Black-and-White Pancake Cake

             Honeyed Yogurt Cheesecake

             Piloncillo Dessert Waffles with Caramel Cream and Pan-Roasted Bananas

             Maple Cream, Chocolate, and Walnut Tart

             Pistachio Sponge Cake with Honey Cream and Citrus

             —Honey: The Sweet Sophisticate—

             Five-Flavors Party Cake

             Chocolate, Cherry, and Cacao Nib Pavlova

             —A Tale of Two Meringues—

             Praline Cream Roulade

             Toblerone Tart

             Strawberry and Lemon Cream Puffs

             —Homemade Confectioners’ Sugar—

CLIMBING KILIMANJARO. CHILDBIRTH. Throwing your first dinner party and presenting a celebratory dessert to a roomful of oohs and aahs. I’m talking about dealing with adversity and arriving at the other side with a great triumph of the human spirit, people. For me, the ultimate dinner party or celebratory dessert has a touch of fancy flair, great visual appeal, and gives the impression that you have been extremely invested in the preparation of said dessert. So that’s what we’re going to get into in these next pages.

And I only wish I could be there, to see you in all your glory, leaning over your guests and placing the cake stand in the center of the table with languorous ease, blowing minds and taking names. You’ve got this.