EASY RED, WHITE AND BLUE DESSERTS
The 4th of July is more associated with fireworks than food, but ever since the Berry Flag Cake was introduced, there’s been an interest in red, white and blue desserts. Of course other factors are that it is berry season and it’s always fun to experiment with ways to use fresh produce, especially when that produce conveniently combines into the appropriate patriotically colored presentations. I’ve written posts on the subject on June 29, 2017 and June 28, 2020. The last post has more elaborate recipes for entertaining.
This year, with socializing just returning to normal and most gatherings probably casual and/or impromptu, I thought it might be fun to look at some of the easiest and quickest to make of the 4th of July desserts. Things that capture the holiday mood without much effort and, of course, befitting the season, are cold.
The simplest recipe is a mixture of blueberries, raspberries and/or sliced strawberries topped with whipped cream or scattered over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Blueberries scattered over strawberry ice cream or raspberry sherbet, topped with whipped cream will do equally well. If you’re planning to eat away from home, say at a picnic, then the berries can travel in a container, along with a can of whipped cream or topping, in an ice chest. For serving, a package of shortcake rounds from the market, or other pastry cups will do. My favorite are cups made from wonton wraps.
Wrapper Fruit Cups: Makes 12 cups
24 Wonton Wrappers
2 cups raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or strawberries sliced
2 Tbs. melted butter
Cooking oil
Lightly oil the inside of each muffin cup in two 6 cup pans. Lay one wonton wrapper on a diagonal in each cup and lightly butter it. Butter the remaining 12 wrappers and lay them on top of the first in the cups on an opposite diagonal making sure the points form sides to the cups. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 10 min. Cool and remove from pans.
For a slightly more elegant presentation, layer the berries and the topping in glasses or goblets, ending with the topping. To add body, sprinkle cookie crumbs, flavor optional, on the topping between the layers. This can be made into an English Trifle for a crowd, by using a glass bowl and substituting a pound or angel food cake in 1 inch cubes for the cookie crumbs, beating (1) 4oz. package of vanilla or coconut pudding mix with 1 ½ cups cold milk for 2 min. then stirring in 1 ½ cups whipped topping from a 2 cup tub and layering that with the cake and berries. Finish with the reserved ½ cup topping.
Slices of pound or angel food cake make great bases for a la Mode desserts. Incidentally, both toast well, if you want an added flair. Simply put a slice on a plate, top with ice cream and berries. Again, for a more elegant, but easy presentation for a crowd this recipe is the answer.
Easy Berry Cake: Serves 4-6
1 purchased pound cake
8 oz. tub of Whipped Topping
1pt. box of strawberries
1pt. box blueberries
Save several nice strawberries and blueberries for decoration. Put the blueberries to the side. Slice the rest of the strawberries and sprinkle with sugar. Allow to rest for a few hours for the juice to extract itself. Just before serving, cut the cake into 3 layers. Spread first with 1/3rd of the whipped topping, spoon ½ the sliced strawberries over it allowing the juice to drip down the sides, sprinkle with some blueberries. Repeat with 2nd layer. Finish with 3rd layer topped with the rest of the frosting and garnished with the reserved berries. Can be made an hour or so ahead. Keep chilled and garnish just before serving.
Another easy cake, which travels well and is served from the pan, is a:
Crumble or Dump Cake: Serves 8-10
2 cans pie filling—of choice*-For this occasion, use blueberry and strawberry or cherry
1 box cake mix—to fit the above choice-for this choose a white cake
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1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbs. sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour pie filling into a 9×13 inch pan. Sprinkle cake mix over. Drizzle with melted butter. Top with sprinkled sugar and cinnamon. DO NOT STIR. Bake for 30 min or until light brown Serve warm or cold, topped with ice cream or whipped topping.
*NOTE: Fresh berries can be substituted if tossed with cornstarch and sugar as directed under pies above and simmered until the juice renders and thickens. Then proceed as above
Two desserts which require more time but are still easy to make and can be ready a day or so in advance are:
Summer Berry Pudding – Serves 4-6
2 lbs. mixed berries-strawberries sliced if large
8 oz. raspberries
¾ cup sugar
8 slices white bread
Topping of choice to serve
Cut the crusts off the bread and use it to line the bottom and sides of a 4 ½ cup. bowl, making sure there are no gaps between slices. Bring the fruit and the sugar to a boil, lower heat and simmer for about 8 min stirring once. Spoon the fruit into the lined bowl, add in as much juice as it will hold, making sure some gets around the sides of the bowl. Cover the top of the bowl with the remaining bread and place in a pan to catch juice overflow. Put a plate on top of the bowl and weigh it down with cans. Refrigerate overnight. Puree the 8 oz. raspberries with enough of the remaining berry juice.to sauce constancy. Strain and chill. When ready to serve, unmold the pudding on a serving plate, pour some sauce over, and pass the rest. Garnish with whipped cream. Serve in slices
Angel Berry Nest: Serves 6-8
3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs. flour
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1 tsp. vanilla or almond flavoring.
2 drops of white or cider vinegar
Beat the egg whites into peaks, adding the vinegar to temper them half way through, then add the
flour and the cornstarch, finally the sugar in 3 parts while beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Draw an 8 or 9 inch circle on parchment or waxed paper. Put the paper on a cookie sheet and fill the circle, with the beaten whites, using the back of a fork to indent the center and raise the sides to form a nest. Bake at 250 deg. for 60 min. Leave in oven for 30 min. then cool on a wire rack and store airtight for a week or more. To serve, fill the center with sliced fresh fruit or berries.
And finally two favorites of mine
Lilly’s Ice Cream Cake: Serves 8-10 This was devised when my daughter wanted to make a cake for her Dad. I forgot to prepare the pans and forcing it free broke it in chunks. Fortunately, I had a ½ gal. ice cream intended to go with the cake and was able to stem the tears with this recipe solution. It was not only a happy ending, but became a family favorite. For the 4th a red velvet cake, vanilla ice cream and blueberry sauce*would be perfect.
1 box of cake mix, cooked according to directions, cooled and removed from the pan(s)
½ gal—Or 1.5 qt. container ice cream.
Bake the cake according to box directions, remove from pans and cool
Soften ice cream to consistency of whipped topping.
Rinse bowl or mold with water and shake out excess but do not dry. The film of water freezes and forms a protective coating on the container that makes it easier to unmold the finished dessert.
Smear a dollop of softened ice cream over the bottom of a 2 ½ quart freezer proof mold or large round, deep mixing bowl. If it has a decorative top be sure to fill it all in. Then begin to fit chunks of the cake into the mold rather like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. Be sure to separate the chunks of cake and the cake pieces from the sides of the mold with enough ice cream that they don’t stick together or become exposed when the dessert is unmolded.
Also, have a thick enough layer of ice cream on the bottom of the mold to form a firm base when plated for serving. Both cake and ice cream should be used up.
Freeze the mold for several hours or overnight.
Remove from freezer and dip the mold in a larger bowl, or pan, of hot water, for the count of ten (10). Cover the bottom with a serving plate and invert to unmold.
Serve at once or store in the freezer until needed.
Pass any appropriate toppings: whipped cream, wet nuts, sauce, fruit etc. on the side.
*Berry Topping: Yield about 1¼ cups
(1) 10 oz. pkg. frozen berries of choice in syrup-thawed
¼ cup jelly or jam made from chosen berries OR equal amount apple, mixed fruit or red currant.*
1 Tbs. cornstarch
Drain 2/3 cup syrup from berries, adding water, juice or ginger ale to make up the difference if there isn’t enough syrup. Combine syrup, jam and cornstarch in a saucepan and cook over low heat until cornstarch is dissolved and mixture thickens. Remove from heat, stir in berries and chill until serving.
Fruit Pizza: Serves 8-10
Make dough as instructed below*
If buying; purchase a roll of sugar cookie dough, not pie dough. Roll dough to fit a pizza pan, prick several times with a fork and bake as for cookies, 350 degrees for 10 to 12 min. until lightly browned, or as directions on package state.
Cool completely in pan.
*Dough
1 ½ cups flour
½ cup sugar
2/3 cup shortening
3 Tbs. + ICE water
Mix flour and sugar. Cut in shortening until it resembles peas then add water as needed to form a firm ball of dough. Chill 0 min. then roll to fit a pizza pan or to a 12 inch round.
Assembly
1 ½ lb. fresh fruit–cut in slices if necessary-exact amount depends on choice of fruit
¼ cup clear jelly –more if needed-in complimentary flavor-apple is and current are general choices
1 Tbs. water per ¼ cup jelly*
Decoratively arrange raw fruit over the crust. My favorite is a combination of strawberries and blueberries, but kiwi and peach slices work, as well as do many others. Make glaze by melting jelly in water over low heat… Boil until clear and spoon over the fruit. Chill until completely set. Optionally pass whipped cream.
*NOTE: For a thicker glaze dissolve ¼ tsp. cornstarch in 1 Tbs. water per ½ cup jelly, which is the amount I use for one of these pizzas.
