Posts from the ‘Desserts’ Category

Apr 12

SINGLE SERVING BERRY DESSERTS FOR SPRING

The Spring holidays are so close together, especially if Easter and Passover fall later in April, they almost collide. However, they lack the PR, the decorations, the songs and especially the networking satellite parties to bind them into a ‘Season’. The dinners also lack the traditions of the winter holidays, eating out is optional and meals at home don’t focus on family recipes. What the dinners do have in common, even in restaurants, as we have discussed the past few weeks, is the seasonal craving for fresh foods and lighter preparations.

Desserts follow the same pattern of desiring lighter preparations, with the additional preference for individual presentations, rather than the large, elaborate concoctions of winter dinners. Shortcakes, tarts, fruit syrups are in demand now. Berries have always been associated with spring and are a perfect size to fill small containers, pastry or otherwise. Fortunately, they are also prime examples of the fruits we now have available all year.

An added bonus to these berry desserts is that they can be prepped ahead and quickly assembled at serving time, as well as saved should anyone decline a sweet, as often happens in spring, with summer coming. The cooked preparations have many uses as explained below, following the shortcake recipes, and keep for at least week refrigerated. The cooked cases do well if kept airtight, or if frozen, unthawed. Any frozen pastry should be cooked if thawed.

A dash of lemon juice perks up the berries and helps to keep their color fresh. Sliced banana was often used to create a flavor contrast in dishes featuring fresh berries and to give bulk (read: ’stretch’) I prefer kiwi slices. Kiwi’s texture is lighter and more compatible; its sweet-tart taste adds zing to that of the berries and its color lends an added seasonal touch. Also it should be understood that raspberries can substitute in part in any of these recipes in equal quantity, but they don’t keep as well.

The recipes below are for easy to prepare single serving cold desserts, but more important, they are able to be prepped ahead, to be stored and assembled later. A perfect fit for those spring holidays when we want to offer something nice but don’t have a great deal of time to devote to organizing and cooking a big meal.

RECIPES

Shortcake
Biscuits: Yield 12
2 cups flour
1 cup milk
2 ½ Tbs. softened butter
4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
Cinnamon
Mix first 5 ingredients well with a spoon. The dough will be moist and sticky. Drop by soup spoons onto a lightly greased baking sheet in 12 well separated mounds. Sprinkle top with granulated sugar and cinnamon. Bake in a preheated 400 deg. oven 15-17 min. until bottoms have tanned edges. Remove from pan with a spatula and allow to cool completely on a rack. Store covered.
Fillings
Strawberry: Allow 1>1 ½ cups berries per serving. If serving soon, reserve a few berries for decoration. Slice berries in a bowl, add enough sugar to sweeten and leave to marinate at room temperature until juices form a syrup, then chill until serving. If making ahead, per 2 cups berries, combine berries with ½ cup apple juice, 3 Tbs. lime juice and just enough sugar to sweeten in a saucepan. Stir over to low heat just until berries soften, cool and chill until serving.
Blueberry: For 6 servings allow 5 cups berries
Sort berries and reserve 1 cup of the best
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
Squirt of lemon juice-1/2 tsp.
Toss 4 cups berries with the sugar and cornstarch. Place everything but reserved berries in a saucepan and stir over low heat, mashing lightly with a spoon, until berries soften. Remove and cool. Reserved berries can be added to the cooked ones or saved for decoration.
Note: This recipe does make a compote and can be used in many ways:
1) top with any crumb topping to make a crisp and bake
2) Use to fill a pie
3) Dump Cake: Place ingredients in a lightly greased 9”x13”pan. Cover with a box of yellow cake mix, and pour over ½ cup melted butter. Bake in a 350 deg. oven for 30 min. until light brown. Spoon to serve.
Assembly
Slice biscuits in half and spoon prepared berries on bottom half, optionally add whipped cream or topping. Replace top, spoon over more berries and garnish with whipped cream or topping or simply garnish with the cream and decorate with reserved berries.
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Other Uses for Shortcake Filling
1) As a topping: For ice cream, cake or panna cotta. Slices of pound or angel food cake are especially good with a fruit sauce topping. For a special touch, lightly toast the cake slices first.
Easy Panna Cotta: Serves 4-From Recipes1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold
1 ½ cups heavy cream
3 ½ Tbs. sugar
1 ½ tsp. powdered gelatin
Sprinkle gelatin over 3 Tbs. cold water in a cup- Give 3 min to soften
Heat cream and sugar over low heat until sugar dissolves
Dissolve gelatin in cream, over heat, whisking constantly
Pour into (4) 5oz. cups. Cool to room temperature, then chill
Remove Panna Cotta from cups, and plate on top of fruit
2) As a filling: Sandwich between layers of cake or meringue, or in place of fresh fruit in tart shells
3) In Parfaits and Compotes: These prepared fruits are very decorative, alone or mixed with fresh fruits, especially in glass serving pieces layered with any or all of the following: ice cream, whipped cream or topping, pudding, cake pieces, cookie crumbs and chopped nuts.

FILLED CUPS AND SHELLS

A General Recipe: Serves 12
8 oz. lemon yogurt
1/3 cup all fruit preserves
1 ½ cups mixed berries
Whipped cream or topping for garnish
Spread 1 tsp. preserves in the bottom of each shell. Mix 1 cup berries with the yogurt and divide among the shells. Top with remaining fruit and garnish with topping.

Shell Choices
1) Wonton Cups: Makes 24 –From Eat Up and Slim Down by Jane Kirby and David Joachim
24 wonton wrappers
2Tbs. melted butter
Line a wrapper in each cup of a 12 cup or (2) 6 cup muffin pans. Brush with butter. Lay a 2^nd wrapper diagonally on the first and brush with butter. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 10 min. Cool, then remove from pan.
2) Puff pastry shells or phyllo cups; These are sold frozen in most supermarkets. As a tip, sprinkle the puff pastry shell liberally with sugar before baking as a decorative touch. Fill with fresh or prepared fruit topped with cream or use the recipe above. Only thaw these items as needed and don’t attempt to refreeze any uncooked ones. Store airtight.
3) Tortillas: Spread each of 4 flour tortillas with cream cheese and then place about 2 soup spoons of the drained prepared fruit down the center. Reserve juice. Roll tortilla and place seam side down on a baking sheet. Bake 8 min. in a preheated 425 deg. oven. Cool, chill, optionally garnish with whipped topping and drizzle with reserved juice.
4) Cake Cups: Found in most supermarkets. Fill in any of the above ways.
5) Pastry Dough: Make or buy dough for a 2 crust pie, which should be enough for 6 individual desserts.
1) Tart Shells: Cut the dough in strips slightly wider than the diameter of the muffin tin cups or custard cups which will be used for baking. Put one strip in the cup, put a dot of water in the center if the bottom and lay the other strip at right angles across it. Lightly press the edges together to seal and trim the top edges folding a bit over to make a rim. Fill partially with raw rice or beans, bake at 450 deg. for about 12 min.
2) Individual Galettes: Using a saucer as a template, cut dough in rounds. Place on a baking sheet and fold up edges in pleats to make sides. Allow for about 1 ¼ inches all around. Fill with crumpled waxed paper or parchment paper to hold the shape and bake at 450 deg. about 12 min. Cool, carefully remove paper, fill and garnish in any of the above ways.
3) Turnovers: Using the saucer templates, cut the dough as above. Place 1 soup spoon of drained, prepared fruit on the center. Fold over to make a half moon. Dampen edges and crimp with a fork to seal and prick the top 2 or 3 times. Bake on a sheet in a preheated 450 deg. oven about 15min. until golden. Cool, garnish with powdered sugar, or whipped topping and serve. Alternatively, sprinkle with granulated sugar before baking and simply drizzle with reserved juice.

Nov 2

‘A’ IS FOR APPLES – PART II Just Desserts

New York has been called “The Big Apple” in show biz lexicon since vaudeville days. Back then, anyone booked to ‘play the Palace’ gained instant super star status and was welcomed to the theater with a huge basket of fresh fruit arranged in a pyramid topped with a big red apple. Eating the apple was considered such good luck that the term; “taking a bite of the apple” came to mean the act was a ‘hit’. Other phrases refer to apples as being linked to good fortune too, or at least to the right path to choose; ‘Take an apple to the teacher’, ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’ and ‘Don’t upset the apple-cart’ are some of them.

This is quite a feat for a fruit that got a ‘bad rep’ in the Garden of Eden. Other objects, like black cats, have been permanently stigmatized for less. My guess is that people liked apples so much they didn’t let anything stand in the way to enjoying them, and enjoy them we have for thousands of years.

Originating in Central Asia, and related to the rose, apples are now grown worldwide. Through simple transplanting in different climates and soils, plus cross breeding, over 7,500 different species of apples now exist, most of which were developed for specific use. Juice, cider or alcoholic beverage, baking and raw ‘table apples’ are the main categories of apple production and there are plenty of choices within each, many introduced in the past fifty or so years. If you picture the ‘Big Apple’ in the fruit basket as a Red Delicious, forget it. They appeared in the 1950s, followed by the Golden Delicious about the time Granny Smiths were imported from Australia.

First, to clear up a misconception, all apples can be eaten raw, some just won’t taste as good. Those better cooked are usually more tart and have less juice. However, the public rarely sees the major types for juicing or commercial processing, except to buy crab apples for jelly at a farm market. It is important though, since the majority of apples sold in markets can be eaten raw or cooked, with the exception of the Red Delicious which can’t tolerate heat, to choose the right apple for the job. The most recommended breeds for cooking in the U.S. are the Golden Delicious and Granny Smith, but Winesap, Macintosh and Rome have traditionally been baked. The choice is really an individual one. Pick the type you like. Wikipedia offers this advice:

“Properties of a good apple — Apples for table are characterized by a firm pulp, elevated, poignant flavor, regular form, and beautiful coloring; those for kitchen use by the property of falling as it is technically termed, or forming in general a pulpy mass of equal consistency when baked or boiled, and by a large size. “

The recipes below are as ‘easy as apple pie’ but a bit more cosmopolitan and even gourmet, without being more complicated, time consuming or difficult to make. I’ve made them all, several often, and actually I’m always surprised at how quickly and neatly the dish was completed. My family and/or guests are always awed at how flavorful and downright good they taste. The best thing is that they provide a welcome change and a little change is a good thing, right?

Apple Compote:

Yield 3 cups—A multi-use recipe. It appears again next week in desserts as an ingredient, but can be served as alone as a fruit course, as an accompaniment to meat or as a dessert with whipped or ice cream. A few tablespoons can be stirred into hot or cold cereal.
6 large cooking apples –Golden (NOT Red) Delicious, Granny Smith, Rome etc.
1 cup water
¼ cup sugar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
¼ cup raisins—optional
½ tsp. cinnamon—optional
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts-for optional garnish
Peel, core and dice apples in ½ inch chunks. Bring sugar and water to a boil, add apples, raisins and juice. Cook until fruit is tender but not mushy. Taste if more sugar is needed, add cinnamon if desired. Serve warm or chilled, topped with nuts if desired

Easy Apple Strudel:

Serves 6-8-FromRecipes 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold
2 ½ cups compote
5 Tbs. unsalted butter-melted
7 sheets phyllo dough
lay sheets of phyllo on a flat surface and coat each lightly with butter using a pastry brush, restacking them as you do. Spoon apple compote parallel to one of the short sides of the phyllo leaving a 3 inch margin. Roll up tightly like a jelly roll. Place, seam side down on a baking sheet. Brush top with remaining butter and bake in a 375 deg. oven for 25min. Cool and serve in slices. Best within 3 hrs. of baking, do NOT refrigerate, not even leftovers.

Dutch Apple Cake:

Use an 8 inch round cake pan
2-3 apples-depending on size, peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup flour
2 Tbs. sugar + a little for garnish
2 eggs beaten
2 ½ oz. butter
2 Tbs. milk
½ tp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
Cinnamon and sugar for garnish
Sift dry ingredients, blend in butter. First stir in eggs then milk. Pout into a greased and floured pan and arrange apple slices decoratively in a circular pattern over the top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 450 deg. for 40 min. Serve on a plate or from pan. Optionally pass whipped cream.

PIES:

All serve 8-10, baked in a 9 inch pan. Packaged pie crust dough is fine or—
My Crust Recipe for single crust pie
1 cup flour
1/3 cup shortening- Crisco
3 Tbs. + if needed ICE water
In a deep bowl, cut shortening into flour with 2 knives until pea sized crumbs form. Add the water a Tbs. at a time mixing until dough holds together. Form into a ball cover and chill 30 min. Roll on a floured surface until slightly larger than the pan. Line the pan with the dough, cutting off or tucking excess under and crimping edges. Crust can be frozen, chilled or baked ahead according to pie directions.

French Apple Pie

3-4 lb. cooking apples-peeled, cored in ¼ inch slices
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Successively layer the apple slices so they lay flat, in the pie shell; a circular pattern looks best for presentation. Sprinkle each layer with some sugar and cinnamon. When the crust is filled, pour the melted butter over all, and then garnish with sugar and cinnamon. Bake in a preheated 450 deg. oven 10 min, then at 350 deg. for 30-40 min. until apples are tender and crust is crisp. Best done serving day, but can be done the day before. Store at room temperature.

Apple, Raisin, Walnut Pie

1 ½ cups chopped cooking apples
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3 cups apple cider
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbs. lemon juice+ ½ tsp. zest
2Tbs.butter
½ tsp. salt
3 Tbs. cornstarch
½ cup chopped walnuts.
Double crust recipe or buy 15 oz. package of 2 dough rounds
NOTE; I like a thin crust, so this will allow for some extra, especially if making a lattice top. Don’t use over a heaping ½ cup shortening. Store left over dough chilled and use within 10 days, or roll and freeze.

Line pie pan.

Dissolve the cornstarch in ¼ cup of the cider; put all the other ingredients except the walnuts in a pot and heat to boiling. Stir in cornstarch mix, and simmer, stirring until thickened. Stir in nuts. Pour into bottom crust. Top with top crust, well vented, or lattice top. Bake at450 deg.for10 min. then at 30-35 min at 350 deg. Cool before slicing.
To prepare in advance; the cooked filling can be kept chilled, in a plastic container for several days and then poured into the shell and topped before baking. The pie pan can be lined and the top crust dough kept chilled in plastic wrap for several days as well

Apple Dumplings:

Serves 4
Pastry for a 2 crust pie* or 1 sheet puff pastry-see note below
4 cooking apples- peeled and cored
½ cup sugar + more if needed
4 drops vanilla syrup or ¼ tsp. cinnamon
Separate dough into 4 parts. Roll each to ¼ inch thickness and cut about a 6 inch square in the center. Save extra dough for another use. Trim the bottoms of the apples so they stand upright and place one in the center of each square. Fill the cores with sugar and a drop of vanilla or a pinch of cinnamon. Pull the dough up around the apple, completely covering it, pinching seams together and at the top to close**. Sprinkle tops with remaining sugar and cinnamon. Bake on a sheet at 400 deg. for 40 min. or until crisp. Serve warm or chilled, alone or with whipped cream. *NOTE: Rozanne Gold’s recipe in Recipes 1-2-3 replaces the pie crust with a sheet of puff paste. The cooking time is reduced to 20 min. Otherwise the recipes are the same
** I like to save the stem and stick it into the top, it’s decorative and defines the pastry.

Grandmother’s Sour Cream Apple Cake:

Serves 12 +
5 cups peeled, cored and sliced tart apples
¼ cup butter
½ cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
1 lemon- zested and juiced
2 Tbs. flour
½ cup chopped almonds + ½ cup toasted, slivered almonds
8 eggs separated
½ tsp. salt
Sugar, cinnamon and dry bread crumbs for garnish
Whipped cream for serving—optional
Cook the apples with the butter in a covered skillet over low heat until soft, stirring occasionally. Add the next 4 ingredients and the egg yolks, lightly beaten, to the pan and cook until thickened. Cool. Whip egg whites with salt until stiff and fold into apple mixture. Spread batter 1 inch thick in a large pan or baking dish and sprinkle top with sugar, cinnamon, bread crumbs and slivered almonds. Bake at 325 deg. for 45 min. or until the cake is firm. Can be served hot, but is best chilled with whipped cream.

Amaretto Souffle with Caramelized Apple Pearls:

Serves 6– From 5 Ingredient Gourmet Cooking by Deborah Anderson
2 cups whipping cream
2 cups sugar – divided
2 Tbs. amaretto liqueur
4 large tart apples – peeled and cored
½ cup toasted slivered almonds, slightly chopped
Whip cream until stiff, beat in1 cup sugar and liqueur. Pour into 6 ramekins or a round 9 inch serving dish. Chill. Using a melon baller, scoop out (24) 1 inch balls from the apples. Heat the remaining sugar in a small saucepan, stirring constantly until it caramelizes and becomes pale amber. Spread the toasted almonds on a sheet of waxed paper. One at a time, using a toothpick or skewer, dip the apple balls into the caramelized sugar, coating well and then onto the almonds, rolling to coat one side or one half. Cool the ‘Pearls’ on the almonds and place them, almond side down on the chilled, whipped cream ‘souffle’ just before serving.

Easy Mulled Cider:

This is a great, fast way to serve a hot drink on a cold day, or a way to finish the meal for those who don’t want dessert. Kids love it because it makes the ‘ordinary’ special.
20 whole cloves
(4) 3-4 inch cinnamon sticks
1 gallon cider
Stud the apple with the cloves, bring everything to a simmer for 2-3 min. and pour into a bowl to serve. Ladle hot into mugs.

Jun 22

6 Easy Icy Desserts For Hot Summer Days

Father’s Day was so late this year that it kinda nudges July 4th.So it seems reasonable to continue on the same subject, dessert, as we slide from one holiday into another. I mentioned in last week’s post that I was offering some very old recipes that could be served equally well today because they fit the occasion. They could be made ahead and showcased seasonal fruits. Well, this group of recipes is also ‘older’ in the sense that they’re classics, but they can showcase the seasonal fruits too and fit this particular occasion perfectly. They’re easy to make but do need time, which is why I’m posting them now.

The 4th of July symbolizes the height of the summer season. The mention of the date alone conjures visions of hot weather and icy treats. The beauty of icy treats is that they can be prepared, not just ’ahead’ but waaay ahead, a couple of weeks in fact, and popped out of the freezer at will. They’re ideal for feeding a group on a holiday that’s traditionally, casually observed.

A few years ago home ice-cream makers were hot items. I confess I bought one and have made a few concoctions, banana, pineapple-ginger and blueberry, which were pretty good, but I have one major problem. They require a lot of free freezer space and I don’t have that but I do like having something icy- sweet on hand. The answer is in making ice-cream and its alternatives, granita, sherbet, sorbet, semifreddo and gelato, the old-fashioned way. I’ve been doing it, and it works out well, in fact I’ve even made some on a stick for easy eating especially for children. (There’s a short-cut recipe below for that!)

I give descriptions of each of these types of dessert below, with recipe examples. Naturally, it’s understood that the flavors can be changed at will. The basic formulas define the differences between them and outline the choice options. Here’s a tip though, most are healthier than ice-cream. However, if you’re still interested in the ‘real thing’ I’m including a recipe below for ice-cream made the original way—without a machine.
I do want to repeat the advice I gave last week. I notice that current magazines and recipe sources include the use of raw eggs, especially the whites. For anyone concerned over Salmonella, I recommend substituting Wilton Meringue Powder in any recipe that calls for directly adding raw beaten egg whites. It’s available at all bakery supply stores and craft stores that sell baking equipment such as A.C.Moore. Another helpful note is to follow the ingredient quantities exactly and be sparing with any alcohol based flavorings. Both excess sugar and alcohol deter freezing and that’s a disaster with these dishes.

The recipes are divided into two groups of three. The first is water based and the second dairy. Granita and semifreddo can’t be made in machines; the others can, following the individual manufacturer’s directions. You will notice that several of the recipes like sherbet and sorbet seem similar. The main distinction is in the product’s purpose. Sorbet, made from fruit juice or juiced fruit, is lighter and often used as a ‘palate cleanser’ between courses during a multi course meal, or a light finish to a heavy or rich one. Sherbet, based on pureed fruit, is a dessert. (There’s a shortcut included in the recipe below.) Gelato is a bit less caloric and cholesterol laden than ice-cream (or Italian vrs. French.)
Here’s to celebrating Liberty, by enjoying the liberty of having something prepared ahead and ready to serve.

Basic Granita: Serves 4
1 ½ cups water
½ cup sugar
½ cup juice or other flavoring liquid- or extract squeezed from pureed fruit*
¼ cup lemon or lime juice
Pinch salt – optional
Additional flavorings-spices, herbs and/or garnishes—optional
Over low heat dissolve sugar in water, remove from heat and add flavoring liquid and juice, cool and put into a metal 9 X 13 inch pan. Freeze, scraping with a fork to break up every 20-30 min., for 2-3 hours until resembles fluffy shaved ice. Store in a covered container in the freezer for 1 week. Scrape to fluff before serving. (The ice chips don’t clump during storage.)
*I often make this with cranberry juice, but other juices and liquids like coffee, green tea(matcha) even flat soda pop and pureed, strained fruits can be used as well. For example, it can be made with meat from ½ a watermelon, blended and squeezed through a sieve. Small amounts of liquor can also be added but beware the alcohol prevents freezing so use only enough to give taste. With some mixtures a dash of pepper is nice. The flavoring options are endless.

Orange-Campari Sorbet: Serves 4-6*
Juice of 3-4 large oranges strained, to make ½ cup*
½ cup superfine or bar sugar-or slightly more to taste
21/2 cups water
3 Tbs. Campari
2 large egg whites
Mint leaves to garnish
If using fresh oranges, remove peel, without white pith, from 3 of them. Dissolve sugar in water over low heat then boil for 2 min. without stirring, wiping down pan sides with a wet brush. Pour mixture into a non-metallic shallow, freezer safe container with a cover and add orange peel to steep while mixture cools. When cool add strained orange juice and Campari; cover and chill for at least 30 min. Remove zest and freeze for 1 hour. Transfer mixture to a bowl and beat to break-up ice crystals. Return to freezer container and freeze for 30 min. Repeat twice more. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and beat into juice mixture and freeze for 30 min. Beat once more. Store covered for 2 months. Serve by the scoop.
*Strained commercial juice can be used and flavors are optional—omitting the Campari.

Melon Sherbet: Serves 6-8
1 medium melon-cantaloupe or casaba
Juice of ½ lemon
4 egg whites
6 oz., sugar-super-fine or ’bar’ sugar is best
¼ -1/2 cup cherries or berries for garnish-optional
Fresh mint leaves for garnish-optional
Cut the melon in half, in a zigzag pattern if to be used it for serving. Remove seeds and cube meat. Blend with the lemon juice until smooth. Pour into a 1 ½ quart container and freeze until beginning to set. Beat the egg whites until stiff and gradually add the sugar. Gently whisk or beat the melon mixture until broken up and light. Fold in the egg whites and return to the freezer and freeze until firmly set. Serve by the scoopful, in the melon shell or dishes. Garnish with fruit and/or mint. Keeps frozen about 1 month.
NOTE: Choose overripe fruit to make sherbet, or blanch it if not quite ripe. It freezes smoother.
A short cut to making sherbet is to freeze a can of fruit in syrup. Puree the frozen contents and combine with eggs and optional ingredients, adjusting quantities to fit the basic recipe. Examples: Peaches with almond extract or Litchi with ginger.

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3 eggs
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon flavor extract—almond, vanilla etc. –optional but advised
2 egg whites*–also optional recipe
2 cups whipping cream – well chilled
Line a 5 x 9inch loaf pan or 3 quart capacity dish with plastic wrap leaving generous overhangs on long sides.
Place the eggs, egg yolks, flavor extract and ½ the sugar if making meringues, all if not, in a heat proof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, (a double boiler or Bain Marie). Using a hand held mixer, beat the mixture for 6-8 minutes until custard is pale and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and beat for an additional 4-6 minutes until cool. In a separate bowl, beat the whipping cream until thick. Gently fold into the egg mixture until smooth. *If adding meringue- beat egg whites in a clean Bain Marie or double boiler over simmering water until soft peaks form, add sugar and continue beating until billowy and glossy. Fold into the eggs and cream. Freeze until firm, at least 6 hours but better overnight, unmold and slice to serve-DO NOT SCOOP OR SPOON.
Note: Semifreddo is intended to contain a mixture of flavors. Chopped fruit, ground nuts or fruit purees are usually incorporated into the whole or just one layer (see puree directions below) to give a color and flavor contrast. 4 oz. of finely chopped chocolate can be added to the custard while hot to make a chocolate semifreddo or just 2 oz. to half the custard to make just one layer. This means the whipped cream and meringue will have to be added in half portions as well.

Berry Puree:
2 cups blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
To make the puree, combine the berries and powdered sugar in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust sugar if necessary. Strain through a mesh strainer.
To make swirls, spoon the blueberry puree over the top and use a spatula to gently fold it into the cream. Otherwise gently fold it into half the finished mixture and pour it into the mold first to make a bottom layer.
Gelato: Serves 4*
6 large eggs
¾ cup superfine or bar
¼ cups milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1tsp.flavoring-vanilla, butterscotch, mint etc. –optional
2 oz. finely chopped dark chocolate, butterscotch, nuts, candied fruit or cookie crumbs
Beat the eggs and sugar in the top of a double boiler or Bain Marie, until creamy. Stirring, heat the milk and cream to a simmer and add it in a stream to the egg mix while whisking. Heat the mixture in the double boiler over medium heat, stirring constantly until it coats the back of a spoon or the spoon pulled across it leaves a mark on the surface.in. Remove from the heat and add flavoring. Allow to cool at least 1 ½ hr. then chill for 30 min. Strain to remove any lumps, transfer to a freezer container and freeze for 2 hrs. until frozen 1 inch from the sides. Transfer to a bowl and beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate etc., return to the freezer container, smooth the top and lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on top. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.

Vanilla Ice Cream: Serves 4-6 *
2 ½ cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean
1 pared zest of 1 lemon
4 eggs beaten
2 egg yolks
6oz. superfine or bar sugar
Whisking, bring the cream to a simmer, add the eggs and lemon zest. Lower the heat and cook 8-10 min. still whisking until thickened. Stir in the sugar remove from the heat, let cool and strain. Open the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture into a shallow freezer container allow to just freeze 1-2 hrs. remove to a bowl, beat and return to the freezer container, cover and freeze overnight or for up to 3 days.
*Although these recipes are basic to the dish, the particular flavoring combinations are from the Summer Foods and Desserts volumes in the Practical Cooking series of book

Quick Banana Pops: Serves 8 in plastic pop sickle molds, 4 in Dixie cups used as molds
1 pt. vanilla ice cream
1 large VERY ripe banana
Wooden sticks if using Dixie cups
While the ice cream softens, mash the banana in a bowl, with a fork until no lumps remain. Combine the two well and fill the molds. Insert the ‘sticks’ and freeze until firm. Rub with a warm cloth to unmold, if necessary. This can also be made in a single mold for table service.*
*If considering substituting other fruits, use them in proportion bearing in mind that bananas have a low pulp/juice ratio and changing that will affect the ability to freeze. Fruits should be very ripe and pureed, then strained if necessary. The addition of sugar depends on the fruit, some powdered may be needed, but remember sugar inhibits freezing, so be sparing.
This tip can also be used to flavor the other dairy based desserts here. Delete the given flavoring agents and replace with the preferred ones. You can use the Berry Puree above as a guide for quantity and swirl (sugar may be needed) or mix (possibly no sugar) into the dessert base ingredients. The best move is to research other recipes for quantities as to specific flavoring agents. Basically any recipe for machine made ice cream type desserts can be processed by hand following the guidelines given here.
Have fun, experiment, be independent and create your flavor for the holiday. For example, the dessert pictured with this post is Espresso Granita garnished with Lemon Thyme. It’s the perfect end to an outdoor dinner, and ’kills two birds with one stone’ because hot coffee isn’t missed.

Dec 16

Fantastic Yet Practical Holiday Desserts

During this season of major holidays we tend to get nostalgic about our traditions. Ask people how they plan to celebrate and the answer will usually have the word “always” in it. Much as we want to cling to the familiar, times, tastes, people and needs change as families evolve and traditions are altered to accommodate the changes.

For example, I still host our Christmas dinner though in a different state. I slow roast the turkey as my mother did, with my grandmother’s stuffing, and serve candied yams but the vegetables are roasted, not steamed, the coleslaw with homemade boiled dressing has been replaced by mixed greens in light vinaigrette and we have fresh cranberry salsa not jellied or whole berry sauce. For the younger children, this is the traditional meal, the one they will remember.

The biggest change is in our schedule for Christmas Day. We’re no longer so close that we can ignore travel time, so we start later. One person usually has professional obligations that evening and night, and it’s more important that he be with us for the dinner than opening the gifts, so we’ve reversed the order of the day. We used to open gifts then eat, now we eat first. As a result the entire dessert portion of the menu is new and developing it has been an eye opener.

As I’ve often mentioned my mother had a knack for freezing blueberries in season. Christmas dessert was parfaits of raspberry sherbet, those berries and whipped cream with platters of homemade cookies. It was a perfect light end to a heavy meal. Back then, presents opened, the kids were happy to stay seated for dessert. Not so now. Gifts trump dessert and icy parfaits are better consumed at a table, plus they require time to construct just before serving which is inconvenient with the new schedule.

A self-serve dessert table seemed the practical answer and to make it work, I’ve developed a selection of choices which include the most traditional Christmas flavors, any of which would make a good dessert in itself. All can be simply made from mixes, keep well and can be recycled for other holiday events—and beyond. As I said it’s been a real eye-opener especially for the convenience afforded in serving it.

Usually setting up a dessert table brings its own set of problems. It entails more work, more expense, and implies having even more leftovers to deal with. However, the four recipes below provide solutions, at least for me. I make them well in advance, take them out of the freezer a couple of hours before dinner, and return the leftovers to the freezer right after to deal with later. I also chose them because they are easy to make; a bonus for busy people or those not familiar with baking.

First a couple of notes:
1) Many baking directions, call for greasing the bottom only not the sides of the pan. The reason for this is that if the batter can adhere to the sides of the pan it won’t rise so high in the center making it easier to roll or to balance layers when filling and frosting them.
2) With the log, I tried many recipes for other cake mixes and they all were too thick to roll well, cracking badly and needing too much filling and/or icing to make them easily. After several experiments including chocolate, spice, and red Velvet cakes, I now stick to gingerbread.
3) The wine used as an ingredient in the fruitcake is undetectable, making the cake child-friendly, but it acts as a preservative so that the cake can be made a few weeks or months in advance. Other alcoholic flavorings are achieved by repeatedly sprinkling with liquor and re-wrapping. It will keep in the refrigerator for several months. Without the applied liquor, it makes wonderful holiday brunch bread.
4) Opera Cake is intended to be a classic sponge cake with ground almonds in the flour. I make a sponge cake batter for mine, but omit the ground almonds because of allergies. However, when offered as part of a buffet, yellow cake mix will substitute and save effort. For the sponge cake batter recipe I use Julia Child’s.
5) To freeze the cakes, I place them on a paper doily on the serving plate if possible, if not on a waxed paper covered plate. I cover them with supermarket plastic shopping bags, placing toothpicks at strategic locations to prevent the bags from marring the surface of the cake. Re-freezing is the same process. Leftover presentation tips are with the recipes.
6) Regarding icing for party presentation, I have discovered that microwaving a can of commercial frosting 30-45 sec. liquefies it so it can be spooned over the cake as a glaze and it cools to a shiny finish. .

YULE LOG—Serves 16-18
Using a boxed Gingerbread cake mix, I replace half the water with applesauce, add ¼ cup oil and use 2 eggs. Beat only until well incorporated – about 2 min.
Grease the bottom only of a 19 x 11 inch jelly roll pan. Line it with parchment paper and grease the paper.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and bake on the middle rack for 16 to 18 min. until it springs back
when poked lightly with a finger.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar. Cover with a tea towel, and using a board as a brace invert the cake. Peel off the parchment and roll the long side of the cake in the towel. Resting the edge on the bottom let the cake cool completely.
Meanwhile, beat 8oz. cream cheese with 8oz. Cool Whip until smooth adding:
1 tsp. maple flavored extract
1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Have ready 1 can Cream Cheese flavored frosting

Carefully unroll the cake and fill with the cheese mixture. Re-roll. Trim ends evenly.
Cut a piece about 3 inches long from one end on an angle and position it along the “trunk” to form a branch. Secure it with a bit of frosting.
Frost the cake and add any decorations. Freeze until ready to serve. Allow to thaw 30 to 45 min.
Supervise cutting of this cake. Try to cut slices to retain the proportions if you intend serving it again.
Freeze on serving plate and refreeze the same way.

MODIFIED OPERA CAKE Serves 10-12
(3) 9 inch round cake pans—available as a 3-pack in a dollar store
Parchment paper or waxed paper
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8 oz. container whipped topping
8 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. almond extract
1 can dark chocolate frosting
Toasted slivered almonds—optional for garnish
Cut parchment rounds to fit cake pans. Grease pan bottoms and paper rounds. Mix batter according to package directions and place 1/3 in each pan. Bake at package stated temperature for 1/2 the time recommended, usually about 15-18 min. or until top springs back when lightly pressed. Cool then invert onto plates and peel off paper. If necessary, slice tops to level them.
Beat cheese, topping and extract together until smooth. Plate one cake layer and cover with a thin layer of frosting, spread ½ the cheese mixture on top and repeat with a second layer. Top with the 3^rd layer even side up making sure it’s level. Remove excess filling from sides with a knife if needed.
Microwave remaining frosting 20-30 sec. until easily pourable but not too runny and using a spoon as a guide if necessary, pour evenly over the top of the cake to create a smooth glazed effect. It’s O.K. if some runs decoratively down the sides. Decorate with toasted slivers of almonds or a sprig of holly in the center.
Re-freeze as at first for later use. Serve leftovers in slices in a circular pattern on a plate.

CRAZY CAKE- Serves 6-8
This is the easiest cake ever, requiring no beating. It keeps well at room temperature for days, and at only 140 calories a piece, is great for dieters. For this use, I double the recipe, make it in a sheet pan, cut it in thirds (crosswise) and layer it with raspberry preserves and cool whip mixed with cream cheese. See Opera Cake directions above.

1 ½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
3 Tbs. oil
1 Tbs. vinegar—preferably white
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup cold water
Sift all dry ingredients together, before putting into an UNGREASED 2”deep x 9”square cake pan. Make 3 holes in the mixture and pour the oil in one, vinegar in a second and vanilla in the third. Pour the water over all and stir with a fork until blended. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 min. This recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9”x13” pan to make a sheet cake. Cool, invert onto a board.
Beat until smooth 8 oz. cream cheese with 8 oz. whipped topping .
1 can Vanilla frosting.
8 oz. Raspberry preserves
Cut cake in thirds crosswise to make 3 layers and slice off rounded tops to even if necessary. Place one layer on a doily covered serving plate. Spread with ½ the cheese mixture and spread with ½ the preserves. Repeat and top with 3^rd layer. Cover with frosting. Garnish with colored sugar or a sprig of holly.
Freeze and refreeze as directed. To serve leftovers, save some frosting and cover sliced ends. If not possible, present slices fanned on a plate.

CHRISTMAS BREAD: Serves 8-10 depending on shape of pan
This is based on two boxed Quick Bread mixes. I like Cranberry and Pumpkin, but have used Date and Nut as well. In fact, I might add them if I were to make more than 2 loaves. I do add dried fruits and nuts to the mix but don’t really measure them. I combine the dry mixes of the same brand, in a bowl and add the total required ingredients. I substitute red wine for half the water required then add the other ingredients and any add-ins. I decorate and bake as directed in two loaf pans-one per box of mix used.* When the loaves are cool, I sprinkle the tops with about 2 Tbs. of whiskey, cover them in plastic wrap and put them in the refrigerator. I bake them in October and over the next months I repeat the whiskey “shower” every couple of weeks. However, these also make excellent breakfast bread. The loaves I intend for that I don’t sprinkle with whiskey but depend on the wine used in the mixing to preserve them. People who normally hate fruitcake like this, especially with a cup of coffee or tea because it has a lighter texture.

NOTE: This batter rises, so any heavy decorations, nut halves, candied cherries should be placed about halfway through the baking or to they will be absorbed into the loaf.

*For Christmas Dinner presentation I bake half the batter in a tree mold or a regular 9” round cake pan. Please remember the fruit bread is stored in the refrigerator not the freezer. Cut the remainder of the fruit “cake” into interesting shapes or fingers, and present them plated with small squares of a quick muffin fruit mix, like Jiffy, baked in a loaf pan, with sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top. It creates an economical, efficient and attractive presentation.

Hope this helps solve some problems to make entertaining easier for you.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!!

Oct 7