29 stunning summer fruit desserts that put you in the drivers seat

Summer is the time of year when the season’s bounty tells you what’s on the menu. Just look around at your favorite store. What summer fruit is catching your eye? Lush peaches? Snow white nectarines? Plump, juicy plums? Berries of every size and color?

Snap ‘em up and you’re half way to dessert.

You could keep it simple. Dice up your fruit, and serve it with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. (If you’ve got a bowl full of berries, you can skip the dicing part, of course.)

PHOTOS: 29 irresistable summer fruit desserts

But what if inspiration strikes, and you want something a little more? We poured over the L.A. Times’ Test Kitchen’s archives for our best recipes that put summer’s ripest fruit to good use.

We’ve got tarts, crostadas, buckles, crumbles and more, all variations on a theme: Showcasing the season’s sweetest offerings.

Many of the desserts put you in the drivers seat. They give you a broad outline, but you fill in the details based on what summer fruit you like best. This glistening summer pudding, for example, calls for a mix-and-match of berries.

And this cool vanilla panna cotta is the perfect backdrop for whatever fresh fruit strikes your fancy.

How are you putting fresh fruit to good use this summer?

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