Hi Reader,

Cherries are the ones I eat standing at the counter, spitting pits into my hand, telling myself I will save some for a tart. I rarely do.
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Plums and apricots hold longer. They keep for days in the bowl, soften over the better part of a week, and make the best baking of the summer if I get to them in time.
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This is the short window when all three overlap. Cherries at their dark, sweet peak, plums turning jammy, apricots gone soft and honeyed, all in the market at once.
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The cherries go first, sooner than I ever want. Split a stone-fruit haul between eating and baking and you catch all three at their best.

Splitting the Stone-Fruit Haul

• Pit cherries the messy, fast way. A paper clip, a chopstick, or a real pitter over a bowl. Wear an apron; cherry juice does not come out.
• Ripen plums and apricots in a paper bag. A loosely closed bag on the counter ripens hard fruit in a day or two. Check daily so they do not soften past their best.
• Almond is the classic match for stone fruit. Frangipane, almond cake, a little extract. The two pair naturally.
• Roast or grill the ones too firm to enjoy raw. Heat coaxes sweetness out of underripe stone fruit. A hot pan rescues a disappointing plum.
• Bake the cherries first, while they are at their peak. Tarts, cakes, and a galette follow; start with whatever is darkest and sweetest.

WHAT'S INSIDE...

• ​Sweet Cherry Pie​
• ​Rustic Cherry Puff Pastry Tart​
• ​Fresh Cherry Tart With Cream Cheese Filling​
• ​Apricot Galette​
• ​Apricot Tart With Frangipane​
• ​Plum Almond Cake​
• ​Plum Crumble Pie​
• ​Plum Torte​
• ​Baked Nectarines With Port​
• ​Homemade Cherry Liqueur | Guignolet​

​Sweet Cherry Pie​

For some people—er, me—apple pie is a favorite. For others, it’s unquestionably cherry that rocks their world. I get asked every weekend at the Pitchfork Pie Stand if I have cherry pie. My response is a quick one: “Who’s going to pit all those cherries?!” But cherry pie is bred deeply in the American DNA, and for that, and its bright and cheery appearance, there is a place for it when offering gifts of healing to others.

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​Rustic Cherry Puff Pastry Tart​

This rustic cherry tart smothers a puff pastry crust with frangipane, cherries, and almonds. It's a stunning summer dessert with its purplish summer stone fruit.

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​Fresh Cherry Tart With Cream Cheese Filling​

At first glance, the addition of citrus may seem unusual, but the added lemon or lime in the crust pairs beautifully with the almond and fresh cherry flavors.

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​Apricot Galette​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.82 from 11 votes

With an apricot galette, you have the best of summer—a ripe, sweet fruit that speaks for itself, needing very little added sugar and a light, buttery crust that's fuss-free.

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​Apricot Tart With Frangipane​

This apricot tart is full of fresh apricots that are sitting on a buttery frangipane, or almond cream, all nestled in a crumbly sweet tart shell. On top are chopped pistachios, for the wow factor.

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​Plum Almond Cake​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.82 from 27 votes

This plum almond cake, an Italian dessert known as Torta di Prugne e Mandorle, is easy to make from scratch with flour, almond meal, sugar, butter, lemon, and plums. Addictively delicious.

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​Plum Crumble Pie​

This plum crumble pie is made a traditional pastry crust, a bubbling fruit filling, and an easy crumble topping. An easy summer dessert.

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​Plum Torte​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.91 from 42 votes

Discover the legendary NYT plum torte. A simple, buttery cake rises around jammy, sweet-tart plums for an easy yet elegant dessert that’s famously foolproof. (With my tweaks!)

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​Baked Nectarines With Port​

Baked nectarines with port make a lovely, summery dessert that's both easy and elegant. A little scoop of vanilla ice cream wouldn't go amiss here, either.

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​Homemade Cherry Liqueur | Guignolet​

This cherry liqueur is made with kirsch, red wine, and sugar is an easy preserve that captures the cherry season long after it's gone. Simply the best and unspeakably better than anything you can buy in a bottle.

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