A lot of summer traditions look different this year, but desserts featuring summer fruits like berries, stone fruit, even tropical fruits are still popping up on time on menus around the state. Here’s a short list of the fruit-driven sweets available for takeout or outdoor dining.
—Stuart Marx is doing some refined beach-side pastry at Drifthouse by David Burke. Witness his signature dessert: Coconut Layer Cake with Pineapple-Mango Reduction and Mango Sorbet. It’s not berries or stone fruit, in fact it’s not quite local or seasonal, but mango does have a way of transporting us to some kind of island vacation of the mind, especially when it’s assisted by equally tropical coconut. So we’re not complaining. Drifthouse by David Burke, 1485 Ocean Avenue, Sea Bright; 732-530-9760
—Granted, these are pre-oven, but they almost look just as scrumptious: Peach and Berry Rye Galettes from Montclair Bread Company. The berries in question are blackberries, which are both a little darker, rounder, and tarter, making them a nice foil for the bold rye flavor of the pastry itself. All of which is to say—buy some whipped cream and keep your eyes peeled for the next batch. Montclair Bread Company, 16 Label Street, Montclair; 973-509-2525
—When “peach” is in the name, you’re just about guaranteed a bakery is going to do its stone fruit baking just right. The Gingered Peach in Lawrence has a full catalogue of golden-brown-and-delicious, but their Peach Crumb pie (here pre-crumb, though looking just as good) is the way to go if you’re system still needs its summer peach fix (it does). The Gingered Peach, 2 Gordon Avenue, Lawrence; 609-896-5848
—Palazzone 1960 does a very good seasonal dessert in colder temps (you’ll want to double up on your Panettone order this December—it’s comfort food) but they’ve got ample room for seasonal berries on top of this Raspberry Crostata with Chantilly Cream. They’ve also got some summery lemon flavors going, plus pizza and cannoli, and stock up since beach bodies aren’t as much of a thing this summer. Palazzone 1960, 190 Route 23 South, Wayne; 973-256-2734
—The scone is a tried-and-true vehicle for seasonal bounty, but it’s also seriously unassuming. So these Raspberry White Chocolate Scones from Papa Ganache in Matawan might look pretty straightforward, they do that double scone duty of being fluffy and crumbly-tender (did we mention they’re also vegan and gluten-free?). Coffee or tea optional, of course. Papa Ganache, 106 Main Street, Matawan; 732-217-1750
—As we learned earlier this year, the blueberry harvest had its challenges, but Jersey made it through. Witness this Blueberry Lemon Pop Tart from Dulce in Collingswood—with, yes, what looks like a little well-earned gold flake on top. The dessert and pastry shop has an incredibly fun, creative menu (scroll their Instagram and try to resist a sweets run) but we’re guessing they’re having the most fun with fruit these days. Dulce, 740A Haddon Avenue, Collingswood; 856-942-0254
—Who says all that sweet flavor has to go into dessert? At Vanillamore—where the motto is “Sweet, Savory, Social”—they’re gamely blurring boundary lines with an Avocado Mango Crostini (with what looks like little bits of roasted corn, too, double summer points!). Vanillamore, 349 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair; 973-707-5373
—No shock pastry at The Flaky Tart is almost as good to look at as it is to eat—both Laura Martelli and Matthew Rosenzweig are professional pastry chefs, and the refinement shows. Not that flavors don’t also gush forth, as in this Blueberry Panna Cotta with Lemon Cream and Honey Amaretto Chantilly or the Cherry-Vanilla Key Lime Tart with Graham Cracker Crust and Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream. The Flaky Tart, 145 First Avenue, Atlantic Highlands; 732-291-2555