Blackberry

A rainbow of four purchased sorbets plus vanilla ice cream make this beauty one of the easiest desserts ever. Prepare the stunning terrine up to four days ahead.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Rote Grütze "My husband and I always have the Rote Grütze at the Kempinski Hotel Atlantic when in Hamburg, Germany," says Mary Futchik of Naples, Florida. "Could you could help us get the recipe?" Consider this a cross between a spoonable pudding and a fruit soup.

This softly set ice cream isn't churned, so you don't need an ice cream maker.

Brandysnaps are popular in Scotland, and lemon curd is a British fixture. Here is a double treat of lemon curd: Some goes into the ice cream; the rest is offered as a sauce.

Pudding is a term that is used interchangeably with dessert in Ireland, so not all Irish puddings are the milk-based treats Americans think of when they hear the word. Here's a fine example: a pretty dessert of bread and assorted sweetened berries are in season, but many people want to eat this delicious pudding even when fresh berries aren't available. Fortunately, frozen ones work just as well. Begin preparing this a day before serving so that it can set up overnight.

As a child, I was a picky eater and this cobbler was especially hard for me to take, since it's sort of an ugly dish. After being threatened with a trip to the doctor for vitamin shots, I did start eating more, and the cobbler turned out to be one of my favorites. It's a classic North Carolina recipe and is one of my mom's signature dishes. It's so simple and takes no time to make.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 2 1/4 hr

Blackberries turn a familiar spice cake into a sophisticated finale.

Raw sugar can be found in the baking aisle.

Make oatmeal-cookie crumbs by blending cookies in a processor until finely ground.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 25 min

Use any mixture of berries in this simple, quick compote. It tastes great with the <a>raspberry torte</a> and over ice cream or pound cake. Active time: 5 min Start to finish: 5 min

When you brush the bottom pie crust with an egg wash, you keep the fruit from making the pie soggy as it bakes. By sprinkling the top crust with sugar, it makes for a great sugary crust.