My Food & Wine magazine recently arrived in the mail.  When I saw the berry Pavlova on the cover (recipe here), I started thinking about my favorite summer time desserts.  When the heat is on, I prefer something a bit lighter and typically fruit based.  Here are my three favorite summer-time desserts.

My all-time favorite summer dessert is a Mixed Berry Tiramisu recipe from Bon Appetit in 1993 (recipe here).  It is just the right mix of berries and cream and the ladyfingers lend it a bit of substance.  The raspberry liqueur doesn’t hurt either.  It is a bit of work but if you are looking for a crowd-pleaser, this is it.

Lemons have always evoked thoughts of summer for me.  During my childhood, my quintessential summer day always involved a lemonade stand.  As an adult, lemon bars bring back the nostalgia of summer.  Not too heavy and not too sweet, they are a perfect summer treat.  (Recipe here.)

While not fruit-based, creme brulee is a terrific end to a summer meal.  (Recipe here.)  The light custard is not too much for a warm summer night, and the carmelized sugar adds enough depth to the flavor to make the dessert interesting.