Baked Goods and Sweets

Dietmar Muthenthaler, the head chef of Demel, the legendary pastry shop in Vienna, Austria.

Everyday ingredients can undergo remarkable transformations. Sugar becomes caramel, butter becomes butterscotch, egg whites become meringue. The metamorphosis from simple to sublime is the product of forceful whisking, patient stirring, and meticulous timing—processes that are as scientific as they are artful. From rustic sweets like huckleberry crisp and sticky buns to more lavish desserts, like a ganache-topped caramel tart, the meal’s sweet finish makes us feel like a kid again.