dessert – Page 12

Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake

August 9, 2009July 30, 2014by Lynda Balslev5 Comments

Blueberries are nature’s candy. Sweet, tart, firm to the bite, they are easy fast food, fun to pop straight in the mouth. Yet the comparison to candy stops there, as blueberries are also a nutritional treasure chest. Rich in Vitamins A, C and E as well as beta-carotene, manganese and fiber, blueberries are an anti-oxidant powerhouse, providing more anti-oxidants than many fruits and vegetables. That’s a lot of nutritional punch for a little dark berry.

Blueberries are delicious eaten just as they are, or sprinkled over yogurt or ice cream. Grab a handful and add to cereal, pancake batter or smoothies. Or, better yet, use a whole pint or two in a tart or pie: they will cook down into a silky, rich, inky-blue filling guaranteed to bring you back for seconds. Blueberries are especially satisfying to bake with, because they are not overly sweet, and their tartness and firm texture add a nice foil to sweet pastries, cakes and breads. This Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake takes the traditional sweet pound cake and adds mildly tart blueberries and bright, citrus-y lemon zest for a deliciously fresh tea cake.

Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake

Makes 1 loaf

3 eggs
1/4 cup Greek-style yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups blueberries

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350 F. (180 C.)
Lightly butter a loaf pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Butter and flour parchment. Combine eggs, yogurt and vanilla in a medium bowl. Lightly whisk to combine. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, combine the flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix one minute at low speed to combine. Add butter and half of the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Mix at high speed for one minute. Add remaining egg mixture in 2 batches, mixing 30 seconds after each addition. Batter should be light and fluffy. Gently fold in blueberries. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake one hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean. Remove from oven and run sharp knife around edges of cake. Let rest 10 minutes. Turn out onto a rack and cool completely.

Denmark, Desserts, gluten-free

Danish Red Berry Soup with Cream

July 17, 2009September 29, 2014by Lynda Balslev6 Comments

A few reasons why I like Denmark:

1. I arrive in Copenhagen with a terrific sore throat and low grade fever. My 83 year-old father-in-law sizes up my condition and states that a shot of Gammel Dansk (schnaps) will cure me.
2. Shortly thereafter, I speak on the phone with my sister-in-law who happens to be a surgeon in a nearby hospital. She hears that I am under the weather, and tells me that there are studies that support drinking red wine or rum or Irish coffee in reasonable amounts (her words) to offset a virus.
3. I go to the doctor-on-call to have a strep test, and he takes a swab, acknowledges there is definitely something going on in the back of my throat, and says that in Denmark they do these tests only to decide whether it is absolutely critical to take an antibiotic to cure an ailment. Result: I have a virus, therefore no antibiotics. (I personally support this philosophy.) He then suggests rest and prescribes red wine with dinner.
4. I return to my father-in-law’s house, and my 10 year-old daughter is helping him make dinner, cleaning potatoes, while he fries homemade frikadeller (meat patties) which are his singular specialty in the food-making department to serve us, his guests, for dinner. She then tells me she would like to pick all the ripe gooseberries, raspberries, black currants and wild strawberries in his rambling garden and make Rød Grød med Fløde or Danish Red Berry Soup for our dessert. She then adds that the berries will help to heal my cold, because that is how things work. I agree with this, too.

Danish Red Berry Soup with Cream
Rød Grød med Fløde

Serves 4-6

2 1/2 lbs. mixed summer berries, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, red and black currants
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Whipped cream or crème fraiche
Mint leaves for garnish

In a heavy medium-sized saucepan combine berries and sugar. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves and berries release their juices, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Cool and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours before serving. Serve with whipped cream or crème fraiche. Garnish with mint leaves.

Note: Any combination of berries may be used. Depending on the combination and acidity of the berries, additional sugar may need to be added. Try to include black currants, if you can, as their firm texture and astringency add extra complexity to the sweet soup.

Desserts

Blueberries Blueberries Blueberries

May 14, 2009July 30, 2014by Lynda Balslev2 Comments

It was impossible to resist the blueberries at the farmers market this morning. Tables were heaped with blueberries. You could choose from buckets, baskets, pints and quarts brimming with inky blue, plump fruit. I purchased two pounds, and arrived home with 1 1/2 pounds, because I couldn’t resist nibbling them along the way. Once home, my family consumed at least another half pound before I resuced the reaminder, which is exactly how much I need to make a this tart.

Bluberry Tart – Tarte aux Myrtilles
Serves 6-8

For the pastry:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

Combine flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Cut butter in pieces into the flour mixture until the largest pieces resemble the size of peas. Add the egg yolks and mix lightly with fingertips to incorporate and the dough is crumbly. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9″ tart pan with a removable bottom. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Prebake tart shell:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Prick bottom all over with a fork. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Fill liner with dried beans or pie weights. Bake shell for 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn golden. Remove shell from oven. Remove parchment and pie weights. Return shell to oven and cook 10 minutes, or until golden all over. Remove and cool.

For the filling:
1 pound blueberries, picked over, washed, dried
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Whisk together 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside.
Combine 1/2 pound blueberries, sugar and 1 tablespoon water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring, until blueberries pop and mixture begins to thicken – about 3 minutes. Add cornstarch and lemon juice to blueberries. Simmer 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Fold in remaining blueberries. Pour into pre-baked tart shell. Let sit at room temperature until set, at least 1 hour. Serve with whipped cream or crème fraiche.

Desserts, holiday, Vegetarian

Showcasing Strawberries: Strawberry Napoleon

May 2, 2009July 28, 2014by Lynda Balslev5 Comments

The thing about seasonal food, is you have to eat it while you can. Again and again. Those sweet, succulent strawberries? In a month or two, they will be gone; their star will have waned, and the fresher, more juicy, more yellow nectarines or petite raspberries will take center stage. Those clean, crisp asparagus spears? They will be bumped aside by a Provençal-style invasion of summer vegetables whose sauces and salads will pointedly exclude the upright astringent asparagus. The obscure, frizzy coils of fiddleheads that we’re finally managing to get to know? Never mind; it’s time to tackle another dark horse of a vegetable, and let the idea of an edible fern fade to a fuzzy dream.

All fruits and vegetables reign supreme at the markets during their seasonal heyday, and while they last, they are the life of the party. But too much of a good thing can become tiresome – especially after the tenth consecutive serving. This is where our duty as chefs comes in. It is up to us, like gracious hosts, to showcase our seasonal gifts, highlighting their qualities in appealing and flattering ways, so that they always look and taste good.

This is my somewhat metaphorical attempt to explain yet another recipe featuring strawberries. In fact, not only does this recipe feature strawberries, it also calls for many similar ingredients in my post Strawberry and Mascarpone Cream Parfaits. The difference is the addition of phyllo dough, and a little dramatic elevation in the stacked presentation. The outcome is another entirely different dessert, elegant yet simple, delicious to eat and very pretty to look at.

Strawberry Napoleons
Serves 10-12

1 package frozen phyllo sheets, defrosted overnight in refrigerator
1/4 cup (60 g.) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup (115 g.) granulated/caster sugar

8 oz. (250 g.) mascarpone cheese
1 cup (250 ml.) heavy cream
3 tablespoons confectioners sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 lb. (500 g.) strawberries, hulled, sliced lengthwise no more than 1/4″ thick, plus 6 large strawberries, stems intact, halved lengthwise.

Additional confectioners sugar for dusting

Prepare Phyllo Squares:
Preheat oven to 350 F. (180 C.) Line 2 rectangular baking sheets with parchment paper.
Unroll phyllo dough. Place one sheet on work surface. (Cover remaining dough with plastic wrap and damp kitchen towel to prevent drying.)
Lightly brush phyllo sheet with butter. Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar. Place second phyllo sheet on buttered phyllo dough. Brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Repeat with 2 more sheets.
With a sharp chef’s knife cut stacked phyllo sheets into 12 squares (4 across the sheets’ long side x 3 across the short side). With a spatula, transfer the squares to prepared baking sheets. Bake in oven until golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on racks.
Repeat this process 2 more times, so you will have a total of 36 squares. If you are serving 10 there will be a few extra squares which can be used as back up if there is breakage.
(Phyllo squares can be prepared one day in advance. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Separate layers of phyllo dough with parchement paper.)

Prepare filling:
Beat mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, confectioners sugar and vanilla in bowl of electric mixer until stiff peaks form. (Cream can be prepared up to 6 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until use.)

Assemble Napoleons:
Arrange one phyllo square on plate or platter. Spread one tablespoon cream over. Arrange 2-3 strawberry slices in one layer over cream. Top strawberries with 1-2 teaspoons cream. Place another phyllo square on top, pressing gently. Spread one tablespoon cream over. Arrange 2-3 strawberry slices in one layer over cream. Top strawberries with 1-2 teaspoons cream. Place third phyllo square on top, pressing gently. Place one teaspoon cream in center of phyllo square. Place one strawberry half, cut-side down, on cream. Dust lightly with confectioners sugar and serve.

Desserts, England, Food Blog Events

Retro-Classic: Butterscotch Pudding (or Custard?)

April 29, 2009July 28, 2014by Lynda Balslev6 Comments

One thing I enjoy most about the food blogging community is connecting with food bloggers from around the world. With all the travels and expat journeys I have experienced, I take great pleasure in reading food blogs from countries in which I have lived. I am taken back to the cultures, food and flavors of favorite cities, my memory jogged of the life I led in each place. And I feel as though I am catching up with an old friend.

One such blog is The Passionate Cook from England. Johanna and her lovely blog have been an inspiration to me since I started TasteFood last year. I enjoy reading her posts and recipes, and I am often reminded not only of my life in London some years ago, but also of Johanna’s home country, Austria, where I lived for a year during university. Another notable feature on The Passionate Cook is an event called WTSIM (Waiter, there is something in my…) that she co-hosts with Cook Sister and Spittoon. Each month, a particular theme is selected, and it is up to us bloggers to create a recipe around the new theme. So far, I have managed to miss each and every deadline, but this time around I am on top of it. The current theme is Retro-Classic, and I know exactly what I will make. Befittingly, I mentioned Butterscotch Pudding in a post I made a while back called Tea and Pudding, which reflected on – what else – moving to England. I referenced Butterscotch Pudding as a dessert from childhood, something that takes us back to our past, a comfort food – and a Retro-Classic.

Question: Is the proper British way of calling this dessert a Butterscotch Custard?

Butterscotch Pudding
Makes 4 large or 6 small portions

1-1/4 cup (300 ml.) whole milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
4 tablespoons (60 g.) unsalted butter
1 cup (200 gr.) dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup (180 ml.) heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup (60 ml.) milk and cornstarch. Whisk until combined and there are no traces of cornstarch. Whisk in eggs and egg yolk. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add brown sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar is melted and bubbly. Remove from heat. Add remaining milk and heavy cream in a steady stream to sugar mixture, whisking constantly, to combine. Stir in salt.
Return to heat and add cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer one minute, whisking, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Whisk in vanilla extract.
Pour pudding into a serving bowl or individual glasses or ramekins. Chill at least 4 hours and up to 2 days. Cover puddings with plastic wrap to prevent skin forming if desired.
Serve with unsweetened whipped cream and toasted pecan nuts as garnish..

Desserts, gluten-free, Vegetarian

Strawberry and Mascarpone Cream Parfait with Balsamic Syrup

April 8, 2009July 28, 2014by Lynda Balslev5 Comments

It is strawberry season in our part of the world. The supermarkets and open air markets are displaying piles of luscious red strawberries, sweet and ripe, ready for eating. Before we moved here, our home was in Denmark, which would be considered (very) northern Europe. Summer is brief, and sunshine is not guaranteed. At this time, strawberries would be available, but were imported from France or Spain, as the Danish spring would still be in its early stages. Danish strawberry season is fleeting – primarily for the month of June – and for that one month we would gorge ourselves on strawberries. We would pick our own at the nearby organic farm, or stop at roadside rest areas where people would sell their garden harvests from backs of pick-up trucks and car trunks. While driving on country backroads, at the end of long rural driveways, we would find lone tables perched under tilted garden umbrellas shielding cardboard boxes of just-picked strawberries from the fickle Danish sun. We would select our strawberries and pay our money into an unmanned cash box – all transactions done on the honor system, of course.

For this one month (if we were lucky, and it wasn’t a rainy season) we would stuff ourselves with strawberries. We would eat them plain and with cream, in trifles and pavlovas, in fruit soups and salads. When we gave up because we couldn’t eat them as fast as they arrived, we would freeze them for later in the year, as a tease and a whisper of our summer past. And, finally, when we began to think that we couldn’t possibly eat another strawberry, the season would be finished. Another fruit would replace it as the star of the show, strawberries would shift to the background and fade to a memory of summertime. Until the next year.

This is a dessert I’ve prepared for dinner parties. It is more Italian in inspiration, easy to prepare and always a success, especially when prepared for my Danish family and friends who were weary of their more traditional Danish recipes:

Strawberry and Mascarpone Cream Parfaits with Balsamic Syrup and Mint
Serves 6-8

1/2 cup (80 ml.) balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

8 oz. (250 g.) chilled mascarpone cheese
2 cups (500 ml.) whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 lbs. (1 kg.) strawberries, hulled and halved

6-8 whole strawberries
Fresh mint leaves
Lemon zest

Prepare the Balsamic Syrup:
Combine vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar and lemon juice in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil until syrup is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and cool completely. (Syrup can be made one day in advance. Cover and refrigerate.)

Prepare the Mascarpone Whipped Cream:
In a mixing bowl combine mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and vanilla. Beat until soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.

30 minutes before serving, combine strawberries and balsamic syrup in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon sugar. Toss gently to combine. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Divide half the strawberries among 8 glass goblets. Spoon half the cream mixture over the strawberries. Top cream mixture with remaining strawberries. Top with cream mixture. Drizzle with any remaining syrup.

Garnish with whole strawberries, grated lemon zest and mint leaves.

Cookies, Desserts

Chocolate Oblivion Cookies

October 29, 2008July 12, 2019by Lynda Balslev6 Comments

As we tighten our purse strings, eat out less, purchase fewer perceived must-haves, it is important that we take a moment to focus on the simpler things in our lives that bring us pleasure. Family and friends – yes, absolutely. Good health and happy children – of course. Beautiful sunsets and autumn foliage – thank you so much. However, what I specifically have in mind is chocolate.

Chocolate Oblivion Cookies
Makes approximately 20

14 ounces (400 grams) 70% dark chocolate
1/4 cup (55 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (340 grams) granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup (60 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 ounces (200 grams) coarsely chopped dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips

1. Melt the 14 ounces chocolate and the butter in the top of double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat.
2. Beat the sugar and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until thick and very pale in color, about 5 minutes. Add the chocolate and vanilla and mix well.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder. and salt together in a small bowl. Add to the chocolate and stir to combine. Stir in the chopped chocolate.
4. Refrigerate the batter for 30 minutes
5. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop heaping tablespoons of the cookie batter onto the prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake until the tops crack, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks before removing from the parchment. The cookies may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Denmark, Desserts

Red Berry Soup with Cream

August 30, 2008July 28, 2014by Lynda Balslev2 Comments

As if the Danish language was not hard enough to learn.

For us well-intentioned foreigners who have attempted to have a go at the language, there is an inside joke among our Danish counterparts when it comes to testing our purported linguistic skills. Simply put, it is saying the expression “rød grød med fløde” which means “red berry soup with cream.” Rest assured, if you wish to humor your Danish friends and family or fill an awkward lull at a Danish party, all you need to do is say this phrase. It never fails, in a Groundhog-Day sort of way. Your hosts will double over in laughter with tears streaming down their cheeks. Conspiratorily winking at each other, they will properly repeat the words to you and coax you to try again, eagerly awaiting the results. Easily amused is all I have to say. So, what is it about this phrase that never ceases to delight? Suffice to say, that if you can even get your mouth around the correct sound for an “Ø”, you will stumble miserably when you try to pronounce the “D”, which when done properly in Danish, actually sounds as though you are saying the letter “D” with a mouth full of, well, red berry soup.

With that said, the upside is that even if the phrase is difficult – if not embarrassing – to pronounce, the dessert itself is sheer delight. A traditional Scandinavian summer dessert, Red Berry Soup makes use of the region’s prolific berry season: strawberries in the beginning followed by raspberries, black currants, red currants, blackberries and blueberries. Any combination of the berries are cooked with sugar, then chilled and served with whipped cream or crème fraiche. Sometimes lemon or vanilla is added, or even chopped almonds for a more toothsome texture. Every home has its own version. The result is a fresh, simple and delicious dessert making use of what the Nordic summer season has to offer – as unfailing as the response I get whenever I say rød grød med fløde.

Red Berry Soup with Cream – Rød Grød med Fløde

Serves 4-6

2 1/2 lbs. mixed summer berries, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, red and black currants

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Whipped cream or crème fraiche

Mint leaves for garnish

Desserts

Blueberry Tart

July 15, 2008February 3, 2011by Lynda Balslev5 Comments

It is impossible to resist the abundant blueberries at this time of year. Today I came home from the market with 2 pounds of fresh blueberries. Well, actually I came home with 1 1/2 pounds, because I couldn’t stop nibbling them along the way. Upon arrival, my children consumed at least another half pound before I rescued the remainder, which is exactly what I needed to go in my blueberry tart.

Bluberry Tart
Serves 6-8

For the Pâte Sucrée or Tart Pastry:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt. Cut butter in pieces into the flour mixture until the largest pieces resemble the size of peas. Add the egg yolks and mix lightly with fingertips to incorporate and the dough is crumbly. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9″ tart pan with a removable bottom. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

For the filling:
1 pound blueberries, picked over, washed, dried
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 lb. blueberries, sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch. Set aside.
When blueberries reach a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring, until blueberries pop and mixture begins to thicken – about 3 minutes.
Add cornstarch mixture and lemon juice to thickened blueberries, stirring constantly. Simmer 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Fold in remaining blueberries. Pour into pre-baked tart shell. Let sit at room temperature until set, at least 1 hour. Serve with whipped cream or crème fraiche.

Denmark, Desserts

Summer Solstice Danish-Style

June 16, 2008June 13, 2014by Lynda Balslev4 Comments

Denmark is the land of the (nearly) midnight sun. The sun sets just before 11:00 in the evening, only to begin its ascent again in the wee hours of the morning. In a land where the winters are long and very dark, it is no wonder that celebrations, and even a God or two, have been delegated to give thanks and perhaps curry favor with the fiery powers that be. Summer Solstice, or Sankt Hans Aften (which means the eve of St. John the Baptist Day), is the height of these jubilations, as it celebrates the longest day of the year. Bonfires are lit, and food and drink are plentiful, as the Vikings of yesteryear, and in spirit, party and feast until dawn.

This year we will attempt our own celebration on a nearby beach. We will light a bonfire and have a picnic dinner as the sun sets. It is likely that we will forego the authentic tradition of burning an effigy over the fire, as that may not go over too well with the local residents and could quite possibly get us arrested. (Proper solstice tradition would have a straw witch burned over the fire. This symbolizes the riddance of problems, worries, and threats from people’s lives.)

Food typically associated with the solstice celebration is simple picnic fare: grilled fish or meat, fresh boiled local crayfish (which can be a party unto itself) and remoulade sauce, potato salad, green salad. All of this would be accompanied, Viking-style, by beer, shnapps and wine throughout the evening.

For dessert, something making use of the fleeting yet prolific Danish strawberry season would be appropriate and always welcome.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Serves 8-10

For the topping:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in small cubes

Mix the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon together in a bowl. Cut in the butter, and work it with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Refrigerate until use.

For the fruit:
4 large or 6 small rhubarb stalks, washed and sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 pounds strawberries, stemmed and cut in half
1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Gently toss rhubarb, strawberries and sugar together in a large bowl.
Arrange evenly in a rectangular baking dish.
Cover the fruit with topping.
Bake in oven until rhubarb is tender and the topping is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.