Cardamom adds warm spice to towering, cream-filled pastries. See the recipe for Semlor (Cardamom Cream Puffs) »

Asst. Test Kitchen Director Ben Mims shared his family recipe for coconut cake, which showers three layers with flurries of freshly grated coconut.
Get the Coconut Cake recipe »

Though we call them “Floating Islands,” the original name of this French dessert translates into “Eggs in the snow.”
Get the Oeufs a la Neige (Floating Islands) recipe »

This classic French heart-shaped dessert combines a creamy cheese base with a rich, syrupy strawberry compote. Get the Coeur a la Creme with Caramelized Strawberries recipe »

Austria’s Viennese sweets are as well known as its Alpine slopes. This classic confectioners’ sugar-topped coffee cake comes from Demel, a 200-year-old Austrian pastry shop. Get the Marbled Coffee Cake recipe »

After baking, shower these crumbly walnut cookies with deep drifts of confectioners’ sugar. They’re akin to Mexican wedding cookies and Greek kourabiedes. Get the Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Crescents) recipe »
See also: Gluten-Free Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Crescents) »

The frost-like sugar crystals add a sandy crunch to these spicy doughnuts. Serve them warm with a hot beverage for dunking. Get the Nutmeg Doughnuts recipe »

Fleur de sel mimics crunchy ice crystals atop these chewy bites of vanilla caramel.

Downy flakes of finely shredded coconut add texture to these subtly sweet cocoa confections.

Crushed hard peppermint candies add a cool crunch to this classic Swedish toffee. (And minty sweets are extra-refreshing when it’s cold outside.) Get the Peppermint Caramels recipe »

This creamy Russian pressed cheese is fortified with golden raisins and ground almonds.
Get the Pashka (Russian-Style Farmers’ Cheese) recipe »

Dredge these mini-snowball treats in confectioners sugar twice — once while they are warm so the coating melts into the cookie a bit, and once when they are cool to insure a generous covering.
Get the Butter Balls recipe »

This French dessert is made the traditional way, with unpitted cherries for extra flavor. If this idea unsettles you, don’t hesitate to use pitted ones. See the recipe for Cherry Clafoutis »

The meringue dome on this American classic gives it a dramatic igloo-like shape. The insulating egg white hides strawberry ice cream and cake. Get the Baked Alaska recipe »

This delicious layer cake, popular at afternoon teas in England, was named in honor of Queen Victoria. It eschews cloying frosting for a shower of confectioners’ sugar and a filling of whipped double Devon cream with strawberry jam. Get the Victoria Sponge Cake recipe »

Chef Claudia Fleming adds tangy buttermilk to this rich, simple panna cotta. The result is a pristine, snowy custard flecked with vanilla bean. See the recipe for Buttermilk Panna Cotta »

Like a tan-toned gingerbread, this cake uses dark cane syrup and a feather-light dusting of confectioners’ sugar, for garnish. Get the Acadian Syrup Cake recipe »

In our version of Pastel de Tres Leches, blond sponge cake is soaked in sweet milk and topped with a fluffy, white meringue frosting. Get the Pastel de Tres Leches recipe »

A liberal dusting of confectioners’ sugar blankets this dark, dense cake in pure white.

Whipped cream adds body and richness to this simple rice pudding from the SAVEUR archive. Get the Rice Pudding recipe »

A ramekin of flourless souffle always looks more inviting with the lightest dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Get the Chocolate Souffle recipe »