Stunning Winter Fruit Desserts

Updated November 20, 2013
Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell

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

Credit: 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

Credit: 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 Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake

Credit: Ngoc Minh Ngo; Styling: Kelly All

Meyer Lemon Cornmeal 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

Credit: 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

Credit: 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

Credit: 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

Credit: Randy Mayor

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

Credit: 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

Credit: 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

Credit: 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

Credit: 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

Credit: 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

Credit: 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

Credit: 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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