Stone Fruit

Fresh sour cherries usually appear in farmers’ markets in early July, but the season is short—about three weeks. If you can’t find fresh sour cherries, substitute two pounds of frozen ones; defrost before using. To make the strudel, you’ll need a large, clean cloth and a work surface that you can easily walk around, such as an island or your kitchen table.

Sour cream gives this cake a particularly lovely tang. Tube pans are made with both regular and removable bottoms; either is fine for this recipe.

You can substitute an equal amount of chopped peaches or nectarines for the plums. Or use your favorite berries instead—the recipe is very versatile.

This recipe was found in one of Mrs. Rowe’s old handwritten notebooks. You can substitute fresh cherries or, for a special treat, use fresh sour cherries. You may want to adjust how much sugar you use, based on the sweetness of the cherries.

Damson plums were first introduced to the British by the Romans, and eventually English settlers brought them over to America, where they thrived in the climate of the eastern United States. Because of their acidic, tart flavor, Damsons make tasty jams and pies. This recipe, handwritten by Mildred in one of her old notebooks, calls for Damson plums—if you substitute another variety of plum, you may need to cut back on the sugar.

Peach season is fleeting, but this seasonal pie is so delicious that you should slip it into your summer any way you can. If the edges of the crust begin to brown before the rest of the pie, cover them with foil. Enjoy plain or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Inspired by the time-honored specialty cakes of Christmas, these down-scaled versions are studded with mixed dried fruits and nuts and flavored with spirits. Once baked, they are blanketed with billowy frosting and topped with another familiar holiday treat, meringue mushrooms. In place of the apricots, figs, and dates used here, you may substitute other fruits, such as dried pineapple or candied citrus peel. Just be sure to purchase good-quality fruits from a store with a high turnover (avoid supermarket varieties sold as “mixed candied fruit”) and use kitchen shears to cut the fruit into uniform pieces.

Make the most of fresh cherry season by baking the little stone fruits right into charming tea cakes. The cakes, made with ground almonds, brown butter, and egg whites, are similar to financiers, which are small, springy brick-shaped cakes named for their resemblance to gold bullion. These cakes are baked with the pits left inside the cherries (be sure to warn guests before serving). Or, if you prefer, remove the pits before baking, leaving the stems intact.

Chocolate and cherries are a match made in heaven—or, in this case—the Black Forest region of Germany, where the original layer cake was created (and cherries are abundant). These miniature versions of the classic German dessert are saturated with cherry liqueur, layered with sweet pastry cream and preserved cherries, and drizzled with rich chocolate ganache.

A thin double-crust slab, baked in a rimmed sheet pan, is perfect for pie lovers who prefer a high crust-to-filling ratio. The pâte brisée crust is peppered with polka-dot cutouts made with a round pastry tip; you can try this technique on a double-crust pie in any shape, size, or flavor. For easy unmolding, line the baking sheet with parchment paper with a one-inch overhang on long sides before baking the pie.

A winning combination of tart and sweet, this county-fair favorite is marked by a tightly woven lattice crust. Sour cherries enjoy a short season—typically a few weeks in late June and early July—so snap them up when you see them, and freeze any extras: Line a baking sheet with parchment and freeze pitted cherries in a single layer. Transfer frozen cherries to a resealable bag; they should keep in the freezer up to one year.

Apricot halves are poached with lemon peel, cracked cardamom pods, sliced fresh ginger, and vanilla-bean seeds to make a luscious filling for little crosshatched hand pies. Plums or peaches can be used in place of apricots; you may need to cut out larger pastry rounds depending on the size of the fruit. Be sure to keep the fruit submerged in poaching liquid or it will turn brown. This recipe is a specialty of Joey Gallagher, whose daughter, photographer Dana Gallagher, is a frequent contributor to Martha Stewart Living.

Thanks to its length and the abundance of glistening fruit, this tart makes a striking finale. The tender cornmeal crust is more crumbly than other types, so do not overmix the dough, and be sure to chill well before rolling. It is also a forgiving dough—you can pinch together any holes or tears when fitting it into the tin.

Blanched and peeled apricots are arranged just so on a bed of softly whipped crème fraîche—seven halves in a circle, another half cut into thirds and set in the center.

A French patisserie classic is made modern. The tarts pictured incorporate sliced kiwi fruit, peaches, and strawberries, along with assorted whole berries, but feel free to improvise with your favorite fresh or poached fruit, and to arrange it in whatever pattern pleases you. That’s half the fun of a recipe such as this—the shell serves as a blank canvas for your creativity.

Take all the layers of classic cheesecake—crumbly graham-cracker crust, rich, creamy filling, and fresh fruit topping—and combine them in a modern tart. Sour cream ups the tanginess factor of the filling; almonds round out the cookie crust; and sugar sweetens the plums, which are cooked into a jam. Save some of the cooking syrup for tossing with the blueberries before scattering them over the top.

This pie has all the makings of a favorite summer dish: ease, seasonal flavor, and laid-back appeal. Peaches and cream are a justly celebrated pair, even more so when the “cream” is crème fraîche: Its slight tartness beautifully complements the sweet fruit. As the pie bakes, the crème fraîche sets like a custard, the peaches become tender, and the crumb topping turns golden and perfectly crisp.

The press-in crust for this tart, flavored with ground hazelnuts and cinnamon, doubles as a crumble topping that browns atop the fruit-and-custard filling as it bakes. It’s another highly adaptable, versatile recipe that works well with any type of stone fruit or berry.

The filling for this Italian-style tart begins with a flavorful reduction of port wine and brown sugar; half a fresh Thai chile is added for a subtle—but entirely optional—bit of heat. Start with the best fruit you can find. Small, oval Italian prune plums are firmer and sweeter than other plums; plus, since they are a freestone fruit, their pits are not attached to the flesh and are therefore easily removed.

Lightweight, airy chiffon pies are potluck favorites for a reason. The no-bake filling is stabilized with gelatin and lightened with egg whites, resulting in a sturdy yet ethereal tart that can be made well ahead of serving time yet still hold its shape.