Some people are content with a dessert of fresh fruit, pure and simple and free of guilt. But many of us crave a little decadence at dessert time -- something gooey, something rich, something chocolate -- even if just a tiny helping. It might be blueberries or plums baked into a pie or fruit crisp that oozes deep purple juices. President Clinton was treated to such a dessert when the first family dined at the Atlantic Inn on Block Island. Pastry chef Denise Argiro baked a juicy plum crisp laced with sliced almonds and topped with a crumbly brown sugar streusel. A scoop of homemade ginger ice cream was the crowning touch. The President's schedule didn't allow him to linger over dessert, but he took a doggy bag of the plum crisp, ginger ice cream and all.

Argiro is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, as is Atlantic Inn's executive chef, Ed Moon. When asked, she generously shared her recipes.

In addition to Argiro's recipes, I've included several other homey sweets, including a pound cake layered with apples and pecan-streusel, a recipe from actress Beverly Garland, who appeared in My Three Sons and The Scarecrow and Mrs. King . For ice cream fans, there's my favorite hot fudge sauce. Thick and rich, it's luscious when poured warm over ice cream. The recipe came from a cook- book by one of my college instructors. Her book is also the source of an easy blueberry slump that I've been making for decades. Fresh blueberries are topped with pie crust which slumps down as the berries bake; the juices ooze up through slits in the crust. It's best served warm with ice cream. Perhaps the best collection of homey desserts is Classic Home Desserts by

10 Make the dessert loved by President Clinton of appealing, non-fussy recipes. His book is the source of two of today's recipes, the warm caramel sauce to serve over ice cream, and the all-time-best summer fruit torte. Of the torte, Sax wrote, "The recipe first appeared in 1960 in Marian Burros' The Elegant But Easy Cookbook , a book my mother swears by. After trying every conceivable variant on cake-with-fruit, I can tell you that for summer fruit, this cake is IT. There is no improving on its basic simplicity -- tender yellow cake, put together in minutes and topped with whatever fruit is best that week.'' He suggests a combination of blueberries and peaches, but you may use plums or raspberries. This is the dessert which pastry chef Denise Argiro made for President Clinton at Atlantic Inn on Block Island. ATLANTIC INN PLUM CRISP 15 fresh plums, pitted, quartered 3/4 cup granulated sugar 11/2 teaspoons lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup flour 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup sliced almonds 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 ounces (1/4 cup) cold butter, cut into pieces Any type of plums may be used. Combine plums, granulated sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon in 2-quart baking dish (buttered or sprayed with non-stick vegetable spray). Combine flour with brown sugar, almonds and salt. Crumble or cut in the butter to a coarse-crumb texture. Sprinkle over plums. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the topping browns and juices of plums bubble up. Don't bake it too long or the plums will get mushy. Serves 8. Serve with ginger ice cream. ATLANTIC INN GINGER ICE CREAM 11/2 quarts heavy cream 1 ounce fresh ginger root, peeled, sliced 21/2 cups sugar, divided 9 egg yolks 31/2 tablespoons ground dry ginger Combine cream, ginger root and 2 cups sugar in heavy saucepan. Heat until it is scalding hot, stirring often, but remove from heat before bubbles form. Dissolve ground ginger in some of the hot cream, then stir into the hot cream in the saucepan; bring just to a boil and remove from heat. Whisk yolks with 1/2 cup sugar on medium speed of mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually stir about a half cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks, then gradually stir the yolk mixture into the saucepan of hot cream mixture. Cook over very low heat, stirring often, for about 10 minutes or until the mixture will coat the back of a wooden spoon. Do not boil. Strain to remove the ginger root, refrigerate, then freeze according to directions of your ice cream freezer. Makes about 2 quarts ice cream. BUTTERY APPLE POUND CAKE 1/3 cup light brown sugar 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) butter, softened 11/2 cups granulated sugar 3 eggs 11/2 teaspoons vanilla 3 cups all-purpose flour 11/2 teaspoons baking powder 11/2 teasppoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 11/2 cups regular or reduced fat sour cream 11/2 cups peeled, thinly sliced apple Brown sugar glaze: 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup light brown sugar 2 tablespoons milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla CAKE: Combine brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside. Beat butter with electric mixer until smooth. Gradualy beat in granulated sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, soda and salt. Alternate adding sour cream and dry ingredients to butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Spoon half the batter into well-buttered and floured 12-cup bundt pan or 10-inch tube pan. Arrange apple slices on batter. Spoon half the brown sugar mixture over apples and press lightly into batter. Spoon remaining batter over apple mixture. Sprinkle top with remaining brown sugar mixture. Bake 60 to 70 minutes in preheated 350 degree oven or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove from oven. Cool on wire rack 15 minutes. Gently loosen cake from pan with sharp knife. Invert onto cooling rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. GLAZE: In small saucepan over medium heat, heat the butter until it starts to turn brown. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, milk and vanilla.

Stir until smooth. Drizzle on cake. -- From the American Dairy Association Nothing beats this rich thick fudge sauce served warm over ice cream. It comes from a book by one of my favorite college instructors, the late Lenore Sullivan. I write comments in my cookbooks, and beside this recipe, I wrote It's easy to make the best hot fudge sauce ever "Jim's favorite!'' THE BEST HOT FUDGE SAUCE 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk 2 cups sugar 3 to 4 ounces (3 to 4 squares) unsweetened chocolate 1/4 cup butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt Heat milk and sugar to a rolling boil, stirring, and boil 1 minute. Add chocolate. When melted, remove from heat and beat with a whisk or hand mixer until smooth. Add butter, vanilla and salt. Cool slightly; it thickens as it cools. Serve warm over ice cream. May be stored in jar in refrigerator and reheated in pan set over a pan of simmering water, or on medium heat of microwave. Makes about 3 cups. -- From What to Cook for Company by Lenore Sullivan (Iowa State University Press).

This is an easy version of blueberry pie. BLUEBERRY SLUMP 3/4 cup sugar 3 tablespoons flour 1/8 teaspoon salt 3 cups fresh blueberries 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon butter Pastry for one-crust pie Combine sugar with flour and salt. Mix with blueberries. Stir in lemon juice. Place in greased or sprayed 8-inch square pan. Dot with pieces of butter. Top with pie crust.

Crimp edges. Cut two slits in top. NOTE: If desired, for a fancier crust, brush top of crust with a little beaten egg white and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Or omit egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in preheated 450 degree oven for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned and berry juices bubble up through the slits. Serve warm with ice cream or frozen yogurt. Serves 6 to 8. Peaches and blueberries are combined with a simple yellow cake batter for this dessert. You may vary it by using other kinds of fruit. ALL-TIME-BEST SUMMER FRUIT TART 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs 1 scant cup flour, spooned lightly into a measuring cup 1 tablespoon baking powder Pinch of salt 2 peaches or nectarines, peeled, pitted, sliced 1/2 cup blueberries Sugar and ground cinnamon for sprinkling Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8- or 9-inch round cake pan. With eletric mixer at medium-high speed (or in a mixing bowl with a large wooden spoon), beat the butter until light. Beat in the sugar and vanilla until fluffy; beat in the eggs, one at a time. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture and stir just until combined, no longer. Scrape the batter into the pan; smooth the top. Scatter the fruit over the batter. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake until cake is golden brown and baked through, about 45 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature, cut into wedges. Recipe can be doubled and baked in two pans. VARIATIONS: Instead of peaches and blueberries, use 12 purple plums, halved, pitted and arranged skin side up. Raspberries also work well. Or substitute sliced apples and fresh cranberries. -- From Classic Home Desserts by Richard Sax (Chapters), a recipe from Marian Burros. This sauce is a sleek, glossy bronze color, intense with real caramel flavor. Keep it on hand, warm briefly and serve over ice cream, a brownie or broiled pears. The recipe can be doubled or tripled. WARM CARAMEL SAUCE 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons cold water 2 cups heavy cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 11/2 teaspoons cold unsalted butter Combine sugar and water in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook to dissolve the sugar, stirring and brushing down any crystals on the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in hot water. Raise the heat and bring the syrup to a boil. Boil, without stirring, until the mixture caramelizes to a medium-dark amber color, 5 to 10 minutes. The timing can vary. Remove pan from heat and gradually add the cream. Take care; the mixture will bubble up violently.

Return sauce to medium heat and boil gently until thickened and smooth, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla; swirl in the butter. Rewarm the sauce before serving, either by spooning a little into a small skillet, or by heating the entire jar, uncovered, in a microwave oven. Keeps refrigerated for 3 weeks or more. Makes about 12/3 cups. RUSTY NAIL CARAMEL SAUCE: Stir in 2 tablespoons Scotch, or more to taste, and 2 tablespoons Drambuie or Grand Marnier just before removing the sauce from the heat and adding vanilla. This sauce can also be spiked with either bourbon or cognac.