The Last Sweet Bite
Joy Harjo writes, “Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing and crying, eating of the last sweet bite.”
I kind of like the idea of the world ending at the table— preferably after dessert. The idea of lingering at the table, completely full and happy, and then after all of the goodness is gone, being presented with something sweet is a very good one.
I prefer something simple at the end of a meal not only because I don’t care that much for sweets, but also typically I have already eaten more than I should have and skip the dessert anyway.
Oftentimes, I completely forget dessert when I am planning a meal and then have to pop up and look around the kitchen for something I can stir up quickly. An apple tart is simple to make. If bananas are around, caramelizing them Foster-style is also easy. And nothing is much easier and elegant than a divine chocolate lava cake.
I am not much for baking as it requires an exacting nature and mind, which I certainly do not have. It is hard to add ginger to a half-baked cake, you know.
Notwithstanding my personal absentmindedness and take-it-or-leave-it attitude toward sweets, I do know that finishes can be just as important as beginnings and that it is a shame to end a great meal without a good closing.
Nevertheless, what I offer up in this chapter are relatively simple recipes that can be whipped up without much forethought.
As you might imagine, I tend to find a good place for cheese as the last sweet bite. It turns out that goat cheese is one of the most versatile of cheeses and goes easily from breakfast to dessert. Our breakfast cheeses are practically dessert anyway. Spread a honeyed goat cheese on ginger snaps or pound cake and top with macerated fruit, or put out some soft cheeses and fruit of any kind as a dessert plate, and you will have given your guests, with a minimum of fuss, a last sweet bite.
Strawberry and Fromage Blanc Tarts with Balsamic Reduction
Serves 10–12
6 ounces fromage blanc
4 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
Pinch nutmeg
24 mini filo tart shells, prepared
Combine all but flour in food processor. Slowly sift in flour until smooth. Fill 24 individual mini filo tart shells. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes.
Fruit Toppings
2 cups balsamic vinegar
½ pint fresh strawberries, diced
2 tablespoons sugar
Boil 2 cups of balsamic vinegar until reduced by half. Toss strawberries in sugar. Drizzle with balsamic reduction. Top tarts.
Berry Salad with Belle Chèvre Dressing
Want to make your fruit a little more sophisticated? This is a very simple and elegant way to dress up your fruit— great for your figure and culinary reputation!
Serves 8
Salad
4 cups fresh berries (raspberry, blueberry, blackberry)
Dressing
4 ounces goat cheese
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons buttermilk
Dash white pepper
Blend dressing in food processor. Toss berries together with dressing and serve in small serving bowls for a healthful and beautiful treat for dessert or breakfast.
Peanut Butter Fromage Blanc Tart with Do-si-dos Crust
I was asked to come up with a dessert using Girl Scout cookies and our goat cheese for the anniversary of the Girl Scouts of Alabama. This turned out to be deliciously simple!
In this recipe, I use fromage blanc as my cheesecake base.
Serves 4
Cookie Crumb Crust
5–6 tablespoons butter, unsalted and melted
2 sleeves Do-Si-Dos cookies, pulsed in a food processor until resembles crumbs
Cream Filling
2 8-ounce containers fromage blanc
2 small eggs, beaten
¼ cup honey
1 heaping tablespoon all-natural peanut butter
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the cookie crumbs and melted butter. Evenly divide the mixture and press onto the bottom and up the sides of 2 4½-inch tartlet pans or 1 9-inch tart pan with removable bottoms. Bake the crusts for 10 minutes. Cool.
In a large bowl, mix remaining ingredients until fluffy and smooth, 2–3 minutes. Evenly divide the cream filling among the tart shell(s), smoothing the tops with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool. Place in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight until chilled completely.
Belle Chèvre Ice Cream with Toffee
Serves 8
1 pint heavy cream
½ cup sugar
¼ vanilla bean, sliced open
4 eggs
¼ cup goat cheese
½ cup crushed hard toffee
Bring the cream, sugar, and vanilla bean just to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. While the cream is heating, whisk the eggs in a medium bowl until broken up. Remove the boiling cream mixture from the heat. Slowly pour ½ cup of the cream mixture into the eggs and continue whisking. Add the remaining ½ cup of cream and mix. Then, pour the egg/cream mixture back into the remaining cream mixture, and stir until thickened, when the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add the goat cheese and stir until melted (if you have some chunks remaining, don’t worry) about 5 minutes. Strain the entire mixture through a fine mesh strainer back into the bowl. This should remove any remaining cheese chunks as well as the vanilla bean. Set the bowl in a cold water bath and allow to cool some, about 5 minutes.
Pour into the ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Add a bit of the toffee immediately, and some after it’s thickened. Save a little to sprinkle on top.
Another delicious option is to stir in The Gracious Gourmet Fig Almond Spread instead of the toffee.
Balsamic Roasted Pears with Honey and Fromage
A simple and elegant dessert.
Serves 4
2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
2 firm-ripe Bosc pears, halved lengthwise and cored
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 ounces goat cheese, cut into 4 pieces, room temperature
¼ cup honey (I recommend Savannah Bee)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Melt butter in an 8-inch squared glass baking dish in middle of oven, about 3 minutes.
Arrange pears, cut sides down, in 1 layer in butter and roast in middle of oven until tender, about 20 minutes.
Pour vinegar over pears and roast 5 minutes more.
Transfer pears, cut sides down, to serving plates with cheese and spoon some of juices from baking dish over pears. Drizzle pears and cheese with honey and sprinkle with pepper.
I typically don’t like sweet drinks and am completely content with a beautiful frothy cup of coffee with my dessert or even in lieu of dessert.
However, I was compelled to try Bailey’s Irish Cream in my coffee on a very cold day in New York. I was in the city with my well-bred English friend, Suzie Jennings, who at the time was my trainer. Outside of my son and cooking, horses are one of my true passions. I was working with Susie on cross-country jumping and dressage. She had just recently coaxed me into fox hunting for the pure thrill of it— jumping fences at break-neck (literally) speeds in pursuit of adventure.
I drug her up to NYC because I had to ride in Central Park. There was an old standing stable in the city where you could, if with some proof you could handle under English saddle their thoroughbreds, rent the horses and hack out in the park.
It isn’t uncommon for fox hunters to carry along a flask in the pockets of their coats on hunts, and true to fashion Suzie had hers along and poured in some Bailey’s. “That’s disgusting and I won’t drink it,” I recall saying. But true to my fashion I ate, or rather drank, my words as we poured it into our coffee after our ride. I have never had a better cup of coffee.
1 cup café au lait (see recipe for French Press Coffee on page 20)
¾ oz Bailey’s Irish Cream
Stir Bailey’s into warm coffee. Enjoy!
Digestif is the French word for a drink that’s imbibed as an aid to digestion after a meal. Some cultures have liqueurs dedicated just to this specific time of day after a meal. I cannot think of anything better though than a nice small glass of bourbon.
I consider myself extraordinarily lucky to call Julian Van Winkle and his beautiful bride, Sissy, friends. Not only do they make some of the world’s best bourbon and rye whisky but they are dear, dear people. I have been able to share their family’s bourbon and stories after a number of meals across the South.
Julian is the third-generation bourbon maker at the Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery in Kentucky. His son Preston is the fourth generation and working with his father to carry on their fine traditions.
If you are able to find their bourbon on the finest menus then count yourself lucky, as it is rare and makes a fine after-dinner drink to be sipped.
Many opinions and preferences abound about how a good bourbon should be served. I will tell you emphatically that this is never with Coke. It’s best served neat (poured straight up with no ice), on the rocks (over ice), or with a splash (referring to a splash of water).
I am not sure I have ever seen Julian drink his bourbon any other way but neat. I prefer mine on the rocks.
Whatever your preference enjoy this bourbon slowly and let the conversations flow.
1 ounce Pappy Van Winkle
1 cold Double Old Fashioned glass
Pour bourbon into glass. Swirl and enjoy.
Serves 8–10
11 ounces mild goat cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
Juice from ½ lemon
Zest from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 large eggs, whites and yolks separated
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 6-inch springform pan.
In a medium bowl, combine the goat cheese with the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla and beat at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the egg yolks, two at a time, incorporating them completely before adding the next batch. Beat in the flour at low speed.
In another bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until firm but not dry. Beat one-third of the whites into the goat-cheese mixture, then gently fold in the remaining whites. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Chocolate-Smothered Raspberry and Goat Cheese Buttercream Cakes
This recipe came to Belle Chèvre from Beth Royals, who took a first-place award in one of our recipe contests. We were wowed by these little cakes!
These miniature chocolate layer cakes get their richness and depth of flavor from a secret ingredient, goat cheese, used in the decadent raspberry-kissed buttercream frosting. They are easy to make and perfect for entertaining since they can be made in advance.
Serves 6
Cakes
1 cup hot water
1 tablespoon instant coffee
½ cup butter, cut into 1-inch slices
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
Raspberry Goat Cheese Buttercream Frosting
8 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
¼ cup butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup seedless raspberry jam
Chocolate Ganache
½ cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces (about 1¼ cups) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
Garnish
6 small sprigs mint
Powdered sugar
Handful of raspberries
Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 6-compartment nonstick jumbo muffin pan with cooking spray.
Combine hot water and coffee in medium bowl. Whisk in butter to melt then cool. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into large mixing bowl. Add coffee mixture and egg. Beat on medium speed with electric mixer until combined, scraping sides down. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool fully in pan. Once cool, run a sharp knife around cakes to loosen. Invert onto cooling rack. Cut in half horizontally with serrated knife then slice rounded tops off cakes to level. Beat all frosting ingredients in medium bowl with electric mixer until smooth.
Turn cakes upside down. Frost middle, tops and sides. Place cakes in freezer. Ten minutes later, prepare ganache by placing cream in medium bowl. Microwave to a full boil (just over 1 minute). Add chocolate to cream, whisking until smooth then whisk in 2 tablespoons jam.
Transfer cakes with spatula to cooling rack. Place rack over waxed paper and pour ganache over cakes, coating tops and sides while smoothing with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until set (about one hour, or overnight). Serve at room temperature. Garnish with a mint sprig and raspberries. Dust all over with powdered sugar.
Serves 8
2 sheets store-bought shortcrust pastry
8 ounces goat cheese
4 fresh black figs, halved
3 eggs
¾ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon chives, chopped
½ cup Parmesan, freshly grated
Sea salt and cracked pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each pastry sheet into 4 squares. Line 8 lightly greased 4-inch round, fluted tart tins with pastry. Trim excess pastry and lightly prick bottom of each. Divide the goat cheese and fig halves between the cases. Place eggs, cream, chives, Parmesan, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk until well combined. Pour into cases and bake for 25 minutes or until puffed and set. Cool to room temperature and serve.
Goat Cheese Flan with Candied Peanuts
Serves 4
Caramel
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup water
Flan
4 ounces goat cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
¼ cup sweet white wine, such as a Sauternes or Muscat
2 eggs
Candied Peanuts
2 cups raw whole peanuts, shelled
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
A sprinkle of salt and cinnamon
First, make the caramel by cooking sugar and water over medium-high heat. If the sugar spatters inside the pot, brush down the sides with a water-dipped brush. Continue to cook until caramel reaches a dark amber color. Remove from heat, allowing caramel to cool a bit. Coat the bottom of 4 3¼-inch diameter ramekins with caramel, swirling just a bit up the sides.
To make the flan, blend in a food processor the goat cheese, cream cheese, sugar, salt, cream, wine and eggs for just a minute or so. Pulse just until thoroughly blended. Pour into prepared ramekins. Place ramekins in a baking dish with raised sides, and pour water into the baking dish to halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake in the water bath at 325 degrees for 25–30 minutes. Cool and chill overnight.
For the candied peanuts, mix the peanuts with the sugar and water in a wide, heavy-duty skillet. Cook the ingredients over moderate heat, stirring frequently for at least a few minutes, until the peanuts get crusty and liquid begins to crystallize. Lower the heat and continue stirring, scraping up any syrup collecting in the bottom of the pan and turning peanuts to coat with syrup. Tilt the skillet slightly and remove from heat periodically to regulate heat and avoid burning peanuts and to better coat peanuts with syrup until syrup darkens; if the mixture starts to smoke, remove from heat and stir.
Right before they’re done, sprinkle the peanuts with a pinch of salt and cinnamon, stir them a couple of times, then tilt the peanuts out onto a baking sheet. Let the peanuts cool completely, then break up any clumps. Store in an airtight container, where they’ll keep up to a week.
To unmold the flans, set the ramekins in about an inch of water that has been simmered and taken off the heat. Leave them there for about a minute. Remove them and run a very thin knife blade or small offset spatular around the rim of each. Invert onto a serving plate giving it a good tap. The flan should slip out easily along with the liquefied caramel sauce. Serve at room temperature, garnished with candied peanuts.
Ginger Snaps with Honey Chèvre and Strawberries
These are super easy to assemble and are always very pleasing.
Serves 8–10
1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered
¼ cup sugar
1 5¼-ounce package ginger cookies, such as Anna’s Ginger Thins
6 ounces Belle & The Bees Breakfast Cheese
In a large bowl, combine strawberries and sugar, tossing together to combine. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Top ginger cookies with desired amount of goat cheese and sugared strawberries. Serve immediately.
These are deliciously simple chocolate oooey gooey cakes and I adore them!
Serve with real homemade whipped cream— it won’t take long— and you will appreciate them even more.
Serves 6
6 1-ounce squares bittersweet chocolate
2 1-ounce squares semisweet chocolate
10 tablespoons (1¼ stick) butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
1½ cups confectioner’s sugar
3 large eggs
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Grease 6 six-ounce custard cups. Melt the chocolates and butter in the microwave, or in a double boiler. Add the flour and sugar to chocolate mixture. Stir in the eggs and yolks until smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Divide the batter evenly among the custard cups. Place in the oven and bake for 14 minutes. The edges should be firm but the center will be runny. Run a knife around the edges to loosen and invert onto dessert plates.
“Galette” is a French term to designate various types of flat, round, or free-form crusty cakes filled with fruits and baked. I like them because all you have to do is fold up the edges of the dough in a rough form, toss in the oven and you have a lovely end result without much fuss.
Serves 4–6
Easy Dough (see recipe on page 113)
1½ pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 teaspoon lemon peel, finely grated
¼ cup apricot preserves
Whole milk
Lightly flour a flat work surface. Roll out dough to 1/8-inch-thick round, 14 inches in diameter. Transfer dough to large greased rimless baking sheet. Chill 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine apple slices, 2 tablespoons sugar, and lemon peel in medium bowl; toss to blend. Spread preserves over crust, leaving 1½-inch plain border. Arrange apple slices in concentric circles atop preserves, overlapping slightly. Fold plain crust border up over apples, pinching any cracks in crust. Brush crust with milk. Sprinkle crust edges and apples with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
Bake galette 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.
Strawberry-Goat Cheese Ice Cream
Serves 8
8 ounces strawberries, hulled and quartered
2 tablespoons plus ½ cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup milk
4 egg yolks
3 tablespoons corn syrup
2 ounces goat cheese
Combine strawberries and 2 tablespoons sugar. Stir to combine. Set aside.
In a saucepan, over medium-high heat, bring cream and milk to a boil.
Prepare an ice-water bath.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and ½ cup sugar. Slowly pour in some of the hot cream to temper the eggs.
Pour the eggs into the cream and continue to cook for 2–3 minutes, or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon and steam rises from the top.
Whisk the corn syrup and goat cheese and then whisk this mixture into the cream mixture until smooth.
Float your bowl in a bowl of ice water to chill. Empty ice-cream mixture into an ice-cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Keep frozen until ready to use. Serve with macerated strawberries on top.