Ina Garten is the queen of crafting beautiful, complex-tasting dishes that are secretly easy to make, and she just shared five of her all-time favorite fall desserts that make a statement but are so simple to whip up. And if you’re really in a pinch, Garten says some “runny brie with fresh pears or apples” does the job.
Over on her Substack, Garten listed off five dessert recipes you should really try making this fall, the first of which is an Apple Crostada. This dessert is like a rustic pie and is made with McIntosh, Macoun, or Empire apples — a perfect recipe to use up your apple-picking booty! It’s also flavored with cinnamon, orange zest, and allspice, which really scream fall in all the right ways.
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The homemade pastry dough makes the entire thing pop, and Garten writes in her newsletter, “Just remember: ice-cold butter is the key to really good pastry. When the heat of the oven hits the cold butter, it gives off steam, and that’s what makes light, flaky pastry.
You could also give Garten’s French Apple Tart a try if you’re in the apple mood. It’s much easier than the crostada because you don’t have to toss the apples with anything before placing them on the pastry. This recipe calls for Granny Smith apples, giving it a tart punch, and is made sweeter with apricot jelly mixed with rum that’s added at the very end while the tart is still hot out of the oven.
Or, bake up an Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp that’s packed with fall flavors and made crispy thanks to Garten’s sweet and crunchy topping made with oatmeal, brown sugar, cold butter, flour, and salt. The sugar inside the crisp pulls out all the delicious apple juices while the crisp bakes, making it an ooey-gooey treat that’s best served with a side of vanilla ice cream.
Not in the mood for apples? Then Garten’s Pear Clafouti might be your new favorite sweet treat. It’s basically a baked custard that’s dotted with fresh-cut pears, and everything melts in your mouth as you eat it. This dessert is ultra-rich with heavy cream and pear brandy, but the flavors are light, sweet, and addictive!
Finally, for something a bit on the lighter side, try Garten’s Perfect Poached Fruit. Pears, dried figs, dried apricots, and dried prunes are poached in vin santo, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla bean, and lemon and orange zests, and served chilled. It’s a dish that looks super swanky and features all the fall flavors you know and love, but won’t leave you feeling too full to function.
With fall just starting, you have plenty of time to try all five of Garten’s favorite fall desserts. Subscribe to her Substack for more recipes, tips, and tricks, and get ready to have the tastiest fall season ever!
Before you go, check out the gallery below:
