Few finales in life rival the pleasure of a homemade dessert. You’ve cooked a fabulous dinner for your guests, and you can’t disappoint them at the end with anything less than your best. Unless you’re aspiring to broad renown as an outdoors pastry chef, this may be an area for specialization, for picking two or three of your own favorite desserts, mastering them, and bringing them out as curtain closers any time you’ve got an appreciative audience.
We suggest a range of possibilities here, all selected with an eye toward outdoor entertaining and unfussy preparation. Grilled fruit figures big in our choices, and so do cooling creams and ices, but we offer many other options, from an elegant Pifia Colada Flan to down-home Fried Oreos. Whichever you savor, you’ll love the flavor and win the favor of your admiring guests.
Grilled fruit makes a perfect finish for an outdoor meal-light, easy, and flavorful. The grilling caramelizes the natural sugar, softens the texture, and releases tasty juices. Here we sizzle stone fruits, such as plums or peaches, then layer them with seasonal berries, kiwifruit, and vanilla yogurt or ice cream. Like most grilled fruit desserts, it’s guaranteed to surprise and delight guests.
COOKING METHOD | GRILLING
Serves 6 to 8
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
About 2 pounds soft-textured stone fruit, such as plums, peaches (peeled), nectarines, apricots, or plumcots, halved
2 cups vanilla yogurt or ice cream
1 pint strawberries, halved, or whole raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries
3 large kiwifruit, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).
Mix the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract together in a saucepan. Heat on the edge of the grill. Brush the stone fruits lightly with the butter mixture, reserving the rest of it.
Grill the stone fruit uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes, or as needed until softened with a few brown and caramelized edges. Brush the fruit with the remaining butter in the last minute or so of grilling.
* Fruits grill best over a medium-low to medium fire, generally easy to achieve on any kind of grill after you’ve cooked and eaten the main dish.
* With a gas grill, just shut down after the main course and fire back up to medium heat before dessert If grilling over charcoal or wood, keep the fire hot enough for a second round of grilling by closing the cover after the entree is cooked and shutting down the vents almost—but not quite—fully. As soon as you finish the main course, open the vents and cover to increase the heat again. If you can’t get the fire back to the medium range, don’t fret Just cook the fruit over the lower temperature for a little longer than suggested. Unlike meat, fish, or poultry, fruit is done when you say it is.
* Do scrape the grill grate well after cooking the main course so that dessert doesn’t taste like burgers or onions.
* Do the prep work before the meal so that dessert is ready for the fire.
* Since most store-bought fruit can use a little boost of sweetness, it’s often a good idea to add a light sprinkle of white or brown sugar or to baste the fruit with honey-butter or something similar. At the moderate cooking temperature, the sugar caramelizes rather than burns on the surface.
Slice or dice the fruit into smaller pieces. In parfait glasses or other goblets, layer yogurt, a portion of grilled fruit, a few berries, and kiwifruit chunks. Repeat with yogurt and grilled fruit, adding more of the berries and kiwifruit if they will fit.
A surefire hit for the Fourth of July or any other summer evening. For further embellishment, add some sliced grilled starfruit to the star-studded treat.
COOKING METHOD | GRILLING
Serves 6 to 8
1 large fresh pineapple or one 20-ounce container fresh unsliced pineapple or pineapple spears
3 medium mangoes
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Sanding sugar (larger sugar crystals, sometimes called decorating sugar) or turbinado sugar
If you have a whole pineapple, slice off the top, and if it is attractive, save it for garnishing the serving plate. Cut a small slice off the bottom so that it rests evenly. Cut off all of the pineapple skin, slicing as deeply as needed to remove the tiny brown eyes. Halve the pineapple lengthwise and then cut each half into long 1-inch spears. Cut away the fibrous core side of each spear.
Halve the mangoes. Stand the first mango vertically and, with a sharp knife, slice down from the top center until you feel the wide flat seed. Cut down around the curve of the seed, staying as close to it as possible. Cut down and around the seed on its other side. Repeat with the remaining mangoes. Scoop the mango halves out of their skins, then with a star cookie cutter (you’ll want a metal one with somewhat sharp edges), cut out at least one star from each mango half. If stamping out stars is not your thing, simply grill the mango slices.
Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).
Heat the butter and granulated sugar together in a saucepan on the edge of the grill. Brush the fruit lightly with the butter mixture, reserving the rest of it.
Grill the fruit uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes, or as needed until softened with a few brown and caramelized edges. Brush the fruit with the remaining butter in the last minute or so of grilling. Then sprinkle generously with the sanding sugar. Arrange on a platter or individual dessert plates, giving everyone at least one pineapple spear and one mango star.
Grilled Fruit with Sweet and Spicy Dunk Instead of, or in addition to, the sanding sugar, stir together a dunking mixture for the fruit. Mix 3 tablespoons sanding sugar or turbinado sugar and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar with about 1 teaspoon coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt, and ¾ teaspoon ground dried mild to medium red chile. Serve along with the fruit or sprinkle it over if you prefer.
This makes a light, festive, and fabulous finish for an outdoor dinner. If you’re feeling particularly decadent, plop a scoop of peach ice cream over the top of each portion.
COOKING METHOD | GRILLING
Serves 6 to 8
Sangria Syrup
1 cup fruity red wine
One 6-ounce can orange juice concentrate
2 to 3 tablespoons triple sec or other orange-flavored liqueur
2 tablespoons brandy or peach- or apricot-flavored brandy
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2½ to 3 pounds firm but ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and halved
Combine the ingredients for the syrup, using the smaller amounts of triple sec and sugar, in a heavy saucepan. Bring the syrup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining triple sec, sugar, or both if needed for a pleasantly sweet but not cloying syrup. Continue simmering until reduced by about one-third.
Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).
Brush the peaches lightly with the syrup, reserving the rest of it.
Grill the peaches uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes, or as needed, turning on both sides, until softened with a few brown and caramelized edges. Brush with the remaining syrup in the last minute or so of grilling. Divide the peaches among bowls and serve.
Grilled Peaches with Basil Syrup Herbal flavors often go great with sweets. Replace the sangria syrup with a basil syrup. Combine 1 cup each of sugar and water in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves. Let steep for 30 minutes, then strain out the basil. Use in the same fashion as the sangría syrup.
* Frozen grapes
* Vibrantly orange tangerines, each placed alone on a dessert plate
* Little skewers of marshmallows for everyone to toast
* Gingersnaps sandwiching vanilla ice cream
* A beautiful bowl of perfectly ripe pears, with knives for slicing
* Blueberries or raspberries bathed in Grand Marnier
* A platter of shiny apples with a chunk of aged Cheddar
* Sliced peaches in a glass with sparkling wine poured over
* An uneven large chunk of premium chocolate on a cutting board with some toasted walnuts or pecans
Fresh figs melt into jammy finger-licking morsels when heated over a grill fire. They partner here with flame-kissed orange sections, which can be squeezed over the figs or nibbled alongside, and a tantalizingly fragrant cream sauce.
COOKING METHOD | GRILLING
Serves 6 or more
Anise Cream
2 teaspoons anise seeds
1 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons sugar
12 plump fresh figs, halved vertically
2 medium oranges or blood oranges, cut into 6 wedges each
About 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to medium heat (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).
Prepare the anise cream, placing the anise seeds in a small saucepan. Warm briefly over medium heat until fragrant and lightly toasted. Immediately pour in the cream, add the sugar, and simmer until reduced by nearly one-half (watch it because the cream will bubble up rather ferociously). Strain and reserve the cream.
Instead of grilling fruit directly, warm it in packets on the grill with flavoring ingredients. The easiest way to go is to make pouches out of foil, layering fruit slices with butter or a nut oil, maybe a little sugar or syrup, and perhaps some cookie or graham cracker crumbs. Fruit can also be wrapped up in similar fashion in banana leaves, fresh or frozen, from a Latin or Asian market. Fresh leaves should be softened for about 30 seconds over the grill fire or a stove burner to be pliable enough to wrap the fruit. Warm over medium or medium-low heal or dying charcoal embers for a few minutes, turning on both sides.
Brush the figs and oranges lightly with butter and transfer the fruit to the grill. The figs will want to stick, so make sure the grate is well oiled. Grill for about 5 to 7 minutes, turning the figs and oranges on all sides and brushing again with butter. The figs are done when soft and oozing juice. The orange wedges will get a few brown spots on the skin and fruit.
Spoon a small drizzle of cream onto each dessert plate, then arrange figs and oranges over or around it and serve warm.
At their best in the fall and early winter, pears become soft and butterscotchy when grilled and painted with a brown sugar-laced butter. To make the optional pecorino cheese curls, scrape over a softened chunk of cheese with a vegetable peeler.
COOKING METHOD | GRILLING
Serves 6 to 8
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
6 to 8 ripe medium pears, such as Comice, peeled, halved, and cored
Curls of pecorino cheese, optional
Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).
On the edge of the grill, melt the butter with the brown sugar in a small saucepan.
Brush the pears lightly with the butter. Transfer the pears to the grill cut side down. Grill uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until softened with a few caramelized edges. Baste with butter again when the pears are turned over, letting butter dribble into the pears’ cavities. Serve warm on plates with the pecorino curls if desired.
Butter-Basted Pears with Rosemary Syrup Combine 1 cup each sugar and water in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add ¾ cup packed fresh rosemary. Let steep for 30 minutes, then strain out the rosemary. Drizzle the syrup around the pears and serve with or without the pecorino cheese. A little rosemary sprig on each plate is nice.
Butter-Basted Grilled Pears with Star Anise Add 2 bruised star anise to the butter before warming it, then keep it over very low grill heat for about 5 minutes. Steep for 5 minutes, then strain out the star anise and baste the pears as described. Skip the cheese with this variation.
Apple and almond joy. Choose naturally chubby baking apples, like Rome Beauty or Cortland or some rotund Granny Smiths, then stuff them with sweetened almond paste and butter.
COOKING METHOD | COVERED GRILL
ROASTING
Serves 6
a Supper of Sugar and Spice
Green Chile-Scallion Dip (page 94) with sweet potato chips
Smoke-Roasted Tri-Tip Steak Sandwiches (page 164)
Butter-sautéed corn with flecks of jalapeños
Grill-Roasted Apples with Marzipan
2 cups unsweetened apple cider or juice
6 large well-shaped baking apples, such as Rome Beauty
One 7-ounce package almond paste
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
Prepare the grill for covered grill roasting, creating a medium-hot fire in about half of the grill and leaving the other half unheated. In case you’re working with a gas grill with 3 burners, turn 2 burners to hot and leave the third off. If your gas grill has 2 burners, one in front and one in back, make the fire in the back portion of the grill. In a charcoal grill, build a medium-hot fire under one side of the grate and leave the other half unheated.
Place an inexpensive portable oven thermometer (available from any kitchen supply store) on the unheated portion of the cooking grate, close enough to the front that you will be able to read it. Don’t rely on your grill’s built-in lid thermometer because you want to measure the temperature only on the unheated side. Close the grill and bring the temperature to about 375°F. (Some low-powered gas grills may not reach the ideal 375°F. If you have waited an appropriate amount of time for your grill to heat fully, and the temperature has stopped climbing, note the temperature. For every 25 degrees under 375°F, plan to add at least 5 minutes to the overall cooking time of about 45 minutes.)
Butter a baking dish large enough to hold the apples upright with a little space between them.
Pour the cider into a saucepan and reduce by half over high heat.
Scoop out the apple cores, leaving the bottoms intact. In our experience, the small end of a melon bailer works better than apple-coring gadgets. Scoop a hole in each apple just a bit wider than necessary to remove the core. Slice a thin ribbon of peel from around the top of each apple cavity, which helps keep the peel from splitting while roasting. Stand the apples in the dish.
Combine the almond paste, butter, and brown sugar in a small bowl and mash with a fork or clean fingers until crumbly. Pack equal portions into each apple cavity, mounding it over the top a bit if necessary. Pour the reduced apple cider into the dish, drizzling some over each apple in the process.
Place the pan with the apples near the thermometer on the unheated portion of the grill and close the cover. After 25 to 30 minutes, open the grill and rotate the dish a half turn for even cooking. Quickly spoon some of the liquid over the apples and close the cover again. Continue roasting for 15 minutes longer, or until the apples can be pierced easily with a skewer but still hold their shape. Serve warm in small bowls with the pan juices poured over them.
Grill-Roasted Caramel Apples Eliminate the almond paste. Mix together the butter and brown sugar. Wedge 2 or 3 caramel candies into each apple, then stuff the butter and brown sugar mixture over the caramels. When the apples are done, enrich the pan juices with several tablespoons of cream before pouring over them.
Quick, high-heat roasting of fruit concentrates and caramelizes its natural sugar. In this case, unlike when grilling, the juices given off by the fruits can mix and mingle. A cloud of softly whipped cream can dress up the dish for the table.
COOKING METHOD | COVERED GRILL
ROASTING
Serves 6 to 8
2½ to 2¾ pounds soft-textured fruits of at least two kinds, such as apricots, plums, mangoes, peaches, figs, nectarines, or plumcots
2 tablespoons almond or walnut oil
4 to 6 tablespoons sugar
½ cup slivered almonds
Softly whipped cream, optional
Prepare the grill for covered grill roasting, creating a medium-hot fire in about half of the grill and leaving the other half unheated. In case you’re working with a gas grill with 3 burners, turn 2 burners to hot and leave the third off. If your gas grill has 2 burners, one in front and one in back, make the fire in the back portion of the grill. In a charcoal grill, build a medium-hot fire under one side of the grate and leave the other half unheated.
Place an inexpensive portable oven thermometer (available from any kitchen supply store) on the unheated portion of the cooking grate, close enough to the front of the grill so that you will be able to read it. Don’t rely on your grill’s built-in lid thermometer, because you want to measure the temperature only on the unheated side. Close the grill and bring the temperature to about 375°F. (Some low-powered gas grills may not reach the ideal 375°F. If you have waited an appropriate amount of time for your grill to heat fully, and the temperature has stopped climbing, note the temperature. For every 25 degrees under 375°F, plan to add several minutes to the overall cooking time of 12 to 15 minutes.)
Cut the pitted fruit into manageable pieces or wedges. Toss it gently with the oil. Arrange in more or less a single layer in a medium to large shallow pan or rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the sugar over the fruit.
Place the pan with the fruit near the thermometer on the unheated portion of the grill and close the cover. After about 10 minutes, open the grill, rotate the pan a half turn for even cooking, and stir the almonds into the pan. Quickly close the grill again. Continue cooking for 2 to 5 minutes longer, or until the fruit is soft and tender but not mushy, and the almonds are lightly toasted. Serve warm with whipped cream, if you wish.
Flavored whipped cream always sounds special to people. All you need to do is add a splash of espresso, cocoa powder, rum, bourbon, or a liqueur like hazelnut-scented Frangelico or almond-based amaretto. Just avoid things with a high acid content, like lemon juice, which could cause the cream to curdle. Cream whips up best when very cold, and on hot days you may want to chill the bowl and beaters, too. Cream for desserts generally looks and tastes best when whipped to softly mounded peaks.
Grill-Roasted Fruit with Cardamom Sugar Flavor the sugar before sprinkling it over the fruit In a small food processor, combine ½ cup sugar with 1 tablespoon green cardamom pods. Process for about 30 seconds, until the cardamom is finely chopped. Pour through a strainer and discard any cardamom pieces. The sugar can be used right away or stored airtight for at least a week before the flavor fades.
A trademark treat of the Girl Scouts, endorsed in the organization’s official handbook as early as 1940, this still packs powerful appeal for kids and old goats alike. Multiply this plated open-faced version by the number of guests. If your crowd is really persnickety, pick up our earlier book Born to Grill (1998, Harvard Common Press), for recipes for homemade marshmallows and graham crackers for a super-duper rendition that will leave everyone wanting s’more.
COOKING METHOD | GRILLING
Serves 1
2 large poofy marshmallows
2 graham cracker squares
¾ ounce milk chocolate (popular-size Hershey Bar), dark chocolate, white chocolate, or chocolate mint candy, divided into 2 flat squares
Fruit sauce, such as raspberry, or dark chocolate or caramel sauce
Create an ice cream dessert bar in your own backyard Think first about how much freezer space you can devote to ice cream and related frozen treats and what shady, relatively cool spot you will have for setting up the self-serve buffet. Then go for it, buying a variety of premium ice creams, sorbets, and sherbets that you will pack into a tub of ice. Accompany the ice creams with berries, grilled fruit, dessert sauces or syrups, candied citrus peel, and various nuts. Don’t forget chocolate in the form of syrup, powder, shavings, and chocolate-covered coffee beans. Brownies or other cookies are a good addition and can be eaten along with the ice cream creations or become another building block in someone’s dessert fantasy. You have to have silly touches like candy sprinkles, gummies, confetti, mini-marshrnallows, and maraschino cherries. Top it all off with softly whipped cream, plain and flavored.
Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to medium-low (6 seconds with the hand test).
Thread the marshmallows on a skewer, a long clean stick, or a long fork. Place the graham crackers on the grate over medium-low heat. Hold the marshmallows a couple of inches above the grate and toast the marshmallows on all sides for several minutes until very soft and golden.
While the marshmallows toast, turn the graham crackers, placing a chocolate square on each, and continue heating until the marshmallows are ready. Top each softened chocolate square with a gooey marshmallow and arrange on a plate with a squiggle of fruit sauce over or around the s’mores. Eat right away, with fingers or forks.
Grill-Toasted Dessert Bruschetta Toast thin buttered baguette slices on the grill instead of graham crackers. Lose the marshmallows. Finish off with chocolate squares, honey, and thinly sliced soft-textured fruit, or honey and a soft cheese like mascarpone, cream cheese, or fresh goat cheese. Serve open-faced, like the s’mores.
Bananas become soft and mellow when grilled, in a way that tempts people (like us) who don’t normally eat them. As you might expect, this makes a hefty dessert. For children and light eaters, we usually serve half portions, slicing the bananas into chunks.
COOKING METHOD | GRILLING
Serves 6 or more
½ cup half-and-half
¼ cup light corn syrup
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
6 medium bananas
4 ounces bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped
2 scoops ice cream per diner, 2 different flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, mocha, butter pecan, or banana
Chopped peanuts, pecans, or walnuts or sliced almonds, optional
Softly whipped cream
Stoplight-bright maraschino cherries
Combine the half-and-half and corn syrup in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Reserve at room temperature.
Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).
Just before grilling, slice the bananas, still in their skins, in half lengthwise.
Transfer the bananas cut side down to a well-oiled grate. Grill the bananas uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the bananas skin side down, brush their cut surfaces with just enough half-and-half-butter mixture to coat, and grill for 2 to 3 additional minutes, until soft and lightly colored.
Remove the bananas from their skins. If you have long banana-split dishes, leave the banana halves whole and place two side by side in each dish. For most other dishes, you’ll want to cut the bananas into chunks and divide them among bowls.
Return the half-and-half-butter mixture to medium-low heat and stir in the chocolate. Remove from the heat and stir until the chocolate has melted into a sauce.
Mound ice cream over the bananas, then spoon on portions of the chocolate sauce. Scatter with nuts if you wish, then add whipped cream and top each with a cherry or two. Serve and enjoy right away.
an Ice Cream Dream Dessert Party
Grilled Banana Split with Dark Chocolate Sauce
White Chocolate Custard Ice Cream (page 514) or Spice Route Ice Cream (page 514)
Rhubarb-Berry Ice (page 516) or Tequila-Grapefruit Sorbet (page 516)
Paletas (page 512)
Grand Fruit Salad (page 483) or fresh berries
Brownies and other bar cookies
The vibrant Mexican version of Popsicles, paletas are much fruitier than their American counterparts. Invest in a set or two of inexpensive frozen Popsicle molds from a local kitchenware store or cookware department, and you’ll have the makings for a summer’s worth of cooling treats. Look for molds with their own handles or get Popsicle sticks separately. Whether your guests are six or sixty, they’ll break into toothy grins when you present these favorites, made all the better with combinations of fruit. The pops will keep their full flavor for at least several days.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6
½ pini strawberries or 1 heaping cup ripe cantaloupe or honeydew melon chunks
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
About 1½ cups fruit nectar or juice, such as guava, mango, papaya, or peach, in a color contrasting with the berries or melon
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Puree the strawberries with the sugar in a blender or food processor. Reserve.
Mix the fruit nectar with the lime juice. Using half of the fruit nectar, pour an equal amount into each mold. Tap the molds on the counter to eliminate any air pockets. Cover with the little lids that come with most molds. Insert sticks into the openings in the lids, unless the lids actually form their own handles. Freeze until lightly set, probably at least 30 minutes. Spoon the strawberry puree over the fruit nectar, distributing it among all the molds. Again tap the bottom of the mold and return to the freezer until lightly set, probably at least 30 minutes more. Then top with the remaining fruit nectar, dividing it among the pops. Tap the bottom of the mold once more and freeze again until firmly set, at least 1 hour more.
To unmold, gently squeeze the bottom or sides of each pop with one hand while pulling on the handle with your other. If they don’t come out easily, dunk the mold for just a second in hot water and try again. Serve immediately with paper napkins. Alternately stand up in one or more deep bowls surrounded by ice, so that guests can help themselves.
Paletas, Simpler and Faster Just use a single pureed fruit, nectar, or juice to fill the molds so that the pops have to go into the freezer only once.
Vanilla scents this slightly unusual ice cream, churned up from Mexican crema or French crème fraîche, so that a welcome bit of tang balances its sweetness. We like ice crema scattered with tiny wild blueberries during their short season, but it’s lovely on its own or topped with other fruit or store-bought dulce de leche sauce. Try it, too, in root beer floats, which make a fine postbarbecue dessert.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 or more
2 cups crema or crème fraîche, chilled
2 cups half-and-half, chilled
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Combine the ingredients in a blender until the sugar has dissolved.
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions. After churning, freeze until shortly before serving time. Ideally, transfer from the freezer to the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Scoop into bowls and serve right away.
Lighter, Tangier Ice Crema Substitute buttermilk for the half-and-half. Use only fresh buttermilk, rather than the powdered buttermilk that works well in many other circumstances.
Strawberry Ice Crema Remove the white cottony centers from a generous pint of strawberries. Chop them coarsely (we like to use a pastry blender for this) and stir together in a bowl with 2 extra tablespoons sugar. Pour into the ice cream maker with the chilled ice crema mixture and churn as recommended.
Create a Latino ice cream float bar. Use sodas like Peñafiel’s, Jarritos, or Goya, always available in Latino markets and in a growing number of supermarkets nationwide. Pick flavors like tamarind, coconut, and tropical fruits, then chill in a big tub of ice along with containers of ice cream, sorbet, and sherbet. In tall glasses, serve up people’s choices or provide scoops for guests to help themselves. Place a big ball of ice cream in a glass, then top with bubbly soda and add a straw (the elbow straws that bend are good for this) and a long-handled iced-tea spoon.
Like a touch of lemon or lime juice, the acid in vinegar can help heighten the sweet tones of other fruit and help balance the addition of sugar. Balsamic vinegar has a touch of sweetness itself and on its home turf is often poured over berries. Here it also deepens the color of the ice a bit.
A custard ice cream has a cooked egg base, for added richness and silkiness, characteristics enhanced by white chocolate. This is great topped with juicy fresh fruit or shavings of dark chocolate but is also wonderful scooped over or into meringue shells for a white-on-white treat.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 or more
4 large egg yolks ¼ cup sugar
1¼ cups whole milk
1 cup half-and-half
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
2 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped, optional
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a large heavy saucepan until the yellow color has lightened. Pour in the milk, half-and-half, and vanilla and cook slowly over medium-low heat. Stir nearly continually but gently until the mixture starts to give the slightest resistance to stirring and coats the spoon or whisk thinly, about 15 minutes. Don’t let the custard boil or it will curdle; reduce the heat if needed.
Just as the mixture thickens, stir in the finely chopped white chocolate and continue to whisk until it has melted into the custard, then quickly remove from the heat. Cool briefly at room temperature, stirring a few times to release some of the steam, then cover and refrigerate until chilled.
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker, add the coarsely chopped white chocolate if you’re using it, and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions. After churning, freeze until shortly before serving time. Ideally, transfer from the freezer to the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Scoop into bowls and serve right away.
With sugar and spice, and cream and ice, it’s got to be nice.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 or more
3 large egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Three 3-inch cinnamon sticks
1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 to 12 whole cloves
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a large heavy saucepan until the yellow color has lightened. Add the remaining ingredients and cook slowly over medium heat. Stir nearly continually but gently until the mixture starts to give the slightest resistance to stirring and coats the spoon or whisk thinly, about 15 minutes. Don’t let the custard boil or it will curdle; reduce the heat if needed. When ready, strain the custard. Let it cool briefly at room temperature, stirring a few times to release some of the steam, then cover and refrigerate until chilled.
Whip up original frozen desserts with store-bought ice cream or sorbet. Here are a few ideas to get you started. Just avoid anything that would turn into a jawbreaker once frozen, like gummy candies. Let the ice cream or sorbet sit in the refrigerator or at room temperature long enough to soften, then stir in a generous amount of your ingredients and refreeze for at least 1 hour.
* Toffee Ice Cream. Stir chopped Heath Bars or other chocolate-covered toffee into coffee or chocolate ice cream or mix toffee-covered peanuts into butter-pecan ice cream.
* Strawberry Daiquiri Sorbet. Mix some light rum into strawberry sorbet and top with a plump fresh strawberry.
* S’mores Ice Cream. Mix some finely chopped milk chocolate, mini-marshmallows or marshmallow cream, and tiny shaped graham crackers (like teddy bears) into dark chocolate ice cream. Don’t use crumbled regular graham crackers, because they get too soggy.
* Praline Ice Cream. Stir chunked New Orleans-style praline candies and small pieces of toasted pecans into vanilla ice cream.
* Sweet Ginger Ice Cream. Chop lots of candied crystallized ginger and mix it into vanilla ice cream.
* Lemon-cello Sorbet. Stir Italian limoncello liqueur and lemon zest into lemon sorbet.
* Dark Chocolate-Coconut Sorbet. Chop up Mounds candy bars and stir into coconut sorbet for double the coconut whammy and deep chocolate flavor.
* Sorbet Crown with Berries. Using an oiled circular mold, alternately spoon in lemon sorbet or vanilla ice cream, then raspberry, strawberry, boysenberry, or cassis sorbet Leave the edges where each scoop begins and ends rough, then pack down from the top and refreeze. Turn out the colorful sorbet circle and mound up the center with fresh berries.
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions. After churning, freeze until shortly before serving time. Ideally, transfer from the freezer to the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Scoop into bowls and serve right away.
Egg Nog Ice Cream Add 3 more egg yolks to the ice cream, leave out the cloves, and when the custard comes off the stove, mix in 2 tablespoons dark rum or brandy.
We love to serve this in the spring when cherry-red stalks of rhubarb pop up at local markets, but it’s also good with frozen fruit. Even people who love rhubarb may have difficulty identifying it, because it’s not commonly included in sorbetlike ices.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
1 cup sugar
4 generous cups (about 1¼ pounds) 1-inch very red rhubarb pieces
½ pint raspberries or strawberries, cottony white centers removed
2 to 3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Pour the sugar into a medium saucepan, then add 1 quart warm water. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to melt the sugar. Add the rhubarb and berries, then return to a boil. Reduce the heat until the mixture is at a very low simmer and cook until the rhubarb has fallen apart, about 10 minutes. Stir in just enough vinegar to heighten the tang. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Strain the rhubarb-berry mixture, pushing it through a strainer with the back of a wooden spoon. Don’t press hard enough to push through the pulp and any seeds, but try to get as much syrupy liquid as possible. Expect that quite a bit of pulp will be left to discard.
Pour the syrupy liquid into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions. After churning, freeze until shortly before serving time. Ideally, transfer from the freezer to the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Scoop into bowls and serve right away.
One of the best reasons to make your own sorbet or ice cream is to create flavor combinations you won’t find at the local Stop & Shop. This perfectly rosy example provides a little kick that sneaks up after the citrus cools your tongue.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Makes about 1 quart
1 cup sugar
3 cups fresh red or pink grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon pomegranate juice or grenadine
¼ cup tequila, preferably silver
Stir the sugar with 1 cup hot water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Mix both juices and the tequila together in a bowl. Add 1½ cups of the sugar syrup, then taste. Add more syrup as needed if the flavor is too tangy, but don’t let the syrup overwhelm the fruit flavor. Refrigerate until chilled, then pour into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions. After churning, freeze until shortly before serving time. Ideally, transfer from the freezer to the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Scoop into bowls and serve right away. The flavor is best within the first couple of days.
We sometimes serve mini-desserts of this sorbet following tapas, spooning it into our collection of Mexican tequila cups or Italian limoncello cups. Shot glasses work as well.
Sparkly transparent and a little quivery, this makes a delightful light wrap for any summery evening. A bit of gelatin adds body to the syrup, but you won’t mistake the result for your mother’s Jell-O.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6 to 8
One 750-milliliter bottle moderate-quality Champagne or other sparkling wine
1½ tablespoons unflavored gelatin 3 to 4 tablespoons sugar
About 1½ pints fresh raspberries
Pour 1 cup of the Champagne into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it, Let sit undisturbed for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the remaining Champagne into a medium saucepan and add the sugar. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and whisk in the gelatin-Champagne mixture until dissolved.
Place the raspberries into goblets or wineglasses or dessert bowls. With a liquid measuring cup or small ladle, spoon the Champagne syrup and pour it equally over the berries. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to a day. The syrup should be somewhat jellied and lightly set, not rubbery. Serve cold.
Berries with Champagne If you’re rushed, or the only bottle of sparkling wine in the house is too fine to sweeten and cook, simply spoon the berries into the goblets or Champagne flutes and pour the Champagne over the fruit. Serve with long-handled iced-tea spoons for eating the fruit and sip the Champagne.
This seriously tasty notion sprouted originally at state fair food booths, which abound in hot oil and servers made a bit crazy by the sun. It became a favorite on the competitive barbecue circuit, where constant clouds of smoke only intensify the effect of the sun on the brain. When you and your friends are whacked out in a similar way, this is a sure cure. Bet you can’t eat just one.
COOKING METHOD | BIG-POT FRYING
Serves a bunch
One 14-ounce package Original Oreos (36 cookies) or another Oreo variety if you wish
Peanut oil or vegetable oil for deep-frying 2 cups all-purpose baking mix, like Bisquick, or buttermilk pancake mix
1¼ cups ice water
Confectioners’ sugar
Freeze the Oreos in the package for at least 2 hours or as long as you like.
Pour at least 4 inches of oil into a large sturdy pot suitable for deep-frying. Place the frozen cookies, now out of the package, on a baking sheet near your frying pot. Just before you are ready to serve the cookies, heat the oil to 350°F.
While the oil heats, mix the batter. Whisk the baking mix and ice water together in a large bowl until smooth but without overworking the batter.
Dip the cookies, one at a time (or a few at a time once you get the hang of it), into the batter and slip into the oil one at a time. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, turning and dunking as needed with tongs, until golden brown. Remove with tongs, dust immediately with confectioners’ sugar, and serve. Those little lightweight cardboard boats for burgers and fries are good for serving. Eat right away, being careful of the molten center.
The current rage among extreme backyard cooks is to fry anything that can be found in the fridge or pantry. Corn dogs, blooming onions, fried corn, and fried dill pickles are too commonplace to satisfy the pioneers of the craze, who have moved on to dessert in a big way. We’re not talking churros and funnel cakes, but batter-dipped cheesecake, Twinkies, marshmallows, moon pies, and candy bars. State and county fair booths provided the original inspiration for this home-cooking phenomenon. The State Fair of Texas, where Bill had his first fried corn dog in the 1950s, leads the way in many respects. Shirley London, at Happy’s on the Midway, fries candy bars and Oreos and has even been featured with the cookies on CBS’s The Early Show. Shirley thinks frozen Reese’s peanut butter cups come out fantastic fried with the same batter but says they’re too messy to sell at the fair.
Crunchy and warm from the oven, crisps rank near the top of our favorite fruit desserts. This gingered version shines with peaches, one of summer’s most luscious fruits. Use gingersnaps of average size, usually wafer thin and about 1½ inches in diameter. This is an ideal soul mate for Spice Route Ice Cream.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 8 or more
Filling
3½ pounds ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons chopped candied crystallized ginger
2 store-bought gingersnaps, crumbled
Pinch of salt
Topping
12 store-bought gingersnaps
1 cup oats (not the quick-cooking variety)
¾ cup chopped pecans
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 12 chunks
Spice Route Ice Cream (page 514), optional
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Prepare the filling, mixing the peaches with the lemon juice in a large bowl. Stir in the remaining filling ingredients and pour out into the baking dish.
Prepare the topping, combining the gingersnaps, oats, pecans, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture becomes a crumbly meal. Spoon over the peach filling evenly, packing the topping down lightly. Bake the crisp for 40 to 45 minutes, until the topping is crunchy and the peaches very tender. Serve warm, with scoops of ice cream on the side if you wish.
a “Just Because We Want To” Barbecue
Simple Trout Spread (page 117) with crackers
Lone Star Barbecued Brisket (page 382)
Saucy Barbecued Ribs (page 309)
Soulful KC-Style Baked Beans (page 309)
Thick tomato slices, layered with onion slices and topped with Tabasco Vinaigrette (page 64) or green goddess or ranch dressing
Piña Colada Flan
Low, slow cooking results here in a dessert so dense it might remind you of a cross between flan and cheesecake. A terrific time-saver in a last-minute party rush, it’s best made ahead, up to a day in advance. We think individual ramekins of the flan are nice, but if you’re not sure of the number of people coming to dinner, make one large dramatic flan instead. If you like, embellish the plates further with some grilled pineapple spears and serve with shots of premium rum añejo.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 8 or more
Caramel Topping
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
Custard
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
One 8-ounce can cream of coconut (not coconut milk)
½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 large eggs
3 tablespoons light rum
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Large fresh coconut shreds, toasted in a dry skillet
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Set 8 individual custard cups or a 2-quart soufflé dish in a larger shallow pan for a water bath.
Prepare the caramel, spooning the sugar into a heavy small to medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, watching as the sugar melts into a golden brown syrup. There is no need to stir unless the sugar is melting unevenly. When the syrup turns rich medium brown, immediately pour about 2 teaspoons of caramel into each custard cup or pour all of it into the soufflé dish. The caramel will harden within seconds. Tip as needed to distribute the caramel more or less evenly. Let cool.
Prepare the custard, combining the ingredients in a blender. Pour the mixture into a heavy saucepan and, over medium-low heat, warm the custard to lukewarm. When heated throughout, pour the custard into the cups. Add warm water to the pan, enough to cover the bottom third of the cups. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes for ramekins and 75 to 90 minutes for one large flan, or until the custard has no more jiggle in the center and is golden all over. Let the flan cool in the water bath on a baking rack for about 20 minutes. Remove the flan from the water bath, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
Shortly before serving, unmold the flan by running a knife between the custard and the cups. Cover with a plate and invert quickly, giving the flan a good shake to help it drop to the plate. Sprinkle with coconut and serve.
Flan For a more traditional flan custard, replace the cream of coconut and pineapple juice with 1½ cups half-and-half. The result will be denser and even creamier.
We modified our favorite pecan pie filling to taste more like our favorite New Orleans candy. It’s poured over a shortbread crust requiring no rolling out or other fiddling. Simply press it into the pan, where it won’t remain long after the bars are cooked.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN PREPARATION
Serves 10
Shortbread Crust
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into about 8 chunks, softened
2 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Filling
1 cup packed light brown sugar
⅓ cup light corn syrup
⅓ cup molasses
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 eggs
½ cup half-and-half
2 heaping cups chunky pecan pieces
Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
Prepare the crust. Pulse the butter a dozen or so times in a food processor, until it fluffs up a bit and turns a couple of shades lighter in color. Add the egg yolks and sugar and process until the sugar disappears. Stop the processor to scrape down the sides if needed.
Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together and pour over the butter mixture. Pulse to combine until the dough just holds together. Do not overwork.
Dump the mixture into the baking dish and pat lightly into an even layer.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Form a drip pan by turning up the sides of a large piece of foil and place it on the lower shelf of the oven.
Prepare the filling, first combining the brown sugar, corn syrup, molasses, butter, and salt in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and leave at a rolling boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and let the mixture cool to warm room temperature.
Whisk the eggs with the half-and-half, then whisk into the cooled syrup mixture. Stir in the pecan pieces. Pour the filling over the crust.
Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Cook for 28 to 32 minutes longer, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let the bars sit for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
Made like lemon squares but with passion fruit, these have a more fragrant and exotic appeal. For another tropical twist, replace the passion fruit puree with guava puree. You can often find the purees in fresh or frozen form at gourmet stores and Latino markets.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Makes about 2 dozen squares, serving 12
Crust
1½ cups all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into at least a dozen pieces, chilled
Passion Fruit Filling
4 large eggs
1⅓cups sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached
Pinch of salt
1¼ cups passion fruit puree, fresh or thawed frozen
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Confectioners’ sugar
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 ÷ 13-inch baking dish.
Prepare the crust, first combining the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Scatter the butter over the dry ingredients, then pulse as necessary to form a coarse meal. Using your fingers, press the crust flat into the prepared dish. Bake the crust for 20 to 22 minutes, until set and lightly golden.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Rinse out the food processor and break the eggs into it. Pulse several times, until lightly blended. Dump in the sugar and process for about 30 seconds, until the sugar has mostly dissolved into the eggs. Add half of the flour and pulse briefly, until it disappears, then repeat with the remaining flour and salt. Pour in the passion fruit puree and lemon juice and process for 10 to 20 seconds, until well blended.
When the crust is done, give the filling another good whir, then pour the filling over the hot crust. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and return the pan to the oven. Bake for 16 to 20 more minutes, until the filling is nearly firm at its center. There should still be a touch of a wiggle when you move the dish.
Transfer the pan to a baking rack and let it cool. Cut into 2-inch squares or rectangles or in another shape or size if you wish. Wipe the knife as needed to assure clean cuts. Just before serving, plate the squares and with a fine mesh strainer sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
Like Bogart and Bacall, a touch salty, a touch sweet, and altogether seductive.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 6
Peanut Butter Mixture
¾ cup peanut butter (not a natural variety)
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons whipping cream or half-and-half
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
Chocolate Pudding
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk2½ cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
Chopped peanuts, toasted
Softly whipped cream
With a mixer, whip together the ingredients for the peanut butter mixture in a bowl and reserve.
With a whisk (preferably a flat one), mix the eggs, yolk, half-and-half, and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Combine the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium saucepan. Put the pan on the stove over medium-low heat and whisk the egg mixture into the pan. Continue whisking until the pudding thickens enough to coat the whisk, about 10 minutes. Don’t let the mixture come to a boil, although a few breaking bubbles around the rim are all right as long as you keep whisking.
Because of their richness, these parfaits work best in glasses smaller than the traditional ice cream parfait size. We like them in simple 8-ounce tumblers, of either clear or lightly tinted glass. We use some value-priced Spanish tumblers that also work fine for gazpacho or even their original purpose, drinking. With a tall, bright candle perched on one, our latest batch of the parfaits became the sixtieth-birthday dessert for a chocoholic friend.
Spoon the warm chocolate pudding into glasses. Using half of the pudding, spoon equal amounts into the bottom of each glass (see tip above). Next spoon on a layer of peanut butter mixture. Divided among the glasses, there will be a generous couple of tablespoons for each. Nudge it toward the sides so that it will show through the glass, but don’t worry about getting it even. If you like a lot of crunch, sprinkle a layer of chopped peanuts over the peanut butter. Spoon equal portions of the remaining pudding over the peanut butter or peanut layer. Wipe any drips and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 8. The pudding will form a dark chocolate skin on top, which will be covered.
Shortly before serving, sprinkle more peanuts over the pudding, a few or a lot, as you wish, and top with a healthy spoonful of whipped cream. Serve chilled, with long spoons.
We weren’t sure what to call this besides delicious. It’s something like an American cherry pie, something like a French fruit tart, and something like a turnover without all the fiddling. Starting with premade puff pastry and jam means you can assemble the dessert pretty quickly, much faster than its scrumptiousness suggests. Golden brown and sugar spangled, it goes equally well at a fancy meal or a Fourth of July picnic
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves up to 12
Almond Cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
One 7-ounce package almond paste, crumbled
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached
2 large eggs, at room temperature
One 16-ounce jar sour cherry jam or preserves
1 tablespoon brandy or Armagnac, optional
One 16- to 17-ounce package puff pastry, thawed if frozen
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted Sanding sugar (larger sugar crystals, sometimes called decorating sugar) or granulated sugar
Toasted sliced almonds, optional
a Bastille Day Supper, July 14
Salmon-Caviar Dip (page 95)
Butter lettuce salad with tarragon vinaigrette
Grilled Hanger Steak with Rich Mayonnaise (page 574)
Grilled Home Fries (page 450)
Cherry Jam and Almond Cream Turnover Tari
Prepare the almond cream. Beat the butter, almond paste, and sugar together in a bowl with a mixer or wooden spoon. Add the flour and eggs and beat until smooth and a bit fluffy. (The almond cream can be made ahead and refrigerated for a day or two.)
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Warm the jam enough so that it is easy to spread, either in a small saucepan over medium-low heat or in a bowl in the microwave. Stir in the brandy or a tablespoon of warm water instead.
If the pastry is in one sheet, divide it into 2 equal rectangles. One at a time, roll out the pastry sheets on a floured surface to just fit an ungreased 8 × 10-inch or a 9 × 11-inch baking dish.
Arrange the first pastry sheet in the dish. Spread the almond cream over the pastry. Spread the jam over the almond cream. Place the second pastry sheet over the jam. With a small sharp knife, score the top puff pastry, about halfway through, into the number of pieces (squares or triangles) you would like to make. Brush the top with the melted butter, avoiding the scoring and the very edges, where it could keep the pastry from rising. Sprinkle the top rather liberally with sanding sugar.
Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 375°F and continue baking for 15 to 18 minutes, until the top crust is a deep golden brown and puffed. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing into pieces. Sprinkle a little more sugar over each plate, add a few almonds if you like, and serve.
In numerous barbecue joints, the only dessert offered is a peanut patty or candy bar in a case by the cash register. We take one of those favorite candy bars and put it in this simple buttermilk cake batter for a crunchy toffee- and chocolate-filled down-home delight. The candy, half melted and gooey, tastes quite a bit better to us this way than simply unwrapped and chomped. We prepare this as a sheet cake, perfect for picnics, pot lucks, and any backyard feast.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Serves 12
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, or more to taste
Seven 1.4-ounce Heath Bars or other chocolate-covered toffee candy bars
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten, at room temperature
1½ cups buttermilk, at room temperature
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Preheat the oven to 325°F, placing one of the racks in the lower third of the oven. Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking pan or spray with oil-and-flour baking spray. Sprinkle with the cocoa, dumping out any that doesn’t adhere to the pan.
Supper after Kayaking, Rafting, or Canoeing
Toasted Onion Dip (page 95) with chips
Burgers with Zesty Tomato-Olive Relish (page 150)
Sautéed green beans
Heath Bar Cake
Iced Mint-Green Tea (page 82)
Chop the candy bars coarsely. You want pieces about twice as chunky as chocolate chips and more irregular. Scoop the candy bar chunks into a shallow bowl and stash in the freezer until you need them.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl.
With an electric mixer at high speed, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and beat in the vanilla and then the eggs, drizzling the eggs in steadily. Mix in about a third of the flour mixture at a time, alternating with a third of the buttermilk at a time, stopping as needed to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix after each addition just until combined. Stir in the pecans and half of the cold candy bar chunks. The batter will be thick. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter the remaining candy bar chunks over the batter.
Bake in the lower third of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for at least 45 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle the cake either before or after slicing with additional cocoa if you wish.
The toasty flavor of browned butter and pine nuts always goes well with outdoor meals. Because this cake bakes in a Springform pan and is unfrosted, it’s easy to take along if the party is elsewhere. And if that’s not enough to recommend it, you’ll find it so moist that you can make it a day ahead.
COOKING METHOD | INDOOR KITCHEN
PREPARATION
Makes a 10-inch cake, serving up to 12
3 cups all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup pine nuts, toasted in a dry skillet
¾ pound (5 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
Confectioners’ sugar
Cajeta, dulce de leche, or other store-bought caramel sauce
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch Springform pan.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Grind the pine nuts in a food processor, using short bursts, until uniformly fine-textured. Don’t overprocess.
Brown the butter in a shallow skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until toasty brown and smelling of popped corn, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the butter cool to very warm room temperature, still liquid but viscous. With an electric mixer on high speed, cream the butter with the sugar. (It gets a bit mealy in texture, not quite as fluffy as butter that is simply softened.) Reduce the mixer speed to medium and beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the applesauce. Mix in the flour a third at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides after each addition. Beat in the pine nuts. The batter will be quite thick. Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the top as well as you can.
Bake for about 65 to 70 minutes, until medium brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake for 10 to 15 minutes. Un-mold, first running a knife around the edge of the cake. Cover tightly and store at room temperature if you wish. Otherwise cut into wedges with a serrated knife and serve warm with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and the caramel sauce.