Walking into Bien Cuit Bakery, which just opened a couple weeks ago on Smith Street in Boerum Hill, you get that overstimulated-in-a-bakery feeling. Rustic bread loaves the size of Jeep tires in baskets next to long baguettes. Dainty tarts piled with plump cherries and wet, juicy peaches behind the glass case. You're also a little intoxicated by the warm, yeasty baking aroma from the ovens (and want to bottle it up for later). More

For all the classic Austrian desserts you can find at Cafe Sabarsky, I've always had a soft spot for the ordinary-looking Fruit Crumble Tarte ($8). More

At Osteria Morini, a quenelle of pure white mascarpone cream finishes off the Pear Tart ($11) on the dessert menu. It's not just any old pear tart, mind you More

[Photo: Kathy YL Chan] If you're lucky enough to score Ceci-Cela's Plum Tart ($5.25) still warm, you've struck gold. A whole plum is quartered and nestled deep into a puff pastry shell, with the slightest layer of custard in... More

[Photo: Kathy YL Chan] The sweets at Petrossian—cakes, pastries, cookies—blow me away time after time. There are only few New York bakeries that never fail to impress, and this is one them. But it's rarely the first place that... More

[Photo: Kathy Chan] On mornings when a croissant alone from Patisserie Claude isn't quite enough, chase your morning meal with something a little sweet. The éclairs, in chocolate and coffee, are a rich affair, better suited for the evening;... More

[Photo: Kathy Chan] One of the better pear tarts ($4.50) in Manhattan, with tender pear slices tucked in a dense frangipane filling. The crust is well-browned and consistently buttery; the filling, dense and tender, with coarsely ground almonds blended... More

[Photo: Kathy Chan] A fig tart spotted at Financier, one of their seasonal sweets. A buttery shortbread crust, with chopped almonds piled above marzipan and a shiny caramel glaze. Cuts of fresh tender figs and a solitary raspberry. I... More

After dinner at DBGB last week, Ed, Robyn and I shared a trio of desserts. I tried to pick a favorite, as I always do when a crowd of sweets land at the table. But really, such a task... More

At Patisserie Claude, the anatomy of an apple tart includes a crackly butter crust, thin sliced apples, fruit glaze, and a sugar dusted rim. I'm still a firm believer that the patisserie churned our higher-quality products when Claude was... More