Fruit

Traditionally these banana fritters are sweetened with a syrup made from gur or jaggery, which gives them a musky aroma and a dark brown color. This version uses maple syrup, which hits many of the same notes as those sweeteners. These fritters are fluffy and tender on the inside, crispy and craggy on the outside.

Inspired by the tangram, a Chinese dissection puzzle made up of geometric shapes arranged in varying combinations to form other shapes, this design is one that has come to define the Lokokitchen aesthetic. While the concept is derived through coplanar placement of polygons and assorted angles, don’t get bogged down by the formula. Ultimately, the sum of its parts is simply a tart, and variables will translate, too.

This recipe has one of the most un-pie pie fillings you’ll ever come across. There’s nothing moist or juicy about it, and the name itself could very well scare you off, but somehow it all comes together. If you can imagine something like a coarse graham cracker–coconut cake, that would begin to describe it. You have to try this one to appreciate it. It begs for ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

The dark brown sugar gives this cake a little molasses edge, which cuts the sweetness of the berries and the richness of the cream cheese.

These crispy fritters are made with grated carrots, onions, and ginger, plus garam masala and chile. The dipping sauce has a hefty pour of bourbon, which adds warming depth.

A popular Southern dessert said to originate in England, chess pie consists of staple ingredients: eggs, butter, and sugar, bound with cornmeal, flour, or both. While some recipes rely on tangy buttermilk to offset the rich custard, this version uses lemon juice and barely cooked cranberries instead.

A vanilla wafer crumb crust gives signature banana pudding flavor to this meringue topped holiday pie.

Whole wheat flour and miso make this crumb cake a little sweet, a little savory, and entirely delicious.

This chicken comes with a crispy, craggy bread and squash salad that has all the buttery, herby flavor of classic stuffing.

Apple butter is a brilliant shortcut to a robustly flavored fall cocktail. Spiced with cinnamon and sometimes ginger, nutmeg, or clove, it brings in every essential autumn note in a teaspoon or two.

The earthy, floral flavor of chamomile soothes the spice of reposado tequila in this easy, cozy spin on the hot toddy.

This golden-hued turmeric hot toddy from Claire Sprouse of Brooklyn’s Hunky Dory is wonderfully savory from the combination of nutty Amontillado sherry and earthy turmeric.

Use plátanos manzanos—a short, fat, and incredibly sweet plantain variety—if you can find them. When pan-fried, the outside caramelizes and forms a hard shell while the inside becomes soft and custardy (like crème brûlée!). Look for them in Latin and Caribbean supermarkets or in the tropical fruit section of large supermarkets.

In essence, this is a sweetened cake made from cheese. I sometimes equate this dessert to the Indian version of Mexican flan because of its caramelized topping.