Dessert

Is this caramel cream-puff skyscraper a showstopper? Yes. Is it a major-league project? Yes! Here’s the strategy: Make the puffs and the pastry cream a couple of days in advance, then tackle assembly on the morning of the day you plan to serve this.

For extra texture, trick out your cake with rainbow or chocolate sprinkles, chopped candies, or your favorite cereal.

Use your favorite nut—or mixed nuts—in place of the cashews.

The water bath insulates these custards from the dry heat of the oven to ensure a lush, creamy custard.

It may not seem like very much filling, but these handheld pastries deliver the perfect filling-to-crust ratio (and if you overstuff the dough, they’ll be impossible to seal).

Like frozen lemonade on a stick; in place of thyme, try basil, mint, or lemon verbena.

If you like darker chocolate, feel free to use something with a high percentage of cacao here. Milk chocolate works too, if that’s your thing.

Using frozen strawberries ensures a consistent sweetness and vibrant red color.

You can use any flavor jam or jelly you like; substitute roasted salted peanuts to play up the salty-sweet angle.

For the neatest, cleanest edges, freeze the brownies for 15 minutes so they’re nice and firm before cutting, and dip your knife in hot water between each slice.

Room temperature cream cheese and butter are key to a smooth frosting (cold ingredients will form hard beads). Take them both out of the refrigerator three hours ahead of time.

Make sure to get your whisk into the bottom edge of the pan as you prepare the custard so that the mixture cooks evenly.

Despite the egg along the seal, and the crimps for extra insurance, the fruit juices will run; that’s what the parchment paper is there for.

Prosecco adds a little bit of a kick to these fruity pops. Avoid the urge to add any more than the recipe calls for—too much alcohol and the pops won’t freeze solid.

This tiramisu recipe is about a delicate touch—especially when it comes to the mascarpone mixture. It will curdle if overmixed.

Rhubarb-Almond Cake is an easy and elegant springtime dessert. Learn how to make it in this video.

Feel free to riff on this recipe and use any toasted nut or topping you like—try swapping in puffed rice, pecans, or dried currants.

Many bakeries sell chocolate bread, but you can always substitute with a marbled type (such as chocolate babka) instead.

Senior food editor Alison Roman caught up with Zachary Golper of Bien Cuit to find out what’s inside of his stellar chocolate buckwheat cookies.

The decidedly grown-up flavor of buckwheat—tannic, earthy, nutty—pairs nicely with chocolate and is tempered by sugar. Store unused flour in the freezer, as it can turn quickly.

Look for culinary lavender at specialty food stores, tea and spice shops, or online.

These gooey-but-crumbly bars strike the perfect balance between comforting and spring-y. Here's how to nail 'em.

This reader requested recipe is from the April 2003 issue (pictured above).

If you don't have a large pastry tip, simply cut off the tip of the pastry bag and pipe through the opening. The finished pies might not be quite as perfect, but they'll still taste good.