By Alison Bailin Batz
In 17th-century France, the court would call its final dinner course “le fruit,” serving fruits and jams to guests to conclude the evening. During the French Revolution, however, the term “le fruit” was considered too pretentious and was replaced with “dessert.” While the term changed, the ingredients did not. Many modern desserts, especially those in the spring, continue to feature fruits prominently. Here are some local favorites.
Lemon Butter Cake
Cala Scottsdale
Cala’s lemon butter cake is a delectable treat featuring layers of tangy citrus custard and moist cake infused with lemon essence. It is topped with a crunchy pine nut crumble and crowned with a refreshing scoop of lavender sorbet, adding complementing floral notes to the prominent zesty citrus flavors. $16. www.calascottsdale.com.
Apple Pie
The Vig
The Vig partners with local icon Pie Snob to source this sweet yet tart treat. A signature on the Pie Snob menu since it opened, fresh apples are combined with ample cinnamon and spice – along with some sugar and water – before being baked in a homemade crust. It is topped with a streusel-like crumble that offers the perfect amount of crunch. At The Vig, it is served warm with a scoop of vanilla gelato. $10. www.thevig.us.
Banana Cheesecake
McArthur’s Restaurant & Bar at The Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Resort
Crafted with precision, this culinary masterpiece starts with a velvety vanilla-infused cheesecake base, to which ripe bananas are skillfully folded in by hand. Once set, it is drizzled with bananas foster sauce and then additional bananas are delicately bruleed atop the cake. It is garnished with a scattering of both caramel popcorn and sliced bananas. $18. www.arizonabiltmore.com.
Lemon Meringue Pie
Buck & Rider
Called more an experience than a pie by staff and patrons alike, this bright, beautiful dessert has a rich and creamy texture thanks to ample lemon custard, revealing a symphony of citrus on the palate. The vibrant bite of the custard is balanced by the cloud-like Italian meringue atop as well as the rustic, sweet graham cracker crust below, making it a true adventure in texture and flavors. $11. www.buckandrider.com.
Tepache Float
J.T. Prime Kitchen & Cocktails
In pre-Columbian Mexico, tepache was a sacred drink with aromatics. In more modern times, it evolved into a fermented Mexican beverage made from the peel and rind of pineapples, sweetened most often with brown sugar and spiced with cinnamon. The chefs at J.T. Prime take the evolution even further, transforming pineapple tepache into a dessert float, adding homemade coconut pineapple ice cream to the recipe with great success. $10. www.jtprimekitchen.com.
Homemade Peach Cobbler
Z’Tejas
Crafted with care, this classic dessert embodies comfort and warmth. Fresh, juicy peaches are delicately spiced and baked beneath a buttery, golden-brown crust. Served in a rustic presentation, each spoonful reveals a harmonious blend of sweet peaches, fragrant cinnamon, and hints of vanilla. Finished with a scoop of creamy ice cream, it transforms diners to a summer picnic or cozy family gathering. $10. www.ztejas.com.
Strawberry-Marzipan Shortcake
Sel Scottsdale
This dish was the 2023 Foodist Award Winner for Most Delectable Dessert in the Valley. Chefs start by marrying marzipan – a sweet, uniquely chewy confection often made with sugar, honey and almond – and lighter than air, homemade shortcake. Once baked, it is layered on a plate with macerated strawberries and topped with a giant swirl of Chantilly cream. The cake is served alongside vanilla bean gelato atop a strawberry crumble with salted caramel and balsamic drizzle. $14. www.selrestaurant.com.
Key Lime Pie Cannoli
The Sicilian Baker
A fusion of the classic Sicilian cannoli and Southern classic key lime pie, this fruit-forward after-dinner delight starts with a crispy and flaky cannoli homemade shell. It is then filled with sweet ricotta cheese and zesty lime curd by hand, and then rolled in graham cracker crumbs that one would find at the base of the traditional pie. It is garnished with maraschino cherries. $6. www.thesicilianbaker.com.
Coconut Panna Cotta
Geordie’s Restaurant & Lounge
This exceptionally tropical – and gluten-free – treat successfully transports all who eat it to island time. It starts with a marmalade made from fresh pineapples. The marmalade is combined with coconut- and yusu-infused sorbet, and then placed in a pineapple-shaped glass before it is finished with coconut meringue. It all comes together similar in flavor to a pina colada, but in an almost custard-like form for the texture. $15. www.wrigleymansion.com.
Lemon Souffle Sponge
Olive & Ivy
The magic behind this dessert is that as it bakes, it separates into two different textures. The top texture is fluffy, and the bottom is rich. When making the batter, egg yolks, sugar, lemon and flour are mixed to create the base of the cake, then egg whites and sugar are whipped to create fluffy, stiff peaks of meringue. During the bake, the meringue adheres to the flour and floats to the top, while the yolks mix with the sugar and lemon juice and drop to the bottom. It is served with custard on top and garnished with honey crema, blackberry compote, lemon oil, basil, and a hint of crunchy hazelnut toffee. $12. www.oliveandivyrestaurant.com.