This lovely, light dessert is like a smiley-face emoticon punctuating a meal. It is sunny and sweet, the perfect extra something to leave you completely satisfied. But this finishing statement has multiple layers of complexity, all easily achieved, and it's not only mouthwatering but stunning and healthful as well.

First, there are flavor layers inherent in the oranges themselves, with their mingling of sweetness and pucker, tipping in one direction or the other depending on what variety you choose. Any type will work here, each giving the dish its own unique quality. But when I find them, and now is the time of year to do so, I jump at the chance to use blood oranges, with their mouthwatering tartness and passionate red interiors, or Cara Caras, which have a stunning pink hue.

You could simply eat an orange on its own and call it dessert, but drizzle a honey syrup luxuriously over the fruit, and suddenly it really feels like one. The syrup is a combination of honey and lemon juice that amplifies the citrus' dueling sweet-tart flavors. It also imparts another dimension because it is steeped briefly with a sprig of mint, so the drizzle is infused with a subtle minty note.

The orange slices are sprinkled lightly with freshly ground black pepper. It might seem out of place, but try it and you will see how much sense it makes. The pepper isn't overwhelming; rather it blends in to make the dish more complex and compelling.

A scattering of buttery, bright-green pistachios and ribbons of mint adds a tasty confetti to this healthful dessert.

Ellie Krieger is a freelancer.