Peaches, Plums, and Apricots

You can substitute the apricots in this juicy tart for plums, peaches, or even berries.

Yogurt adds a slight tartness to this cake from home cook Mária Keresztes Kovács. Our recipe calls for plums, but apricots, peaches, or any stone fruit works too.

Summer peaches pair remarkably well with sweet caramelized onions and crisp green beans in this salad from Deb Miller of Lawrence, Kansas.

This refreshing gelée gets its light, fruity flavor from ripe peaches and semisweet fizzy moscato wine.

Crushed amaretti cookies lend nutty depth to sweet mashed peaches in this simple dessert. Get the recipe for Baked Peaches with Crushed Amaretti Cookies (Pesche Ripiene al Forno) »

Grape jelly intensifies the flavor of ripe plums in this sweet-tart summer pie from Drummond Ranch pie contestant Tracy Harris.

The best of summer comes together in this satisfying dessert of grilled pound cake topped with a fruity, herbal compote. Get the recipe for Grilled Pound Cake with Basil-Plum Compote »

Fruit-steeped brandies like this one, common throughout Transylvania and Hungary, are easy to make at home: Plums and sugar are simply left to ferment for two weeks, and then infused into brandy.

This variation on a classic French pound cake, in which ingredient quantities are determined by relative weight, uses olive oil instead of butter for a light, fresh flavor. The recipe was developed by SAVEUR contributor Nancy Harmon Jenkins, who recommends using a Polder Kitchen Scale for accurate measure.

Peach and raspberry is a classic combination for pie filling—this particular recipe is a blue ribbon winner from Minnesotan Jean Peno. Get the recipe for Peach Melba Pie »

This fruity purée is great swirled into ice cream or spooned atop pancakes or toast.

Lightly sweetened apricots are baked quickly in a simple short-bread crust for these rustic tarts, which are garnished with vibrant green pistachios and fleur de sel. Other stone fruits, like plums and peaches, will work just as well.

Amaretti Peach Tart (Crostata di Pesche Cotte e Amaretti)

Sweet, pale orange ice cream flavored with ripe, juicy peaches simply screams summer.

These succulent grilled peaches are topped with almond flour streusel and drizzled with acacia honey, a sweet, unexpected treat for dessert or brunch.

Apricots’ ripe acidity lend themselves well to this cooked fruit salsa, simultaneously tangy and sweet.

In his cookbook Salted, Mark Bitterman writes of this peach, cinnamon, and salt recipe: “Your first bite will expand the boundaries of sensation, separating your mouth from the rest of your body, and you’ll be feeling spiciness in the warmth of your hands and smokiness in the tingling of your toes.” We agree.

A sweet core of dried apricot coated in tangy goat cheese is rolled in a savory mixture of crushed pistachios and fresh herbs. Get the recipe for Goat Cheese and Apricot Truffles »

The recipe for this quick and easy tart comes from the fifth edition of Joy of Cooking (Bobbs-Merrill, 1963), and features crushed amaretti cookies, walnuts, and brandy-soaked raisins.

This simple sour cream cake is brightened by lemon zest and dotted with ripe apricot halves that cook down to intense tangy sweetness in the oven.

Deep and sweet, this cocktail is an ideal vehicle for summer’s juicy red plums. Get the recipe for Plum-Basil Gin Fizz »

Layers of coconut sponge cake, raspberries, tapioca, and bourbon-stewed peaches in easily portable mason jars make this trifle perfect for summer picnics. The compote and the cake can be made up to two days ahead; store them in airtight containers in the fridge. Get the recipe for Peach-Raspberry Trifle »

This satisfying pastry layers plum preserves and walnuts for a gooey, crumbly cake.

Gladys Potter, Rick Bayless’s grandmother, was acclaimed in the family for this dessert.

In the Syrian Jewish kitchen, this Middle Eastern basic gets a sweet-and-sour spin.

A touch of spicy ginger and cinnamon add warmth and depth to sweet summer peaches in this pie.

This recipe starts with pasta frolla–soft dough–from Carol Fields’s The Italian Baker.

For this very delicate dessert, use bottled spring water and a light, good-quality sauternes or barsac. The peaches shouldn’t marinate too long, so make them in the afternoon for dinner that night.