PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO PATRIOTIC DESSERTS.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

Add a little patriotic flavor to all the weekend fireworks and feasting. Top off the Fourth of July celebration with a show-stopping dessert.

Keep a red, white and blue theme. You can create flag, star and other festive designs atop cakes, pies, cookies and more.

It's easy to get into the spirit with an array of colorful fresh blue and red berries, decorator or buttercream icings (which could be tinted red or blue with food colors), whipping cream, red, white and blue sprinkles or purchased edible sugar icing decorations in flag and other shapes (great for cookies or cupcakes).

For a dramatic touch, Ina Garten of the Food Network suggests her beautiful flag cake. You can even use it as a table centerpiece, providing you don't leave it out too long (the icing contains cream cheese).

Bake in an 18x12-inch sheet pan. If you don't have one, you can pick one up at a restaurant supply store (Star Restaurant Equipment and Supply Co. in Van Nuys is a good source) or a shop that specializes in cake decorating supplies. The cake serves two dozen people.

Both the cake and icing are made from scratch and aren't difficult. Bake the cake a day in advance - and even make and refrigerate the icing, but frost and decorate the cake within a couple of hours of serving (and refrigerate) for the best, freshest looks. If you prefer, you can do as Garten does and let guests help decorate the cake.

If you're really in a hurry, whip up two packages of yellow or chocolate cake mix as directed on the package and bake in the sheet pan. You could also use canned frosting in a pinch. Suit yourself, depending on your schedule. You can also bake cakes in star-shaped pans as well.

For other dessert selections, trendy shortcakes (they're showing up everywhere this year) are a good choice. Streamline the cakes by using baking mix (Bisquick) and cut the rolled-out dough into star shapes with a cookie cutter. Just before serving, split and fill the baked cakes with strawberries (or raspberries) and blueberries and lots of whipped cream. Top with mini paper flags.

If time is limited, create a layered trifle in a jiffy with store-bought pound cake, whipped topping and berries. In honor of the day, top with a patriotic design like a star made with berries.

A Fruit Tart and Fluffy Lemon Berry Pie are other quick inspirations. For tasty pick-up sweets for the kids, offer an array of decorated Sugar Cookies and Rice Cereal Treats with colorful designs as shown here. You could get the kids into the act and let them decorate their own goodies at the party with assorted tinted canned icings and candies. Just be sure to designate an adult to supervise and assist.

MY KRISPIE 'TIS OF THEE RICE CEREAL TREATS

1/4 cup margarine

4 cups miniature marshmallows

6 cups crisp rice cereal

Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with vegetable spray. Melt margarine in a large saucepan; add marshmallows. Cook and stir until melted. Add cereal and mix well. Spread into prepared pan. Unmold immediately and cut out stars using star cookie cutter or flags by cutting into 4x2-inch rectangles.

To decorate: Using ready-to-decorate blue aerosol icing, pipe with large round tip (tips come with icing can) in upper left-hand corner of cut-outs and smooth with spatula. Using star tip and red and white aerosol icings, pipe alternating red and white stripes. Using small round tip and white icing, pipe dot ``stars'' on blue icing. Makes 6 to 8 treats.

NOTE: For best results, spray spoon, pot, spatula and cutters with vegetable spray before using. This will prevent the crispy treats from sticking.

FLAG CAKE

CAKE:

18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups granulated sugar 

6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cornstarch 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

ICING:

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature

1 pound powdered sugar, sifted

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

ASSEMBLY:

2 half-pints blueberries

3 half-pints raspberries

Butter and flour an 18x12x1 1/2-inch sheet pan. For Cake, cream butter and granulated sugar in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment on high speed until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add eggs, 2 at a time, then add sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down sides and stir until smooth. Sift together flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda in a bowl. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture until just combined. Pour into prepared pan. Smooth top with a spatula. Bake in center of preheated 350-degree oven 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

For Icing, combine butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla in bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth. Spread 3/4 of icing on top of cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on top of cake with a toothpick. Fill upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across top of cake like a red stripe. Put remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing until flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving time. Makes 20 to 24 servings.

From ``Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa Family Style,'' by Ina Garten.

RED, WHITE AND BLUE SHORTCAKE STARS

1 1/2 quarts fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced (6 cups)

1 1/2 cups plus 6 tablespoons granulated sugar

4 2/3 cups all-purpose baking mix (Bisquick)

1 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped dried cherries

6 tablespoons butter OR margarine, melted

2 cups blueberries, rinsed and dried

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream 

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Mix strawberries and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar. Let stand 1 hour.

Mix baking mix, milk, cherries, remaining 6 tablespoons granulated sugar and butter until soft dough forms. Gently smooth dough into ball on surface sprinkled lightly with baking mix. Knead 10 times. Roll dough 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 12 stars or rounds with floured 3-inch star-shaped or round cutter. Place about 1-inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 425-degree oven 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Stir blueberries into strawberries. Beat whipping cream and powdered sugar in a chilled medium bowl of an electric mixer on high speed until stiff. To serve, split shortcakes in half. Fill and top with berries and whipped cream. Garnish with a paper flag on a pick in top of each dessert. Serve immediately. Makes 12 servings.

ALL-AMERICAN TRIFLE

2 cups cold milk

1 package (4-serving size) vanilla flavor fat-free sugar-free INSTANT reduced calorie pudding and pie filling mix

1 (13.6-ounce) fat-free pound cake, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced (about 2 cups)

1 cup blueberries, rinsed and dried

1 (8-ounce) tub light frozen whipped topping, thawed

Pour milk into a large bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with a wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Place 1/2 of cake cubes in a 3-quart serving bowl; top with 1/2 of EACH of fruits. Spread pudding mixture over fruit. Repeat layers of cake and fruit. Top with whipped topping. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Garnish in patriotic design as desired with additional berries. Makes 12 servings.

SUGAR COOKIES

1/2 cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar; add egg and mix. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Refrigerate dough 2 hours. Roll out dough 1/8-inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut out star or heart-shaped cookies using cookie cutters dipped in flour. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven 8 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Place on cooling rack 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheets and cool. Decorate as desired. Makes 18 to 24 cookies.

TO DECORATE STARS: Spread cookies with canned white decorator/buttercream icing or melted white candy melts. Press a store-bought flag icing decoration in center of each cookie and sprinkle patriotic red, white and blue sprinkle decorations around edges. To make into cookie pops, attach a lollipop stick (available at cake decorating supply stores) to back of cookie with melted chocolate, if desired.

TO DECORATE HEARTS: Using tinted blue icing (canned or homemade buttercream/decorator icing), spread in a small area in left-hand corner of cookie with a spatula until smooth. Using red and white icings, pipe alternating stripes using decorating bags and tip 12. Pat with finger dipped in powdered sugar to flatten stripes. Pipe white icing stars on blue area using decorating bag and tip 16.

FLUFFY LEMON BERRY PIE

1/2 of an 8-ounce package (4 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups cold milk

2 packages (4-serving size EACH) lemon flavor INSTANT pudding and pie filling mix

1 (8-ounce) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (6-ounce) ready-to-use shortbread crumb crust (OR use a homemade crust)

1/2 cup strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced

1/2 cup blueberries, rinsed and dried

Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Gradually beat in milk until well-blended. Add pudding mixes. Beat 2 minutes or until smooth. Immediately stir in 1/2 of whipped topping. Spoon into crust. Top with remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate 3 hours or until set. Just before serving, top with strawberries and blueberries. Refrigerate any leftovers. Makes 8 servings.

PATRIOTIC SUGAR COOKIE FRUIT TART

1 (18-ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries and blueberries (OR use peach, strawberry or kiwi slices)

Grease bottom and up sides of a greased 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Press cookie dough evenly in prepared pan. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 22 to 25 minutes or until edge is set and center is still slightly soft. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla in a small mixer bowl until smooth. Spread evenly over cooled cookie crust to within 1/2-inch of edge. Arrange fruit as desired on top of cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate 1 hour. Remove sides of pan; slice into wedges. Refrigerate any leftovers. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Keep the red, white and blue theme cooking

There are all sorts of Fourth of July-inspired items available to decorate desserts, use for serving and spruce up the kitchen with star-spangled spirit. Stores like HomeGoods, Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts, Michael's, Cost Plus and Target offer a wide array of choices. Here's a sampling of what we found at selected stores.

For baking, pick up a star-shaped Comfort-Grip Cookie Cutter made by Wilton Industries. Bakers might like the red, white and blue star-themed pot-holders ($1.99) and the colorful heart and star kitchen towels ($1.99), all available at HomeGoods. We also found lots of colorful patriotic plates and glasses and more at the store. This is a store that carries themed home goods for each holiday season throughout the year.

For fun, whip up a cake mix and bake cupcakes in paper baking and party cups (like muffin cups) with red and blue patriotic star designs by Wilton. The kids will love them. They are packed 50 per package for $1.04. After frosting the cupcakes, top with edible mint-flavored Stars & Stripes Icing Decorations in flag designs from Wilton (nine to a .99-ounce package for $1.74). They can also be used to decorate cookies and cakes.

Before the fireworks, start a blaze on your own table with star candles (by Wilton) in red, white and blue ($2.09 per package of four). All items available at Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts.

Serve cookies and other holiday desserts or fresh whole fruits like cherries or strawberries in a colorful Americana basket with a maroon, white and blue stars-and-stripes motif. Be sure to line the basket well with a washable napkin or food-safe plastic wrap before adding your goodies to avoid flavor contamination and soiling the basket. Available in a variety of sizes, an 8 1/2-inch basket is $4.99 at Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts.

See's Candies also gets in the holiday act with a few assorted patriotic- themed selections. Surprise the Yankee Doodle Dandies at the party with firecracker canisters, each filled with a variety of assorted sugar sticks, lollipops and butterscotch kisses. Keep these in mind for party favors for big or little kids if your budget allows. Otherwise incorporate a few into your table decorations ($4.50 per 6-ounce canister). Another favorite: See's festive sold milk chocolate balls wrapped in red, white and blue foil stars and stripes. Serve a bowlful with other dessert offerings ($4 per 8-ounce bag). If you're a sugar stick fan, use peppermint-flavored red, white and blue sticks to decorate cakes or just consume ``as is'' ($1.20 a bag). Pick up any of the items at See's Candies stores.

Available for a limited time, Marshmallow Peeps Stars - white stars with red and blue glitter - are packed nine or 15 to a tray ($1 and $1.59, respectively) and wrapped in colorful red, white and blue packaging. Let the kids use them instead of regular marshmallows to make festive s'mores or use them (don't gag) atop colored icing to garnish a Fourth of July cake effortlessly. Look for them at drug and discount stores.

- Natalie Haughton

CAPTION(S):

7 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) FLAG CAKE

From ``Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa Family Style,'' Clarkson Potter/Publishers Inc.

(2 -- color) MY KRISPIE 'TIS OF THEE RICE CEREAL TREATS

(3 -- color) RED, WHITE AND BLUE SHORTCAKE STARS

(4 -- color) no caption (star with flag in the center)

(5 -- 7 -- color) no caption (napkins, plate, See's Candies chocolate)

Box:

Keep the red, white and blue theme cooking (see text)