“This is the only recipe that I don’t make a lot anymore. It’s my favorite cake recipe from one of my favorite pastry chefs, and this is exactly how she made it,” says chef William Eick.

This light yet indulgent dessert blends the tangy brightness of citrus with the rich creaminess of farmer’s cheese, all atop a buttery graham cracker crust.

This French-style dessert comes with a bonus: It looks more difficult to make than it really is. “It can be impressive, particularly if you use a nice serving vessel,” chef Michael Hung says.

Store-bought cannoli shells make it easy to create this gorgeous Italian dessert, which provides balance to the other items on Fabrizio Cercatore’s spring menu.

“This tart recipe makes the best of California-grown goodness, is impressive for guests and really simple to pull together. I often add a bit of orange zest when serving for an easy added flourish, and it seems fabulous, too,” digital marketer and recipe developer K.C. Cornwell says. She warns that once you try this “ridiculously easy” pistachio crust, it will be difficult to go back to regular pastry.

Chef Andie Hubka says salt is one of a cook’s most important ingredients. This dessert, for example, “completely changes when you add salt, especially sea salt, which has a high salinity.” 

Here’s one of the favorite recipes from Dragon Delights farm in Ramona.

Elevate your peaches and cream by topping it with masa crumble. This addition gives you another layer of texture, and the earthy flavor helps balance the sweetness of the fruit and whipped cream. Alternately, feel free to serve the peaches and cream as is!