The cultivated blueberries we enjoy today are much larger and more plump than their wild cousins. Great for eating out of hand, they are also the perfect berry for using in our baking as heat turns them soft and sweet. Besides pies, tarts, cakes, and muffins, blueberries (fresh or frozen) are wonderful when used in these Blueberry Streusel Scones. The only thing to remember is to gently fold the berries into the dough to prevent them from being crushed. Now, if you are using frozen blueberries (do not thaw first) do not be surprised if the dough has streaks of blue, as frozen berries always bleed a little no matter how gentle you are when folding them into the dough (as you can see in the above picture).

Most of the time scones are simply brushed with a little cream or an egg wash before baking. For Blueberry Streusel Scones, however, we are going to do something a little different by sprinkling each scone with a cinnamon flavored streusel. The streusel gives the scones a nice crunch and the added sweetness balances the slight tanginess of the berries. Streusel is a crumbly topping made from a mixture of butter, flour, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. The word ’streusel’ comes from the German word ’streuen’ which means ‘to sprinkle’ or ‘to scatter’. Streusel was originally used as a topping for the German-made ‘Streusel Kuchen’ but is now used as a topping for cakes, coffee cakes, Danish pastries, muffins, pies, sweet breads, crisps, and tarts.

Chocolate Pudding lovers take notice. This Chocolate Pie recipe takes a velvety smooth chocolate pudding and combines it with a sweet and grainy graham cracker crust. And if that weren’t enough, it is garnished with lightly sweetened whipped cream. Absolutely delicious and the ultimate in comfort food.

There are many types of crusts that would go wonderfully with this chocolate filling, but my favorite is a graham cracker crust. An added bonus, besides its great flavor and texture, is that it is the simplest of all the pie crusts to make. All you do is stir together graham cracker crumbs, a little sugar, and melted butter. Then, press it into a pie pan and place it in the refrigerator to chill.

While the crust is chilling, the chocolate filling is made. This filling uses both Dutch-processed cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate, which gives it a deep chocolate flavor. It is really a pudding, which is like making a ‘cooked’ custard. The only real difference between this chocolate filling and a custard is that you add cornstarch (corn flour) and this is done to make it nice and thick. The danger zone is cooking it over too high a heat causing lumps or even worse, scorching. To avoid these pitfalls use a heavy bottomed saucepan and cook it over medium low heat, stirring constantly with a large heatproof rubber spatula. Make sure when stirring you reach the bottom, sides and corners of the saucepan to prevent the filling from sticking and scorching.

As you cook the filling it may look lumpy but if you stir quickly the lumps should smooth out. Once the filling has become thick, like mayonnaise, remove immediately from the heat. Straining the filling will help get rid of any lumps that may have formed. Once you have added the chopped chocolate, vanilla and butter avoid over mixing the ingredients as the filling is quite fragile at this stage. The filling needs to be cooled to room temperature, and then it is poured into the graham cracker crust, covered, and chilled overnight.

The next day the whipped cream topping is added and it is ready to serve. If not serving immediately, cover and store in the refrigerator. I prefer whipped cream which is made from the cream (fat) that rises to the top of whole milk. It has a smooth, satiny texture and is labeled according to its butterfat content (heavy to light). The best cream to use for this pie is “Heavy” Cream or Heavy “Whipping” Cream which means it has a 36 – 40% butterfat that will double in volume when whipped and hold its form. Because of its superior flavor, I recommend using an organic brand of heavy whipping cream.

If you are trying to eat healthier, adding more fiber to your diet and reducing total fat is a good place to start. These moist and flavorful Blueberry Bran Muffins do both of these things, as they contain whole wheat flour and bran and to reduce the fat we add just two tablespoons of canola oil. This excellent recipe is from Bonnie Stern’s “More Heart Smart Cooking with Bonnie Stern” which is written in conjunction with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

Although we could use just whole wheat flour in these muffins, this recipe combines whole wheat and white all purpose, which gives the muffins a lighter texture with more rise than if we had used just whole wheat flour. These bran muffins also differ from most in that we are using unprocessed wheat bran instead of a commercially made bran cereal. I do this because unprocessed wheat bran is so much cheaper than commercial bran cereals and it is now readily available in most grocery stores (often in the organic food section) or else in health food stores

Normally, when you bite into a bran muffin you find raisins. Bonnie Stern made a nice change by adding blueberries. Blueberries are what we now call a ’super’ food. Leanne Kitchen in “The Produce Bible” tells us these sweet deep indigo blue berries contain “cholesterol lowering compounds, antioxidants, Vitamin C, potassium, folate, and dietary fiber. It is even thought that their consumption can have anti-aging effects.” In this recipe you can use either fresh or frozen blueberries. If using fresh, look for blueberries that are firm, plump, fragrant, and are covered with a dusty white bloom. The white bloom is the blueberry’s natural protection against the sun and is a sign of freshness. And be sure to check the underside of the container for any wet spots or staining. If using frozen, do not thaw before adding them to the batter. Fold the blueberries gently into the batter so they do not crush and end up staining the whole batter blue.

Fruit Salad makes the perfect ending to any meal. Low in calories and fat, high in nutrition and flavor, it makes an easy weekday dessert. There are two ways to make a fruit salad; one is to just sweeten the fruit with a little sugar and maybe a splash of lemon juice and liqueur. The second way, done here, is to macerate all the glistening fruit in a lemon
flavored sugar syrup. A sugar syrup, also called a simple syrup, is just a boiled mixture of sugar and water that is often used to soak cakes and pastries.

But did you know that it can also be used to soften and sweeten fresh or dried fruits? I like to flavor the syrup with a vanilla bean and lemon, but other ideas are to flavor the syrup with orange juice, liqueurs, a cinnamon stick, lavender, chopped fresh mint, or even a few whole cloves. The lemon flavor in this syrup comes from freshly squeezed lemon juice and Limoncello, which is an Italian lemon liqueur made from lemon rinds. It is easily spotted for it is bright yellow in color and comes in a tall thin bottle. Delicious, also, when served ice cold as an after dinner drink

Roger Verge in his book Cooking with Fruit tells us that “a successful (fruit) salad has everything to seduce you: the lush flavors of cut fresh fruit, the explosive colors of the exposed flesh, and the contrasting soft and crunchy textures that tickle the palate.” From his lovely description you know that the fruits you use, and their quality, are very important to how flavorful your salad will taste. Summer does offer the widest selection of fruit (all kinds of berries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, and plums), but even in the dead of winter there are fruits like apples, oranges, pears, pineapple, seedless grapes, kiwi, and bananas to choose from. And don’t forget about adding dried fruits, as dried figs, cranberries, cherries, apricots, and raisins add both color and flavor to fruit salads.

It is best to cut large fruits, like apples, pears, and peaches, into bite size chunks or wedges. Cantaloupe and honeydew can be cut into pretty round balls with a tool called a melon ball scoop. If using oranges or grapefruit, remove the rind and the inner white pith as it can be quite bitter tasting. The fruit then needs to be separated into sections and all the seeds removed. Do this over a bowl to catch any juices. The salad can be made several hours in advance of serving and kept in the refrigerator. You can serve the fruit salad cold or at room temperature. Softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream make nice accompaniments as do shortbread cookies.

Spring is harvest time for strawberries and rhubarb and there is no better way to celebrate the arrival of these two fruits than in a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. While at first glance they may seem an unlikely pair, they really do go wonderfully together, with the sweetness of the strawberries balancing the tartness of the rhubarb. I love the look of this pie too, with its golden brown lattice crust that lets us have a peak at the glistening fruit beneath.

Aah Pies. How we love them. Whether eaten plain, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or dollop of whipped cream, they are the quintessential American dessert. Yet, despite our love for them, we tend to shy away from making them at home. I think the problem lies in making homemade pastry. I must admit, making pastry does take a little practice, but once you master it, you are set forever. So for the novice, start by using a store bought pie crust. Then, as your confidence grows, try this recipe for Pate Brisee (a short crust pastry) recipe, which has a wonderful buttery flavor and crumbly texture. It is easily made in the food processor, just remember that the butter and the water need to be very cold. Once made, the pastry must be chilled until firm.

The tricky part is rolling out the pastry. In order for it to roll out smoothly, without it sticking to the counter or tearing, it has to be at the right temperature. Too cold (it will tear), too warm (it will stick). This “feel” for the dough will come with practice, so don’t get discouraged if you have some trouble at first. If the rolled out pastry tears a little as you put it into the pie plate, just patch it. Now, the top crust of a Strawberry Rhubarb pie has a lattice design which is made by cutting the pastry into strips. Then the strips are laid evenly over the pie, half the strips in one direction and half in the other, then the top strips are weaved over and under the bottom strips. This makes a beautiful lattice design which also serves the purpose of allowing the bubbling fruit juices underneath the crust to evaporate. This is particularly good when using a fruit(s) that is quite juicy, like strawberries.

Lastly, the filling consists of strawberries and rhubarb, with a little sugar
for sweetness, a touch of ground cinnamon for flavor, cornstarch for thickening, and a little butter. Since strawberries contain so much water, and they do shrink during baking, cut them into fairly large chunks. Rhubarb, on the other hand, should be cut into one half inch (1.5 cm) chunks and it does not need to be peeled.

Once the pie is baked there is always the temptation to cut into it right away. Resist if you can. Fruit pies need several hours to set so that when you cut into them the fruit is juicy but these juices will not run. Excellent plain but even better with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Berry Shortcake is similar to Strawberry Shortcake, only raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries are used along with the strawberries. There are three parts to this Berry Shortcake; a scone (or biscuit), lightly sweetened berries, and softly whipped cream. Although each component can be made beforehand, it is best to assemble this dessert just before serving.

The first thing we need to do is to make the scone. For this recipe we are making one large cream scone that is baked in a cake pan. When making scones be sure to have the butter cold, to add the liquid to the dry ingredients all at once, and then to mix everything together quickly and lightly. Following these simple instructions will result in a buttery scone with a tender and flaky crumb that absorbs all the sweet juices released by the berries.

Next, the berries, which need to be in season for maximum flavor. Look for strawberries that are bright red, plump, and firm, with no white or green “shoulders” at the stem end. The green leaf-like cap or hull should still be attached and it should not be brown or wilted. Raspberries should be a deep red color, and plump and juicy without their cores attached. If the cores are still attached the raspberries were picked too early and will be sour. Blackberries should be black, firm, plump, without their stems attached. If the stems are still attached the blackberries will be sour. Blueberries should be firm, plump, fragrant, and dark blue with a dusty white bloom. The white bloom is the blueberry’s natural protection against the sun and is a sign of freshness.

No matter what the berry, there should be no soft spots, bruising or mildew. Always check the underside of the containers to make sure there are no squashed berries or juice (sign of overripe berries). If not using immediately store in a single layer on a paper towel-lined tray in the refrigerator for a couple of days. About an hour before assembling the shortcake; lightly wash the berries, removing the stems from the strawberries. Then cut or slice the strawberries into bite size pieces, place about half of the strawberries in a large bowl, and crush them with a potato masher or fork. Add the remaining sliced strawberries, along with the other berries and sugar. Set aside to macerate at room temperature for about 30 to 60 minutes as this will soften the berries and allow their juices to be released.

And finally, the Cream. Cream is the fat that rises to the top of whole milk. It has a smooth, satiny texture and is labeled according to its butterfat content (heavy to light). The best cream to use for this Berry Shortcake is Heavy Cream or Heavy “Whipping” Cream which means it has a 36 – 40% butterfat that will double in volume when whipped and hold its form. Because of its superior flavor, I recommend using an organic brand of heavy whipping cream. The recipe given here will let you make the whipped cream several hours in advance of serving.

A Strawberry Shortcake has the classic combination of biscuit, fresh strawberries and cream, that never fails to delight. This is casual food at its best, and it is what we love to eat during the summer months at backyard barbecues and other informal gatherings. The beauty of this dessert is while it does need to be assembled shortly before serving, each component can be made beforehand.

A good Shortcake starts with a cream scone. The perfect scone has a crisp exterior with an interior that is light and fluffy with a rich buttery flavor. A few things to keep in mind when making scones; always have the butter cold, add the liquid to the dry ingredients all at once, and mix everything together quickly and lightly. Of course, having the scones come out of the oven shortly before assembling the Shortcake would be ideal, but not very practical for most cooks. So, my advise is to make the scones the day they are going to be served and if you want warm scones, simply reheat.

Next, the strawberries. Always buy strawberries when they are in season. Look for ones that are bright red, plump, and firm, with no white or green “shoulders” at the stem end. The green leaf-like cap or hull should still be attached and it should not be brown or wilted. There should be no soft spots, bruising or mildew. Always check the underside of the container to make sure there are no squashed berries or juice (sign of overripe berries). If not using immediately store in a single layer on a paper towel-lined tray in the refrigerator for a couple of days. About an hour before assembling the shortcakes, remove the stems from the berries and lightly wash them (do not soak). Cut or slice the berries into bite size pieces and place about one third of the strawberries in a large bowl and crush them with a potato masher or fork. Add the remaining sliced strawberries, along with the sugar. Set aside to macerate at room temperature for about 30 to 60 minutes as this will soften the berries and allow them to release some of their juices.

And finally, the Cream. Cream is the fat that rises to the top of whole milk. It has a smooth, satiny texture and is labeled according to its butterfat content (heavy to light). When making Shortcake use ‘Heavy’ Cream or Heavy ‘Whipping’ Cream which means it has a 36 – 40% butterfat that will double in volume when whipped and hold its form. Because of its superior flavor, I recommend using an organic brand of heavy whipping cream. My directions for whipping the cream are slightly different from most recipes. You need to first mix together and chill the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar before whipping. This method will let you store the whipped cream in the refrigerator for several hours without it deflating.

For some reason a Chocolate Pavlova does not garner the attention of a regular Pavlova. I hope to change that with this recipe. Although it still has that wonderful crispy crust of a regular Pavlova, and the inside still has the texture of a soft marshmallow, what is different is that it has a lovely chocolate flavor and color. This comes from adding both cocoa powder and chopped semisweet chocolate to the traditional Pavlova recipe.

A Pavlova belongs to the meringue family but it is an unusual meringue in that a little cornstarch (corn flour) and vinegar are added to the beaten egg whites and sugar. It is important when making any meringue that the egg whites reach maximum volume, so make sure your mixing bowl and whisk are clean and free of grease. Since we need just the whites of the eggs, the eggs will need to be separated. It is easier to do this while the eggs are still cold. Once separated, cover the egg whites and let them come to room temperature before using (about 30 minutes). Cover and refrigerate the egg yolks for another use. I like to use superfine sugar (castor) when making this meringue as it dissolves faster into the egg whites than regular granulated white sugar. You can make your own by processing 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar in your food processor until very fine, about 30 – 60 seconds. Once the egg whites and sugar form stiff peaks it is time to gently fold in the cornstarch, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, vinegar, and chopped chocolate.

You may want to serve the Pavlova the way many Australians do, and that is to turn the Pavlova upside down on the serving plate. This has the advantage of keeping the base of the Pavlova nice and crisp. Passion fruit is the traditional fruit to serve with a Pavlova probably because it is grown in both Australia and New Zealand, where the Pavlova was invented. Unfortunately, here in North America, passion fruit is hard to find and if you can find it, it is very expensive. So a great alternative is to use berries like raspberries, blackberries, and even strawberries. If I can I also like to add slices of kiwi fruit as its acidity pairs nicely with the sweet meringue and cream. While you can make the Pavlova a day or two before serving, once you top it with the cream and berries, it must be served immediately.

I have been remiss. I live in the State of Georgia, known as the Peach State, and I am just now adding a recipe for a Peach Cobbler. My only excuse is that peaches taste so wonderfully sweet and juicy that most of the time we eat them just as they are, before I have a chance to use them in my favorite peach dessert, a cobbler. A cobbler belongs to the family of old fashioned homespun desserts that have interesting names like crisps, crumbles, slumps, grunts, brown bettys, and pandowdys.

What they all have in common, besides their funny names, is their thick bubbling layer of juicy sweet fruit covered with a crust. The crust does vary by dessert, and for a cobbler we use a biscuit dough, that can be either dropped by spoonfuls on top of the fruit, or it can be rolled and cut into biscuits before placing on the fruit. Either way, you end up with beautiful mounds of golden brown biscuits that are crisp on the outside and soft and flaky on the inside. Some say the biscuits look like cobblestones, which may be where the name “cobbler” comes from. The other theory is that “cobbler” comes from the expression “cobble up” which means to put together in a hurry.

Of course, the peaches that lie underneath the crust must be of excellent quality, so make this dessert in the summer, when peaches are in season. There are two types of peaches, ‘Clingstone’ and ‘Freestone’, with many varieties within each classification. The names (Clingstone and Freestone) refer to how easily the flesh of the peach separates from its stone. The Clingstone (available in late spring/early summer), is exactly that, the flesh clings stubbornly to the central stone or pit. Freestones (available late summer), on the other hand, have a flesh that is easily separated from the stone. I bring this up because how the stone is removed depends on the type of peach. For Freestones, all you need to do is cut the peach in half, and you can easily pull the stone from the fruit. Simple enough, but the Clingstone is different. I find it easier to just cut the flesh from around the stone, not even bothering to cut the peach in half.

Eton Mess is a delicious combination of fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and meringue cookies. Its name “Eton Mess” pays tribute not only to the place where it was invented, Eton College (which is one of Britain’s most famous public schools whose alumni includes 18 Prime Minister’s of Great Britain), but also to the fact that the cream, strawberries and broken meringue cookies are all just mixed together in one big bowl that looks, frankly, like a bit of a mess.

This is a very simple dessert that needs to be assembled just before serving so the pieces of meringue stay nice and crisp. Luckily, though, there are only three ingredients involved and most of the prep work can be done in advance. For starters, the meringue cookies can be store bought or if you prefer making your own, as I do, than they can be made several days beforehand. Next, the cream can be whipped several hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator, and the strawberries can be cut and sweetened about an hour in advance.

Summer is the time for berries. The English are correct in saying that the best way to eat fresh berries is with cream. So that is what we have done with these Berry Parfaits. Four of our most popular summer berries; strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries are lightly sweetened and then layered with a rich and creamy topping made with heavy whipping cream and Mascarpone Cheese.

The first step in making Berry Parfaits is to combine the berries with a little sugar, which sweetens the berries and allows them to soften and release their juices. (Although I have used fresh berries for these Parfaits, feel free to use any combination of fresh berries and/or fresh fruit.) Once the berries have started to release their juices, after about 30 minutes, we begin layering our parfaits. You can use long stem wine glasses, water glasses or any pretty glass. Also, you can make these Berry Parfaits as big or as small as you please, so use this recipe as a guide only. As I mentioned above, the ‘cream’ part of the recipe combines heavy whipping cream with Mascarpone Cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract. (Mascarpone Cheese (pronounced mas-kahr-POH-nay) is a thick, buttery-rich, delicately sweet and velvety, ivory-colored cheese is produced from cow’s milk.

It’s texture is similar to that of sour cream and it is sold in plastic 8-ounce tubs that you can usually find it in specialty food stores and in the deli section of your local grocery store. But if you cannot find Mascarpone a good substitute would be regular cream cheese.) Then we simply place a scoopful of berries in each glass, followed by a dollop of cream and repeat the layers. If you have fresh mint on hand you can decorate each glass with a sprig and, if not serving immediately, cover and place in the refrigerator until serving time. Try to remove this dessert from the fridge about 15 minutes before serving as berries are always at their best when served at room temperature.

I don’t really remember how it began but the tradition of making this pie for breakfast on holidays, but it is now firmly established within my family. It is an excellent breakfast or brunch dish with its puff pastry crust layered with ham and eggs. Using frozen store bought puff pastry makes this dish a snap to put together. All you need to remember is to remove the puff pastry from the freezer about one hour before preparing.

Coming up with a great breakfast or brunch dish can be a challenge. One nice dish that doesn’t get a lot of attention these days is homemade popovers. Popovers start with a simple batter made with eggs, flour, milk, and butter that is like the batters used to make Yorkshire Pudding, Dutch Babies, and even Pancakes. Although we normally think of popovers as muffin-sized, for this recipe we are going to make one large billowing popover that is light and tasty with a crisp golden brown outside crust and a soft moist interior.

Looking at this recipe you immediately know it is not a normal popover. What makes it so different, other than its size, is that it starts with a layer of lightly sweetened sauteed apples. The sauteed apples are placed on the bottom of your pan and then the popover batter, made in your blender or food processor, is poured over the top. It is then placed in a very hot oven and as the batter bakes it puffs up and eventually turns a beautiful golden brown color. While the outside of the popover becomes nice and crispy, you will find that the inside remains soft and custard-like. It is important, though, not to open the oven door while it is baking, as the batter may collapse. This dish needs to be served immediately after baking and with a dusting of confectioners sugar and a dollop of softly whipped cream, it is a real crowd pleaser.

If I was going to be stranded on a desert island, and could take only one candy, Rocky Road would be my choice. I know that Rocky Road can mean different things to different people, depending on where you live, but for me it is white chunks of soft and spongy marshmallow together with crunchy peanuts, all enrobed in a silky smooth dark chocolate.

Rocky Road in its simplest form is folding store bought miniature marshmallows, along with chopped nuts (peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, or almonds), into melted chocolate. While this Rocky Road looks and tastes pretty good, to make it even better, David Lebovitz in his book The Great Book of Chocolate has two suggestions. One is to temper the chocolate and the other is to use homemade marshmallows. So what is tempered chocolate and why do we need it for our Rocky Road? I will try to explain, not so much the science of it, but the process of making it. First, when you buy good dark chocolate have you noticed that it is nice and shiny, dry to the touch, with a hard and brittle surface which “snaps” when you break it? This is what we call “tempered” chocolate and, unfortunately, once chocolate is melted it loses these characteristics.

While it is still great tasting, and you can use this melted chocolate for making Rocky Road, as the chocolate dries it will no longer have that lovely shine and brittle dry texture. Instead it will look dull and, with time, gray streaks will appear (called bloom), and its texture will be a slightly soft with an almost greasy feeling. So, if we want our Rocky Road to be shiny, dry to the touch, with a nice crunch when you bite into it, then we need to bring it back to its tempered state before adding the marshmallows and peanuts. Tempering involves a three step process, melting the chocolate, cooling the chocolate, and reheating the chocolate.

Chocoholics Beware. One spoonful of this Chocolate Mousse and you will be hooked forever. It is what I call a grown up chocolate pudding. A simple yet elegant dessert. While it uses only a few ingredients, chocolate, eggs, butter, vanilla, and heavy cream, its chocolate flavor is rich and its silky smooth texture is airy, almost foamy. And foamy is an apt description as “mousse” is French for ‘froth’ or ‘foam’.

Now, there are chocolate mousse recipes that simply involve folding whipped cream into melted chocolate. Good, yes, but to make a sublime chocolate mousse with a lovely “mouth-feel”, you also need egg yolks, whipped egg whites, and whipped heavy cream. Since there are so few ingredients in a chocolate mousse, the chocolate you pick is very important. Use a good quality semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate that you enjoy eating out of hand. My personal preference is a semi sweet chocolate with at least 61% cocao. When choosing a chocolate, always look for one that has a lovely shiny finish (a sign that the chocolate was cooked at the right temperature for the right amount of time) and one that has that wonderful ’snap’ when you break it into pieces.

A chocolate mousse is quite easy to make and involves no cooking. You only need three bowls, one for melting the chocolate and butter, the second for whipping the egg whites, and the third for whipping the heavy cream. (Note: We are using raw egg yolks and whites so the eggs should be very fresh with no cracks in the shell, and if you are worried about salmonella I would avoid this dessert.) So the first step is to melt the chocolate and butter and then whisk in the egg yolks. The next step is to beat, in separate bowls, the egg whites and the heavy cream. Then fold the whites and cream into the chocolate mixture, gently but thoroughly. And that is it. Scoop the mousse into pretty bowls or glasses and refrigerate for a few hours. I like to serve this dessert simply, as it really needs no adornment. But if you like, whipped cream, shaved chocolate, and fresh raspberries are perfect accompaniments.