Here Are Our Most Instagrammable Desserts Ever

Juicy cherry or grape tomatoes are coated in a light caramel to make the "topping" for this tart, but the whole thing is baked upside down in a skillet. Do most of the steps to prepare it in advance—make the zucchini paste and defrost the puff pastry a few hours or up to two days ahead—but be sure to serve the tart just after baking, turning it out from the pan in front of guests. It tastes best while the caramel is still runny and the warm, topmost layer of dough has a custardy consistency. Get the recipe for Cherry Tomato Tarte Tatin »

Pastry expert Niko Triantafillou of Dessert Buzz has made creating the perfect canelé one of his life quests. His recipe is the real deal: crunchy and caramelized to a deep mahogany brown on the outside, moist and custardy within, and deeply perfumed with dark rum and vanilla bean. Get the recipe for Canelés de Bordeaux »

With three colorful layers of ice cream domed atop a fudgy, flourless chocolate cake, our version of this retro dessert is a project perfect for celebrations. (Especially if you make your own ice cream: We used our homemade Pistachio Gelato and Raspberry Ice Cream.) You can vary the assembly as you like—layering the ice cream in any pattern or thickness, or flambéing the meringue topping or not. But whatever you choose, give yourself a day or two in advance to prepare. Get the recipe for Baked Alaska »

At Zulya Kazimova's bakery in Baku, pakhlava—the Azeri version of baklava, which she cuts into a diamond shape—is made using 14 layers of a dense yeasted dough rolled out so thinly and painstakingly that it becomes translucent. For home cooks, prepared phyllo dough produces a wonderfully crisp, lighter, and flakier version. To defrost frozen phyllo quickly, set it in a microwave (still wrapped in its plastic packaging) on the defrost setting for about 30 seconds, then rotate the package and repeat. Get the recipe for Almond-Cardamom Pakhlava »

This over-the-top architectural dessert (also known as brick toast) is popular in tea shops and casual restaurants in Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore. The dish is meant to be shared with a friend (or three) and the more color, texture, and height the better, so don't skimp on the garnishes. Cookies, seasonal fruit, and candy are typical ingredients, but sprinkles, nuts, and flavored syrups are not unheard of. Get the recipe for Shibuya Honey Toast »

This elegant cake is soaked in a fragrant lemon syrup, perfumed by flower waters. The garnish is candied rose petals sprinkled with toasted coconut. Get the recipe for Semolina-Coconut Cake with Orange and Rose Waters »

Fresh mango, mixed into the base and fanned on top of this warmly spiced pumpkin dessert—chef Pierre Thiam's version of his wife's classic pumpkin cake—adds a tropical brightness and dramatic presentation to his Thanksgiving table. Get the recipe for Mango and Pumpkin Spice Cake »

Use leftover dough from the butter crust of this creamy lemon custard pastry to make decorative cookies to adorn the outside. Get the recipe for Lemon Custard Tart »

As Monica Bhide wrote in her homage to cardamom ("Queen of Spices," April 2010), a love for this spice stretches from South Asia to Scandinavia. These cream-filled, cardamom-scented pastries are traditionally served in Sweden on the day before the beginning of Lent. Get the recipe for Cardamom Cream Puffs (Semlor) »

Soft, very ripe peaches work best in the filling for this summery tart from Piedmont home cook Maddalena Bellorini. Get the recipe for Amaretti Peach Tart (Crostata di Pesche Cotte e Amaretti) »

Broiled, sugared grapefruit slices and a citrus glaze top this moist cake scented with zest. Get the recipe for Glazed Grapefruit Cake »

Fresh or frozen cranberries make the base for this tart custard pie. Get the recipe for Cranberry Chiffon Pie »

Light and lemony batter is deep fried and dusted with powdered sugar for a sweet May Day treat. Get the recipe for Finnish May Day Funnel Cakes (Tippaleipä) »

A childhood breakfast treat gets an upgrade with strawberry jam and tangy goat cheese. Get the recipe for Goat Cheese and Strawberry Breakfast Tarts »

These cupcakes are the perfect spring or summer treat—light and airy angel food cake is topped with a tangy lemon-mascarpone frosting and garnished with fresh berries. Get the recipe for Angel Food Cupcakes »

This breakfast treat is a decadent update of the classic cinnamon bun: the chocolate-hazelnut addition of Nutella makes for a gooey finish. Get the recipe for Nutella Buns »

This ice cream sandwich, sold as a street snack in Singapore, comes in an array of colors and flavors. Author Chris Tan advises using bleached all-purpose flour to produce a soft, Wonder bread-like crumb. Get the recipe for Ice Cream Loti »

When making this deluxe campfire treat, look for square marshmallows—they fit the graham crackers better and give chocolate a wider surface on which to melt. Get the recipe for Ultimate S'more »

This version of the cake is a potluck and bake sale favorite; the addition of crushed pineapple helps to keep it sweet and moist. Get the recipe for Classic Carrot Cake »

Three velvety layers sandwiched with thick dark chocolate icing make a decadent, crowd-pleasing dessert. Get the recipe for Very Moist Chocolate Layer Cake »