Dessert

Spirited Southern Sweet Potato Bars with toasted pecan topping on a white dessert plate in the garden.

Spirited Southern Sweet Potato Bars

Pretty and appealing, Spirited Southern Sweet Potato bars are easy to like. Until you think about it you’ll scarcely notice the addition of red pepper or the flavor of the bourbon. Even then it’s just a whisper for those who are listening.

Chunky Stovetop Apples are basically Apple Pie without the crust. Here it is served in a deep blue bowl.

Chunky Stovetop Apples

Basically a crustless apple pie, served over pancakes or as a side dish with dinner, Chunky Stovetop Apples add a welcome taste of the season to most any meal.

Caramel Sauce is pouring from a small antique pitcher.

Caramel Sauce – The Flavor of Autumn?

Sugar and cream, plus a little heat, is all you need to create a mouth-watering confection that is sultry, even smokey, and deeply complex. Add a pinch of salt and a little butter and you have a beautiful Caramel Sauce that will bring the flavor of autumn to your table.

A slice of Ginger Pear Pie is served on a small plate with the cut pie in the background.

A Little Pear Pie

This rustic pie combines just a few ripe pears with brown sugar and candied ginger to create a luscious small dessert. A little Ginger Pear Pie provides for 4 to 6 servings. It’s usually just enough to share with my children, or another couple, while fresh from the oven and still warm.

Bourbon Spiced Peaches arranged in a cinnamon sugar baked tortilla shell topped with whipped cream

Peach Bourbon Toss

Bourbon and brown sugar add warm tones and a splash of complexity to the flavor of fresh peaches served in crispy Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla shells. Add a good sized dollop of Old-Timey Whipped Cream for the perfect complement to these Bourbon Spiced Peaches.

Summer Berry Crisp

The first week of blueberry season I bring home a half flat from the Farmer’s Market and set it on my kitchen counter. Everyone, from neighbors to friends to window cleaners, marvels at the size of the berries, asks for a taste, and before I know it they are gone. […]

Found: Sablé of Berries and Soft Cream

Lost and Found When I think of summer desserts one of the first recipes that comes to mind is for Sablé of Berries and Soft Cream, attributed to Jacques Pépin in an article I cut from a magazine many years ago. This recipe is simple and yet sublime. It is […]

Skewers of strawberries and cake brushed with balsamic vinegar and brown sugar are ready for the grill.

Simplicity: Strawberry Shortcake Kebabs

While the tabletop grill is now history, the Strawberry Shortcake Kebabs turned out to be quite good. The strawberries were warm, tender and delicious glazed in a simple mixture of balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. The cake was toasty and slightly crisped. Together they draw a nice conclusion to a casual summer meal.

Pan Roasted Balsamic Strawberries topped with Whipped Cream.

Pan-Roasted Balsamic Strawberries

Pan-Roasted Balsamic Strawberries make an exceptional and simple Strawberry Shortcake. Layer with your favorite cake, scone or biscuit and top with Balsamic Whipped Cream. Honestly, summer desserts can scarcely get any better than this!