Desserts | Saveur

Apricot Soufflé

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:35:40 +0000

Photography by Linda Xiao; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

This exceptional apricot soufflé recipe comes to us from Café Jacqueline in San Francisco, a cozy bistro that serves homestyle French fare in a chandeliered dining room. Of proprietor Jacqueline Margulis’s many delectable soufflés, this is our favorite, especially come late spring and summer, when fresh apricots are in season. The soufflé will begin to fall the moment it’s pulled from the oven, but any change in appearance won’t affect the taste.

Yield: 4

Time: 45 minutes

Unsalted butter, for greasing
¾ cup heavy cream
¼ cup sugar, plus more for dusting
2¼ tsp. all-purpose flour
5 large fresh apricots, 4 coarsely chopped, 1 thinly sliced
1 tsp. kirsch
4 large room-temperature eggs, separated
⅛ tsp. cream of tartar
Confectioners sugar, for dusting

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Position a rack low enough in the oven to allow the soufflé room to rise as much as 2 inches above the rim. Butter a 6½-inch-diameter soufflé dish, then dust with sugar, tapping out any excess.
To a medium pot over medium heat, add the cream, sugar, flour, and chopped apricots. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking, until thick, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the kirsch. One at a time, whisk in the egg yolks. Spread ¼ cup of the apricot mixture evenly on the bottom of the soufflé dish; set aside the rest.
Using a stand or handheld mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold about one third of the egg whites into the remaining apricot mixture. Repeat, folding in the remaining whites in two batches. (Do not over-mix.) Scrape into the soufflé dish.
Bake until puffed and browned (but still slightly jiggly), 12–15 minutes. Dust generously with confectioners sugar and fan the sliced apricot on top. Serve immediately.

The post Apricot Soufflé appeared first on Saveur.

Tom Roach’s Heavenly Angel Food Cake

Tom Roach — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:30:12 +0000

The late, great American cookbook author Marion Cunningham famously carried with her a photograph of a table loaded with angel food cakes, all slightly different: some tall, some short, some white and fluffy, some in a Bundt shape. The photo was taken at a meeting of the Baker’s Dozen, a group of pro bakers including Alice Medrich and Carol Field who met regularly to exchange problems and solutions. Each of the cakes was baked by the members from the same recipe. “If all our results were this different,” Cunningham sympathized, “think of the plight of the poor home cook.” This recipe in question is this one, from “cookie baker for the stars,” Tom Roach, adapted with a bit of Cunningham’s gentle advice.

This recipe originally ran alongside Christopher Hirsheimer’s 1999 article, Baking Lessons.

Order the SAVEUR Selects Artisan Series Angel Food Cake Pan here.

Yield: 8–10

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

1½ cup sifted cake flour
1½ cup superfine sugar
1½ cup egg whites (from 11–12 large eggs)
1½ tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. fine sea salt

Instructions

Sift and measure flour. Add a third of the sugar and sift together three times. (M.C. prefers 1¼ cups granulated sugar to 1½ cups superfine sugar, which she feels makes the cake too sweet. She sifts the flour by itself and adds sugar directly to the egg whites.)
Place into a large mixing bowl the egg whites, 2 tablespoons cold water, cream of tartar, vanilla, and salt—yes, all at once! Whip until barely stiff enough to hold a peak when the beater is lifted, but not dry. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 2–3 tablespoons at a time, whipping gently after each of the first few additions, then folding rather than beating towards the end. (M.C. sprinkles the sugar into the whites in four parts as she beats, until the whites are shiny and hold soft peaks.)
Add the sifted flour and sugar, 3–4 tablespoons at a time, and fold gently until smooth after each addition. Pour the batter into an ungreased 10 tube pan and bake in a preheated 325°F oven about 1 hour. (M.C. sifts the flour into the egg whites as she’s folding it in.)
Invert the angel food cake and cool completely before removing from pan. (M.C.: Or invert the pan on a bottle until cake cools.)

The post Tom Roach’s Heavenly Angel Food Cake appeared first on Saveur.

Raspberry Blondies with Chocolate and Almonds

Benjamin Kemper — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 18:38:08 +0000

Photography by Linda Xiao; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

Welcome to One Pot Bangers, Benjamin Kemper’s column, where you’ll find our freshest, boldest cooking ideas that require just one pot, bowl, skillet, or sheet pan. Busy week? We’ve got you covered with these low-effort, high-reward recipes from around the globe.

When I’m in charge of dessert but baking is the last thing I feel like doing, these dense and chewy raspberry chocolate blondies always save my skin. Something about the raspberries and almonds puts these bars in fancy-pants territory—even if the batter comes together in a single bowl. Feel free to customize this blondie recipe based on whatever’s lurking in the recesses of your cupboard: White chocolate instead of milk is a no-brainer here, or you can nix the berries and add ½ cup of toasted shredded coconut in their stead.

Yield: 8–10

Time: 40 minutes

7 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled (see footnote), plus more for greasing
1 cup brown sugar, light or dark
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. almond extract
½ tsp. fine salt
1 large egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. baking powder
⅔ cup fresh raspberries
½ cup coarsely chopped toasted almonds
½ cup coarsely chopped milk chocolate, or chocolate chips

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter an 8-by-8-inch baking pan, then line with parchment or foil, leaving a generous overhang on two sides. Butter the parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, almond extract, salt, and egg. Sprinkle the baking powder evenly over the top, whisk to incorporate, then add the flour and whisk until just combined. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold in the raspberries, almonds and chocolate.
Bake until the top is cracked and pale golden brown, 22–26 minutes (do not overbake). Cool in the pan, then (lifting the overhang) transfer to a cutting board and cut into squares as large or as small as you like.

Note: For extra-nutty blondies, melt the butter in a small pot set over medium-high heat. Continue to cook, using a silicone spatula to stir occasionally, until it turns light amber and smells nutty, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and cool to room temperature before using in step 2.

The post Raspberry Blondies with Chocolate and Almonds appeared first on Saveur.

Sour Cherry Crumble

Stacy Adimando — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 13:03:47 +0000

Photography by Brian Klutch

Whether you call it a crisp or a crumble, this easy recipe from Stacy Adimando requires just a baking dish and a few bowls. Delicious right after it cools, sour cherry crumble is arguably even better the next day for breakfast. Using natural cane sugar—which is less refined and slightly coarser—helps keep it from being overly sweet.

Featured in: Sour Cherries Are Summer’s Greatest, Most Fleeting Gift.

Yield: 8

Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the crumb:

1 cup all-purpose flour
¹⁄₂ cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
2 Tbsp. natural cane sugar
¹⁄₂ tsp. ground cinnamon
¹⁄₂ tsp. kosher salt
9 Tbsp. (41/2 oz.) unsalted butter, cut into medium cubes

For filling and serving:

8 cups fresh sour cherries (about 2 lb. 12 oz.)
¼ cup tapioca flour (tapioca starch)
¹⁄₄ cup natural cane sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of ½ small lemon
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch kosher salt
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Instructions

Make the crumb: In a large bowl, mix the flour, both sugars, the cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter and squeeze the mixture firmly and repeatedly with your fingers, scooping up the bits from the bottom of the bowl until the mixture feels moist and comes together in golf-ball-size crumbles. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
When ready to bake, set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Gently pit the cherries, recruiting help as needed, and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the tapioca flour, sugar, vanilla, zest, cinnamon, and salt.
Quickly transfer the cherry mixture to a 10-inch ceramic baking dish or pie plate. Sprinkle the topping evenly on top to cover the cherries, crumbling it into smaller pieces as you go.
Bake on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet until the juices are thickened, syrupy, and bubbling slowly and the top is lightly golden, about 50 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool completely (or nearly). Serve with vanilla ice cream.

The post Sour Cherry Crumble appeared first on Saveur.

Borůvkový Koláč (Blueberry-Poppy Seed Squares)

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:50:07 +0000

Photography by Murray Hall; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

Floral poppy seeds perfume tart fresh blueberries in the filling for borůvkový koláč, a traditional Czech dessert. The seeds must be ground to release their flavor; buy them pre-ground from Kalustyan’s, or grind whole seeds as finely as possible using a spice grinder, blender, meat grinder, or mortar and pestle. Poppy seeds turn rancid quickly, so buy them from a source with reliable turnover, then store whatever’s left in the freezer. When lining the pan with dough in step 1, it may be helpful to use the bottom of a water glass to press it into an even layer.

Featured in “Flower Power,” by Gabriella Gershenson.

Yield: 12

Time: 2 hours

20 Tbsp. softened unsalted butter, divided, plus more for greasing
1½ cups sugar, divided
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting
¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, divided
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1½ cups ground poppy seeds (see headnote)
½ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan. Using a stand or handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat 16 tablespoons of the butter and ½ cup of the sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 2½ cups of the flour and ½ teaspoon of the salt and beat until just combined. Press the dough (see headnote) evenly into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the prepared pan. Chill for 20 minutes, then bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the streusel: In a small bowl, use a fork to combine ¼ cup of the sugar; the vanilla; and remaining butter, flour, and salt until coarse crumbs form.
In a medium pot set over medium-high heat, stir together 3 cups of the berries, the lemon juice, cinnamon, and remaining ¾ cup of sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining berries. Set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the poppy seeds and cream, then use a silicone spatula to spread evenly over the crust. Top with the blueberry mixture, spreading it to the edges, then sprinkle with the streusel. Bake until bubbly and lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.

The post Borůvkový Koláč (Blueberry-Poppy Seed Squares) appeared first on Saveur.

Nell Huffman’s Blueberry Pie

Nell Huffman — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 16:19:05 +0000

Photography by Murray Hall; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

In Alaska, wild blueberries (also called Kyani berries) are picked in the summer and frozen for use throughout the winter, especially in pies. During crunch time just before the Iditarod, locals have been known to resort to commercial crusts; when time allows, we like to make this flaky all-butter crust from scratch. (This pie recipe is a favorite of longtime Takotna, Alaska resident Nell Huffman, and is adapted from The Joy of Blueberries by Theresa Millang.)

Featured in, “Pies and Alaskan Hospitality Along the Iditarod Trail.”

Yield: makes one 9-inch pie

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Dough for two prepared pie crusts, homemade or store-bought
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling the dough
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. kosher salt
6 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 Tbsp. whole milk
1 large egg yolk
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400°F.
About 15 minutes before rolling out the pie dough, remove it from the refrigerator to soften slightly. Lightly flour a clean work surface and a rolling pin. Roll out one of the pieces of dough into an even, ¼-inch-thick circle, then carefully lift the dough into a 9-inch aluminum or glass pie plate. Use a sharp knife to trim the edges, leaving 1 inch of overhang all the way around.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the blueberries and vanilla and toss well to coat, then transfer the filling to the pie shell, mounding the berries slightly in the center. Dot the surface of the berries with the butter.
Once again, lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll out the second piece of dough into an even, ¼-inch-thick circle, then carefully lift the dough and place it over the berry mixture. Use a sharp knife to trim the edges, leaving about 1½ inches of overhang all the way around, then tuck the edges of the top crust under the edges of the bottom crust. Pinch the edges together decoratively to seal, or use the tines of a fork to crimp all the way around. Using the tip of a paring knife, make 6–8 slits on the surface of the crust to vent. Place the pie in the freezer just until the crust is firm, about 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg yolk. Brush the surface of the pie crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using. Place the pie on a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake until the crust is set and just beginning to brown, 20–25 minutes. Turn the temperature to 350°F and continue baking until the crust is evenly golden brown and the juices are bubbling and thickened, 30–40 minutes more for fresh berries or 60–70 minutes more for frozen. (If the edges begin to darken before the filling has thickened, cover them with strips of aluminum foil to finish baking.) Cool to room temperature before cutting into slices and serving.

The post Nell Huffman’s Blueberry Pie appeared first on Saveur.

Blueberry Pie Milkshake

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:31:35 +0000

Photography by Murray Hall; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

There’s nothing better than blueberry pie a la mode—except, perhaps, for the blueberry pie milk shake at Hamburg Inn No. 2 in Iowa City, Iowa. It’s exactly what it sounds like: A scoop of vanilla ice cream and a hefty slice of pie go into the blender together, and out comes the ultimate dessert, a creamy shake with buttery crumbles of pie crust and ribbons of gorgeous fruit filling throughout.

This recipe first appeared in the 2013 edition of the SAVEUR 100.

Yield: makes 1 shake

One 3 in.-slice blueberry pie
10 oz. vanilla ice cream, softened
Whipped cream, for serving
Maraschino cherry, for serving

Instructions

To a blender, add the pie and ice cream and blend until smooth. Pour into a tall glass. Garnish with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry and serve immediately.

The post Blueberry Pie Milkshake appeared first on Saveur.

Wild Blueberry Tart

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:50:18 +0000

Photography by Murray Hall; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

A woman from a family in North Haven, Maine gave this recipe to Nancy Harmon Jenkins and told her the story of the recipe’s origins: A Swedish au pair named Lotta came to Maine and fell in love with either the father or the eldest son of the host family (that particular detail was lost to time). Lotta was promptly sent back to Sweden but left behind this elegant open-topped wild blueberry tart recipe. Look for the tiny, sweet wild berries at your local grocery store (Wyman’s is a popular brand), or online, or substitute regular blueberries. Glazing the tart (see step 5) is an optional step that makes the dessert all the more stunning.

Yield: 8

1 cup rolled oats
1⁄4 cup finely chopped blanched almonds or walnuts
14 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1⁄2 cup plus 3 Tbsp. sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch fine salt
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
3½ cups blueberries, preferably wild
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1⁄4 cup red currant jelly or strawberry or raspberry jam (optional)
Whipped cream and vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

Instructions

To a food processor, add the rolled oats and pulse to the texture of flour, 5–6 pulses. Add the chopped nuts and process until the mixture resembles coarse sand, 5–6 pulses more.
Using a stand or handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and ½ cup of the sugar until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Add the oat mixture and flour and, using your hands, mix to form a shaggy dough. Transfer to an unfloured work surface, shape into a flat disk, then press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of a 10½-inch tart pan. Run a knife over the perimeter of the pan to trim any overhanging dough, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Bake until the crust is lightly golden and risen slightly, 12–15 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the blueberries with the cornstarch, lemon zest, and remaining sugar. Using a fork, lightly mash about an eighth of the berries. Scrape into the baked crust, using a silicone spatula or spoon to flatten the top, then bake until the blueberries are bubbling, about 25 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
To a small pot set over medium-low heat, add the jelly (if using) and cook until it’s pourable, 3–5 minutes. Using a pastry brush, paint the top of the tart with the jelly. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, then serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

The post Wild Blueberry Tart appeared first on Saveur.

Strawberries with Wine

José Andrés — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:29:15 +0000

Photography by Murray Hall; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

This strawberries with wine recipe from chef José Andrés makes the perfect end to an evening of grilling. Red wine is reduced with spices and bright citrus zest, then drizzled over fresh strawberries, ice cream, and grilled bread to make this simple, delicious dessert.

Featured in, “Menu: Chef José Andrés’ Fourth of July.”

Yield: 4

Time: 40 minutes

2 cups red wine
¹⁄₄ cup sugar
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
Freshly ground black pepper
4 (¾-in. thick) slices white country bread
¹⁄₄ cup olive oil
1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Mint leaves, for garnish

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, stir together the wine, sugar, bay leaf, cinnamon, lemon zest, orange zest, and black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to approximately ⅓ cup, about 30 minutes. Set a fine sieve over a medium bowl and pour in the sauce; keep warm.
Light a grill. Brush the bread with the olive oil and place on the grates; grill, turning once, until charred on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes.
To serve, divide the toast among 4 plates and top each with a scoop of ice cream and some of the strawberries. Drizzle the wine syrup over the berries, and garnish with mint. Serve immediately.

The post Strawberries with Wine appeared first on Saveur.

Strawberry Jam

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:21:16 +0000

Photography by Murray Hall; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

Preserve the flavor of fresh berries with this strawberry jam recipe—perfect for spreading on toast, stuffing into breakfast tarts, and swirling into summery desserts.

Yield: makes 2 pints

5 cups fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
4 cups sugar
1 (1.75 oz.) box pectin

Instructions

In a large bowl, use a potato masher to lightly crush the strawberries. Stir in the sugar and set aside to macerate for 30 minutes.
To a small pot set over high heat, bring the pectin and ¾ cup of water to a boil. Boil, stirring continuously, until it thickly coats the back of a spoon, about 1 minute. Pour into the bowl with the strawberries and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Into sterilized jars, pour the jam to reach ½ inch below the rims. Seal with lids and set aside to set, 6–10 hours. (The jam will keep, refrigerated, for up to 3 weeks after opening.)

The post Strawberry Jam appeared first on Saveur.