Stone Fruit

Putting this moist pudding under the broiler for a few minutes allows the brown sugar topping to melt into a sweet syrup.

Summer's luscious cherries topped with oats, almonds, brown sugar and cinnamon.

The nutty topping is the perfect complement to the sweet-and-tart filling.

There's a touch of lemon in this summer pie.

We admit we've never been big clafouti fans, but this recipe won us over. It's the lightest version of the dish we've ever had. In the fall and winter, innkeepers Bob and Caroline Taylor like to make this dessert with pears, flavoring it with powdered ginger.

Chef Tory McPhail writes: "I was 19 years old and just out of culinary school when I first started at Commander's Palace. Despite my training, nothing prepared me for the pressures of working in a fast-paced kitchen, or in a restaurant of such high quality. I think my success came down to sheer effort and a lifelong passion for cooking. Even as a kid I loved playing with cookie and pie dough. "After a seven-year absence, which I spent working abroad and opening a new Commander's Palace restaurant in Las Vegas, I came back to New Orleans last year. Since returning I've enjoyed cooking for my friends. On the weekends we'll go fishing, and then I'll grill our catch and serve it along with a fresh salad. That meal combines the two best things about living in the South — lots of fishing and great fresh produce."

Active time: 30 minutes Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours

Pureed fresh mango gives this cheesecake a light and soft texture and subtle tropical fruit flavor.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

In Indian restaurants, lassi is served with the meal, but we frequently find this exotic "smoothie" too filling to accompany a main course and prefer it in place of dessert. Look for the smaller, yellow-skinned mangoes, which have a more pronounced flavor than the larger, red and green ones.

Adapted from Mnemba Island Lodge

This dessert is a dense and rich chocolate mousse-like cake chilled in a mold.

Purchased pineapple-coconut ice cream and mango and boysenberry sorbets make this dessert easy. The terrine needs to freeze overnight before serving.