Summer Fruit Desserts

We're baaaaaaack!!!

S'mores Truffles

Makes about 25-30 truffles

Ingredients:

8 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (Guittard is my favorite)

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 cups marshmallow fluff

4 graham crackers, crushed (or approximately 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs)

Procedure:

In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium-high heat to a simmer. Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and pour hot cream over the chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute.

Slowly whisk chocolate mixture to combine. Add butter and whisk mixture until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, then place in refrigerator and chill until firm.

Place marshmallow fluff in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, or just until slightly loosened. Place graham cracker crumbs in a bowl.

Using a scoop or small spoon, make 1/2" balls of ganache. Using a fork or a toothpick, dip balls into the slightly softened marshmallow fluff. Roll immediately in graham cracker crumbs. Set on a plate or platter until fluff firms back up. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 4 hours (after that the moisture will react with the marshmallow full and it will slide off the chocolate).

Mango Tart

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

4 ounces cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 large egg yolks (here's a video with the easiest way to separate an egg)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 to 4 teaspoons water

For the filling:

1 medium ripe mango, skin and pit removed

6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

For garnish:

1-2 medium ripe mangos, skin and pit removed and thinly sliced

Procedure:

Make the crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor (Breville is my favorite). Pulse mixture 5 to 6 times to blend. Add butter and pulse just until the butter is the size of large peas. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons water. Add yolk mixture to the butter mixture and process just until the dough begins to form small clumps, 5 to 10 seconds. Test the dough by squeezing a handful of clumps; when you open your hand they should hold together. If they are crumbly and fall apart, sprinkle 1 teaspoon water over the dough and pulse a few times and test again, adding another teaspoon of water if necessary.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and knead gently 2 to 3 times, just to finish bringing it together. Press dough across the bottom and up the sides of a 10” tart pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Line dough with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the foil easily comes away from the dough. Remove foil and weights and return shell to the oven. Continue baking until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely.

Make the filling:

Place mango and lime juice in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Set aside.

Place about 1 1/2 inches of water in a saucepan that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the bowl you will be using for the filling. Place pan on a medium heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

Meanwhile, in a large metal bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, and sugar for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is smooth. Set the bowl over the pan containing the simmering water and, whisk the mixture for about 2 minutes, or until the eggs are foamy and have thickened. Add one half of the mango mixture. Continue to whisk vigorously and, when the mixture thickens again, add the remaining mango mixture. Continue whisking vigorously, until the mixture is thickened and light in color and the whisk leaves a trail in the bottom of the bowl. The total cooking time should be 8 to 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat and leave the bowl over the water. Whisk in the butter a piece at a time. Remove from water and set aside to cool. When room temperature, pour into cooled tart shell and place into refrigerator until completely set, 1-2 hours.

Serving:

Right before serving, arrange mango slices in a decorative pattern around the top of the tart. Remove from tart pan and serve.

Black Forest Silk Pie

I know I do a lot of Black Forest items in these newsletters. This is primarily because it's my hubs' favorite cake. Since this week was his birthday, this year I decided to make a pie. He claims it is my best Black Forest creation yet.

You can easily use a store-bought graham cracker crust and store-bought cherry jam. I'm just a bit "extra" that way. But it would be delicious either way!

If you are making your own whipped cream for the topping, here is a "hack" to make sure it doesn't spray all over your kitchen!

Makes 1, 9” pie

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the cherry jam:

3 cups pitted cherries

1 cup granulated sugar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

For the chocolate silk:

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons powdered sugar

Topping options:

Whipped cream

Chocolate curls

Fresh, frozen, or maraschino cherries

Procedure:

Make the crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix together all ingredients for crust. Press mixture into pie pan. Place in oven and bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until completely cooled.

Make cherry jam:

Place all ingredients in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cherries begin to break down and mixture begins to thicken, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely (if you can make this the day before and let it sit in the fridge overnight, it works even better!).

Make chocolate silk:

Place sugar and eggs in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Cook while whisking until mixture reaches 160°F or mixture coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate until fully melted and smooth. Add vanilla extract and mix well. Set aside to cool.

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add chocolate mixture and mix until combined. Set aside.

In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or with clean beaters and a hand mixer, whip cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Mix roughly 1/4 of the cream into the chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining cream.

Assemble pie:

Once crust is cooled, spread cherry jam mixture across the bottom. Top with chocolate mixture. Refrigerate until fully set, 6-8 hours. Top with whipped topping, chocolate, curls, or cherries, if desired before serving.

Peach Upside Down Cake

(Can be made gluten free!)

Makes 1, 8” cake

Ingredients:

For the topping:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing pan

1/2 cup tightly packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)

2-3 medium peaches, pit removed and cut in 1/2”-thick slices

2 tablespoons chopped pecans

For the cake:

1 1/2 cups pecan flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar, divided

4 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)

Procedure:

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line an 8” cake pan with parchment paper and grease bottom and sides of pan generously.

Make the topping:

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, melt butter. Add brown sugar and continue cooking until smooth. Remove from heat and add bourbon, if using. Pour sugar mixture into prepared pan. Arrange peach slices on top of sugar mixture in a decorative pattern.

Make the cake:

Whisk together pecan flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat butter and 1/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add egg yolks and vanilla and mix just until combined. Add in pecan flour mixture and mix together.

Add egg whites to a clean bowl with either clean beaters or a clean whisk attachment for a stand mixer. Mix on medium speed until very frothy. Rain in remaining sugar and continue whipping until medium peaks form.

Mix approximately 1/4 of the egg whites into the pecan flour mixture. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites and pour mixture on top of peach mixture.

Place cake in preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick in the center of cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and set on cooling rack for 10 minutes. Invert pan and remove cake. Let cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Did you enjoy these recipes? See more recipes from previous newsletters here: