Showing posts with label Dessert. Show all posts
Bread Pudding
in Dessert on Saturday, December 1, 2012
My mother was a fantastic cook- not the C.I.A. trained chef kind, but an old fashioned, traditional home cook. Her mother once owned a bakery with her sister when they were young marrieds and years later, during my childhood, my grandmother lived with us for half the year. We never knew what delight would greet us when we walked into the kitchen-something different every day. Often homemade noodles (hanging over kitchen cabinet doors to dry) which she would boil briefly and then fry in butter with some shallots and Swiss cheese; another day we would find her scrumptious potato pancakes waiting for our lunch; the kitchen was always warm with the heavenly fragrance of whatever treat she had cooking: long johns, breads of all kinds, jams, cakes and pies to die for- the list goes on and on.
So my mother came by her cooking abilities naturally and she was inventive to boot, so when I got around to writing a family cookbook, I used many of her recipes. Those that were not hers were either her mother's or recipes from the many talented cooks she had as good friends, or gleaned from magazines and cookbooks (of which she had an enormous collection) as well as a result of the cooking classes she constantly took. But even then, she would alter the recipes in some way to make them even better.
Mother had been making bread pudding for years- the kind everyone made back then; it was delicious and it was comfort food. So simple to throw together: torn bread, a mixture of eggs, milk and vanilla poured over it and baked. We loved it. Poured cream all over it.
In the 80's, Mother read a book by Nora Ephron called Heartburn; somewhere in the book there was a recipe for bread pudding that intrigued her. Nora Ephron referred to it as caramelized mush. My sister and I were with her at the time and after hearing her read aloud the ingredients, we talked her into making it that very day. Ambrosia! How can I describe it best? It is a heavenly, fattening, gooey/crunchy bread pudding. We have never made any other kind of bread pudding since. Haven't even been tempted. It's so rich it really needs nothing on top (but we pour cream on it anyway) and it is impossible to stop opening the oven and breaking off the crunchy pieces on top while it is still baking. And it's actually good cold! Now that I'm drooling just thinking about it, here's the photo and recipe. Don't ever say I didn't do you a favor!
Bread Pudding
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
2 sticks butter, softened
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 loaf good bread, torn in chunks (I use challah)
1 cup raisins
6 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons vanilla
Method:
With an electric mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until well mixed and add the eggs one at a time. Add the milk with the mixer on low then add all the remaining ingredients except the bread. Remove from the mixer and and then dump in the torn bread. Mix briefly and carefully.
Pour into a large buttered casserole. Bake in a 350° oven for 2 hours.
Stir thoroughly from bottom to top, including the sides, after the first hour.
Serve with cream, although it is rich enough to eat all by itself- the cream actually breaks up the sweetness.
This is really rich so serves perhaps 8-10.
So my mother came by her cooking abilities naturally and she was inventive to boot, so when I got around to writing a family cookbook, I used many of her recipes. Those that were not hers were either her mother's or recipes from the many talented cooks she had as good friends, or gleaned from magazines and cookbooks (of which she had an enormous collection) as well as a result of the cooking classes she constantly took. But even then, she would alter the recipes in some way to make them even better.
Mother had been making bread pudding for years- the kind everyone made back then; it was delicious and it was comfort food. So simple to throw together: torn bread, a mixture of eggs, milk and vanilla poured over it and baked. We loved it. Poured cream all over it.
In the 80's, Mother read a book by Nora Ephron called Heartburn; somewhere in the book there was a recipe for bread pudding that intrigued her. Nora Ephron referred to it as caramelized mush. My sister and I were with her at the time and after hearing her read aloud the ingredients, we talked her into making it that very day. Ambrosia! How can I describe it best? It is a heavenly, fattening, gooey/crunchy bread pudding. We have never made any other kind of bread pudding since. Haven't even been tempted. It's so rich it really needs nothing on top (but we pour cream on it anyway) and it is impossible to stop opening the oven and breaking off the crunchy pieces on top while it is still baking. And it's actually good cold! Now that I'm drooling just thinking about it, here's the photo and recipe. Don't ever say I didn't do you a favor!
Bread Pudding
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
2 sticks butter, softened
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 loaf good bread, torn in chunks (I use challah)
1 cup raisins
6 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons vanilla
Method:
With an electric mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until well mixed and add the eggs one at a time. Add the milk with the mixer on low then add all the remaining ingredients except the bread. Remove from the mixer and and then dump in the torn bread. Mix briefly and carefully.
Pour into a large buttered casserole. Bake in a 350° oven for 2 hours.
Stir thoroughly from bottom to top, including the sides, after the first hour.
Serve with cream, although it is rich enough to eat all by itself- the cream actually breaks up the sweetness.
This is really rich so serves perhaps 8-10.
Ina's Pumpkin Mousse
in Dessert on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Still need something for Thanksgiving dessert?
Well you might want to mull this one over. Ina Garten has a bunch of pumpkin mousse recipes in her repertoire. Some have a banana in it, some dark rum, some are made with a graham cracker crust. I prefer the one with dark rum. Quelle surprise.
You make it a day (or two) before Thanksgiving and stick it in the fridge. And flavorful? Oh yes. No last minute fussing on Thanksgiving day either. You just stick a whole gingersnap in the top and serve. Only takes about 15 minutes to make too. Can't beat that. And you can really play around with nice glasses to serve it in. I like the wine glass best (although I filled it too full). I've also made it in small ice tea glasses, highball glasses and once in some pretty glass bowls. Ya gotta have glass so you can see the layers.
If you can't use it this year, copy it and save it for next year. I have a whole file like that!
Pumpkin Mousse
(Adapted from Barefoot Contessa At Home)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup dark rum
1 packet (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin powder
1 15 ounce can pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
2 extra-large egg yolks
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 chopped gingersnaps
8-10 whole gingersnaps
1 1/2 cups whipping cream, whipped and sweetened lightly
Method:
Place the rum in a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Set aside for 10 minutes or so.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, egg yolks, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Melt the gelatin over hot water until it is clear. Immediately whisk the gelatin into the pumpkin mixture.
Whip the heavy cream with the vanilla until soft peaks form. Mix into the pumpkin mixture.
In another bowl, whip the last 1 1/2 cups whipping cream and sweeten it with sugar slightly.
To assemble: spoon some of the pumpkin mixture into glasses. Add a layer of whipped cream, some broken gingersnaps and repeat the layers, ending with a layer of pumpkin. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.
Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
To serve, place a whole gingersnap into whipped cream.
Serves 8-10 depending on glass size.
Well you might want to mull this one over. Ina Garten has a bunch of pumpkin mousse recipes in her repertoire. Some have a banana in it, some dark rum, some are made with a graham cracker crust. I prefer the one with dark rum. Quelle surprise.
You make it a day (or two) before Thanksgiving and stick it in the fridge. And flavorful? Oh yes. No last minute fussing on Thanksgiving day either. You just stick a whole gingersnap in the top and serve. Only takes about 15 minutes to make too. Can't beat that. And you can really play around with nice glasses to serve it in. I like the wine glass best (although I filled it too full). I've also made it in small ice tea glasses, highball glasses and once in some pretty glass bowls. Ya gotta have glass so you can see the layers.
If you can't use it this year, copy it and save it for next year. I have a whole file like that!
Pumpkin Mousse
(Adapted from Barefoot Contessa At Home)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup dark rum
1 packet (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin powder
1 15 ounce can pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
2 extra-large egg yolks
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 chopped gingersnaps
8-10 whole gingersnaps
1 1/2 cups whipping cream, whipped and sweetened lightly
Method:
Place the rum in a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Set aside for 10 minutes or so.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, egg yolks, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Melt the gelatin over hot water until it is clear. Immediately whisk the gelatin into the pumpkin mixture.
Whip the heavy cream with the vanilla until soft peaks form. Mix into the pumpkin mixture.
In another bowl, whip the last 1 1/2 cups whipping cream and sweeten it with sugar slightly.
To assemble: spoon some of the pumpkin mixture into glasses. Add a layer of whipped cream, some broken gingersnaps and repeat the layers, ending with a layer of pumpkin. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.
Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
To serve, place a whole gingersnap into whipped cream.
Serves 8-10 depending on glass size.
Port Wine Gelée
in Dessert on Saturday, November 17, 2012
Years ago when we lived in Michigan we went to a dinner party hosted by Peter, a bachelor friend. It's been a while, but what's remained in my memory is the excellence of the meal. Not one of us had a clue our old friend was such a talented chef. We were served a perfectly dressed tossed salad, individual filet mignons, a lovely spoon bread and Port Wine Gelée for dessert. And he did all the cooking, no help. Very impressive. Who knew? After all, he could have taken the easy way out and done his entertaining at a restaurant; most single guys did back then...we were a pretty big group.
Of course I just had to have the spoonbread and gelée recipes. Wasn't easy. Peter didn't want to part with the gelée recipe... turned out it was a very old family recipe, handed down from his grandmother. In the end he relented - I pestered him unmercifully. He had get an OK from his mother and sister too. There are lots of recipes that use port wine, but I've never found one like this.
For some reason it's very much a recipe for the holidays. Special. Festive. Unusual. Light. It seems to me that Christmas would be the ideal time to try this. You have to make it ahead - just whip the cream at the last minute. It serves a lot of people and your biggest problem will be finding a pretty tray on which to unmold it and some lovely fruit for decorating or perhaps even some holly. I used the biggest (unfortunately also the most boring) mold I own. Why I have never purchased a prettier one I can't imagine. I saw several colorful gelées in Gourmet magazine a few years ago made in elegant molds like this one:
A couple times I have cut the recipe in half when I didn't need quite so much. At a guess I would say this recipe easily serves 12-16 people.
Peter's Port Wine Gelée
Ingredients:
5 envelopes Knox gelatin (approximately 12 1/2 teaspoons)
1 1/2 cups cold water
2 lemons, rinds and juice
1 orange, rind and juice
4 cups water
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups sugar
2 cups good quality tawny port wine
2 jiggers whiskey
2 oranges, sections only
4 grapefruit, sections only
1 bunch of any small seedless grapes, halved
1 cup sliced almonds
2 cups whipping cream, whipped and lighly sweetened
candied ginger cut in bits, to taste
Method:
Soften the gelatin in the 1 1/2 cups of cold water for 5 minutes. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Sliver the rinds of the lemons and orange, add to the boiling water along with juices, cinnamon, gelatin mixture and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat, let the mixture steep for 5 minutes. Strain and then add the wine and whiskey. Set this mixture aside to cool to room temperature and then place it in the refrigerator. You want it to begin to get thick. If you add the fruit when it is thin, the fruit will sink to the bottom.
Section the 2 oranges and the 4 grapefruit. Halve the grapes. When the port wine mixture is very thick and syrupy, add the fruit sections, grapes and almonds. Pour into your favorite mold and refrigerate overnight.
Whip the cream, add a little sugar and then dice some candied ginger into the whipped cream. Unmold the gelée, surround it with fruit or holly and serve with the whipped cream.
Of course I just had to have the spoonbread and gelée recipes. Wasn't easy. Peter didn't want to part with the gelée recipe... turned out it was a very old family recipe, handed down from his grandmother. In the end he relented - I pestered him unmercifully. He had get an OK from his mother and sister too. There are lots of recipes that use port wine, but I've never found one like this.
For some reason it's very much a recipe for the holidays. Special. Festive. Unusual. Light. It seems to me that Christmas would be the ideal time to try this. You have to make it ahead - just whip the cream at the last minute. It serves a lot of people and your biggest problem will be finding a pretty tray on which to unmold it and some lovely fruit for decorating or perhaps even some holly. I used the biggest (unfortunately also the most boring) mold I own. Why I have never purchased a prettier one I can't imagine. I saw several colorful gelées in Gourmet magazine a few years ago made in elegant molds like this one:
A couple times I have cut the recipe in half when I didn't need quite so much. At a guess I would say this recipe easily serves 12-16 people.
Peter's Port Wine Gelée
Ingredients:
5 envelopes Knox gelatin (approximately 12 1/2 teaspoons)
1 1/2 cups cold water
2 lemons, rinds and juice
1 orange, rind and juice
4 cups water
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups sugar
2 cups good quality tawny port wine
2 jiggers whiskey
2 oranges, sections only
4 grapefruit, sections only
1 bunch of any small seedless grapes, halved
1 cup sliced almonds
2 cups whipping cream, whipped and lighly sweetened
candied ginger cut in bits, to taste
Method:
Soften the gelatin in the 1 1/2 cups of cold water for 5 minutes. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Sliver the rinds of the lemons and orange, add to the boiling water along with juices, cinnamon, gelatin mixture and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat, let the mixture steep for 5 minutes. Strain and then add the wine and whiskey. Set this mixture aside to cool to room temperature and then place it in the refrigerator. You want it to begin to get thick. If you add the fruit when it is thin, the fruit will sink to the bottom.
Section the 2 oranges and the 4 grapefruit. Halve the grapes. When the port wine mixture is very thick and syrupy, add the fruit sections, grapes and almonds. Pour into your favorite mold and refrigerate overnight.
Whip the cream, add a little sugar and then dice some candied ginger into the whipped cream. Unmold the gelée, surround it with fruit or holly and serve with the whipped cream.
Grateful Pudding (and giveaway winners)
in Dessert on Monday, November 5, 2012
Don't you love the name of this pudding? It's almost worth making just to announce it to your Thanksgiving guests! My family really enjoys plum pudding after a turkey dinner, so they had quite a surprise when I served a light rather than dark steamed pudding last time. Fortunately, they were crazy about it. I have some of my grandmother's old pudding molds- but this is the shape I like best. And it just fits perfectly in my soup pot for steaming.
This holiday pudding is a Martha Stewart recipe from her old cookbook Entertaining. An amazingly simple recipe (although you have to prepare the fruit by soaking overnight) and it's done in about an hour. I kind of like the traditional idea of a steamed pudding for Thanksgiving. Martha suggests using her sour lemon sauce and it's excellent with this pudding. Everyone enjoyed the tart lemon flavor (especially my dad) of this sauce. But you could make my mother's caramel brandy sauce- which would be good too-that recipe is HERE.
Grateful Pudding
From Martha Stewart's Entertaining
Ingredients:
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup muscat raisins
1/4 cup cognac
6 cups white bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/2 in squares (I used challah)
3 cups whipping cream
1 vanilla bean
6 eggs
1 lemon
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon mace
For the lemon sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
dash salt
1 1/4 cups hot water
3 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
4 Tablespoons lemon juice
3 Tablespoons grated lemon rind
Method:
Grate the rind of one lemon and soak the raisins with the cognac and the rind overnight. Drain.
Butter and sprinkle with sugar a 2 qt. covered mold including the inside of the lid.
Layer the bread alternating with the raisins. Scald the cream with the vanilla bean and cool slightly. Remove bean, scrape out the seeds and put back in the milk. Beat eggs and sugar until light and gradually pour in the cream. Add the mace and pour over the bread.
Secure lid and steam for 1 hour on a rack in a covered kettle with water 2/3 up the side of the mold.
Unmold pudding carefully and serve with sauce. Serves 8-10. You don't need big servings...this is quite rich.
Method for the lemon sauce:
Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a double boiler. Add hot water and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until thick. Add butter, lemon juice and rind. Cook a little longer.
And here are the lucky Cookbook Giveaway Winners. I used the random number generator to pick four and then if possible, tried to give you the cookbooks you requested.
Then first winner is Donna from My Tasty Treasures . She won the Rose Levy Beranbaum cookie cookbook.
The second winner is Dana from The Kitchen Witch. She won Maida Heatter's Chocolate cookbook.
The third winner is Lea Ann from Mangos Chili and Z. She won Dorie's book.
The final winner is Susan from Schnitzel and the Trout. She won Nigella's book.
Congratulations to all of you! Please email your mailing information to bsmithw@gmail.com so I can mail your cookbook out ASAP!
Nana's Fruit Compote
in Dessert on Tuesday, October 23, 2012
When I married, I really hit the in-law jackpot. Nana and Buck were kind, loving, caring, generous and every other good thing you can think of. They set the standard for wonderful in-laws. I loved them dearly and in their eyes, I was another daughter. My two sisters-in-law welcomed me into the family the same way- with open arms. We laughed, enjoyed each other and spent many memorable holidays together. I look back on those years with a fond and grateful eye and miss them all so much- I'm sad to say they are all gone now. But two of their many precious gifts to me were confidence and laughter. Those are the most important things anyone can give you. Of course, love is a given.
Now Nana was not precisely the Julia Child of her generation but she had some wonderful old family recipes I still use. This fruit compote is one of my favorites. It's thick, rich and extremely sweet so you better keep the portions small. The cold sour cream on top is a necessity as it cuts the sweetness and besides, that cold thick spoonful on the warm dark fruit makes it irrestible.
The recipe is amazing, really. You just open a couple cans and one box, squeeze an orange and a lemon, add sugar and that's it. It roasts in the oven for a couple hours... you do some stirring and it caramelizes into a heavenly dark, thick mass of fruit. You aren't going to be able to stop eating it. Let's not discuss calories- you really don't want to know.
Nana's Fruit Compote
Ingredients:
1 box dried apricots
1 large can drained peaches
1 can black cherries with juice
1 orange, juice only
1 lemon, juice only
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 pint sour cream
Method:
Mix all the ingredients except the sour cream in a large bowl. Mix well.
Pour into a 9" by 9" baking dish and bake at 350° until caramelized. Stir well by turning over the fruit every 15 minutes or so. Takes close to 2 hours. When all the fruit is caramelized and thick, you'll know it's done. Serve warm with sour cream on top.
Now Nana was not precisely the Julia Child of her generation but she had some wonderful old family recipes I still use. This fruit compote is one of my favorites. It's thick, rich and extremely sweet so you better keep the portions small. The cold sour cream on top is a necessity as it cuts the sweetness and besides, that cold thick spoonful on the warm dark fruit makes it irrestible.
The recipe is amazing, really. You just open a couple cans and one box, squeeze an orange and a lemon, add sugar and that's it. It roasts in the oven for a couple hours... you do some stirring and it caramelizes into a heavenly dark, thick mass of fruit. You aren't going to be able to stop eating it. Let's not discuss calories- you really don't want to know.
Nana's Fruit Compote
Ingredients:
1 box dried apricots
1 large can drained peaches
1 can black cherries with juice
1 orange, juice only
1 lemon, juice only
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 pint sour cream
Method:
Mix all the ingredients except the sour cream in a large bowl. Mix well.
Pour into a 9" by 9" baking dish and bake at 350° until caramelized. Stir well by turning over the fruit every 15 minutes or so. Takes close to 2 hours. When all the fruit is caramelized and thick, you'll know it's done. Serve warm with sour cream on top.
A Culinary Ode to Fall: Maple Panna Cotta
in Dessert on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Don't you love fall desserts like this? A snap to make and every mouthful is smooth and creamy. Perfect for family, but elegant enough for company. A friend gave me this recipe years ago with no provenance...my apologies to the recipe's owner/chef.
I've had it served to me once with strawberries and another time with figs. But I like to serve it with one of those pretty maple candies in the center because I love the fall palatte of this dessert. Even if I can't have the golden trees in Florida, I'm going to enjoy maple panna cotta!
And because I thought it would be fun to try (I had just made gingerbread the day before) I tried layering the panna cotta with gingerbread in my cute set of Juliska glasses. I let it gel a bit in the fridge first, but it still seeped through the gingerbread layers. Not picture perfect, but it was delicious!
Maple Panna Cotta
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (this will be less than 1 envelope)
2 tablespoons warm water
1 cup heavy whipping cream, NOT whipped
1 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1 cup real maple syrup
1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)
whipped cream and some maple sugar candies for garnish.
Method:
Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a large heatproof bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes.Whisk in the cream, mascarpone and maple syrup, and set the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk the mixture until smooth and warmed through, so the gelatin is incorporated.
Divide the mixture evenly among 6 martini glasses. Cover each one with plastic wrap. Be sure that the wrap does not touch the tops of the panna cotta. Refrigerate overnight, or for a minimum of 12 hours, before serving.
Top with a spoonful of whipped cream and a maple candy. Serves 6.
The nice people from Maple Syrup World asked to add this recipe to their blog site.
Of course I agreed. Give them a visit.
Pumpkin Flan
in Dessert on Wednesday, October 10, 2012
There's something about a flan that makes my mouth water- might be the caramelized topping- I'm a real sucker for that. I make a super one called Flan Cubano with, you guessed it, sweetened condensed milk. It's rich, velvet smooth and delicious. The recipe came from a Conch (pronounced konk) friend of mine. (A Conch, for the uninitiated, refers to anyone born and raised in the Florida Keys.) Conchs just love their sweetened condensed milk- let's face it, that's where real key lime pies were invented!
But for Thanksgiving, you gotta have pumpkin something or there will be an uprising so I turn to my pumpkin flan. I like it for two reasons: the gooey caramelized coating and the fact there's no crust involved. Piecrusts are not exactly my forte... mine're acceptable, but not memorable. After a few mumblings from the more traditional members of my family, they have come to accept this flan as a perfect substitute for pumpkin pie. Same thing really, without the crust.
If you've never caramelized sugar for a flan or a crème caramel, I have only one thing to say: BE CAREFUL! It's hot. If it splatters on you- ouch! I speak from experience. No kids in the kitchen when you're doing this; it requires all your attention. Don't be afraid of it (if I can do it, anyone can), just be really careful and follow the directions.
This is one of those make-at-least-a-day-ahead desserts- which is something I consider seriously for any holiday but Thanksgiving is an unusually busy kitchen day. At least this dessert means one less thing to think about. And don't worry about flipping it at the last minute because inverting this on a plate will NOT be a disaster. I swear. Overnight the caramel in the pan kind of melts, coating the flan and it releases easily, no problem. (At least I've never had a problem.)
Personally, I like the flan plain but for those who like to gild the lily, I make a cinnamon flavored, sweetened whipped cream- easy enough to do. You might also give some thought to a crème anglaise- the flan would look divine sitting in a pool of that luscious sauce. I usually make this flan in a loaf pan (please ignore the shabbiness of my pan in the photo, it's been around the block, much like its owner) but you really can use any shape you want. I even made it once in a ring mold, much as I detest them. No matter what mold you prefer, use a cake tester to make certain it's done in the middle. I put a paper towel in the pan under the water bath-I think it makes for a silkier flan.
Serves 8-10 depending on how big your slices are.
Pumpkin Flan
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Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups sugar
6 eggs
2 cups pumpkin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 cups heavy cream
Method:
Combine 2/3 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue to boil, shaking the pan lightly and often (don't use a spoon) until it reaches a lovely shade of caramel. Have hot pads ready and pour the caramelized sugar into a loaf pan or ring mold, tilting quickly to cover bottom and sides. It will harden immediately. And crack. Ignore this.
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Beat eggs with remaining 2/3 cup sugar, beat in pumpkin and remaining ingredients. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in a water bath 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Test center with a wooden tester to make certain it's done.
![]()
Let flan cool on the counter, cover and refrigerate overnight (or longer) before unmolding. When ready to unmold, take a sharp knife and carefully make certain the flan is not sticking to any sides of the pan.
![]()
Serve with cinnamon flavored whipped cream, if desired.
But for Thanksgiving, you gotta have pumpkin something or there will be an uprising so I turn to my pumpkin flan. I like it for two reasons: the gooey caramelized coating and the fact there's no crust involved. Piecrusts are not exactly my forte... mine're acceptable, but not memorable. After a few mumblings from the more traditional members of my family, they have come to accept this flan as a perfect substitute for pumpkin pie. Same thing really, without the crust.
If you've never caramelized sugar for a flan or a crème caramel, I have only one thing to say: BE CAREFUL! It's hot. If it splatters on you- ouch! I speak from experience. No kids in the kitchen when you're doing this; it requires all your attention. Don't be afraid of it (if I can do it, anyone can), just be really careful and follow the directions.
This is one of those make-at-least-a-day-ahead desserts- which is something I consider seriously for any holiday but Thanksgiving is an unusually busy kitchen day. At least this dessert means one less thing to think about. And don't worry about flipping it at the last minute because inverting this on a plate will NOT be a disaster. I swear. Overnight the caramel in the pan kind of melts, coating the flan and it releases easily, no problem. (At least I've never had a problem.)
Personally, I like the flan plain but for those who like to gild the lily, I make a cinnamon flavored, sweetened whipped cream- easy enough to do. You might also give some thought to a crème anglaise- the flan would look divine sitting in a pool of that luscious sauce. I usually make this flan in a loaf pan (please ignore the shabbiness of my pan in the photo, it's been around the block, much like its owner) but you really can use any shape you want. I even made it once in a ring mold, much as I detest them. No matter what mold you prefer, use a cake tester to make certain it's done in the middle. I put a paper towel in the pan under the water bath-I think it makes for a silkier flan.
Serves 8-10 depending on how big your slices are.
Pumpkin Flan
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups sugar
6 eggs
2 cups pumpkin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 cups heavy cream
Method:
Combine 2/3 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue to boil, shaking the pan lightly and often (don't use a spoon) until it reaches a lovely shade of caramel. Have hot pads ready and pour the caramelized sugar into a loaf pan or ring mold, tilting quickly to cover bottom and sides. It will harden immediately. And crack. Ignore this.
Beat eggs with remaining 2/3 cup sugar, beat in pumpkin and remaining ingredients. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in a water bath 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Test center with a wooden tester to make certain it's done.
Let flan cool on the counter, cover and refrigerate overnight (or longer) before unmolding. When ready to unmold, take a sharp knife and carefully make certain the flan is not sticking to any sides of the pan.
Serve with cinnamon flavored whipped cream, if desired.
Floating Island
in Dessert on Thursday, October 4, 2012
Last week during a lunch with a friend we were looking through my cookbook. (She's about to make one of her own with her fabulous Italian family recipes; I can't wait!) When she got to my recipe for floating island, she jammed her finger down and said: " you have to put this one on your blog next!" So here it is. I call it the epitome in comfort food.
Americans don't make this dessert much, unhappily. It was originally a French nursery dessert called île flottante: a single "island" of meringue floating in a "sea" of crème anglaise. Oeufs à la neige is another name used, indicating many small eggs floating rather than one large one. I have had this dish often when in France (where it is more commonly found on a dessert menu than in the U.S.); they usually serve a large square island floating in the crème anglaise. It makes sense for a restaurant to make many portions in a large pan rather than individual "islands". The rare times I have found it on a menu in this country, they try to improve it with the addition of fruit; it doesn't work. This dessert is better the way it was served in the nursery: plain and simple.
Make the crème anglaise: scald the milk. Beat 4 egg yolks (use the other yolks for something else) with 1/3 cup sugar until well blended. Temper the eggs with some of the scalded milk and then combine. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats a spoon. Do not allow the mixture to exceed 180° or the mixture will curdle. Pour the sauce through a strainer and add the vanilla bean seeds and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla. (If you are not using vanilla bean seeds, increase the vanilla to 1/2 teaspoon.)
You may add a little cognac if you wish; I don't. Chill.
To serve, pour the crème anglaise over the islands and serve.
Americans don't make this dessert much, unhappily. It was originally a French nursery dessert called île flottante: a single "island" of meringue floating in a "sea" of crème anglaise. Oeufs à la neige is another name used, indicating many small eggs floating rather than one large one. I have had this dish often when in France (where it is more commonly found on a dessert menu than in the U.S.); they usually serve a large square island floating in the crème anglaise. It makes sense for a restaurant to make many portions in a large pan rather than individual "islands". The rare times I have found it on a menu in this country, they try to improve it with the addition of fruit; it doesn't work. This dessert is better the way it was served in the nursery: plain and simple.
Another reason I love floating island is my mother made it for us when we were children and I have her original recipe. The only change I have made over the years is I now bake the meringues; much simpler and I adore the peaks touched with a little color, which you really don't get when you poach them in milk as my mother did. If you have never tried this dessert, don't waste a minute. Make it for dessert tonight. You have all the ingredients you need in your pantry and refrigerator.
Floating Island
Ingredients:
4 eggs plus 4 more whites
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups half and half or whole milk
seeds from a vanilla bean (optional)
cognac (optional)
Method:
Preheat your oven to 250°
Beat the whites of 8 eggs with the salt and cream of tartar until foamy. Add 1/3 cup sugar and beat until smooth, stiff and glossy. Beat in 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and with a large serving spoon, place 10 mounds on the parchment, making little peaks with the tops. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned. Place the "islands" in individual serving dishes or in one large one.
Make the crème anglaise: scald the milk. Beat 4 egg yolks (use the other yolks for something else) with 1/3 cup sugar until well blended. Temper the eggs with some of the scalded milk and then combine. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats a spoon. Do not allow the mixture to exceed 180° or the mixture will curdle. Pour the sauce through a strainer and add the vanilla bean seeds and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla. (If you are not using vanilla bean seeds, increase the vanilla to 1/2 teaspoon.)
You may add a little cognac if you wish; I don't. Chill.
To serve, pour the crème anglaise over the islands and serve.
If I am having company, I sometimes like to serve a caramel sauce over it:
Mix 1 and 1/2 cups sugar with 1/2 cup water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir with a wooden spoon and boil over medium heat until it turns a caramel color. Remove from heat and add another 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. It will bubble up, so be careful. Return to the heat and cook until it reaches 230° on a candy thermometer. Set aside until ready to use.
Chilled Pear Soup with Goat Cheese Fritters
in Dessert on Sunday, September 9, 2012
I just had to try it. Once. Usually I don't fuss with composed desserts this much, but I couldn't resist- and even then I eliminated several of the side garnishes on the plate. So what am I talking about? Last fall I came across a recipe for Chilled Pear Soup with Goat Cheese Fritters. I marked it, fully intending to try it when next I saw some very ripe Bartlett pears. Then promptly forgot about it. So here we are, yet another fall (God, the summer went so fast) and when I saw some nice ripe pears in the market, I remembered the recipe and my good intentions. OK then. Make. This. Soup. Now.
Cold fruit soups can be scrumptious especially when combined with a savory like goat cheese. And pears are divine right now. I found nice ripe ones at Whole Foods and, after finding some semolina flour there as well, the muse was upon me. And I've never made a cold dessert soup myself so this should be fun. It's basically a test run for the holidays. So here we go.
Chilled Pear Soup with Goat Cheese Fritters
(Adapted from Sweet Seasons by Richard Leach)
Ingredients:
For the soup:
6 very ripe Bartlett pears
2 vanilla beans, split in half and seeds scraped
1 cup granulated sugar
For the fritters:
vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup fresh goat cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 egg whites
1 cup semolina flour
1/2 cup cake flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
For the timbales:
2 cups goat cheese
1 julienned pear
Method:
Peel, core and dice the pears. Place in a saucepan and add the scraped pods along with the seeds of the vanilla beans. Add sugar and enough water to just cover the pears. Simmer over mediuim heat until pears are tender.
Puree in a food processor and then strain. Refrigerate.
Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 325°. Combine all the fritter ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined. Drop by the heaping teaspoonful and allow to fry until golden brown on all sides. Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
For the timbales: cream the goat cheese until smooth and pack into 1 inch tambales. Refrigerate.
To assemble:
Unmold the timbales into eight dessert bowls. Carefully place some julienned pears on top of the timbales. Pour the chilled soup around the timbales. Place five goat cheese fritters next to the soup bowls.
And what did I think? It was amazing! The soup was a little sweet but when I dipped in the goat cheese fritter the flavors blended nicely. ( In the future I would make the fritters a tad smaller and put a little less sugar in the pears. You can always add more before you puree.) And don't forget you can make and chill the pear soup way ahead of time, then fry the timbales at the last minute.
And what did I think? It was amazing! The soup was a little sweet but when I dipped in the goat cheese fritter the flavors blended nicely. ( In the future I would make the fritters a tad smaller and put a little less sugar in the pears. You can always add more before you puree.) And don't forget you can make and chill the pear soup way ahead of time, then fry the timbales at the last minute.
50 Women Game Changers in Food: #14, Elizabeth David
One of the first cookbooks I received as a newly-married (it was a gift from my mother) was French Country Cooking,
so Elizabeth David is an old friend. She is credited with changing the way the British middle classes ate by introducing a generation of British cooks to Mediterranean food such as pasta, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salami, aubergines, red and green peppers and courgettes. Her descriptions of dishes caught the imagination of a post-war generation. Ms. David's earlier cookbooks are remembered not only for the recipes, but for vividly described landscapes and the harbors and marketplaces of the Mediterranean. Articles in Vogue, House and Garden, The Sunday Times and The Spectator helped to spread her influence throughout a country whose culinary efforts resulted mainly in fish and chips and spotted Dick.
Many chefs, including Simon Hopkinson, Jamie Oliver and Alice Waters, say David was a great inspiration to them.
"Her esthetic is about simplicity and a kind of fragrance," Ms. Waters said. "She had a great sense of the seasons and always about life around the table -- the setting, the conversation. It was always more than just the food because her recipes were not very specific, to say the least. I remember being frustrated, but it made you think."
Ms. David led rather a racy life for the times (she was born in 1913 and died in 1992) which was never much talked about, but exposed in an unofficial biography by Lisa Chaney
. After a patrician, cosmopolitan upbringing, Ms. David studied art in Paris, became an actress, and ran off with a married man with whom she sailed in a small boat to Italy, eventually making their way to Greece where they were nearly trapped by the German invasion of Greece in 1940. They escaped to Egypt where they parted. She then worked for the British government, running a library in Cairo. She married there, but the marriage didn't last long. It appears she led a spicy private life, but she certainly learned valuable lessons from cooks in France, Italy, Greece and north Africa.
After the war, David returned to England, and, dismayed by the gloom and bad food, wrote a series of articles about Mediterranean food that caught the public imagination. Books on French and Italian cuisine followed, and within ten years David was a major influence on British cooking. Her cookbooks were, in addition to the recipes, wonderful pieces of travel writing. In 1960, Mrs David published her masterpiece, French Provincial Cooking
, a book that may be read as literature, as a work of reference, and as a splendid and representative collection of recipes.
Because I had some fresh raspberries in the fridge and not too much time, I chose a quick and simple dessert recipe from Summer Cooking
, an interesting collection of seasonal dishes relying on fresh ingredients and fresh herbs. The recipe was entitled Raspberry Shortbread....the shortbread part intrigued me. I always think of shortbread as a kind of thick cookie (which I couldn't imagine with fresh raspberries) and as expected, this certainly didn't result in a cookie. Perhaps the British definition of shortbread is not the same as mine? At any rate, this shortbread turned out to be more of a fruit crumble. And while it certainly was tasty, I confess I've made crumbles I liked better.
I have posted her recipe and instructions verbatim.
Raspberry Shortbread
From Summer Cooking by Elizabeth David
Ingredients:
6 ounces flour
3 1/2 ounces moist brown sugar
2 ounces butter
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pound raspberries
a little white sugar
Method:
Put the raspberries in a fairly large shallow pie dish, strew them with white sugar. Cut the butter into very small pieces and crumble it with the flour until very well blended. Add the sugar, ginger and baking powder.
Spread this mixture lightly over the raspberries and smooth it out evenly, but do not press down.
Bake in the center of a medium oven for 25 minutes. Can be served hot or cold and is excellent.
Join Mary from One Perfect Bite and all the other participants in this fun series.
Val - More Than Burnt Toast
Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets
Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green
Jeanette - Healthy Living
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda
Little “Visitation” Cakes from Lorraine
Visitandine or Financier? Did you know they were the same thing? Both describe an almond cake. And oh my, what a cake! It's sweet, nutty and has an eggshell-crisp exterior. I like them much better than their shell-shaped first cousins, Madeleines. But then all a recipe has to say is almond flour and I'm a goner.
They've been making financiers in France for more than 100 years. The classic way to bake the financier (pronounced fee-nahn-see-AY) is in tiny round, fluted or rectangular molds. Anytime I see see them in a pastry shop in the U.S., they are called financiers. But many patisseries in Europe still call them visitandines. You can also bake it in a classic cake pan; still, the recipe is identical.
But I've also read because butter and almonds were so pricey, that only the rich (i.e. well-financed) could afford to eat them. The rectangular shape was not as attractive as other shapes; a boat-shaped mold became favored, and today the cake can take any shape that appeals to the baker.
Now Lasne may have thought he invented these but Nick Malgieri, the director of the baking program at Peter Kump's New York Cooking School, said a similar cake made with nuts, egg whites and brown butter existed even before that. It was made, he said, by nuns of the Order of the Visitation and was called a visitandine. (The visitation referred to in this case was the one made by the Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, before Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist.) The cakes don’t derive from an ancient Hebrew recipe, but were originated in the convent of a community of French nuns called the Sisters of the Visitation, colloquially known in French as the "Visitandines.
Which of these stories is correct? Your guess is as good as mine.
No matter the name, the cakes have a nutty flavor from the browned butter and are perfect served with coffee or tea. And you'll often find them served with a spoonful of jam on top or even a raspberry stuck in the top before baking.
If you make Visitandine in cake pan form, you could eat a wedge just as is, but it's also lovely with some fruit. Lucie at Bilingual Butter had a wonderful post about it recently. Reading it was what tweaked my interest. And Dorie Greenspan weighed in on it too. The recipes are slightly different than the one I used, but the cakes all are divine.
Is this a difficult recipe? Not really. All you need is a whisk, a bowl and a pan. A few steps make or break the cake. The first, browning the butter, is what defines its flavor and adds depth to the almonds. Remove it the moment it attains the color of a chestnut. The second trick is to mix the batter as little as possible. It should be stirred until just blended. If you stir too much, the gluten in the flour will get overworked and the cake will be tough. And the batter has to rest a few hours in the refrigerator before baking.
Vistandine (or Financiers)
Adapted from Francois Payard of Payard Patisserie
Ingredients:
9 tablespoons butter, more for molds
1-1/4 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup bleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon, plus 2 teaspoons cake flour
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 egg whites, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Method:
With a pastry brush, butter thoroughly butter the financier molds. Arrange them side by side, but not touching, on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet with the buttered molds in the freezer to resolidify the butter and make the financiers easier to unmold.
In a small pan over medium low heat, heat butter, occasionally swirling, until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Sift sugar over almond flour. (If using whole almonds, process with sugar in a food processor until mostly fine.) Add both flours, salt and baking powder, and gently whisk to combine. Add egg whites one at a time, whisking just to combine. Do not overwork or the cakes will be tough.
Add vanilla to butter. In a steady stream, whisk butter into flour mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Remove molds from freezer. Spoon mixture into a pastry bag that has a 1/4-inch round tip. Pipe mixture into molds, filling halfway.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until browned and springy. Remove from oven, and cool 2 minutes before unmolding. Cool completely on rack. Serve plain or dusted with powdered sugar, or warm, with ice cream.
Yield: 12 cakes.
(Storage: Keep the cakes loosely covered with plastic wrap on the day they are made. For longer storage, transfer them to a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover in one layer and refrigerate them. Bring them back to room temperature before serving again. I froze some just to see what happened and, while not as good as fresh, I would not have been embarrassed to serve them to company.)
Photo credit for the rectangular financiers: http://dessertfirst.typepad.com/dessert_first/2009/04/honey-financiers.html
Cherry Almond Crumble
in Dessert on Thursday, July 19, 2012
Gosh, another dessert with fruit. I can't resist. Aren't you loving the black cherries in the market? I confess, I do hate pitting them though; I even wear plastic gloves and an apron (unheard of for me) 'cause they stain so. But desserts like this one make it well worth the time and mess. Imagine my surprise to find I had all the ingredients for this dish already in my kitchen! That never happens. You're going to love the crunchy topping (always the first thing I eat) and the dark brown sugar in the cherry mixture provides some lovely depth in flavor.
Cherry Almond Crumble
From Rustic Fruit Desserts
via Hannah from Honey and Jam
Ingredients:
Crumble:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Cherry Filling:
1 1/2 pounds fresh cherries, pitted
1/3 cup dark brown sugar (more or less, depending on your taste)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350. Butter whichever baking dishes you are going to use. I used individual oval ones.
Mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, almonds and salt together in a bowl. Add the butter, and with your hands, crumble it together until well mixed.
Mix together the cherries, dark brown sugar, almond extract and cornstarch.
Pour the cherry mixture into the buttered dishes and then crumble the topping over the cherries. Bake 45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and you can see the filling bubbling around the sides.
Buckwheat Stone Fruit Shortcake
in Dessert on Monday, July 16, 2012
There's always some buckwheat flour in my pantry because of our love for Grandpa's buckwheat pancakes. So when I saw this recipe for buckwheat shortcake in Alice Medrich's book, I was intrigued. Then white peaches arrived in the market, I couldn't resist so decided to make the shortcake using stone fruit with raspberries rather than the traditional strawberries. The peaches were sweet and the juices from the fruit soaked into the bottom layer of the shortcake while the top stayed a bit crunchy. On top of that, this is the easiest shortcake I've ever made. In one bowl and it only took a couple minutes to throw together and ten to bake. Dessert can be ready in a flash. I added a little confectioners sugar to the whipped cream and it really did need that touch of sweet.
It turned out to be a lovely change from the ordinary shortcake. It even looks wholesome and healthy doesn't it? And it tasted even better than Mother's shortcake, which I've been making for years.
Buckwheat Shortcake
From Pure Dessert
by Alice Medrich
Ingredients:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (5 ounces)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buckwheat flour (1.7 ounces)
1/4 cup sugar plus extra for sprinkling
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream
Method:
Preheat oven to 425. Prepare a baking sheet lined with a double layer of parchment paper.
In a bowl, whisk together everything but the heavy cream. Make a well in the center and pour in the cream. Incorporate slowly with a rubber spatula by pushing the dry ingredients into the center, cutting and turning until the dry ingredients are moistened. The dough should look shaggy and rough. Gather the dough into a ball and knead it gently against the side of the bowl a few times.
Turn the dough out on a floured counter and roll out to a square about 3/4 inch thick. Cut out in whatever shape you prefer, place on the parchment paper. Dip a brush into the cup that held the cream and brush the leftover cream on the tops of the shortbread. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 12 to 15 minute. Cool on a rack. (Made about 6 square shortcakes.)
Filling for the shortbread:
Ingredients:
5 medium plums, pitted, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 large peaches, pitted, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2-pint basket raspberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup chilled whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
Additional powdered sugar
Method:
Toss plums, peaches, raspberries and 1/3 cup sugar in large bowl. Let stand 30 minutes. Beat the whipping cream, 1/4 cup powdered sugar and vanilla in large bowl until firm peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Almond Praline Semifreddo with Roasted Apricots
in Dessert, Ice cream and Ices on Sunday, July 8, 2012
Have you ever made a semifreddo? This was my first. Why, I can't imagine since I like ice cream so much. The name is Italian for "half cold" and refers to any of various chilled or partially frozen desserts. While this may be considered a frozen dessert, because of the egg whites or whipped cream folded into a semifreddo, it doesn't freeze as hard as ice cream. And I bet you'll be pleased to read you don't need an ice cream maker either. When you take a spoonful, you'll find the semifreddo melts quickly in your mouth and has an airy, mousse-like texture. Really lovely.
Just because I'm crazy for almond anything, I made an almond praline semifreddo. We loved it, but there simply wasn't anywhere near enough praline :D, so next time I'm going to double the praline part of the recipe. Not only would I have loved more in the semifreddo itself, but I ran out while sprinkling it on top as a garnish.
There are lots of different ways a semifreddo can be plated: you can freeze the entire batch in a large container and scoop it out to serve just like ice cream or freeze it in individual paper cupcake liners. Just peel them away to serve. I really prefer the presentation of a slice of semifreddo, so I made mine in a loaf pan. Apricots are wonderful right now so I roasted some lovely fresh ones. Of course, you can use any fruit you like. There is a wonderful recipe at Pastry Studio (one of my favorite blogs), using cherries with an almond semifreddo. I included her recipe after the at the end because cherries are lovely right now too! But if you want to make a really simple topping for your semifreddo, just mash your favorite fresh berries and add some sugar to taste.
Almond Praline Semifreddo
Gourmet, July, 1990
Ingredients:
(Please note that I have doubled the praline part of this recipe)
2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup sliced almonds with skin (1 ounce), toasted and cooled
2 large eggs
1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream
Method:
Line a lightly oiled 8 1/2-by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with wax paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.
Cook 2/3 cup sugar in a dry small heavy skillet over medium heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until a deep golden caramel. Stir in almonds to coat and scrape onto baking sheet. Cool, then break into pieces. Pulse in a food processor until praline is finely ground (do not grind to a paste).
Beat eggs and remaining 1/4 cup sugar with a pinch of salt in a 2-quart metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water using a handheld electric mixer at high speed until tripled in volume and very thick, about 8 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat until mixture is cooled to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Stir in extract.
With cleaned beaters, beat cream until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold about one third of whipped cream into egg mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining cream and about 3/4 of the praline gently but thoroughly (reserve remaining praline for garnish). Spoon into loaf pan and freeze, covered, until firm, at least 6 hours.
Uncover semifreddo and invert onto a chilled platter, using plastic wrap to help pull it from mold. Sprinkle reserved praline on top. Slice semifreddo crosswise and serve with the apricots.
Honey-cardamom Roasted Apricots
From Bon Appetit Test Kitchen, June 2010.
Ingredients:
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
6 large or 12 small apricots (about 1 1/2 pounds), halved, pitted
3 1/2 tablespoons honey, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
Method:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix brown sugar and cardamom in 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Add apricots. Pour 1/4 cup water and 2 tablespoons honey over fruit; dot with butter. Roast until apricots are tender, occasionally basting with syrup in dish, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.
Balsamic Cherries
From Pastry Studio
Ingredients:
3 cups (about 1 lb, 2 oz) fresh cherries, pitted
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup sugar, to taste
pinch salt
zest of half of a large orange
1 -2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, to taste
Method:
To make the cherry compote, place the pitted cherries with the water and sugar in a saucepan. Add the orange zest and simmer until the juices are rendered and the cherries are fairly tender, tasting for the right amount of sugar. Remove from heat and add the balsamic vinegar. Cool completely.
Notes: Semifreddo can be made 3 days ahead and kept frozen, well wrapped.
Apricots with syrup can be made 2 days ahead and chilled.
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