The fourth of July is just days away and that means that it is time to prepare some summer desserts. I like to make naturally colorful fruit desserts for summer celebrations and, while red, white and blue desserts are always a favorite, I’ll take any dessert with fruit in it this time of year.
- The Beach House Kitchen is stocking a freezer full of red, white and blue Berry Cheesecake Popsicles in preparation for the 4th of July. The popsicles have three different layers: strawberry sorbet, cream cheese and blueberry sorbet. Not only do all these flavors go together, but they almost look too good to eat! No artificial colorings here; the vibrant colors of the popsicles come from fresh fruit alone.
- Lemon and lime show up in a lot of summer desserts, but The Unlikely Baker‘s Grapefruit Tart is also a refreshing summer dessert option. A creamy grapefruit filling sits atop a graham cracker crust and is topped with a sprinkle of shredded coconut and chopped almonds, both of which are toasted. The tart has a wonderful contrast of crisp crust and nuts to the creamy, zesty filling. Even if you’re not a big grapefruit fan, this one will probably win you over.
- Pina coladas are always a hit on a hot summer day and the Pina Colada Cake from Liv for Cake is sure to have just as many fans. This tall cake stacks together layers of rum-kissed buttermilk cake with a pineapple filling and rum-infused buttercream. The exterior of the cake is completely covered with chopped, toasted coconut, which adds both coconut flavor and a little texture to every bite. It may not be as cold as a blended pina colada, but the flavors are all there and each slice will let you taste the summer.
- I enjoy baking with strawberries because roasted strawberries are so deliciously concentrated with flavor. Tasty Seasons‘ Strawberry Galette with Thyme is a straightforward strawberry dessert that delivers lots of strawberry flavor, all packed inside a crisp, buttery crust. The pastry is made with butter and a small amount of ricotta cheese or yogurt, which gives it a nice tenderness, as well as a generous pinch of fresh thyme. The thyme adds a savory contrast to the sweet berries that works beautifully here. Be sure to use strawberries at their peak, as they will give the tart the best look and flavor.
- Recipe Throwback: Pineapples may be the fruit most commonly used in upside down cakes, but you can use a wide variety of other fruits, as well. This Apricots n’ Cream Upside Down Cake starts with a tender yogurt cake batter, which is poured on top of a layer of thinly sliced, sugar apricots. As the cake bakes, the fruit caramelizes into an amazingly flavorful – and beautiful to look at – topping.