Bon Appetit Desserts (116 page)

Sweet-Cherry Clafouti

Cherry
clafouti
is a classic French country fruit-filled dessert. The texture of the filling is dense, a cross between a custard and a cake.
8 servings

1 cup sugar, divided

½ cup chilled mascarpone cheese or crème fraîche

½ cup heavy whipping cream, divided

2 tablespoons kirsch (clear cherry brandy), divided

1 pound frozen pitted sweet cherries, thawed

3 large eggs

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

¾ cup sour cream

½ cup whole milk

6 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour

Using electric mixer, beat 2 tablespoons sugar, mascarpone, ¼ cup cream, and 1 tablespoon kirsch in medium bowl until peaks form. Cover and chill topping until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar to coat. Place cherries in single layer in dish. Place eggs and ¾ cup sugar in large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; reserve bean for another use. Whisk until blended and frothy. Whisk in sour cream, milk, remaining ¼ cup cream, and remaining 1 tablespoon kirsch. Sift flour over and whisk to blend. Pour batter over cherries. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake clafouti until puffed, golden brown, and set in center, about 35 minutes. Serve clafouti warm or at room temperature with mascarpone topping.

Pear Clafouti

Cherries are traditionally used to make
clafouti,
but when pears make their debut in the autumn, they are the perfect seasonal stand-in.
8 servings

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided

4 Anjou pears (about 1¾ pounds), peeled, halved, cored, cut crosswise into thin slices

4 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

½ cup sugar

6 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons brandy

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously butter 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Heat 1 tablespoon melted butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pears and saute until soft and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Cool pears in skillet.

Blend eggs, milk, sugar, flour, brandy, lemon peel, vanilla, and salt in blender until batter is smooth. Add remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter and blend to combine. Arrange pears in prepared dish. Pour batter over.

Bake clafouti until set and puffed and brown on top, about 55 minutes. Cool at least 15 minutes. Serve clafouti warm or at room temperature.

Brandied Plum Clafoutis

These warm, pudding-like individual desserts are perfect for those last-of-the-season plums. If you like, sift some powdered sugar over the
clafoutis
before serving.
Makes 6

4 tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter, melted, divided

1½ pounds plums, pitted; 1 plum sliced thinly, the rest cut into ½-inch cubes

7 tablespoons plus ½ cup sugar, divided

4 tablespoons brandy, divided

¼ cup thawed frozen orange juice concentrate

½ cup (about) heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush six 5-inch-diameter, 1-inch-deep ramekins with 1 tablespoon melted butter; place ramekins on rimmed baking sheet. Cook cubed plums, 4 tablespoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons brandy in medium skillet over medium-high heat until juices bubble thickly, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Cover; cook until plums are just tender, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes.

Using slotted spoon, divide cubed plum mixture among prepared ramekins. Add orange juice concentrate to juices in skillet; stir to blend. Pour into 1-cup measuring cup. Add remaining 2 tablespoons brandy, then enough cream to measure ¾ cup total.

Whisk ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and flour in large bowl. Whisk in cream mixture, eggs, and remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter. Spoon batter over plum mixture in ramekins. Top with plum slices; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, dividing equally.

Bake clafoutis until puffed and crusty and center is just set, about 30 minutes. Cool 15 minutes and serve warm.

Strawberry Shortcakes with White Chocolate Mousse

Two simple twists—adding white chocolate to whipped cream and bittersweet chocolate to shortcakes—spruce up the classic strawberry dessert. Macerating the strawberries (tossing them with sugar and Grand Marnier and letting them marinate) draws out their flavorful juices, so be sure to give the process plenty of time.
Makes 6

1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon chilled buttermilk

3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 1-pint containers strawberries, hulled, quartered

¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

White Chocolate Mousse (see recipe)

CAKES
: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Blend flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ½ cup buttermilk; process until moist clumps form. Add chopped chocolate; using on/off turns, process just to evenly distribute.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Dust dough lightly with flour; gently press to ½-inch thickness. Using 3¼-inch-diameter cutter, cut out rounds for shortcakes. Gather dough scraps and press to ½-inch thickness; cut out additional rounds for 6 shortcakes total. Transfer cakes to prepared baking sheet. Brush cakes with remaining 1 tablespoon buttermilk. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon sugar.

Bake cakes until golden and tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

FRUIT AND TOPPING
: Toss strawberries, sugar, and Grand Marnier in large bowl. Let stand at room temperature until juices form, tossing occasionally, about 1 hour.

Using serrated knife, cut cakes horizontally in half. Place 1 cake bottom on each of 6 plates. Spoon ⅓ cup White Chocolate Mousse over each. Spoon some of strawberry topping over, then cover each with cake top. Spoon dollops of mousse over shortcakes, then spoon more strawberry topping over each and serve.

White Chocolate Mousse

There are just two ingredients in this mousse, and two keys to creating its ethereal fluffy texture: First, the chocolate mixture has to be cool before it’s folded into the whipped cream; if it’s too warm, the heat will deflate the cream’s foamy texture. Second, the mousse needs time to chill; the chocolate thickens the cream and locks in the airy foam. The mousse would also be delicious served with fresh berries or sandwiched between chocolate wafer cookies.
Makes about 4 cups

8 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

1⅔ cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided

Stir white chocolate and ⅔ cup cream in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until chocolate is melted. Transfer chocolate mixture to large bowl. Let stand until mixture is cool and just beginning to thicken, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Beat remaining 1 cup chilled cream in medium bowl until firm peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cool chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Cover and chill mousse at least 2 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Lemon-Blueberry Shortcakes