The trend for presenting desserts in glasses, called verrines in France, swept through the country’s cooking magazines years ago, and it is still going strong. Verrines are usually around the 8-ounce size, but I have taken the liberty of making the following soft desserts in any sort of glass or small dish, including verrines. Think about using martini glasses, small bowls, parfait glasses, ramekins, or mini cocottes.
A Cloud of Lemon Vermouth Mousse
Une Mousse Légère au Vermouth et au Citron Quicker | serves 6
This mousse is like dipping into a snowy-white cloud that disappears on your tongue. Its intriguing flavor comes from the combination of French vermouth and lemon and cream. It’s one of the most asked-for recipes I make.
French vermouth is not as sweet as Italian vermouth, although it is made with sugar, white wine, herbs, and spices. If you can’t find French vermouth, use Italian.
Special Equipment electric stand mixer; 6 (8-ounce) verrines
3 large eggs, separated, room temperature
10 tablespoons dry white French vermouth, divided
3 organic lemons, 1 zested and 3 juiced
1/2 cup plus 5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1 packet powdered gelatin
1-1/2 cups whipping cream, chilled
In the bowl of the mixer, add 3 egg yolks, 6 tablespoons vermouth, lemon zest, 1/2 cup lemon juice, and 1/2 cup sugar and beat on medium until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour gelatin into a small bowl by the stove. Pour remaining vermouth into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then pour over the gelatin in the bowl and stir until the crystals dissolve.
Slowly beat the dissolved gelatin into the egg mixture and continue beating on medium for 1 minute. Cover and place the bowl in the refrigerator so the mixture thickens and becomes like half-set gelatin.
At this point, beat the egg whites until they hold their shape, add 2 tablespoons sugar, continue to beat until the egg whites are stiff, then fold them into the refrigerated mixture.
Beat the cream with the remaining sugar until stiff, and then fold into the mixture, being careful to maintain volume and lightness.
Evenly divide the mousse between the glasses, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Serve with a thin butter cookie.
Très Quick Chocolate Ginger Pots de Crème
Pots de Crème Express au Chocolat et au Gingembre Quicker | serves 6
Fast. Easy. Utterly delicious. All you do is whiz the ingredients together in a food processor and serve when it is chilled. Spoon a soft mound of whipped cream topped with chopped crystallized ginger onto the center of each.
Special Equipment food processor; 6 (8-ounce) glasses or ramekins
16 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 large eggs, room temperature
2-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups coarsely chopped crystallized ginger, plus more for garnish
Sweetened whipped cream
Using the food processor, add the chocolate, salt, ground ginger, and sugar and process until finely ground.
Heat the whipping cream over medium heat and, when little bubbles form around the edges and it begins to come to a simmer, gradually pour it into the food processor with the machine running; process until the mixture is very smooth and blended.
Crack the eggs into the food processor. Add the vanilla and process for 10 seconds.
Stir in the chopped ginger then spoon into the glasses. Cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3 hours. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
Tip
You can also grate in some fresh ginger when you heat the milk for an added punch of flavor.
Strawberries Romanoff
Les Fraises Romanoff Quicker | Serves 4
The simplest of desserts, yet so iconic of classic French cuisine, strawberries Romanoff exemplifies the fact that sometimes a few good ingredients can come together to make a splendid dessert that everyone will enjoy.
It was created in the late 1800s by the famous chef Antonin Carême to present to the Russian Tsar Nicholas.
Special Equipment electric hand mixer; 4 glass goblets or ramekins
4 cups fresh strawberries, quartered, plus 4 whole berries for garnish
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons superfine sugar
1/4 cup Curaçao liqueur (or Grand Marnier or Cointreau)
1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Toss the berries together in a mixing bowl with the orange juice, superfine sugar, and Curaçao. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Using the mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Sprinkle in the confectioner’s sugar and beat until almost stiff peaks form. Beat in the vanilla.
Strain the strawberries and keep their juices. Divide the strawberries between the goblets, mound the whipped cream on top, and drizzle with the strawberry juices. Garnish with a whole berry.
Tip
You can also soften some vanilla ice cream, beat in the orange liqueur, fold in the whipped cream, divide between serving dishes, and top with the strawberries or a mix of other berries for a delicious variation. It would also be fun to serve this with chocolate-dipped fresh strawberries.
Fresh and Dried Fruit Salad in Sweet Basil Syrup
Salade de Fruits Frais et Secs dans un Sirop au Basilic Quicker | Serves 6
Fruit desserts are popular in France, from sorbets to fruit-flavored ice cream to fruit with cheese to dainty glassfuls of fruit soup that appear at the side of a row of cookies in a chic restaurant. A fruit salad is one of the ways French families celebrate the bounty of summer.
When I was staying in a small auberge in the country, I was served a fresh fruit salad with a twist. They added dried fruits and pine nuts to it, and it was delicious. The recipe below is my rendition of that dish, to which I add a fresh basil sweet syrup. I present this on a large serving platter, or in a shallow bowl, and then fill individual glasses with it at the table. A final spoonful of basil syrup is ladled over the top with a couple of fresh basil leaves for garnish.
Special Equipment food processor; serving platter or large shallow bowl; 6 (8-ounce) verrines
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 cup tightly packed coarsely chopped basil, plus 12 leaves for garnish
2 cups dried apricots, sliced in half
1 cup pitted prunes, sliced in half
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
2 bananas
1 large navel orange
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 Granny Smith apples
2 pears
3/4 cup slivered almonds
1 cup pomegranate seeds
In a saucepan, heat the sugar and water until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture just starts to come to a simmer. Remove from the heat, add the basil, and set aside to infuse for 20 minutes. Pour into a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a large mixing bowl.
Place the apricots and prunes in a medium mixing bowl. Sprinkle with herbes de Provence then pour 2 cups boiling water over the top and allow to soften for 20 minutes. Using your hands, transfer the fruit to the large bowl and discard the soaking liquid. It is fine if there are still a few herbes de Provence in the fruit.
Slice the bananas into the large bowl and toss. Peel and slice the orange into large dice and add to the bowl. Toss to coat.
Have a bowl of water mixed with the lemon juice ready. Peel, core, and slice the apples into large dice, tossing them in the lemon water to keep them from browning. Repeat this process with the pears.
Strain the apples and pears and add them to the large bowl of fruit, tossing everything to coat really well. Add the almonds and toss again.
Spoon the fruit salad onto a serving platter, top with the pomegranate seeds, and bring to the table. Spoon into verrines at the table and top each with a leaf of basil.
Tip
This also works well with fresh mint leaves instead of basil, although any herb or edible flower would be an interesting addition.
Grand Marnier Mousse
Mousse au Grand Marnier Quicker | Serves 6
I firmly believe that adding Grand Marnier to almost anything makes it better. It’s been made in France since 1880 with bitter oranges, sugar, and cognac and is an ingredient in many traditional French desserts.
Luxurious, thick, creamy, and with a kick from the orange zest, this wonderfully indulgent mousse is perfect for ending a dinner party.
Special Equipment 6 martini glasses; electric hand mixer
1 (3-ounce) semisweet chocolate bar, finely chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup plus 6 teaspoons Grand Marnier
1 tablespoon organic orange zest
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Place the chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Add the cream and melt the chocolate, stirring towards the end, until it is very smooth.
Dip a pastry brush or flat paint brush into the melted chocolate and decorate the serving glasses by painting a design on the inside of each glass. You can also dip a fork into the chocolate and wave it over the glasses for a random design. Place the glasses into the refrigerator for the chocolate to harden. Save any leftover chocolate.
Pour the half-and-half into a saucepan and whisk in the cornstarch until smooth. Add the sugar and honey and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the mixture thickens, whisking continuously, about 3 minutes. Add the butter and whisk until it melts. Allow to cool to room temperature for 15 minutes. Whisk in 1/4 cup Grand Marnier and the orange zest.
Using the mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled mixture until well blended. Pour 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier into the bottom of each glass then evenly divide the mousse into each glass. Chill for 3 hours before serving.
Sweet Wine Jelly, Wine Whipped Cream, and Grapes on the Vine
Gelée au Vin Doux, Chantilly au Vin, Petites Grappes de Raisins longer | Serves 6
I make this with Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, the sweet dessert wine from the Rhône Valley in France, but any good sweet dessert wine works. You can also easily substitute red or rosé for the white wine. If you do, taste as you go because you will need to add more sugar. During the holidays, try flavoring it with mulled wine spices.
Special Equipment 6 (8-ounce) verrines; electric hand mixer
6 cups plus 7 tablespoons sweet dessert wine, divided
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3-3/4 packets powdered gelatin
1-1/2 cups whipping cream, chilled
3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 small branches seedless red or green grapes on the vine, plus 12 individual grapes
Bring 5 cups plus 6 tablespoons wine and the granulated sugar to a boil.
Pour 1 cup of the remaining wine into a large shallow bowl and sprinkle all of the gelatin over the top, mixing once with a fork so it is all coated. Leave the gelatin to absorb the liquid for 2 minutes.
Add the dissolved gelatin to the boiling wine and whisk; cook for 1 minute, until the gelatin is melted. Pour into a large heatproof bowl for the mixture to cool down enough to pour into the glasses. Then divide between the glasses. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours until firm.
Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, and remaining 1 tablespoon wine and beat again until the cream regains shape and is mounding in soft peaks.
Place 2 grapes on the center of each jelly. Spoon the whipped cream in gentle mounds over the top of the grapes to hide them and either hang a branch of fresh grapes on the rim of each glass or serve them on the side on a plate.
Tip
You can chill the jelly in one large shaped mold instead of the individual verrines. If you do, pour a little vegetable oil on a paper towel and lightly grease the interior to make it easy for the jelly to slip out.
Lemon Rice Pudding with Blackberry Caramel Sauce
Riz au Lait au citron, Sauce Caramel aux Mûres longer | Serves 6
I adore almost any kind of rice pudding. This one is cooked on the stovetop, is thick and rich, and has overtones of honey and lemon. Serve it warm or chilled with blackberry caramel sauce floating on top.
Special Equipment: 6 (8-ounce) verrines or ramekins; food processor
Pudding
3/4 cup Arborio rice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 cups half-and-half
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 medium organic lemon, zested then juiced
Blackberry Caramel Sauce
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 cup fresh or frozen and thawed blackberries
Zest of 1/2 organic lemon
12 fresh blackberries
Pudding
In a saucepan, add the rice, salt, sugar, and half-and-half. Bring to a boil, carefully watching so that it does not boil over. When it is just about at a boil, immediately reduce to a gentle slow simmer, whisking now and again.
Cook, and occasionally whisk, until the rice is very tender, the mixture is thick, and most of the liquid has been absorbed. I vigorously whisk, rather than stir, my rice pudding to break up the rice a bit and release starch for a thicker, creamier texture. This process takes about 30 minutes.
Beat the egg yolks with a whisk for about 30 seconds. Spoon in some of the hot rice mixture and whisk to warm up the eggs before scooping them into the hot rice and vigorously whisking.
Remove from the heat and continue whisking for about 30 seconds. Whisk in the butter until it is melted and blended in. Now vigorously whisk in the honey until well blended. Pour in the lemon extract, vanilla extract, and lemon juice and add the lemon zest then whisk to combine.
Divide between the glasses or ramekins, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Blackberry Caramel Sauce
Add the brown sugar, half-and-half, butter, 3/4 cup blackberries, and lemon zest to the food processor and process until smooth. Scoop into a saucepan and cook over medium heat while whisking for 4 minutes. Cool to room temperature then refrigerate for 15 minutes.
To serve, remove the rice puddings from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving, evenly divide the blackberry sauce over the top, add 2 blackberries to the center of each, and serve.
Provençal Melon Mousse
Mousse Provençale au Melon longer | Serves 6
There are small petal-shaped cookies made in Provence called calissons, which date from the fifteenth century and are a specialty of Aix-en-Provence. They are partially a cookie, partially a candy, and made from candied melons, candied oranges, and ground almonds. I took inspiration from calissons to create this recipe for a melon mousse.
In my interpretation, a richly textured almond mousse is made with almond paste then mixed with a purée of fresh cantaloupe. It’s a light and refreshing mousse with a decidedly Provençal accent.
Special Equipment food processor; electric hand mixer; 6 (8-ounce) verrines or ramekins
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
1 tablespoon warm water
1-1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
7 ounces almond paste
1 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups cubed cantaloupe plus 6 (1/2-inch-thick) wedges
1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
Whisk together the cornstarch and 1/3 cup sugar in a small bowl then toss into the food processor.
Pour the water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and leave to dissolve for 5 minutes.
Add the eggs and egg yolks to the food processor. Crumble in the almond paste. Pour in the almond milk and process until smooth. Pour this mixture into a saucepan and bring to a boil, constantly whisking. Once it reaches a boil, remove from the heat. Pour 2 tablespoons of this hot mixture into the gelatin and mix well then add the gelatin mixture to the saucepan, place back on the heat, and whisk on medium heat for 2 minutes. Whisk in the almond extract.
Remove from the heat, pour into a large heatproof bowl, cool to room temperature, then cover and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to chill.
In the meantime, toss the cubed melon and remaining sugar into the food processor and pulse until the melon is broken down into tiny pieces. Take the almond custard out of the refrigerator and whisk all of the melon mixture into it, including any juice.
Whip the cream until peaks form. Fold in a third of the almond custard then fold in the rest until just blended. Evenly divide between the glasses or ramekins and refrigerate for 3 hours.
To serve, place a glass or ramekin on a dessert plate and lean a wedge of melon against it.
Chambord Raspberry and White Chocolate Mousse
Mousse Chambord aux Framboises et au Chocolat Blanc longer | serves 6
Raspberries and white chocolate are a great combination. This recipe features the raspberry liqueur Chambord, produced in the Loire Valley of France. It is made from red and black raspberries, vanilla, honey, and cognac. Combined with white chocolate and accented with fresh berries, it is divine in this simple mousse.
Special Equipment electric hand mixer; 6 (8-ounce) verrines
4 large egg yolks, room temperature
5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup Chambord, plus more for drizzling
1 pint raspberries, plus 12 whole berries
4 ounces white chocolate, broken into pieces
1 cup whipping cream, chilled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 mint leaves, optional
In a heatproof bowl, add the egg yolks, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/4 cup Chambord and whisk to combine.
Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and vigorously whisk while cooking until the egg mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 1–2 minutes. It will look thick and foamy. Whisk in the pint of raspberries, crushing with the whisk until well combined. Cool the mixture to room temperature.
Melt the white chocolate in a microwave, stir until creamy, then scoop into the egg mixture and whisk well to combine.
Whip the cream until soft peaks form, add remaining sugar and the vanilla and beat again until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the egg mixture then divide between glasses and refrigerate for 5 hours.
Serve with a small liqueur glass of Chambord to the side if you wish. If you have mint leaves, place one on the top of each mousse along with a couple of raspberries.
Blanc-Manger with Apricot Coulis
Blanc-Manger et Coulis d’Abricot longer | Makes 4 verrines
Blanc-manger is a refreshing, creamy almond-flavored French dessert that dates from the Middle Ages when it began as a savory dish. It’s usually made from almonds, milk, sugar, and gelatin.
For a simple, light dessert tasting of almonds and apricots, I’ve added an apricot coulis to mine, with the blanc-manger on top. Garnish with a sprig of mint dusted with confectioner’s sugar.
Special Equipment food processor; 4 (8-ounce) verrines; electric hand mixer
Blanc-manger
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cup almond milk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
1-1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups whipping cream, chilled
Sliced almonds, optional
Apricot Coulis
1 cup dried apricots
1 cup orange juice or water, divided
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
Blanc-manger
Grind the almonds in the food processor until finely ground.
In a saucepan, bring the almond milk, ground almonds, and sugar to a boil, whisking so that the sugar dissolves.
Pour the gelatin into a small bowl by the stove. Heat 4 tablespoons water in a small saucepan and when it comes to a boil, pour it over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is dissolved.
Slowly beat the gelatin with a whisk into the hot almond milk; continue to whisk and cook for 30 seconds then remove from the heat. Whisk in the almond and vanilla extracts. Pour into a heatproof bowl, let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Apricot Coulis
Meanwhile, make the apricot coulis. In a saucepan, heat the apricots, 1/2 cup orange juice, and sugar. Bring to a gentle boil and let it cook for 2 minutes. Pour this into the food processor and process until smooth. Pour in remaining orange juice and process until smooth. Divide the apricot mixture into the bottom of each serving glass.
Whip the cream until stiff. Gently fold the whipped cream into the refrigerated almond milk mixture and divide evenly between the glasses. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with sliced almonds.
