fruits, dried fruits, nuts, spices, herbs, fruit purees, and even
veggies. For instance, shredded carrots make a great
topping for a bowl of cubed apples and raisins. Paleo
desserts should share the style of the rest of the meal: they
should be simple, nutritious, visually appealing, and
appetizing, like virtually all of the recipes we have
presented in this book. Paleo desserts may be served
anytime and don’t necessarily need to be included at the
end of a meal. We enjoy nibbling on fresh succulent grapes
right along with our main course.
If desserts are to balance the rest of the meal, they need
distinct flavors and personalities of their own. Spices and
extracts that can enhance fresh fruits include almond
extract, allspice, anise, caraway seeds, cardamom,
cinnamon, cloves, ginger, lemon extract, mace, mint,
nutmeg, orange extract, rum extract, and vanilla extract.
Draw on your imagination but be cautious, as excessive
use of spices and extracts may leave a muddled flavor in
your dessert. Ideally, a fruit dessert should emphasize only
a few spices and flavors. For example, fresh strawberries
cut lengthwise taste heavenly with cinnamon and vanilla
extract. Some of the stronger and earthier Paleo dessert
flavors include anise, clove, cinnamon, and walnuts.
Desserts should be cooling to the palate. Sorbets and
tropical fruit flavors are perfect, but the ingredients are not
available year-round. In wintertime, hearty and comforting
desserts such as rhubarb, baked apples, or nut-stuffed
dates may appeal to you. On a chilly night, they will satisfy