The beauty of a dessert is often its simplicity. There's nothing quite like getting down to the basics of combining delicious flavors and consistencies that complement one another without excessive labor. The perfect dessert for summertime –- or anytime you can find a lovely, ripe stone fruit in season –- combines the rich taste of fresh fruit with a lighter-than-air topping.

As if a cobbler met a pavlova and the two spawned a decadent offspring, broiled peaches topped with meringue is a dessert that boasts a complex medley of tastes and textures that's as simple to make as it is to enjoy. This combination of tender fruit and light meringue is ideal for a number of reasons. Both the peaches and the meringue can be finished off in the broiler, reducing the amount of kitchen space and tools required.

Further, the flavors work especially well together in a similar vein as peaches and cream. Despite the differences between , the bottom line is that any way you choose to prepare your meringue, it will make a brilliant addition atop any of the you use. Broiling allows the sugars in your peaches to caramelize, making an excellent pairing with the egg white "kisses" of a tender meringue.

You can also dress up this dish however you wish with minimal effort. Read more: Similar to , broiling peach halves yields a delightful result that is optimal for holding your meringue topping. Start with your favorite type of ripe peaches, halve and pit each one, and place the fruit in an oven-s.