Light desserts

By Victoria Abbott Riccardi

After a rich, luxury-food-laden meal, there's nothing more welcome than the fresh flavor of ripe fruit. Splurge on such treats as honey-sweet strawberries and velvety raspberries now arriving from Southern-hemisphere neighbors like Chile, where it's midsummer.

Sure, these specialty fruits may be expensive, but it's the time of year for a little indulgence. Exotic fruits' perfumes, colors and juices invigorate the senses, while their natural sugars add a healthy jolt of sweetness. What's more, they burst with vitamins and minerals, but contain minimal fat and calories.

Unlike cakes and pies that can require hours of preparation and baking time, the three dessert recipes here can be put together in a flash to serve to your guests. Of course, you can't just hand out a bunch of bananas and a cup of café au lait and expect a standing ovation. So we've made our desserts sparkle: They're either whimsical (like the Party Apples), elegant (like the Ruby Surprise) or luscious (like the Chocolate Pound Cake With Roasted Strawberries and Yogurt Cream). They're also special because they contain fancy festive ingredients, such as candied ginger, chopped nuts and grenadine.

For the perfect ending to a sophisticated holiday meal, turn to the recipes below. They're simple, sweet and irresistibly "wow!"