22 Desserts That Almost Look Too Good to Eat

This stunning dessert, inspired by a Modigliani portrait, is filled with a rich, soothing pastry cream. Sweet nectarine and delicate chamomile flavor the filling which is nestled into light meringue.

Recipe: Nectarine Pavlovas

This ice cream cake may look like a simple beauty, but it packs in a sweet zing. Mouth-awakening peppermint flavor is swirled into the layers for a delicious, refreshing surprise.

Recipe: Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream Cake

Don't let basil custard scare you off; topped with roasted apricots, it makes for a gorgeous tart. The tender crust adds to the savory-sweet nature of this dessert.

Recipe: Apricot-and-Basil Shortbread Tart

Bittersweet chocolate and orange make a heavenly combination in this decadent and divine tart. Candied orange slices taste wonderful and act as an irresistible, eye-catching design.

Recipe: Bittersweet Chocolate-Truffle Tart with Candied Oranges

Forget chocolate drizzles or fruit garnishes, souffles impress with their simplicity and taste. This sweetly simple stunner is sure to win over your sweetheart.

Recipe: Cappuccino Soufflé for Two

Humble after-dinner mints never dreamed of such opulence. A rich cocoa-enhanced pastry shell, gilded with melted chocolate, is filled with mint-infused panna cotta and then strewn with fresh sprigs and a choice of crimson fruit.

Recipe: Chocolate-Peppermint Tarts with Currants and Berries

An almost-instant crust, made with vanilla wafer cookies and smoked almonds, is the secret to this simple and unusual tart. It will make such an impact hitting the table that no one would dare guess it was a breeze to make.

Recipe: Creamy Peach Tart with Smoky Almond Crust

The sauce is a zesty complement to the tart's rich chocolate filling which, because it's bittersweet, will be sure to cure even the most stubborn chocolate craving. It's your chocolate binge given a seriously classy makeover.

Recipe: Bittersweet Chocolate Basil Tart with Honey Grapefruit Sauce

The best of both holiday worlds, this pie is easy and delicious — the refrigerator does just about all the work. Dust the cream topping with cinnamon for a truly sparkling touch.

Recipe: Pumpkin Cream Pie

Drizzled with bright ruby sauce and garnished with mint, it's easy to mistake these beauties for centerpieces. This dessert's appearance doesn't oversell, though; it tastes just as good as it looks.

Recipe: Quick Poached Pears with Ruby-Red Raspberry Sauce

In 2009, Allison Kave and her boyfriend, Jay Horton, were winners in Brooklyn, New York's Pie Bake-Off with this clever pie. The challenge was to use a local ingredient, so they chose apple cider and developed this delicious combination of cream pie and apple pie. Winning the contest was the impetus for Kave to open First Prize Pies in Brooklyn.

Recipe: Apple Cider Cream Pie

Fresh flavors and an appealing look enliven this dessert. Dense Campari-infused cake is punctuated with golden raisins and jewel-like grapefruit segments; ribbons of white chocolate mousse topped with a confetti of poppy seeds add a celebratory note.

Recipe: Poppy Seed Grapefruit Torte

Mix up your holiday traditions with this seasonal delight. Not only does the top look like it's sparkling with snow, the sweet-and-tart berries in the creamy custard pop when you take a bite.

Recipe: Brown Sugar-Cranberry Tart

This year, a new take on an old classic will make you forget all about both pumpkin pie and pumpkin cheesecake. Surrounded by nutty pistachio crust and topped with mouth-watering pistachio brittle, this pumpkin tart is sure to win you over on first sight.

Recipe: Pumpkin Tart with Pistachio Crust and Brittle

Once you break down and finally break into these adorable treats, it's hard to eat just one. The combination of moist, light chocolate cake with rich, chocolate-caramel frosting and flaky coconut is irresistible.

Recipe: Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Ganache and Coconut

The bright color and taste of mango adds a lift to the classic coconut cream filling in this tart recipe. Randomly placed swirls of cream and spirals of mango add an elegant flourish.

Recipe: Mango-Coconut Cream Tart

This tart recipe is sure to please with its winning combination of luscious chocolate ganache and smooth peanut butter. Impress with both taste and appearance: the easy marble pattern is made with a simple wooden skewer.

Recipe: Chocolate-Peanut Butter Tart

Bright, zest lemon curd makes this tart the start of any dessert table. Scattered with fresh berries, it'll have a gravitational pull on your guests.

Recipe: Lemon Berry Tart

Don't be discouraged by homemade caramel — it's not as difficult as you think! This fancy crème caramel will amaze your guests, but it's still an easy dessert.

Recipe: Creme Caramel

Bite-sized and bedecked with gum-paste cherry blossoms, these almond-flavored cakes will easily be the star of your next dessert plate, buffet, or spring party.

Recipe: Spring Shower Almond Petits Fours