Fruit

Here, handfuls of glossy gooseberries—which are not berries at all, but relatives of tomatillos—settle into custard tarts that are equally appealing for their ease of preparation. The fruit’s flavor can vary—some gooseberries are bracing and tangy; others are sweet, reminiscent of apricots, plums, and grapes. Look for gooseberries in farmers’ markets and specialty grocers in late June and early July. Or grow them yourself, as Martha does.

This recipe comes from Julia Dunlinson, mother of Martha Stewart Living design director James Dunlinson, who hails from England. Despite the name, plate cakes are actually pies, baked on dinner plates. You will need an eight- to nine-inch ovenproof plate, such as one made from stoneware or ironstone. This recipe is for a raspberry-and-apple-filled pie, but any summer berries can be used; the amount of sugar will vary with the tartness. Whipped cream is divine with tart fruits like gooseberries or black currants (see variations below).

Any berry will work in Old Bachelor’s Jam; here, it’s made with blackberries, raspberries, and kirsch. Some say the liqueur-infused jam was named for its capacity to warm single gentlemen on winter nights. Jam will keep for 1 month, stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

Cornmeal and blackberries appear together in many baked goods and desserts, as their late-summer flavors complement each other beautifully. This recipe calls for you to prepare your own jam, for which you will be rewarded with a few extra jars. Otherwise, seek out a top-quality store-bought jam to use in its place; spike it with two tablespoons kirsch.

This pie has all the makings of a favorite summer dish: ease, seasonal flavor, and laid-back appeal. Peaches and cream are a justly celebrated pair, even more so when the “cream” is crème fraîche: Its slight tartness beautifully complements the sweet fruit. As the pie bakes, the crème fraîche sets like a custard, the peaches become tender, and the crumb topping turns golden and perfectly crisp.

For some people, apple pie just isn’t the same without a slice of cheddar cheese melted on top or served on the side. This recipe does that custom one better by mixing the cheese right into the crust, so you can enjoy the combination of flavors in every bite. The method for making the crust is a simple variation on the standard pâte brisée recipe—shredded cheese is added to the dry ingredients with the butter to form the dough.

The press-in crust for this tart, flavored with ground hazelnuts and cinnamon, doubles as a crumble topping that browns atop the fruit-and-custard filling as it bakes. It’s another highly adaptable, versatile recipe that works well with any type of stone fruit or berry.

Strawberries are America’s favorite summer fruit, hands down. Here, a graham-cracker crust holds a luscious strawberry filling topped with swells of sweetened whipped cream. To make the filling sliceable, some of the berries are briefly cooked with a small amount of cornstarch (and cranberry juice, to enhance the color); the rest are stirred in off heat. The result is a pie with a fresh, true strawberry flavor—and all the crumbly, creamy qualities of the best icebox desserts.

The filling for this Italian-style tart begins with a flavorful reduction of port wine and brown sugar; half a fresh Thai chile is added for a subtle—but entirely optional—bit of heat. Start with the best fruit you can find. Small, oval Italian prune plums are firmer and sweeter than other plums; plus, since they are a freestone fruit, their pits are not attached to the flesh and are therefore easily removed.

References to quince pie date as far back as the 1400s; the dessert later garnered a mention in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Quinces look and taste like a cross between an apple and a pear; in fact, they are usually paired with one or the other, as in this recipe. Here, peeled, halved quinces are first poached in dessert wine with the reserved peels (for their signature rosy color) and a split vanilla bean (for flavor). Baking the pie in a cast-iron skillet helps the crust turn a deep golden brown and gives the pie a truly home-style appeal. You may substitute four additional Granny Smith apples for the poached quinces; soak the raisins in one-third cup of warm Calvados in place of the poaching liquid.

This pie exemplifies the thrift—and practicality—of the Shakers. Besides using the entire citrus fruit, peel and all, the filling calls for just two basic ingredients: sugar and eggs. The best-known Shaker pies are made primarily with lemons, but this one calls for oranges as well. Seek out unsprayed fruit whenever possible; also, those with thin skins will have the best flavor. In this recipe, the citrus slices are tossed with sugar and then allowed to macerate overnight; when the fruit is drained, the fragrant syrup is mixed into the filling along with the cut-up fruit. Whole slices adorn the top. The tart cranberry compote makes a nice accompaniment (especially at Thanksgiving), as do dollops of softly whipped cream.

Usher in fall with a half dozen rustic yet refined tartlets. Over a wonderfully sweet “applesauce” made from the roasted fruit and Calvados, two layers of paper-thin apple slices are brushed with butter and sprinkled with sugar to help them caramelize as they bake. The tartlets are delicious still warm from the oven or at room temperature, especially with a snifter of Calvados served alongside for sipping.

This is no ordinary double-crust fruit pie. Fresh pears, dried figs, and toasted walnuts combine to create a wonderful contrast of tastes and textures. Before tossing them with the other ingredients, the figs are simmered in Madeira wine until softened; star anise adds an unexpected flavor note. Use kitchen shears to stem and quarter the figs.

Inspired by a beloved breakfast treat—yogurt parfait—this recipe borrows the main components (granola, yogurt, and fruit) and transforms them into a delicious dessert. The pie is not too sweet, but you can adjust it to your preference by drizzling as much honey as you like.

The flavor of coconut is especially intense in this pie: Sweetened shredded coconut flakes are blended into the press-in chocolate-wafer crust and the rich custard filling, and then toasted coconut is sprinkled all over the top to finish.

Lightweight, airy chiffon pies are potluck favorites for a reason. The no-bake filling is stabilized with gelatin and lightened with egg whites, resulting in a sturdy yet ethereal tart that can be made well ahead of serving time yet still hold its shape.

Martha loves Key lime pie, especially the one served at Joe’s Stone Crab restaurant in Miami. Small, round, and yellow-green, Key limes pack a lot of punch, with a more pronounced flavor than more widely available, greener Persian limes. They are worth seeking out for the authentic flavor of the Florida Keys, but if you can’t find them, you may substitute bottled Key-lime or fresh Persian-lime juice instead. Depending on your preference, you can top the pie with meringue or sweetened whipped cream (page 340).

In the heyday of roadside restaurants, this tempting dessert was typically placed in the rotating glass case near the entrance, the better to entice hungry passersby. It was a good strategy: The pie’s velvety banana custard and billowy whipped-cream topping were—and remain—impossible to resist.

Anyone who samples this sunny lemon tart can tell you that appearances don’t deceive: The dessert tastes every bit as bright and springlike as it looks. Egg yolks, sugar, and freshly squeezed lemon juice create a velvety curd that is poured into a crunchy cornmeal shell flecked with lemon zest and fresh sage. Before it is chilled to set, crème fraîche is dolloped over the curd filling and teased into a swirling pattern with a wooden skewer.

Despite its chic appearance, this dessert is really an uncomplicated icebox pie at heart. And it’s gluten-free, to boot. The pie requires only four ingredients—butter, chocolate, cream, and shredded coconut. The press-in crust comes together in seconds in a food processor. After it’s baked, the shell is filled with velvety ganache, which sets to a lovely, smooth sheen.