Parfait

The most important part of this melon parfait is the melon jelly made from Piel de Sapo—an intensely fragrant melon—but you can use a similar green or orange melon instead.

This elegant dessert relies on the energizing powers of coffee and chocolate—balanced with the richness of cream—to liven up the mood.

Use plátanos manzanos—a short, fat, and incredibly sweet plantain variety—if you can find them. When pan-fried, the outside caramelizes and forms a hard shell while the inside becomes soft and custardy (like crème brûlée!). Look for them in Latin and Caribbean supermarkets or in the tropical fruit section of large supermarkets.

A habit-forming graham cracker crumble takes peaches and cream to another dimension.

Layer maraschino liqueur–soaked sweet cherries with a tangy yogurt cream and chewy meringue cookies for a dessert that tastes both heart-warmingly retro and totally modern.

These berries don’t need much cooking time to stew down. However, you can change the fruits to apples, pears or even quinces and cook them in the slow cooker on low for about 5 hours. Let the slow cooker revolution continue! Best way forward for this brekky is to cook the fruit (frozen works well, too) and oats in batches so you have enough to last you throughout the week.

Who needs cranberries when you can have pomegranate juice?

Be sure to use only silken tofu for this dairy-free lemon dessert. You'll find the tofu in shelf-stable packages in your grocery store.

Rich in protein, the oats and nuts in this sweet, crunchy dessert will help keep blood sugar levels stable.

The secret to homemade brittle? Work fast—it hardens quickly.

A twist on bananas Foster, this parfait is made with rye instead of rum and finished with caramelized-maple pecans. The parfaits can be made ahead and look great layered in freezer-proof rocks glasses or mason jars.

Low-fat yogurt with fresh oranges is a quick, sensible alternative to an ice cream sundae; the red wine gives the caramel a fruity acidity.

Molly Moon's in Seattle pairs apricot compote with vanilla ice cream, but you can experiment with other combos. We love chocolate ice cream with tart dried cherries.

Papaya and berries add fiber and antioxidants to these breakfast cups, while mint helps soothe the digestive tract. If you use store-bought granola instead of making your own, be sure to look for varieties that are low in fat and sugar.

The rich, tangy crème fraîche and a bit of vinegar cut the sweetness of the berries. You can use vanilla ice cream in place of the crème fraîche.