10 delicious desserts that capture the flavours of fall
The leaves are turning, days are getting shorter, temperatures are dropping. Autumn is here and we can’t deny it. For some, this might be reason to mourn their favourite time of the year (summer, obviously). For others, it’s the best time of the year. Personally, I am somewhere in the middle. I could easily do with a few more months of summer, but I do love the abundance of freshly harvested fall produce. From apples to pears, chestnuts, pecans, pumpkin, and figs, those unique fall flavours are hard to resist.
Honestly, there is no better way to end a cozy autumn meal with a delicious dessert packed with all these unique fall-flavours. Don’t you agree?
Below, I have rounded up the Top 10 of my favourite fall desserts.
10 Delicious Fall-Flavoured Desserts To Make On Repeat
If you are looking for an easy to make, delicious fall-flavoured dessert either to be enjoyed all by yourself, at your next fall party, or perhaps at the end of your Thanksgiving dinner, I have the perfect recipes line up for you.
Pear Panna Cotta With Chocolate-Espresso Sauce
It’s always a good time for panna cotta. This beloved Italian dessert is so easy to make, and so versatile when it comes to adding flavours.
The classic panna cotta requires only four ingredients: heavy cream, sugar, vanilla bean, and gelatin. For the most delicious fall version, add ripe pears and substitute the sugar with maple syrup. Then top with a thick chocolate-espresso sauce.
Believe me, you will want to make this over and over again once you have tasted this autumnal panna cotta the first time.
Get the recipe here.
Pastais de Nata
OK, you can rightly claim the delicious custard cakes originating from Portugal are not a classic fall dessert. There is no denying they are great at any time during the year. But spruce them up with a bit of cinnamon and serve still slightly warm, and you know why I’ve added them to my list of favourite fall desserts.
Get the recipe here.
Chestnut Chocolate Mousse
Dark chocolate paired with the earthy flavours of chestnuts, dark rum, and whipped cream. The perfect combination for a richly, fall-flavoured dessert that’s whipped up easily, can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for at least two days.
Get the recipe here.
Chestnut Bundt Cake With Pear Sauce
This rich chestnut bundt cake is so simple yet so delicious, you can be sure I will make it on repeat as soon as the first chestnuts appear each fall. The slightly sweet, earthy cake tastes delicious as it is, or simply topped with whipped cream. However, to take it a step up, I invite you to have it with a homemade pear sauce. You will never want it any other way.
Get the recipe here.
Whisky Mousse
If you are looking in the ‘chocolate’ part of this delicious mousse, I must tell you, there is none. Don’t worry, though. This delicate, light, and fluffy dessert is a total game changer. It substitutes the chocolate for a heavy dose of whisky. So, you will want to make this for the right occasion (no kiddies around).
The first time I’ve made this dessert was for a large St. Patrick’s Day gathering in my neighbourhood, but since I made it for many festive occasions. From an adult’s only birthday party to Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s always been a crowd pleaser. Rich and bold, it works perfectly on its own, or topped with a likewise rich chocolate sauce.
Get the recipe here.
Pumpkin Krapfen With Chocolate Mousse
Nothing says fall more than pumpkin, don’t you agree? If you can’t wait for the first pumpkin spice latte of the year, this is the dessert you must try this fall. Inspired by German krapfen, the doughnut-like sweet fried yeast balls traditionally linked to the Carnival season, this pumpkin flavoured fall version dunked into a thick chocolate sauce is nearly irresistible.
Get the recipe here.
Mousse au Chocolate with Caramelized Pears
A rich, delicate mousse au chocolate always works. Even when it’s hot outside. But this classic French dessert is unbeatable when combined with the flavours of fall. With pears in season and my well documented love of chocolate and pear pairings, this super delicious chocolate mousse accompanied by lightly caramelized pears and white chocolate brandy sauce remains one of my all-time favourite fall desserts. Make it this holiday season, or when you want to impress someone.
Get the recipe here.
Backed Apple Maultaschen
If you like apple strudel, the classic pastry popular in many European countries incorporating sweet, spiced apples and raisins wrapped in a blistered crust, traditionally served still slightly warm and topped with vanilla sauce or vanilla ice cream, you must try this dessert instead.
Maultschen are a traditional German dish in the Swabian region that resemble Italian ravioli or Chinese Wan Tan, consisting of sheets of pasta dough wrapped around savoury or sweet ingredients.
While you still have to work the dough carefully, Maultaschen are much easier to make than a classic apple strudel. Be careful, though. This dessert is highly addictive.
Get the recipe here.
Hazelnut Kaiserschmarren
A classic dessert from Austria, Kaiserschmarren is essentially a shredded, torn, or scrambled pancake. It is such a local favourite it is not even unusual that it will be enjoyed as main for a light lunch. While the original recipe calls for flour, sugar, eggs, milk, and raisins, this fall-flavoured version is made with ground hazelnuts and pears.
The combination of nutty, toasted hazelnuts and sweet pears is truly irresistible. Top with a slightly tangy cranberry compote, and you are ending up with the dessert of your dreams.
Get the recipe here.
Whisky Spiked Caramelized Apple Pie
If there is a dessert that has fall written all over it, it’s pie. For sure, the classic apple pie is a staple at this time of the year. But there is not stopping you to spruce it up with a few delicious tweaks. To add a particular kick, I usually pre-cook the apples to the point they take on a compote-like texture. Then there is the salted caramel and a splash of whisky complementing with the apples in a way that is almost impossible to describe. You will understand, once you had a slice of it.
Get the recipe here.
What is your favourite fall-flavoured dessert? Let me know in the comments.
Carrots and Tigers 