Pastry chef Christina Tosi oversees the desserts at David Chang's four Momofuku restaurants in New York City, all as hip as they are gastronomically revered. She also has her own bake shop, Momofuku Milk Bar, whose original location is a magnet for downtowners with late-night cravings. Tosi, whose influences range from the French Culinary Institute to Dairy Queen, likes to combine intense, well-balanced flavors and textures in her desserts. For us she baked up a supermoist banana cake, then added four distinctive fillings and toppings—banana cream, hazelnut crunch, chocolate hazelnut ganache, and hazelnut frosting. The effect is "creamy, crunchy, fudgy," says Tosi, with "flavors that are very in-your-face and delicious."
Get the recipe: Christina Tosi's Banana Cake
Plus: Christina Tosi's favorite secret ingredient
