Dessert, Fruits/Nut Recipes

Fresh gingerbread cake paired with whole pears poached in ruby port with ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla. Served with ginger-scented whipped cream for an elegant holiday dessert plate.

Elegant apple pie with port wine filling and sharp cheddar pastry crust. Apples simmer in port, apple juice, and lemon zest until just tender. Lattice top shows off the ruby-tinted filling.

Open face apple tart with overlapping Golden Delicious slices, apricot glaze, and a buttery pastry shell. The classic French tarte aux pommes done simply at home.

Pineapple mint sorbet blends fresh pineapple, orange juice, lime, and mint into a smooth, tangy frozen dessert. A light palate cleanser or refreshing warm-weather finish, no ice cream maker required.

Quince and cranberry compote slow-cooked with cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and orange zest. The quince turns deep pink after two hours and gets balanced with balsamic vinegar.

I always do them, not only at Chrsitmas, sometimes I change some kinds of nuts, or use blueberries or strawberries, all go well!

Jalapeño, raspberry and pecans blend beautifully in this thumbprint cookie from Anna Marie Bleich of California, Mo.

Hot fig pudding with molasses, buttermilk, dried figs, and ginger baked in a tube pan, served with a warm sherry-butter sauce with nutmeg and lemon. A British-style steamed pudding baked in the oven.

Pear and apricot tart layers fanned pears and apricot halves over almond paste filling in a buttery almond pastry, then glazes with apple jelly. A bakery-worthy fruit tart for special occasions.

Quebec apple dumplings wrap whole apples in cheddar pastry, each cored and stuffed with rum-spiked mincemeat. Brushed with a brown sugar and lemon cream glaze, baked golden, and served warm with rum cream.

Fresh apricots stuffed with almonds, soaked in rum, then dipped in cinnamon batter and deep-fried until golden for a show-stopping dessert.

Candied grapefruit peel: slow-simmered in sugar syrup until translucent, rolled in superfine sugar, and optionally dipped in dark chocolate for an old-fashioned confection.

This banana cheesecake sits on a buttery graham cracker crust and bakes into a creamy, dense slice with real mashed banana flavor. Sour cream keeps it silky smooth while a hint of lemon brightens every bite.

Cranberry orange tart with a buttery almond shortbread crust and glistening marmalade-glazed cranberry filling. A stunning make-ahead holiday dessert that chills overnight.

Cut Glass Dessert with colorful Jell-O cubes folded into whipped cream and crushed pineapple on a buttery vanilla wafer pecan crust. A stunning retro no-bake dessert.

Simple rhubarb sauce with sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt simmered until thick and saucy. A versatile spring condiment for desserts, pancakes, or yogurt.