Quick & Easy Fruit Dessert Recipes

This is not your typical ice cream float. Instead, this coffee drink recipe packs a punch reminiscent of the notorious Turkish brew where the grounds are boiled right in the coffee. A pinch of cardamom adds a little Middle Eastern flavor and using low-fat frozen yogurt instead of full-fat ice cream keeps it on the lighter side.

Winter fruits, such as pineapple and oranges, take on a special intensity when sugared and broiled and then served in heady Port.

Rich, chocolate waffles are the perfect breakfast for that special someone's birthday.

Top jewel-like grapefruit sections with a thyme-infused syrup for a simple elegant ending to brunch or supper.

This simple but elegant dessert brings a taste of the tropics to your table.

Fresh basil, which has a special affinity with peaches, is the secret ingredient in this sophisticated compote. The basil garnish gives guests a clue to the subtle flavor in the syrup.

Perfumed with vanilla and brandy, these nectarines are elegant in their simplicity. Use only perfectly ripe, juicy fruit.

This refreshing ice has all the flavors of a margarita. Whirling frozen fruits in a food processor is one of our favorite tricks for an instant dessert.

Bittersweet chocolate and Dutch-process cocoa meld with a shot of fresh brewed coffee to give an ultra-rich flavor to this creamy French silk pie. A frothy meringue is the secret to lightening the brown sugar-sweetened filling.

Moist, plump prunes work best here. Serve with roast pork or game, or use as a stuffing for pork tenderloin.

If these devilishly chocolaty cookies don't get gobbled the day they are baked, store them, well-wrapped, in the freezer.

A touch of crème de cassis and fresh rosemary top grapefruit segments for a refreshing brunch treat.

This famous New Orleans banana dessert recipe gets a kick from rum (we like dark). Impress your friends with this healthy fruit dessert tonight!

This easy vanilla-bourbon homemade whipped cream recipe makes a sophisticated topping for any pie, crisp or crumble, or dollop in after-dinner coffee for an elegant treat.

This rich, healthy chocolate shake recipe is dairy-free and gets its creaminess from avocado instead of ice cream. If you aren't avoiding dairy, you can use regular low-fat milk and any type of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips in place of the nondairy chocolate chips.

When blended with frozen ripe bananas, coconut meat (a.k.a. coconut manna or coconut butter) is transformed into the base for this creamy banana-coconut dairy-free ice cream. This dairy-free banana-coconut ice cream recipe uses coconut butter, which is made from finely ground whole coconut meat and has the texture of natural peanut butter. Coconut butter can be found in jars near other nut butters, baking oils and sometimes even in the supplement department of natural-foods stores and well-stocked supermarkets.

The nectarines, strawberries and cream in this strawberry parfait recipe are laced with a sweet wine syrup. For a party, make the components ahead and assemble the strawberry parfaits when you're ready to serve.

So thick you'll need a straw and a long spoon to enjoy this frosty cherry-vanilla milkshake.

A boozy fire emanates from these drunken cherries that get better with age. Serve them with cheese or combine the cherry-infused bourbon with seltzer or other soda to make a special cocktail. Fill a 12-ounce rocks glass with ice, add 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) of the cherry-infused bourbon (or rum), top with seltzer and garnish with the bourbon cherries.

A touch of lemon juice and Grand Marnier add zippy citrus notes to fresh strawberries. Serve with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.