Fruit Dessert

Peaches are abundant in the area around Piacenza. My mom's mother, Nonna Stella, used to use them in this traditional dish during the months when the peaches were at their best. In fact, my mom likes to tell me how, when she was pregnant, she ate them nonstop. The peaches should be very ripe and juicy. If they're not so juicy, you may need to chop an extra peach half for the filling, to add a little moisture. Make amaretti crumbs by pulsing the cookies in a food processor, or putting them in a resealable plastic bag, and crushing them with a rolling pin or a meat mallet.

Editor's note: Chef, nutritionist, and cooking teacher Lourdes Castro shared this recipe from her cookbook, Latin Grilling. It's part of a festive Cuban party menu she created for Epicurious. Plantains, ripe or unripe, are a staple of Cuban cooking. And while everyone loves the ripe ones (maduros), no one ever wants to make them. Typically deep-fried, they are a mess to make and never seem to come out with that candylike coating you get at good restaurants. This recipe solves the problem: simply grilling very ripe plantains and basting them with a butter-sugar glaze is all it takes to re-create the good stuff. These are a must at all my family cookouts.

Pavlova is Australian for "big meringue topped with stuff" (typically berries and whipped cream).

When coring the pears, make sure you also remove the fibrous portion along the line of the stem. Then, before serving, make sure to let the pears cool until they are just warm or room temperature. The flavor and texture is much richer once they've cooled. In fact, these pears are perfect for a dinner party or an event where food may be sitting out for a bit; the flavor actually gets better as they rest. Keep in mind the cooking time may vary depending on the variety of pear you use. Some are considerably firmer than others, so if the pears don't seem cooked enough after the suggested cooking time below, continue roasting them until they're very tender. It could take up to an additional half-hour if you get a really firm variety.

Even easier: Buy fresh pineapple that's already been peeled.

This is an easy way to enjoy figs that aren't dead ripe. I particularly like Mission figs here because of their dark purple flesh and skins, which roasting burnishes to a fine color. I serve these warm with just a dollop of crème fraîche slipped in between the two halves. This is easy to make for any number of people, from one to many.

Lemons and blueberries have complementary flavors. Here, the berries are arranged inside a lemony molded frozen mixture, to create the perfect dessert for serving at the height of the summer blueberry season. The mousse can be made up to 3 days in advance of serving.

Miso is the secret savory ingredient in the topping for this luscious cobbler.

My most coveted pie is of the apple variety. To me, nothing says an afternoon out by the grill than having an apple pie to finish off the experience. What sets this pie apart from your normal apple pie is that I use a whopping thirteen apples that I slowly cook down with Vietnamese cinnamon and brown sugar, creating a collection of flavors so distinctively comforting, you'll never search for another apple pie recipe. Use Maker's Mark bourbon as it is currently the only gluten-free bourbon available.

Even imperfect, not-quite-ripe pears will become tender and richly flavored when baked in a crisp (apples, of course, are another good way to go). What makes this crisp especially lovely is cardamom, an assertive, warm spice, traditional in baking (especially in Sweden) with a wonderfully home-filling aroma.

The technique: Simply roll out the dough, mound the pear filling in the center, and fold the edges of the dough up and over the edge of the filling, creating free-form "sides" to hold in the fruit.
The payoff: No pressure, no crust anxiety. Just loosely shape the dough for a rustic and beautiful Thanksgiving dessert. Using unpeeled pears in this dessert saves time—and adds texture.

Pie for breakfast? Not quite, but the fragrance of this dish is so good that even the groggiest grouch will be lured out of bed. Look for ripe pears with out bruises, and keep at room temperature overnight. Cut the butter in a thin slice off the stick for melting evenly.

A fool is a classic British dessert made from pureed fruit folded into cream whipped to stiff peaks.

The compote would also be great with angel food cake or sorbet.