In the brief window of time between dropping my eldest daughter off at preschool, getting the twins down for their morning naps, preparing lunch and then picking the preschooler up again from her half-day of away-play, the heap of bright red and green shiny apples was staring me down, challenging me to quickly convert their toothsomely tart selves into a warm, fragrant, scrumptious snack. I met their dare, of course, with muffins. Okay, so I’m anthropomorphizing hanging fruit — maybe I need to get out more — but what ev’.

Looking for a dessert that’s refreshing, delicious and will knock the socks off of your dinner guests? This special confection ticks all the boxes, thanks to a dazzlingly impressive appearance, sweet pastry crust (pâte sucrée) evocative of a sugar cookie, a hidden chocolate lining, a velvety rich pastry cream filling (crème pâtissière), and — last but certainly not least — a beautifully arranged crown of fresh fruits and berries.

Like a tiny paper lantern concealing a golden jewel, the ground cherry has a pleasantly mild flavor, which I can only describe as a cross between a sweet tomato and a cantaloupe, with a surprisingly subtle vanilla undertone. Quite delectable.

In addition to taking significantly less time to make than traditional yeast-leavened breads,  Irish soda bread has the most delicious crunchy crust, yielding a rich, chewy interior that will incite the urge to bang out loaves of this yummy quick bread on a regular basis.  Crafted from simple ingredients sure to be found in every kitchen, this moist, dense, cheese- and onion-infused soda bread is virtually a meal unto itself. Let’s call this one a shout-out to my maternal great-grandmother, a red-headed Irish-Newfie.

Squeeze the last lemony zing out of summer with this simple, classic dessert. One of my childhood favorites, for sure, lemon squares bring together two of what I consider to be the best flavors, ever: lemon and butter. The dense, crumbly shortbread base is chock-full of butter, creating the perfect prop for the tangy citrus topping with its delicate, sugar-dusted flaky top.