No fancy concoction by a pastry chef can match the direct appeal of a dessert made by a good home cook, whether a berry cobbler, a lemon meringue pie, a sour-cream cheesecake or a bowl of freshly churned ice cream. For the better part of a decade, Richard Sax has searched out 350 of the most treasured home desserts from around the globe. The result is the most comprehensive collection of its kind yet assembled. "These are the desserts made at home by mothers and grandmothers rather than by professional pastry chefs," Sax writes. "Those included are only the best in each category-the things you can bring to your table with confidence, knowing they will be eaten to the last crumb." Every dessert you"ve ever wanted to make is here: --Fruit cobblers, crisps and compotes --Puddings, creams and soufflés --Pies and tarts of every description --Sauces and ice creams --Simple pastries --Plain cakes, fancy cakes and coffee cakes Recipes include: Southern-Style Peach and Raspberry Cobbler, Frozen