Fruit Desserts

Summer’s bounty offers cooks endless ways to prepare refreshing, elegant and, most importantly, simple fruit desserts. Each month brings with it another fruit at its peak seasonally, and a chance for you to create new summer time treats.

Hot summer temperatures invite outdoor dining and pool parties, barbecues, block parties and showers — and these are the perfect occasions for easy fruit desserts.  Not only are these dishes tasty, using fresh fruit can cut down drastically on the fat and calorie count in your dessert offering.

Here are some ideas for enjoying the riches of the garden as they come into season.

Strawberries and Rhubarb

Late spring and early summer herald the onset of strawberry time. Strawberry celebrations are in abundance as local growers pick them, or let you do it yourself. The bright red aromatic berry is a classic ingredient in any dessert to top off a casual summer meal. Strawberry shortcake is an old favorite, as are strawberries topped with only fresh cream. Fans of balsamic vinegar marinate strawberries in it for a simple yet elegant dessert.

Here’s a way to combine rhubarb, another early summer favorite with strawberries for a sweet ensemble.

Tapioca Pudding with Strawberry-Rhubarb SauceStrawberries and rhubarb have a natural affinity that cooks have long exploited in pies and crisps. This homespun dessert is another possibility for those times when you find the two crops at the farmers' market together. Janet Fletcher, who created this dessert, says to serve it in a balloon wineglass so you can see the garnet red sauce underneath the pudding. Leftover sauce will keep, refrigerated, for at least a week. You can also halve the sauce recipe successfully.