Fruit Dessert

Tender shortcakes accented with fresh and candied ginger are delicious complements to the strawberry filling.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This dessert is based on an old-fashioned Russian kissel—traditionally a sweetened fruit purée thickened with potato starch, which gives it a puddinglike consistency. We've left the berries whole in order to achieve a more interesting look and texture and substituted cornstarch for the thickener as it's more readily available in the States.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This appealing do-ahead dessert, perfect for a picnic, can be formed ahead and frozen. Just thaw, then bake and cool.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Like cobbler, but even better. This is crowned with cinnamon shortcakes—slightly crisp on the outside and delicate within—that require no kneading or rolling. We call for frozen peach slices, so this is a year-round treat.

Lee Schmidt of Wichita, Kansas, writes: "My wife and I just returned from our honeymoon in Mexico. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the elegant Mahakua Hacienda de San Antonio in Colima. Our last night there, we dined on the rooftop terrace and shared an amazing pineapple tartlet." Dice any leftover pineapple and use it, with its caramel syrup, as an ice cream topping.

Frangipane is a classic pastry filling made with ground almonds. Here, pistachios are used instead.

Donna Knowlton of Atlanta, Georgia, writes: "As the oldest of five children growing up in rural West Virginia, I was always helping in the kitchen. Like many girls in the South, my interest in cooking came from being a member of the 4-H club." Adding fresh lemon juice and grated lemon peel to the filling enhances the flavor of the apples.

An almond-scented pudding layered with blackberries and blackberry preserves makes a nice finale.

We slightly dried the small strawberries in this recipe so that their excess juice would not affect the crème caramel. We recommend using wild strawberries, as they do not need to be dried before using here. Both the crème caramel and the crust may be made ahead, but, to ensure a crisp crust and shiny caramel, do not invert the crème caramel onto the crust until shortly before serving.

Spoon this over vanilla ice cream, or serve it with dollops of Mascarpone Cream or sour cream.