Dessert recipe collection

Applesauce fudgy brownies use applesauce, egg whites, and a splash of Kahlua to slash the fat without losing the dense chew. Cocoa-forward, peanut butter accent, no oil.

Fluffy vanilla meringue tops a tangy lemon-spiked applesauce custard for a light, elegant dessert that's equally good hot or cold.

Applesauce jello salad -- A delicious jello salad, taken from The Monterey Coast Guard Officers' Wives Club Cookbook. My sister-in-law was the president of the club which put that cookbook together.

A lightly spiced breakfast cake made with applesauce and bran for natural moisture, studded with raisins and nuts for texture.

No-bake energy balls made with dried apricots, walnuts, coconut, and wheat germ, bound with orange juice and rolled in chopped nuts.

Wholesome bars packed with oats, dried apricots, raisins, and sunflower seeds, sweetened with molasses and bound with orange juice.

Easy bundt cake made with cake mix, apricot nectar, and fluffy egg whites, soaked with a warm buttermilk glaze for tender sweetness.

No-bake pie with crispy rice cereal crust filled with tapioca-thickened apricot and pineapple in cinnamon-spiced fruit juice.

A sweet and spicy jelly that tastes wonderful on toast, in sandwiches or on your famous meat loaf!

Apricots in brandy, an 1831 American recipe: fresh apricots blanched in light syrup, bottled, and covered with equal parts syrup and French brandy. A heritage spirit-preserved fruit.

Flaky Asian pear and lychee strudel with phyllo dough, crystallized ginger, toasted coconut, walnuts, and Chinese five spice. A showstopping fusion dessert dusted with powdered sugar.

Authentic biscotti di Prato (cantucci): the traditional Tuscan twice-baked almond cookies, made with no butter for a hard, crunchy bite built for dunking in coffee or vin santo.

A lighter baked rice pudding studded with chopped apples and dates, lifted with folded egg whites for a soufflé-like texture. Warm, cinnamony, and comforting.

My husband and I have made this recipe at Christmas, and in the summer for years. It is very light and delicious and always a big hit. It is time consuming to make, but well worth the work.

An easy no-bake pie that's packed with strawberries in a luscious banana custard-like filling.

This no-cook banana bread dip blends ripe mashed bananas with warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and quick oats for a creamy, scoopable treat ready in 10 minutes flat. Serve with fruit, pound cake cubes, or vanilla wafers.