Desserts for Two

Soufflés may look like a restaurant-only dessert, but they are actually easy to make. Whip them up right after dinner and enjoy while they're still warm from the oven.

Who says you can't have your tart and eat it, too? This deceptively simple fall dessert is made for special celebrations. Look for a fragrant pear that's nonetheless firm to the touch.

Schmear ricotta cheese and your favorite jam on graham crackers for an instant cheesecake.

Black pepper gives sweet strawberries a kick in this free-form tart. Expect some of the strawberry juices to ooze over the top of the crust while baking.

The chocolate will stiffen if it gets cold, so enjoy it while it's still warm. Skewer and dip anything you like--pear slices, dried apricots, even marshmallows.

A mile-high meringue is possible only if the egg white, bowl and beaters are at room temperature.

Fruit on the grill? Most definitely! Try grilling other stone fruit or pineapple too!

Vanilla-infused ricotta cheese is the perfect foil for saucy poached figs.

A fruit crumble is a sure way to satisfy the sweet tooth and add another serving of fruit to your diet. We've used blueberries here, but any fresh or frozen fruit can stand in to meet your family's taste preference. Leave small berries whole, but peel, pit and chop larger fruits, such as peaches or plums.

Broiling fruit brings out its inherent sweetness. A squeeze of tart lime juice balances it out. Try this technique with pineapple as well.

Turn comforting tapioca pudding into a special dessert for two by spiking it with pure maple syrup and finishing it with a simple spiced maple-nut topping.

Nothing says spring like rhubarb. Quick-to-prepare, single-serving fruit crisps like this one are an easy way to get dessert on the table anytime. When buying or picking rhubarb, select stalks that are firm and red--avoid ones that are soft and waggly. And if you slice it very thinly, there's no need to peel off any outer strings.

Make extra raspberry sauce to have on hand for making raspberry sodas or for drizzling on angel food cake.

A summer pudding is a British warm-weather wonder--not steamed like a sticky pudding but an easy dish that sets up thanks to the pectin in the berries. Be sure to use firm, bakery-quality bread.

Dessert meets the cheese plate when you drizzle grilled apples and flavorful cheese with honey and toasted pecans for a quick and healthy finish to any meal for two. This is a good chance to try some exotic honeys--their nuances will shine in this simple dessert.

Bananas cooked in a delectable brown-sugar-rum sauce make for a quick yet impressive dessert.