Fruit Dessert

You can make the syrup a day ahead; however, add the fruit no more than eight hours in advance, to prevent it from getting soggy.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Pear Clafoutis with Phyllo Crisps, Cider Sauce, and Quince Sorbet .

Lightly sweetened whipped cream is a nice addition to this delicious dessert.

This recipe is a component of <epi:recieplink id="109335">Baked Figs with Honey and Whiskey Ice-Cream</epi:recieplink>.

If you don't have a spice mill, you can crush the whole spices in a heavy plastic bag, then grind them finely in the blender.

To peel apricots, blanch about 20 seconds. Drain and rinse with cold water, then slip off the peels with a paring knife.

Oats, brown sugar and walnuts team up with cinnamon and cloves in the terrific streusel topping for this homespun treat.

Here's a colorful and creative pie: Apricots, which flourish in California, Hawaiian pineapple and Oregon cranberries come together in a filling that offers a terrific balance of the exotic and the traditional. It's good with vanilla ice cream.

Fools are traditionally prepared with pureed fruit mixed with whipped cream, or egg custard, or a combination of the two. (The term fool probably comes from the French fouler, meaning "to crush.") They seem to be especially successful when made with sharply flavored garden produce like rhubarb, gooseberries, and black currants, which still have enough bite to be interesting when blended with cream. But strawberries, which are much easier to find, also work quite nicely. Strawberry fool is best when the fruit is mashed rather than pureed, resulting in a more appealing texture. Serve it with cookies.