Life
How to Make Your Own Cronut, and 10 Other Iconic Bakery Desserts
A sweet tooth is like a long-distance relationship. Because unless your favorite dessert is in your hand right now, it isn’t close enough. Maybe, if you’re lucky, it’s at the bakery around the corner. Or maybe it’s halfway around the world, a memory of that sweet, summertime fling you had in Paris once. You long for it. You dream of it. You write it letters, but it’s just not the same.
This week, let’s put an end to the heartbreak. Whether you pine for Momofuku’s crack pie or Pierre Hermé’s macarons, we unearthed the most iconic pastry recipes…no bakery needed. Ready your mixing bowls — we’re bringing dessert home for the night.
Image: Hummingbird High
Momofuku Milk Bar's Crack Pie
Momofuku Milk Bar’s Christina Tosi wasn’t kidding when she named this crack pie. Creamy and decadent, it’s the stuff of dreams — and The Moonblush Baker took it to the next level with bacon.
Image: The Moonblush Baker
Serendipity 3's Frozen Hot Chocolate
Serendipity 3 is as famous for the staff’s snippy attitudes as much as it is for the over-the-top desserts. Do yourself a favor and whip up a tall, icy cup of frozen hot chocolate at home — no sneering waiter needed. Thanks, Brown Eyed Baker!
Image: Brown Eyed Baker
Pierre Hermé's Ispahan
Pastry legend Pierre Hermé isn’t exactly known for quick and easy desserts. His Ispahan, for example, is like a macaron on steroids: giant, studded with raspberries and lychee, and topped off with rose buttercream. It’s a project, but Bakecetera is here to walk you through it.
Image: Bakecetera
Hummingbird Bakery's Lemon Bars
Tucked away in London, Hummingbird Bakery is so good that it inspired an entire blog. Treat yourself to its famous lemon bar, courtesy of (who else?) Hummingbird High.
Image: Hummingbird High
Lady M's Mille Crêpes
We thought one crêpe was good. But when we tried Lady M’s cake of 30, smothered with pastry cream on every layer, we nearly died of happiness. Wandercrush has a recipe for the iconic dessert — with a tiramisu-inspired twist.
Image: Wandercrush
Pierre Hermé's Mogador
Another glorious creation from Pierre Hermé, the Mogador is the pastry chef’s signature macaron, made with a passion fruit and milk chocolate ganache. Iron Whisk has the scoop.
Image: Iron Whisk
Chez Panisse's Almond Torte
Before farm-to-table was a thing, San Francisco’s Chez Panisse was all about eating seasonally and eating well. Among pastry chef Lindsey Shere’s most iconic desserts is her airy almond torte. Alexandra Cooks breaks it down.
Image: A Pastry Affair
Bouchon Bakery's Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chef Thomas Keller of Bouchon Bakery gives the classic cookie a twist with hearty chocolate chunks and an extra dose of molasses. Hummingbird High shows us how.
Image: Hummingbird High
Momofuku Milk Bar's Compost Cookie
We just couldn’t stop at Momofuku’s crack pie. These compost cookies are reminiscent of your standard kitchen sink cookies — but with Chef Tosi’s signature, magical touch. Thanks, Brown Eyed Baker!
Image: Brown Eyed Baker
Pierre Hermé's Chocolate Eclair
What can we say? The man is a genius — and even though macarons are his specialty, he makes a killer éclair. The Tummy Train shares his recipe for a rich chocolate filling.
Image: The Tummy Train
Dominique Ansel's Cronuts
Of course, what kind of friends would we be if we didn’t leave you with a Dominique Ansel-inspired cronut recipe? Half Baked Harvest takes a stab at the infamous dessert — and then drizzles it all in an apple cider caramel.
Image: Half Baked Harvest
