Stone Fruit

A sweet summer treat that comes together quickly (nectarines rarely need peeling). You may want to serve ice cream alongside, but some softly whipped cream is also delicious.

This tart is a snap to put together, thanks to purchased puff pastry. The square shape is something different for the summer table.

Peaches are accented with honey in this fabulous home-style dessert. It's delicate, so slide a ten-inch-diameter tart pan bottom or the bottom of a ten-inch-diameter springform pan under the free-form tart to support it and make it easy to transfer.

France's classic flourless chocolate cake is a perennial favorite on dessert lists. Ours has a trendy tropical garnish of mango and crystallized ginger and is served warm.

If you don't have tartlet pans, you can make one large shortcake in an eight-inch-diameter pan and then cut the cake into wedges.

If making more than 2 pies, do not double this recipe but make multiple batches.

GELATO DI PESCA This recipe was sensational when we made it with ripe, flavorful peaches. If your peaches aren't great, try something similar, like nectarines.

Begin preparing the dessert a day ahead.

Colorful boysenberry and mango sorbets team up in a refreshing, guilt-free alterative to traditional ice cream sundaes.

You can use whatever fruit you have on hand for this quick, pretty dessert.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This beautiful torte can be prepared three days before serving.

Try the sauce with grilled fish or chicken, too. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(Southern German and Alsatian Italian Plum Torte) This torte is served traditionally at the high holidays in early fall, when small blue Italian plums are in season. In southern Germany and Alsace the pie was made from zwetsche, a local variety of these plums. My aunt Lisl always used to make a murbeteig crust (a short-crust butter cookie dought) for this tart, and sliced each Italian plum into four crescent shapes. She lined the tart with breadcrumbs and then apricot preserves, which protected the dough during baking, leading to a crispy crust. She went light on the cinnamon, a spice she felt was overused in this country. (I agree with her.) My aunt's results, simple to prepare, were simply delicious.