Vegetarian

This dessert relies on the same browning and deglazing techniques used for savory dishes. Many fruits benefit from a quick sauté, and their natural sugars—brought to the surface as juices evaporate—aid in the caramelization process. If you prefer not to use rum, you can substitute more pineapple juice.

If at any point the dough gets too soft to work with or begins to shrink, refrigerate for 15 minutes before proceeding.

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.

To make one 10-inch cake, melt 2 teaspoons butter in the skillet before adding the batter, and bake for 35 minutes.

These pears may be refrigerated in their cooking liquid overnight.

This recipe makes 3 peach and 3 cherry crisps. The ice cream is made by mixing cinnamon into store-bought vanilla ice cream and refreezing it. We call for fresh cherries, but frozen ones will work just as well; you’ll need to adjust amounts in step 3: Reduce the brown sugar to 1/3 cup and increase the cornstarch to 2 tablespoons.