Category Archives: Dessert

Ruby-Studded Meringue Buttons

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These little meringue buttons studded with cranberry and cherry “rubies” and slivered almonds are light as air. They make gorgeous gifts, and are great as little nibbles amid the rich fare of the holidays.

ruby-studded-meringue-recipe

8 large egg whites, at room temperature
Sea salt
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup dried cherries and cranberries, finely chopped
1/2 cup blanched and slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Preheat oven to 175 degrees F and arrange racks in top and bottom thirds of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

In a clean metal bowl, beat egg whites and a pinch of salt in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment on high speed (or use a handheld mixer fitted with whisk attachments) to just beyond when they hold soft peaks (about a minute). Add sugar gradually, continuing to beat until all the sugar is incorporated and the mixture makes stiff peaks. Add the almond extract and continue beating a bit longer until peaks turn shiny. Total beating time will be about 2-1/2 minutes.

Scoop mixture into a pastry bag (you may have to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your pastry bag) fitted with a mid-sized fluted tip and pipe 1-inch mounds, leaving a finger-width of space in between each. Continue piping until mixture is used up and both sheets are filled.

Carefully sprinkle the fruit and almonds onto the meringues. Bake for 2 hours, swapping the cookie sheets half way through. Turn off the oven and let the meringues cool in the oven for 30 minutes.

Makes 100

Chocolate Chip-Candied Bacon Cookies

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Bacon cookies? Yep! Chopped Candied Bacon adds little nuggets of smoky-savory sweetness to a classic chocolate chip cookie. I use a combo of all-purpose and whole wheat pastry flour (you can find it in most supermarkets) for a little nutritional virtue. But, truth is, these bacon cookies are all about indulgence.  I like the richness of dark chocolate chips, but semisweet or milk chocolate would be just as delicious. For a really down-home treat, use a mix of chocolate and peanut butter chips. This is a recipe that invites your innovation.

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Boozy Orange-Pecan Truffles

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by Jacqueline Church

One of my favorite desserts to make during the holidays is Chocolate Truffles. They’re super easy and freeze beautifully which means you can make them well-ahead. This version features three flavors perfect for the Thanksgiving table—orange, bourbon and pecan—and packs a lot of pleasure in just a few bites.

pecan-orange-truffles-recipe
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (roughly 55% cacao)
2 oz dark chocolate (over 65% cacao, depending on your taste)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped toasted pecans
1/2 cup rice cereal (like Barbara’s Brown Rice Crispies)
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
3 tbsp bourbon

For toppings (you’ll need about 1/2 cup total):

  • Dark chocolate cocoa
  • Powdered sugar
  • Finely chopped toasted pecans

Fill a medium saucepan a third of the way full with water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to maintain a vigorous simmer. Place chocolate and butter in a metal bowl bigger than the mouth of the saucepan and rest it on top of the pot. Melt the chocolate, stirring constantly, until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Take chocolate off heat and mix in pecans, cereal, orange zest and bourbon. Place bowl in freezer for 45 minutes, until mixture has firmed up enough to scoop.

Line baking sheet with foil. Scoop a teaspoon of truffle mixture, roll it quickly in the palm of your hands to smooth it into a ball, and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the mixture for a total of roughly 30 truffles. Transfer baking sheet to the freezer and freeze for 30 minutes.

Spread toppings out on three separate plates. Using a fork, roll one truffle at a time through a topping to coat and shake off excess before transferring to a serving platter or back to the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining truffles with your choice of toppings.

Makes 30 truffles (Serving size, 2 truffles)

Cookies and Cream

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Cookies and Cream is our spin on a classic ice cream sandwich. These oatmeal cookies are thin and chewy. Sandwiching a scoop of ice cream between them makes for a crumbly mess. But trust me, you won’t mind. Use whatever flavor ice cream (or frozen yogurt) you choose . . . with the more virtuous versions, this healthy dessert still comes in at under 200 calories.

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Mini Dark Chocolate Puddings with Chocolate Shavings

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Recipe and photo by Cheryl Sternman Rule

These mini chocolate puddings are proof that good things come in small packages. Most kitchenware stores have inexpensive ramekins in varying sizes, so grab a few 2-ouncers the next time you’re out.  This dessert comes together in less than 15 minutes.

mini-chocolate-pudding-recipe1 ounce 70% dark chocolate
1 large egg
3 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Pinch salt
1 cup 2% milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using a large, heavy knife, “shave” the chocolate into fine shreds by slicing downward at an angle onto your cutting board. Set aside.

Whisk egg in a heavy medium bowl until yolk and white have completely combined.

In a medium saucepan off-heat, whisk brown sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt.  Slowly dribble in milk, whisking all the while. (Mixture may have undissolved bumps.)

Set saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. As pudding cooks, use a heatproof spatula to make figure eights along the pan’s bottom, sweeping the sides occasionally as you stir.  Once it you get a genuine boil, reduce the heat slightly to prevent scorching, but allow to bubble steadily for 2 minutes. Stir constantly with heatproof spatula.

Remove from heat and spoon about 1/4 of mixture atop the beaten egg, whisking egg vigorously as you add the chocolate mixture. Scrape tempered egg mixture back into saucepan, set over low heat, and cook, stirring constantly, for another minute (be gentle with the heat; you don’t want scrambled eggs).

Remove pudding from heat and stir in vanilla and 3/4 of shaved chocolate. Divide among ramekins.

To serve, sprinkle with remaining shaved chocolate.  Enjoy warm, at room temp or cold (cover and refrigerate if waiting for later).

Makes 4 [2-ounce] servings

Chocolate Crostini with Orange Zest and Sea Salt

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I’m of the notion that a simple square of good dark chocolate is a treat in and of itself. But if you feel like dressing it up a bit, this is an easy, elegant way to do it.

chocolate-crostini-with-orange-zest-and-sea-salt

3 ounces dark chocolate
1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, plus additional for garnish
1/4 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 thin baguette slices, toasted
medium-coarse sea salt

Melt the chocolate with the orange zest and olive oil in a small, heavy-bottom pot over ultra-low heat (if you’re a double boiler-lover, feel free to use one here), swirling it around occasionally. Give it all a good stir once it’s super soft but not completely melted, and take it off the heat.

Spread chocolate mixture on baguette slices and sprinkle with a generous pinch of sea salt. Garnish with long, thin strips of orange zest if you like.

Makes 12 crostini

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crostata

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One of my mom’s springtime standards is strawberry-rhubarb pie. Here’s my take in a rustic crostata–a type of free-form tart. In any form, rhubarb’s tart taste is a perfect foil to sweet strawberries.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crostata

 

1-1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose unbleached flour, divided
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated shortening (like Spectrum Organic)
1/4 cup ice water, as needed
1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch chunks with any ‘stringiness’ peeled off and discarded
1 pint strawberries, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Pulse together 1-1/2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a food processor. Pulse in butter and shortening, adding ice water by tablespoons as needed, until mixture comes together and there are still a few lumps of butter. Form dough into a ball, then flatten into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough into a 12-inch circle (dough should be between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick) on parchment paper.

Mix together rhubarb, strawberries, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon flour and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Mound on dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the edge. Fold up the edge and crimp as you go along so that the edges stay up and are well-secured. Ease crostata, still on the parchment paper, onto a cookie sheet and bake 40 minutes, removing  parchment paper after the first 15 minutes. Dough should be golden-brown and the fruit bubbly and syrupy. Let cool before serving.

Serves 8