Fruit desserts are never out of season

In the colder seasons, our choice of fresh seasonal fruit is limited -- but with a little thought fruit can be delectably used at no great expense to provide nutritional variety, especially in desserts.

No need to tap exotic sources. Make the most of plentiful apples and pears, and don't forget the shopping-proof cans waiting on the pantry shelf to rescue the hungry on blizzard days.

A layered strudel is a traditional German dessert favorite. This stacked version is easy to make, especially if you use the fresh phyllo that's increasingly available in supermarkets' refrigerated sections.

Bavarian Apple Strudel

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup rum

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

5 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

14 sheets fresh or thawed frozen phyllo

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 cup creme fraiche or sour cream

Confectioners' sugar

Combine raisins and rum; set aside 10 minutes or longer.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9-inch-square baking pan. Combine granulated sugar, lemon rind and cinnamon; set aside.

Place phyllo sheets between two sheets of waxed paper, then cover with damp towel to prevent drying out. Remove one sheet of phyllo and brush completely with butter; repeat with 3 more sheets, layering them into a stack of 4. Press phyllo stack into bottom of pan, folding to fit; onto it place half of prepared apples, topped with half of raisin mixture and granulated sugar mixture; spread half the creme fraiche on top. Stack another 4 sheets of phyllo on top of fruit layer, buttering and folding each as before. Top with remaining apples, raisins, sugar mixture and creme fraiche. Stack another 4 sheets of buttered, folded phyllo on top.

To give the top of the strudel a ruffled effect, butter and stack 2 more sheets of phyllo; cut them into 1 1/2-inch-wide strips. Gently crumple each strip and place them randomly on top of strudel.

Bake strudel on bottom shelf of oven 25 to 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly. (If top begins to brown too much, cover loosely with aluminum foil.) Cool strudel; sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

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This dessert needs no baking. It has to chill for several hours in the refrigerator, and can be made up to a day ahead of serving time.

Cling Peach Charlotte

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar, preferably superfine

5 tablespoons Frangelico almond liqueur, Grand Marnier, or syrup from the peaches (if using peach syrup, add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract)

1 1/2 cups finely ground almonds (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish)

2 cups whipping cream

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Three 15-ounce cans cling peach slices, well drained (reserve 5 slices for garnish)

Line the bottom of an 8 1/2-inch springform pan with a circle of waxed paper.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and superfine sugar together for 4 or 5 minutes, until pale and airy. Add the Frangelico almond liqueur, Grand Marnier or reserved peach syrup and almond extract. Continue to beat for a few more minutes until the sugar has nearly dissolved. Blend in the almonds. Reserve.

Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until it just holds very soft peaks. Fold the lightly whipped cream completely into the almond mixture.

Cover the bottom of the springform pan with 1/3 of the almond cream. Arrange half of the peach slices in a sunburst pattern on the almond cream. Cover with another 1/3 of the almond cream. Repeat with another layer of peach slices and cover with the remaining almond cream. Firmly tap the filled pan onto work surface to settle the mixture and remove any air pockets that may have formed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Cling Peach Charlotte may be prepared a day in advance to this point.

To serve, remove the plastic wrap and run a knife around the edge of the pan. Unlatch the springform pan leaving the ring in place. Place the selected serving plate upside-down over the mold and reverse the finished charlotte onto the plate. Remove the ring and the bottom of the pan. Remove the waxed paper. Garnish with reserved peach slices and sprinkle with the reserved ground almonds. Refrigerate until serving time.

For best results, slice with a damp knife.

Makes 12 servings.

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Traditional and tropical fruit flavors combine in this refreshing variation of the always-welcome cheesecake.

Pumpkin Pineapple Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

Light cream cheese (12 ounces), softened

16-ounce can pumpkin

4 eggs

2 tablespoons flour

4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vegetable cooking spray

15 1/2-ounce can sliced pineapples in heavy syrup

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place a pan of hot water on lower rack of oven.

Set aside 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. In food processor, combine remaining sugar with cream cheese. Process 20 seconds. Add pumpkin, eggs, flour, spice and vanilla. Process 10 seconds, scraping sides once.

Pour filling into 8-inch springform pan coated with vegetable cooking spray. Bake in center of oven 50 minutes without opening door. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven 1 hour. Then immediately remove cheesecake; run knife around sides of pan. Cool; refrigerate 3 hours. (Cracking is common in cheesecake.)

Meanwhile, drain pineapple; reserving syrup. To make pineapple glaze, dice 1 pineapple slice. Cook reserved syrup, remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar and diced pineapple over medium-high heat 8 minutes or until thick; do not stir. Set aside. Just before serving, arrange remaining pineapple slices on cake. Top with glaze.

Cook's tip: To use a small food processor, combine as directed above, omitting pumpkin. Remove to large bowl, combine pumpkin and processed ingredients. If food processor is not available, prepare in large bowl as directed above using wooden spoon to mix ingredients.

Makes 8 servings.

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In these parfaits, pear sauce made with apricot and ginger is part of a dessert with many layers of flavor.

Apricot Ginger Pear Parfaits

6 firm-ripe pears (3 pounds)

5 ounces dried apricots (preferably California; 1 heaping cup)

4 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1/2 cup water

2 to 3 tablespoons sugar

Four 4-inch-by-1-inch strips fresh lemon zest (see note)

3-inch piece cinnamon stick

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

8-ounce container nonfat vanilla yogurt

Garnish: diced fresh pear and dried apricot slivers

Special equipment: a food mill fitted with a medium disk

Peel 4 pears (2 pounds) and coarsely chop (including cores), then transfer to a 3- to 4-quart saucepan. Add apricots, ginger, water, 2 tablespoons sugar, zest, cinnamon stick and 1 tablespoon lemon juice; simmer, covered, until pears are very tender, about 20 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick and force mixture through mill into a bowl. If desired, stir in up to 1 tablespoon additional sugar and cool sauce. (Sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.)

While sauce is cooling, peel, core and finely dice (1/3 inch) remaining 2 pears (1 pound), then toss with remaining tablespoon lemon juice in a bowl.

Spoon 1/4 cup sauce into each of six 8-ounce glasses and top each serving with 2 tablespoons diced pear. Then spread 2 tablespoons yogurt in each glass and top with 2 more tablespoons diced pear and 1/4 cup sauce.

Makes 6 servings.