Chocolate chips, raisins and zest of oranges, lemons or limes can be used most effectively to pump up the flavor. A dusting of confectioners' sugar looks good and goes a long way in the taste department. Brushing or layering fruit preserves or a fruit glaze on the crust before toppings go on adds a lot of flavor and offers a wide range of taste possibilities.