Jessica Berndt

Panettone, which makes its traditional Italian Christmas appearance, is gussied up here with any dried fruit you fancy. An ever so slight twist on a classic.

First you make an Oreo cookie crust. Then you smother it with a bittersweet and semisweet chocolate custard. The final flourish is whipped cream infused with vanilla. Sigh.

Studded with almonds and coated in silky chocolate, this roca—essentially toffee—is utterly impossible to resist. Give it as a holiday gift.

A holiday cookie if we ever saw one! So buttery, so nutty, so delicate, so mind-bendingly charming, these traditional Viennese cookies rival the city's fancier pastries as our fave.

Strawberries, rhubarb, lemon, and sugar are all it takes to fix a batch of the sassiest pink sauce you've ever tasted.

When spring is in the air, or if you just wish it was, this beguiling asparagus frittata will make your heart go pitter-patter.

"Absolutely the best thing I’ve put in my mouth in a long time!" That's what we're hearing about this buttery, citrusy, playfully easy-to-eat coffee cake. We're not arguing with that sentiment.

Those days when meal planning goes south and weeknight weariness looms, simple salvation can be found in this easy skillet lasagna made with store-bought ravioli.

An updated Italian classic made with all the usual suspects along with an unexpected drizzle of pesto that turns a frugal veggie-bin catch-all into something truly astounding.

A perfectly flaky crust. A simple goat cheese filling. Some fresh pesto. And those spectacular heirloom tomatoes sitting on your counter. Surprisingly simple. Impressively spectacular.

As easy as the classic Toll House recipe but a lot more memorable, these beauties boast ample chocolate chunks, a subtle nuttiness from the tahini, crackly edges, and oh so soft centers.

Dare we say this is better than your mom's rhubarb pie? We dare. This lovely rendition flaunts a lovely custard filling with sweet-tart rhubarb atop an impossibly buttery and flaky crust.

Crisp at the edges, chewy in the center, and (sorta) wholesome through and through, these are a revelatory riff on the classic.

This tempting tangle of fettuccine, brown butter, and eggs makes paltry pantry items somehow seem perfectly lovely for brunch, lunch, or a late, late, late supper.

A remarkably—and deceptively—simple that cake boasts an understated elegance that befits this frugal and classic Italian dessert.

Pretty much banana nut bread smothered in honey cinnamon butter. Feels indulgent. But actually quite virtuous.

Store-bought puff pastry makes this elegant baked Brie a cinch to pull off. (But that can be our little secret.)

Easily the most unique carrot cake we've ever experienced. And we mean that in the best possible way.

An easy weeknight meal that's an unassuming melding of red lentils, harissa, sautéed onions, and garlicky tahini sauce that can only be described as magical. (Yes, lentils can be magic.)

Sourdough like you've never, ever experienced before.