Fruit Dessert

A grunt, also called a slump, is a fruit dessert that’s cooked on the stove and topped with dumpling batter, which steams in the cooking liquid. In this case, the filling consists of blackberries and raspberries, and the whole-wheat dumplings are flavored with cinnamon and ginger. Serve dumplings splashed with heavy cream, if desired.

Berries, blended with ice and almonds, make a simple, refreshing dessert that is also packed with fiber and antioxidants. Raspberry and strawberry crushes are shown here (left to right), but blackberries and blueberries would work well, as would cut-up peaches or bananas.

Apples are very versatile—they work well with a variety of nuts, spices, and natural sweeteners. Rome Beauty apples hold up especially well during baking. Here, pecans, vanilla, and dark brown sugar create a winning combination of flavors in skillet-baked apples, irresistible served warm from the oven.

The peaches and cherries in this quickly prepared dessert are a great source of vitamins A and C. Vanilla beans are available in many large supermarkets and most specialty food shops; you can substitute one teaspoon pure vanilla extract for the one-half bean used below (don’t use imitation vanilla, which contains artificial ingredients).

When poaching delicate fruit, such as apricots and peaches, use a large shallow pan so the fruit can be in a single layer, rather than piled on top of each other. Also, keep the fruit submerged in poaching liquid with a round of parchment paper to prevent it from turning brown. After you serve the fruit, mix the poaching liquid with seltzer water to make a refreshing apricot fizz.

To make this Australian dessert—named for Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured Australia in the 1920s—whipped cream and fresh fruit are layered atop a crisp French-meringue shell. Properly baked, the meringue stays completely white and develops a crunchy outer shell and a soft, marshmallow-like interior. Pavlova is traditionally topped with passionfruit, strawberries, or kiwi fruit, but this recipe features poached apricots and fresh black raspberries. Feel free to top a pavlova with other fresh, macerated, poached, or even roasted fruits.

Macerating is a simple way to turn fresh fruit into a syrupy sauce. Sugar draws out the fruit’s juices; lemon juice preserves color and adds flavor.

This is a cross between a cookie and a crostata. Orange marmalade is one of the only fruit tart fillings that we don’t make from scratch because there are so many good versions of orange marmalade available in stores. Almond meal is available in the baking section of specialty food stores. If you can’t find it, grind fresh almonds in a food processor with a small amount of confectioners’ sugar until the almonds are the texture of fine meal. You will need a 3 1/4-inch round cookie cutter to make these.

Raspberry jam is the core of these delightful candies.

This tangy and chewy candy uses pecans and a generous amount of orange marmalade.

A sparkling coating of clear glaze enhances the beauty of fresh fruit. Because this glaze is fragile, the fruit must be eaten the same day it is prepared. Use only fruit that is perfectly ripe and unblemished, and make sure that the fruit is very dry before glazing, since humidity breaks down the glaze. A display of glazed fruit makes a stunning centerpiece for a buffet table or dinner party.

Sparkling and clear, these fruit jellies are fun to make.

Dried apricots and dates are mixed with honey, shaped into balls, and rolled in coconut to make a chewy, delectable confection.

Apricot and chocolate is a superb combination of flavors. This fruit confection makes an attractive presentation.

Dipping strawberries in chocolate is so easy and the results are so delicious. The flavor combination can’t be beat.

A popular ingredient in many confections, candied orange peel is also delicious eaten plain or dipped in chocolate.

This classic nougat is chock-full of almonds and candied orange peel. After you try it, you will doubtless never eat store-bought nougat again.