With alternating layers of meringue and buttercream, this raspberry-laden showstopper looks like a work of art, but can be easily accomplished with nothing fancier than a pastry bag. If you don’t have a pastry bag, you can use a plastic storage bag with one of the corners snipped off instead.
11. Linzer Cookies with Meyer Lemon Curd
The citrus doyenne of the kitchen: an extremely versatile cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange that yields lots of juice (without the harsh acidic bite) and has very little pith. Meyer lemons are slightly sweeter and less acidic than standard lemons, and render a curd that’s nothing short of magical. We love the meyer lemon curd sandwiched between cookies, but it’s equally good smeared across an English muffin or eaten directly off the spoon.
12. Pistachio Babka
Our take on this traditional twist bread—with pistachio paste filling—would make any Jewish grandmother proud.
