Brighten up winter with six great citrus desserts

There’s no denying the appeal of summer’s peaches, plums and nectarines. But you’re really missing a bet if you think that’s the end of fruit desserts. In fact, I’d argue that winter’s citrus crop is every bit as delicious.

And just as the heavy, sweet perfume of summer fruit is a perfect match for that season, winter’s citrus has its own tangy, spicy magic.

California has an abundance of citrus that is almost embarrassing. You’ll find dozens of kinds of mandarins (mom called them tangerines), grapefruits and pummelos, lemons, limes and oranges and all of their cousins.

There’s definitely a lot for a creative cook to play with. It might be a dish as traditional as a Key lime pie (around here, look for Mexican limes, which are the same variety). It might be a homespun Shaker lemon pie, or its dead-easy equivalent, Lazy Mary’s lemon tart.

You can use citrus juice and zest to make a creamy curd, the tangy acidity nicely balances the richy buttery flavor. Or if you want something a little more straightforward, make a simple cornstarch pudding with tangelo juice.

What could be easier than slicing a bunch of different kinds of oranges -- navel, Cara Cara, blood -- whipping up a quick sauce and then running it under the broiler to brown?

One nice thing about the citrus family, though each type is different (and, indeed, even within the type, so are the specific varieties), what works for one will usually work for all. You’ll change the flavor, definitely, but in an intriguing rather than disastrous way.

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