Bon Appetit Desserts (120 page)
Read Bon Appetit Desserts Online
Authors: Barbara Fairchild
6 large Golden Delicious apples (about 3½ pounds)
⅔ cup plus 6 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans
⅓ cup golden raisins
¼ cup sweetened flaked coconut
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons peach or apricot preserves
1 cup unfiltered apple juice or apple cider
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 375°F. Core apples. Peel top third of each apple. Using small sharp knife, cut ¼-inch-deep line all around each apple where peel and flesh meet. Using small sharp knife, increase opening in top of each apple to 1¼ inches wide and 1 inch deep. Cut off thin slice from bottom of each to allow apples to stand flat. Place apples in 13×9×2-inch glass baking dish.
Finely chop ⅔ cup pecans, raisins, and coconut in processor. Transfer to small bowl. Mix in maple syrup, lemon peel, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Divide filling equally among hollows in apples.
Spread 1 tablespoon preserves over top of each apple and into hollows. Press 1 tablespoon chopped pecans atop each.
Combine apple juice and butter in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until butter melts. Pour into dish around apples. Cover dish loosely with foil. Bake apples 30 minutes. Remove foil; continue to bake until apples are tender, basting with juices every 10 minutes, about 35 minutes longer. Serve apples warm with pan juices.
Grilled Peaches with Fresh Raspberry SauceA melted butter-brown sugar mixture is brushed over peaches before grilling, caramelizing the fruit and lending great flavor to this simple treat. It’s a wonderful way to create a summer dessert that doesn’t involve the oven. The peaches are delicious with vanilla ice cream, shortbread cookies, or both.
6 servings
2¼ cups (lightly packed) raspberries
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
6 medium-size firm but ripe peaches, halved, pitted
Combine raspberries and 3 tablespoons water in processor. Puree until smooth. Strain raspberry puree through fine-mesh strainer, pressing on solids to release as much liquid as possible; discard solids in strainer. Stir sugar and lemon juice into raspberry sauce.
DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Melt butter with brown sugar in heavy small skillet over medium heat. Remove skillet from heat. Brush peach halves all over with melted butter mixture. Grill peaches until tender, about 8 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer 2 peach halves to each of 6 plates. Spoon sauce alongside and serve.
Grilled Bananas with Caramel-Chocolate Sauce and Toasted PecansThe sauce is a wonderful cross between chocolate and caramel. To ensure a silky texture, the sugar must be completely dissolved before the sauce boils.
4 servings
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1½ ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
1 tablespoon Kahlúa or other coffee-flavored liqueur
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 firm but ripe bananas, peeled, halved crosswise, then lengthwise
1 cup vanilla ice cream
Coarsely chopped toasted pecans
Stir brown sugar and ¼ cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, 3 to 4 minutes. Add butter; stir until melted. Gradually stir in cream. Boil sauce 2 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat. Add chocolate, Kahlúa, and vanilla; stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.
DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 5 days ahead. Cool completely. Cover and chill. Rewarm before using.
Spray grill with nonstick spray. Prepare barbecue (high heat). Brush bananas with some of caramel-chocolate sauce. Grill bananas until heated through and sauce is slightly charred, occasionally brushing with more sauce, about 1 minute per side.
Divide bananas among 4 plates; top with ice cream. Drizzle sauce over, sprinkle with pecans, and serve.
Grilled Pineapple with Coconut-Lime Caramel SauceCream and butter usually play a key role in caramel sauce, but here coconut milk takes their place, which gives the sauce a tropical flavor that partners perfectly with fresh lime and grilled pineapple. Serve this dessert as is, or try it with a scoop of the Rum-Ginger Ice Cream (page 125) for a Southeast Asian-style sundae. Or serve it fondue-style by cutting the grilled pineapple slices in half, then serving them with the caramel sauce and bowls of coconut and pecans to sprinkle on top. When it’s cold outside, grill the pineapple slices on an indoor grill, or broil them on a baking sheet in the oven for about three minutes.
8 servings
1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
½ cup sugar
¼ cup water
2 teaspoons (not packed) finely grated lime peel
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 medium pineapple, peeled, cored, halved lengthwise, each half cut crosswise into 12 slices
2 teaspoons (about) canola oil
½ cup toasted pecans, very coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons shredded sweetened coconut, toasted
CARAMEL SAUCE
: Spoon 1 cup thick coconut cream from atop coconut milk in can and set aside (reserve any remaining cream and milk from can for another use).
Stir sugar and ¼ cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Simmer over medium heat without stirring until syrup is golden brown, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add coconut cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Simmer over medium heat until caramel melts and sauce darkens and thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Remove caramel sauce from heat. Stir in lime peel and lime juice.
DO AHEAD
:
Caramel sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before serving.
PINEAPPLE
: Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Lightly coat pineapple slices with oil. Grill until heated through and grill marks appear, rotating to form even grill marks, about 2 minutes per side.
Spoon some caramel sauce decoratively onto 8 plates. Arrange 3 pineapple slices on each plate. Spoon remaining caramel sauce over pineapple. Sprinkle with toasted pecans and coconut and serve.
Technique Tip:
Don’t Shake the Can
The instructions on cans of coconut milk often advise shaking the can before opening it, which helps blend the heavy, thick cream with the thinner milky liquid. For this recipe, do not shake the can; you want just the heavy, thick cream that floats to the top of the can for the caramel sauce. This thick cream is also delicious in puddings and custards.
Making Perfect Crepes
Light, delicate crepes are not difficult to achieve; just use some care, and don’t try to rush the process.
1
Mix the batter just until blended (if the batter is overmixed, the crepes will become tough). Crepe batter must rest for a couple of hours before it is used, so plan accordingly. The resting time allows the flour in the batter to fully absorb the moisture from the milk, while any air bubbles dissipate. This makes it less likely the crepes will tear during cooking.
2
The batter thickens as it chills (this is a sign that the flour has fully absorbed the moisture). When making the crepes, the batter should be the consistency of heavy cream and coat a spoon thinly; add more milk as needed to thin the batter to the desired consistency.
3
Pour the appropriate amount of batter into the
center
of the skillet [1], then quickly tilt the skillet [2] until the batter coats the bottom evenly [3].
4
Use a thin-tipped, firm silicone spatula to loosen the crepe from the pan before turning [4]. Silicone is heat resistant and won’t scratch a nonstick surface.
5
Crepes can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen. Stack the crepes between sheets of waxed paper and store them in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. To reheat, wrap the crepes in foil and bake at 300°F for about 20 minutes.