Summer Skies, Fireflies and Olden-Golden Desserts

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I saw a glow worm tonight, my first sighting of the year, and for a minute, a split second really, I was again six and on the hunt for the first firefly of summer. A certain cachet was attached to that first capture, and as soon as school ended, mason jars with punctured lids were set aside for the nightly search for Tinkerbell and members of her crew. The ragamuffins with whom I ran took the hunt seriously, and night after night, with not even a flicker of ennui, we swarmed alleyways and backyards, jars in hand, looking for Peter's accomplice and her friends. When the streetlight's came on, the rules of the game demanded the fireflies be released, lest we actually had Tinkerbell in one of those jars. We all were very young, easily amused and it was a much simpler time. Meals were uncomplicated and the handful of desserts that we were regularly served included a pudding quite similar to the one I'm featuring tonight. I haven't had banana pudding in years, but when I saw this version in Bon Appetit magazine, I knew I had to give it a try. I'm so glad I did. The Silver Fox has a demanding sweet tooth and he loved the pudding and the memories it brought back for him. If you are looking for a nostalgic dessert for your next barbecue, do give this one a try. I suggest you make the pudding, sans the meringue, a full day before you plan to serve it. This will give the banana flavor a chance to permeate the pudding. However, I suggest browning the meringue just before the pudding is served. Here is how it is made.

Baked Alaska with Rum Raisin Ice Cream

                                                              Baked Alaska

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox and I will be celebrating a landmark anniversary next weekend. I'll not be cooking for the occasion but in anticipation of the event, he asked me to make a Baked Alaska for him. I was more than happy to oblige because it gave me an excuse to make one of my favorite ice creams, a smooth and rich rum raisin concoction that is made with the world's happiest raisins. You'd be happy, too, if you spent a day immersed in that amount of rum. Baked Alaska is an old dessert that is enjoying a resurgence in popularity. It sounds difficult to make but nothing could be farther from the truth. The dessert has three distinct stages and all but the final toasting can be done a day ahead of time. I made the ice cream and the sponge layer for the cake I'm featuring tonight, but both could have been purchased at the grocery store and used in the assembly of the baked Alaska. Time is the only trick to successfully making this dessert. I generally assemble the cake, including the unbaked meringue covering, the day before I plan to serve it. It goes into the freezer and stays there until 15 minutes before I plan to put it in the oven. It takes minutes to brown the meringue, and because this is such a festive dessert I go one step further and flame it at the table. Children, and the Silver Fox, love this dessert. It is amazingly versatile and any flavor cake or ice cream can be used to assemble it. If you are looking for something that is festive and a bit out of the ordinary, do give this recipe a try. The ice cream, which comes from Saveur magazine, is especially delicious. Here is how the Baked Alaska is made.

Rum Raisin Ice Cream...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Saveur magazine

Ingredients:
1 cup raisins
1 cup dark rum
3/4 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1) Place raisins and rum in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit until raisins soften and absorb rum, at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons rum. Set raisins and rum aside.
2) Place sugar and yolks in a large saucepan and whisk until pale yellow and lightened slightly, about 2 minutes. Add milk, and stir until smooth. Place over medium heat, and cook, stirring often, until mixture thickens and coats back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Pour through a fine strainer into a large bowl. Whisk in drained raisins along with reserved rum, cream, and vanilla. Cover custard with plastic wrap, pressing it against the surface of custard, and refrigerate until chilled.
3) Pour custard into an ice cream maker, and process according to manufacturer's instructions until churned and thick. Line a 7″-diameter bowl with a 15″ piece of plastic wrap, allowing excess to hang over rim of bowl. Pack ice cream into bowl, smoothing top, and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours. Yield: about 6 cups.

Sponge Cake

Ingredients:
Unsalted butter, for pan
1/2 cup cake flour, plus more for pan
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8″ round cake pan; set aside.
2) Whisk together flour and salt in a bowl and set aside.
3) Beat sugar and eggs in bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed until tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Stir in juice and zest and fold in flour. Pour into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool completely, invert onto a rack, and set aside. Yield: 1 layer.

Meringue

Ingredients:
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
4 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:
Place cream of tartar and egg whites in bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar and beat until stiff but not dry peaks form.

Final Assembly

To serve, place cake on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Invert ice cream onto cake and peel off plastic. Cover ice cream and cake with meringue. Bake until meringue begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Using 2 metal spatulas, transfer to a cake plate and serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings.









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Two Years Ago Today: Turkish Shepherd's Salad
















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Four Years Ago Today: New England Clam Chowder

Mocha Macaroons

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I recently began a search for some new adult cookies. It began with a request to contribute cookies to a bake sale where they were trying to avoid a glut of the usual suspects, oatmeal, peanut butter and chocolate chip. I was able to find several that were keepers and over the course of the next few weeks I'll be sharing them with you. I wanted to start with these mocha macaroons. These lovely meringue-like morsels are bound to please those of you who have a sweet tooth. While  the use of almond paste makes them expensive to prepare, these cookies are quite simple to make and they are distinctly different from most of the offerings you'll find on a standard tea tray. The cookies come together in about 15 minutes, but they need to be chilled for at least an hour before baking, so you'll have to plan your time accordingly. The cookies are worth waiting for. I hope you will give them a try. Here is how they are made.

Mocha Macaroons...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Odense

Ingredients:
1 (7 oz.) tube almond paste, grated
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons flour
Pinch salt
2 large egg whites (no larger)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1) Combine almond paste, sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix with an electric mixer on low speed until ingredients are sand-like in texture.
2) Add egg whites and vanilla. Beat on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until a smooth paste forms. Cover and chill dough for at least 1 hour.
3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment. Drop dough by a scant tablespoon measure onto cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until firm on top and crackled. Cool on wire rack. Store in an airtight container. Best if eaten within 3 days. Yield: 2 dozen cookies.

Cook's Note : Dough can be chilled up to 24 hours.








One Year Ago Today: Bratwurst with Beer and Cabbage















Two Years Ago Today: PDG Cinnamon Rolls














Three Years Ago Today: Julia Child's English Muffins














Four Years Ago Today: Chimichurri Turkey Burgers

Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Mixed Berries

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of my favorite seasonal desserts and I make it several times each summer. Pavlova is a light meringue dessert that is usually topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit. This airy dish was named after Anna Pavlova, a Russian prima ballerina who toured Australia and New Zealand in the late 1920's. The dessert was created in her honor and I'm told it is still wildly popular in those countries. A well-made Pavlova has a crackly crisp crust and a soft marshmallow interior that makes it a perfect base to hold a creamy filling and seasonally fresh fruit. The version I'm featuring today is based on a recipe that first appeared in Gourmet magazine. It differs slightly from more classical preparations in that it uses lemon curd to fill the shell on which the berries rest. The combination of sweet and tart is irresistibly delicious, but because this is a meringue dessert, some care must be taken when assembling it. The eggs should be at room temperature if you want to achieve maximum volume and the meringue should be baked at a low temperature to achieve a light crust, while still retaining a soft marshmallow interior. The meringue should dry in the oven and as it does, it will crack. The shell is very fragile, and while the recipe developers say it can be frozen, I wouldn't count on being able to do that. That crackly crisp crust also crumbles. The tartness of the lemon curd is a perfect foil for the sweetness of the berries and meringue shell and the yin and yang nature of this dessert is close to perfect. The only caution I have to share with you regards the appearance of the Pavlova. In my kitchen, anyway, it is unpredictable and can range from stunning to something best described as a hot mess. I live in a generally damp climate that probably explains the variance, but the inconsistency prevents me from telling you that this dessert makes my socks go up and down. It is, however, really, really, really good and I know you will love its play of flavors. This deserves to be tried. Here's the recipe.

Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Mixed Berries ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:

Meringue

1 cup superfine granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 large egg whites at room temperature 30 minutes
3 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

Lemon Curd

2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Topping

1-1/2 cups heavy cream, divided use
4 cups mixed berries

Directions:
1) To make meringue: Place a rack in center of oven and preheat to 300 degrees F. Trace a 7-inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper. Turn parchment over and put on a baking sheet.Whisk superfine sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Beat whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Add water (whites will loosen) and beat until whites again hold soft peaks. Increase speed to medium-high and beat in sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. After all sugar has been added, beat 1 minute more. Add vinegar and beat at high speed until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes (longer if using hand-held mixer). Gently spread meringue inside circle on parchment, making edge of meringue slightly higher than center (the "crater" is for curd and fruit). Bake until meringue is pale golden and has a crust, about 45 minutes (inside will still be marshmallow-like). Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Cool meringue in oven 1 hour.
2) To make lemon curd: While meringue bakes, stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then add lemon juice and butter. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking, then continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Lightly beat yolks in a small bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup lemon mixture, then whisk into remaining lemon mixture in saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until curd is thickened, about 2 minutes (do not let boil). Transfer to a bowl and stir in zest. Chill, surface covered with parchment, until cool, about 1 1/2 hours.
3) To assemble: Beat heavy cream until it just holds stiff peaks, then fold 1/2 cup beaten cream into curd to lighten. Spoon lemon curd into meringue and mound berries on top. Serve remaining whipped cream on the side.

Cooks' notes:
•For best results, keep oven door closed as much as possible during baking.
•Meringue can be made 2 days ahead and frozen, wrapped well in plastic. Thaw before serving.
•Curd can be made 2 days ahead and chilled.

One Year Ago Today: Frenchified Meatloaf

Two Years Ago Today: Curried Egg Salad

Three Years Ago Today: Warm Poached Sausage and Potato Salad

Rhubarb Meringue Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Small quantities of rhubarb are still available at local farm stands. While I freeze small quantities in the spring, I like to use fresh rhubarb for as long as I can, and I buy it whenever it's available. Over the years, I collected a wealth of recipes that use it, and it never goes to waste in my kitchen. The Silver Fox loves rhubarb and he's especially fond of desserts that are made with it. This pie is one of his favorites. Rhubarb cream pie is a perennial favorite in many homes, but this one is taken to another level with the addition of a meringue topping. While I used fresh rhubarb, the pie can also be made with its frozen counterpart. There are, however, tricks to using frozen rhubarb in baked goods. It should be measured while its frozen, but defrosted and drained before it's used. It's also important not to compress or squeeze it as it drains. This will prevent excessive bleeding but also assure that the rhubarb retains some flavor and moisture as it bakes. I've added cornstarch to the meringue used in this recipe. It acts as a stabilizer and prevents the meringue from weeping excessively. Some feel that it is a necessary ingredient, but I really question that. I've found weeping and shrinkage is not a problem if the meringue is spread over a hot filling. I use cornstarch when I think about it, but more often than not, the meringue on my pies is made only with sugar and a bit of cream of tartar. Either way, you have a lovely pie for your family and friends. Chances are it won't last long enough for the meringue to weep. Here's the recipe.

Rhubarb Meringue Pie ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 9-inch unbaked pasrtry shell
Filling
3 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Dash salt
3 egg yolks
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Meringue
4 teaspoons + 1/3 cup sugar, divided
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water
3 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions:
1) To make filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place rhubarb in pastry shell. Place sugar, flour, salt, egg yolks and cream in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Pour over rhubarb in crust. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into custard comes out clean.
2) To make meringue: Combine 4 teaspoons sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Gradually stir in water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, combine egg whites and cream of tartar in a small bowl. Beat until frothy. Add cornstarch mixture and beat on high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer still on high speed, beat in reserved 1/3 cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved.
4) To finish: Spread meringue evenly over hot filling, sealing edges to crust. Bake for 15 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. If not to be eaten soon, store pie in refrigerator. Yield: 8 servings.









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