These are the most delicious roasted apples I have eaten, with the bitter chocolate (typical of Northern Italy) and lemon zest adding depth and brightness. I highly recommend using a chocolate with 80 percent cocoa content for this recipe, and a tart fruit, such as the Granny Smith.

Usha was tender and methodical with her baking. Each day the wooden dough board came out, as did a big knife for cutting butter, and small bowlfuls of ingredients—apples, nuts, plums, and on a rare occasion even chocolate.

Ask any Dane what they think of when you say summer, and they will almost certainly respond with strawberries. Ask them about Danish summer desserts, and it will be Rødgrød med Fløde, a beloved, slightly thickened berry soup, served with a decadent amount of loose heavy cream.