Fruit

"I like unsweetened whipped cream on top," van Boven says, "because the fruit is sweet enough on its own."

The key to a tender biscuit is to handle the dough as little as possible.

As summer progresses and apricots go out of season, try these desserts with ripe plums instead.

The combination of creamy ricotta, sweet fruit, rich olive oil, and a little salt is addictive. We'll be serving this for breakfast, brunch, and dessert all summer.

We call this a Persian Kir Royale—and can think of no better way to start a meal. This recipe yields more syrup than you'll need; use the surplus for fruity nonalcoholic spritzers or drizzle it over ice cream.

Serve unsweetened tea with this syrup on the side.

This cocktail is from Ashley Christensen's Fox Liquor Bar in Raleigh, North Carolina.

This lime- and cilantro-infused cocktail will appeal to both Gimlet and Martini drinkers. We like to use Tanqueray for its strong juniper and spice profile.

Mild, crunchy green papaya is not the same as underripe papaya. Look for it at Asian or Mexican groceries.

"Paris chef Alain Passard, who is famous for unusual pairings, inspired this dish." —Chris Morocco, associate food editor

Since the fruit is tart and acidic, the taste for sour cherries right off the tree is an acquired one. When tamed with sweeteners, like sugar or honey, this fruit becomes a natural for liqueurs, preserves, and syrups.

Why buy bottles of grenadine when it's so easy to make at home, the natural way? This garnet-hued, sweetly piquant syrup is a great addition to any number of beverages for both its color and its flavor—and it makes a delicious soda on its own, too. Use high-quality bottled pomegranate juice, or make your own.

A blend of rums, exotic juices, liqueurs, aromatic spices, absinthe, and trepidation. One from the Soulshakers' greatest hits collection, this drink has been honed to a lethal edge over the past eight years at Gaz's Rocking Blues at London's Notting Hill Carnival and the Glastonbury Festival in southwest England.

If you want a real taste of Cuba, you have to start with a mojito. Rum, lime juice, mint…you've got the drink of Hemingway in your hands. For a delicious spin on the classic, try this version. Sweet, tart, and bursting with fruity flavor, blackberries are an outstanding addition.

Wiśniówka "Life is dandy, cherry brandy!" So goes a line from a poem by Russian writer Osip Mandelstam—meant to be ironic, of course, as he lived in the darkest days of Stalinism and died in the Gulag. Cherry brandy, cherry vodka, cherry liqueurs: These are the obvious consequence of Eastern Europe's famous and abundant cherry orchards, of which there are just as many in Poland as there are in provincial Russia. Do note that this recipe works for any kind of fruit that is not too sweet. In particular it is worth trying with black currants or Polish jagody—wild blueberries—if you can find them. The quantities given here are for a 34-oz/1-L jar, but do reduce them (or increase them!) in proportion to the bottle you are using.

Sautéing is another fast way to make a meal, especially when the pan juices are turned into a sweet and savory sauce, as they are here. This comforting dish features an array of autumn ingredients—apples, fennel, and sweet potatoes—roasted in the oven to caramelize lightly and bring their sugars to the forefront. The sauce, which mingles apple cider with the meaty browned bits in the skillet, is sharpened with a bit of Dijon mustard to balance the sweetness.

Can candy be too sweet? Not for us! The real delight of this sweet, sweet pairing of fluffy nougat and shredded coconut is what professional taste-testers call mouthfeel. The airy nougat softens, the coconut and almonds crunch, and the hefty milk chocolate shell melts and coats your palate with feel-good chocolate.

Named for bar and spirits director Brian Bartels's former address, this is a more complex take on a Mimosa.

Osteen likes to frost these cakes while they're still warm. They'll absorb some of the frosting, which takes on the consistency of a glaze.

Few travel experiences are more American than eating dessert at a roadside diner. My order? A slice of banana cream pie: the topping whipped high, the creamy filling offering comfort far from home. To elevate this classic in my own kitchen, I add sliced bananas to the hot (and simple) custard to infuse it with flavor. And did I mention chocolate's involved? It's my take on diner deluxe. —Janet Taylor McCracken