Poached pears are such an elegant dish, light enough to enjoy after a heavy main. Avoid overripe pears as they can become mushy and lose their regal shape. Using a vegetable peeler, pare the zest ...

Arrange the fruit, spices and cooking juices in a large dish or divide between four bowls. At the last moment, put a spoonful of the delicate flakes of spiced wine granita on top of your dessert.

When cooked, the fruit's flavor is gently aromatic, like apples, but their texture is much more dense and rich—and the flesh turns pink. Quince season runs from late summer through fall.

This pear crostata is simple yet sophisticated, with fresh fruit poached in Prosecco and layered over creamy ricotta inside a folded pastry shell. Our recipe yields two crostatas and is easy to make ...