Easy Summer Fruit Dessert

Need an easy summer dessert?

This simple dish -- cut up fruit steeped in a seasoned, sweetened syrup -- is the perfect ending to a meal on a hot summer day, especially when you want a dairy-free dessert.

Of course you could always top the fruit with ice cream or whipped cream. Sorbet would be fine too.

I like it plain, as-is, with a small amount of boiled-down, thickened syrup.

SOAKED SUMMER FRUIT

• 2 pounds stone fruit (peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots), approximately

• 3 cups water

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1 vanilla bean, broken

• 2 orange slices, about 1/4-inch thick

• 4-5 slices crystallized ginger

Cut the fruit in half and remove the pits. Cut the fruit into bite-size chunks and place in a dish deep enough to hold the pieces plus liquid. In a saucepan, combine the water, honey, vanilla bean, orange slices and crystallized ginger and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Pour the contents of the saucepan through a strainer over the fruit. Let soak for at least 2 hours. Serve as-is or strain the fluids, boil the fluids for 6-8 minutes or until thickened, and pour over the fruit (or let cool first).

Makes 8 servings

Strawberry-Rhubarb (+) Pie

I love rhubarb! My mother used to make it as a side dish all the time, mostly with chicken.

She made strawberry-rhubarb pie too with the berries straight from the garden. Those were some delicious days!

I make strawberry-rhubarb pie too, alas, no garden stuff. And supermarket and even most farmers’ market strawberries just ain't what they used to be. 

So - once I included some blackberries and that was really delicious. I like this fruit pie filling with a bit of orange zest, but lemon zest will do just as well.

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Here’s the recipe:

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB-BLACKBERRY PIE

DOUGH: 

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 1/3 cup chilled vegetable shortening

• 4-5 tablespoons orange juice

FILLING:

• 3 cups sliced (1/2-inch pieces) rhubarb, about one pound

• 2 cups strawberries cut in half

• 1 cup blackberries

• 1/2 - 2/3 cup sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 5 tablespoons flour

• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon butter, cut into chunks

Combine the flour, salt and orange zest in a food processor. Add the butter and shortening in chunks and process on pulse about 24 times, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually add as much of the juice as is needed to make a soft, but not sticky dough. Cut the dough in half, flatten into disks and let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll the dough into circles to fit a 9” pie pan. Place one circle inside the pie pan.

To make the filling, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, blackberries, sugar, salt, flour, orange peel and cinnamon. Add the filling to the pie pan. Cut the butter into chunks and place on top of the filling. Cut strips from the second dough circle and place them in a lattice design on top of the fruit. Seal the edges where the strips meet the bottom crust. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes one 9-inch pie

Blueberry Pie with Streusel Crust

Summer blueberries? 

Pie came to mind first. It's always pie first for me.

My mother, who was a master pie baker, never baked blueberry pie because she said the insides were either too thick and gloppy or too runny. I experimented with the fruit, sweetener and thickening agent a few times before the filling consistency was right.

Here it is! Perfect for summer. Good stuff for July 4th!

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BLUEBERRY CRUMB PIE

CRUMB CRUST:

• 3/4 cup flour

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 6 tablespoons butter

Combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter in chunks and work it into the dry ingredients with fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture looks like coarse meal. If you use a food processor, add the ingredients to the work bowl and mix using 18-24 quick, short pulses (enough for the mixture to resemble coarse meal). Set aside.

FILLING:

• 6 cups blueberries, approximately

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 unbaked pie crust bottom

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix the blueberries, sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt and lemon juice in a large bowl. Pour the filling into the pie crust. Cover the top with the crumbs. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until  golden brown.

Note: you can use 3 “1-pint” boxes of blueberries. Although a liquid pint equals 2 cups, a dry pint of blueberries from most markets has a bit more.

Makes 8 servings

Roasted Fruit Cocktail

Roasted Fruit Cocktail

After a huge Passover Seder meal (or any big dinner), Roasted Fruit Cocktail is an excellent choice for dessert. Roasting brings out the fruit sugars in a tantalizing way with hints of rum and molasses. The chopped mint adds color and a really fresh, perky finish.

ROASTED FRUIT COCKTAIL

• 1 ripe fresh pineapple

• 2 fresh mangos

• 3/4 cup orange juice

• 1/4 cup honey

• cinnamon

• 18-20 strawberries, hulls removed

• 1 cup seedless red grapes

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

• sorbet or ice cream, optional

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a jelly roll sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.Remove the leaves and hard outer shell of the pineapple. Cut the pineapple lengthwise into 1-inch thick strips. Discard the fibrous core. Place the remaining strips on the parchment-lined jelly roll pan. Peel the mango and cut the flesh into strips. Set aside. Place the orange juice and honey in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat slightly and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the liquid is slightly thickened. Generously brush all surfaces of the pineapple strips with the orange juice mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Roast for 4-5 minutes. Turn the strips over. Add the mango strips, strawberries and grapes to the pan. Brush with the remaining orange juice mixture. Roast for another 6-7 minutes or until fruit is soft and lightly caramelized. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool. Cut the pineapple and mango strips into bite size pieces. Place all the fruit and accumulated pan juices in a bowl, sprinkle with the mint and toss. Place into serving dishes. Serve plain or with sorbet or ice cream.

Makes 8 servings

Cherry Cobbler

When I was a kid there was no such thing as Presidents Day. We celebrated George Washington’s Birthday on February 22nd. In school we made three cornered hats and colored them black and discussed Washington crossing the Delaware during the American Revolution.

We ate something with cherries because we heard that when Washington was a kid he chopped down a cherry tree and then ‘fessed up.

But in 1971 the government moved the date from his actual birthday to the 3rd Monday in February so people could have a three day weekend.

Lots of states started calling it Presidents Day (even though, officially, the government lists it as Washington’s Birthday), because retailers needed another excuse to have a sale on mattresses or cars.

Me? I think George Washington deserves his own day. To me, honoring all presidents dilutes Washington’s special status. Among other things, I think his biggest virtue was his willingness to give up power - when given the opportunity to be president for life, he declined. Think about that for a moment.

So, even though it isn’t your actual birthday, I wish a happy birthday to you, our dear first president. I sometimes wonder what you would think about the political climate of the 21st century.

CHERRY COBBLER

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1 large egg

• 1/3 cup milk

• 4 cups sour red cherries, drained canned or fresh, pitted

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons minute tapioca

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and work into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly. Beat the egg and milk together. Add to the dry ingredients and mix to a soft (sticky) dough. In a separate bowl, mix the cherries, 1/2 cup sugar, tapioca and lemon juice. Let stand for 10 minutes. Place the cherry mixture into a baking dish (or individual dishes). Place the dough roughly over the cherries (in clumps or spread with your fingers). Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 4-6 servings

Plum Crisp with Oat and Coconut Crust

I love when August comes because I can find so many different varieties of plums in the market. I have made this easy plum crisp with all sorts of plums — they all work deliciously.

Plum Crisp with Bread Crumb and Coconut Crust

• 6 tablespoons butter or solid coconut oil or margarine

• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs

• 1/2 cup shredded coconut

• 1/3 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• pinch of salt

Melt the butter and set it aside to cool. Place the bread crumbs, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl and mix to combine them evenly. Add the melted butter, mix and set aside to use as a crust.

filling:

• 2 pounds plums

• 2 tablespoons flour

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Heat the oven to 375F. Slice the plums and place the slices in a mixing bowl. Add the flour and toss to coat the fruit with the flour. Add the sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice and mix thoroughly. Place the fruit in a baking dish and scatter the crust ingredients on top. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the top is crispy and browned.

Makes 6 servings

Nectarine and Blueberry Crisp

It’s getting to be that time of year in Connecticut — when the produce is at its summer peak and you know there’s only about a month to eat it up and use it up before the Jewish holidays come and we focus more on festive dinners and heartier food.

The nectarines couldn’t be better than they are right now — so here’s a treat that’s perfect for now. But here’s the thing — you can freeze this and reheat for a holiday dinner. The recipe can be either dairy or dairy-free.

Nectarine and Blueberry Crisp

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup old fashioned oats

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• pinch of salt

• 1/2 cup butter (or use margarine, solid coconut oil, vegetable shortening or a combination of these)

• 3 large ripe nectarines or peaches

• 4 cups fresh blueberries

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the 1 cup flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Cut the butter into chunks and work into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly. Set aside. Cut the nectarines into chunks and place them in a bowl. Add the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and flour and toss ingredients. Spoon into a baking dish. Top with the crumb mixture. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Makes 8 servings

Cranberry-Orange Baked Apples

I realize that Hallowe’en is big business. I’ve said it before — I don’t mind the business of costumes and fun but I don’t like the tons of candy that come with it.

I’ve also written about how it was back in the day — when I was a kid, when we did some minimal trick or treating and spent most of the evening playing games and bobbing for apples.

Before the fun and games my mother would give us dinner (typically macaroni and cheese with a buttered rice krispies crust) followed by either apple pie or baked apples.

My Dad always ended the festivities with a feast of hot chocolate.

To me, macaroni and cheese, baked apples and hot chocolate bring back happy memories and, to this day, I would prefer to enjoy the day the way it used to be for me.

Cranberry-Orange Baked Apples

• 4 large baking apples

• half a lemon

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

• 2 teaspoons grated orange peel

• 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar (or plain sugar)

• 1 tablespoon butter or solid coconut oil, cut into 4 pieces

• 1 cup orange juice, apple juice or cider

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash the apples, then remove the core and seeds, leaving about 1/2-inch on the bottom. Peel the apples 1/2 of the way down from the stem end on top, then rub the cut surfaces with the cut side of the lemon. Put the apples in a baking dish. In a small bowl, mix the cranberries and orange peel and stuff this mixture into the apple hollows. Sprinkle the apples with the cinnamon sugar. Dot the tops with the butter or solid coconut oil. Bake the apples for 10 minutes then pour the juice over the apples. Continue to bake, basting occasionally with the pan juices, for about 35-40 minutes or until the apples are tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 4 

Simmered Strawberry Fool

This dessert may look very fancy and I placed it on a very fancy plate. 

BUT: other than serving fresh fruit as is, this is among the simplest, easiest desserts ever. And you can also serve it in a plain old dish, custard cup, individual ramekin. However you wish.

The point is, you can transform this into a festive Shavuot holiday dessert just by using a lovely serving piece. The prep is a cinch.

Most of the time a fruit fool is a simple blend of crushed fruit and whipped cream (sometimes with vanilla or another extract added). The extra step of cooking the fruit and adding Balsamic vinegar gives the dish a richer, deeper flavor. Well worth the few (less than 10) minutes of time it takes.

Strawberry Fool 

• one pint strawberries

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange peel

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Extra berries, cookie, chocolate shavings, mint leaves, etc. for garnish

Clean the strawberries, remove the stems and chop the berries into small pieces. Place the berries and sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the Balsamic vinegar, cinnamon and orange peel and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the liquid is dark and syrupy. Remove from the heat and let cool. Whip the cream with the vanilla extract until thick. Fold the strawberry mixture into the whipped cream until well blended. Spoon the mixture onto dessert dishes (over berries or cookies, if desired). Garnish with berries, chocolate shavings, etc. 

Makes 6 servings
 

Gluten-Free Peach Crisp

Some summers the peaches are glorious.

And then there’s this year. I haven’t had an excellent peach or nectarine yet.

I bought a bunch a few times and they tasted ok, but not really flavorful. Some were cottony and mealy.

I used the cottony/mealy ones to make sauce — like applesauce only made with peaches (with a bit of cinnamon and a squirt of lemon juice). It was very good. We ate some and I used the rest for quickbread.

I used the sort-of-tasty ones for this peach crisp. This was perfect. Baking — plus some other stuff — brought out the best of the fruit.

And look how easy this dessert is!

Plus, it’s gluten-free, in case you need…

Gluten-Free Peach Crisp

Filling:

• 6 ripe medium peaches

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2 tablespoons minute tapioca

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Crust:

• 1-1/2 cups quick cooking oats

• 2/3 cup brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 6 tablespoons butter (margarine or solid coconut oil), cut into chunks

To make the filling: Lightly butter a baking dish. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the peaches and place the pieces in the baking dish. Add the sugar, tapioca and lemon juice, toss the ingredients and let rest for 15-20 minutes. 

To make the crust: Mix the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and work it into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly. Place on top of the fruit. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Makes 6 servings