Fruit Dessert

Sautéed on the stovetop or baked in the oven, these cinnamony apples add a sweet note to any meal. If you’re already baking something for dinner, pop some apples into the oven too, and if the oven temperature is hotter or cooler, don’t worry —just adjust the baking time.

Perfectly ripe fresh fruit is one the simplest and most enjoyable ways to end a meal. It’s effortless, healthful, and satisfying, especially when paired with cheese, its classic partner. Fresh fruit is best when it’s in season locally. In fact, when strawberries finally appear at the farm stand, they’re usually our first consideration in planning a menu: What would be a good supper to have before we eat the strawberries?

Old-fashioned and still delicious.

Warm, luscious bananas soaked in rum—a little taste of tropical paradise.

The easiest crumble we know of—it uses frozen cherries and store-bought shortbread cookies that you can find on the natural foods shelf. (See photo)

These subtly spiced pears have an attractive crinkly look and are a lovely finish for an autumn meal. They keep nicely in the refrigerator for 4 or 5 days.

Warm caramelized plums are delicious paired with cool and creamy mascarpone. You can also cook the plums under a broiler for about 10 minutes or on a tabletop grill for 5 minutes.

Think of pairing fruit in recipes like planning a seating chart at a dinner party. It’s usually a good idea to split up your two anarchist teenage nephews, right? Similarly, in a crumble it’s best to avoid putting two tart berries, like blackberries and cranberries, in the same bowl. For this recipe, I partner the testy blackberry with a dose of mellow peach, whose sweet charms keep the party on an even keel. Also, blackberries tend to lose their structure under heat, while the peaches—like apples and pears—stay true to form and give your crumble hearty body.

Overthinking is one of the most common problems when it comes to baking pies, having the same devastating effect as putting too much makeup on a pretty girl. Often, bakers trying to doll up a basic recipe find themselves left with an overburdened crust and fruit drenched in starchy goo. Have faith in your ingredient selection, and hold back when possible. Here’s a recipe that lets each part carry its own weight, leaving your hands free to twiddle thumbs, shoot finger guns, or slap high-fives.

Due to the especially juicy and tart nature of cherries, I substitute evaporated cane juice for agave in the cobbler topping for this dessert. It adds a stable texture that can stand up to the cherries. This recipe is for individual-size portions—sometimes (okay, often) it’s just fine to indulge this type of selfishness.

Before BabyCakes NYC, my dreams were limited to potential hairstyles, sarcastic comebacks, and still more prospective hairstyles. Nowadays, I dream almost exclusively of baked goods. One restless night, after being awakened by images of a fluffy blueberry cake topped with spiced crumbs and a rich vanilla sauce, I sprinted to the bakery to begin testing. I encountered a few setbacks, but once I found out that the crumb cooks faster than the base and must be added halfway through baking, my dream came true. Please don’t trust your instincts with this one; the window for applying the crumb is small. Add it too soon and your crumb topping will burn, too late and it will be soggy. Use those timers, people!

Rich, flaky shortcake is a perfect showcase for luscious strawberries.

I love all things fried, so I had to add a sweet tempura to my dessert menu. The batter comes out of the fryer crisp and full of flavor—a great foil for the sweet and tangy dipping sauce.