Stunning Winter Fruit Desserts

Updated: September 06, 2017
Feature seasonal fruits like pears, apples, and oranges in these elegant desserts that add a touch of class to the holiday table.
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Pear-Cranberry Pie with Oatmeal Streusel

Pear-Cranberry Pie with Oatmeal Streusel Recipe
If you can't find fresh cranberries, use thawed frozen ones. A prepared pie shell yields a stellar dessert with little effort. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
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Elegant Citrus Tart

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell
Elegant Citrus Tart Recipe
Top an orange curd-filled tart with an assortment of brilliantly-colored citrus fruit slices such as orange and grapefruit for an impressive dessert.

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Pomegranate-Orange Tart with Pistachio Shortbread Crust

Photo: Christopher Testani; Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart
Pomegranate-Orange Tart with Pistachio Shortbread Crust Recipe

A handful of blueberries boosts the color of the filling.

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Meyer Lemon Upside-Down Cake

Photo: Ngoc Minh Ngo; Styling: Kelly All
Meyer Lemon Upside-Down Cake Recipe
A polenta cake from pastry chef Hannah Buoye, of A16 Rockridge in Oakland, was the model for this dense, moist dessert. As the sliced lemons bake under the cake and absorb butter and brown sugar, they take on a marmalade-like quality.

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Apple-Crisp Baked Apples

Dan Goldberg
Apple-Crisp Baked Apples Recipe
Fill a hollowed apple with a fragrant mixture of nuts, cinnamon, cardamon, and oats. Try using Pink Lady or Jazz (a popular new hybrid) apples, which tend to retain their shape and color better during baking. Bake and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

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Pear-Cranberry Crisp

Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke
Pear-Cranberry Crisp Recipe
Keep the ingredients for this quick-cooking dish around during the holidays in case you need a dessert to serve unexpected guests. Top the mix of tart cranberries, sweet pears, and crispy oats with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
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Poached Pears with Cardamom Cream

Poached Pears with Cardamom Cream Recipe
Savor this quintessential holiday dessert of poached pears flavored with orange juice and vanilla beans. Drizzle a luscious ice cream sauce on top for extra pizzazz.

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Port-Glazed Pear Tart with Rosemary-Cornmeal Crust

Photo: Chris Court; Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart 
Port-Glazed Pear Tart with Rosemary-Cornmeal Crust Recipe

The shortbread-like crust stands up well to a luscious ricotta filling that's topped with pretty port-stained pears. Larger pear wedges are stunning; you can also cut the pears into thin slices and arrange spokelike on top. Prepare the crust and pears up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate. Assemble just before serving.

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Warm Oranges in Sake Cream with Sesame Brittle

Warm Oranges in Sake Cream with Sesame Brittle Recipe
This sweet and nutty dessert features orange sections, a sake cream sauce, and homemade sesame seed brittle. Our testers used a mixture of regular and black sesame seeds for bright color contrast.
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Quince-Apple Crisp

James Carrier
Quince-Apple Crisp Recipe
The tart quince, a seasonal fruit available between October and December, tastes like a cross between an apple and a pear. Its firm texture makes it a great addition to this classic six-ingredient apple crisp.

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Apple Pumpkin Galette

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto
Apple Pumpkin Galette Recipe
Basically an open-face pie, this galette is a great dessert for pie-phobes to make because the crust is so easy to handle--you don't even need a pie pan.

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Pomegranate-Cider Baked Apples With Sugared Piecrust Strips

Jennifer Davick; Mindi Shapiro Levine
Pomegranate-Cider Baked Apples With Sugared Piecrust Strips Recipe
Pack all the essentials of a classic apple pie into elegant, individual treats. The pomegranate juice’s sweet-tart flavor complements the bright-tasting Granny Smith apples. Serve with crisp pie crust strips.
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Gingered Ambrosia

Gingered Ambrosia Recipe
Serve a sweet dessert of orange sections and pineapple chunks flavored with bright lime juice, fresh ginger, and slivered mint leaves. A dusting of sweet, flaky coconut adds a delicate boost of texture.

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Caramel Pears

BECKY LUIGART-STAYNER
Caramel Pears Recipe
Simmer ripe Bosac pears in a vibrant four-ingredient sauce, then add a splash of white rum for an extra hint of sweetness. Serve with cinnamon sticks for a company-worthy garnish.

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Broiled Grapefruit with Ginger and Maple Cream

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Broiled Grapefruit with Ginger and Maple Cream Recipe
Not overly sweet, this elegant, seasonal dessert is a grapefruit-lover's delight. To whip the maple-infused cream into fluffy peaks with ease, start with a frozen metal bowl and whisk. Using chilled tools helps the cream to develop and hold body quickly.
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Sparkling Oranges

James Carrier
Sparkling Oranges Recipe
Layer oranges, pomegranate seeds, and a zesty spice sauce in a clear bowl for a dessert that's big on presentation and fresh flavor.

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Pear Dumplings

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell
Pear Dumplings Recipe
A fresh ginger-and-citrus syrup adds the finishing touch to these pastry-wrapped pears.
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