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Featured Cookbook
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Candied Ginger Shortbread Stacks with Peach-Blackberry Compote
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Three-Melon Sorbet Bombe
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Espresso Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Ganache and White Chocolate Frosting
Book Description
Beloved pastry chef and best-selling author Emily Luchetti lives by the simplest truth: There's always room for dessert. Why try to resist creamy chocolate cheesecake, fresh berries layered with honey cream, or homemade sorbet? Besides, with Emily's insider secrets, whipping up delicious treats for family and friends is fun! A longtime dessert lover, Luchetti shares an impressive - yet deceptively easy - array of recipes that regale the fruits and pure flavors of each season. From frequently used basics like melt-in-the-mouth tart shells, luxe crème fraîche, and chocolate sauce, to creative twists on old favorites such as Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwiches and Espresso Cupcakes, each of these pleasures will leave home cooks wanting to try the next.
... (more)
A Passion for Desserts
Authors: Emily Luchetti, Minh Wass (Photographer)
Date: October 2003
ISBN: 0811831787
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Hardcover
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Blackberries can be deceiving. They may look juicy and ready to eat, but you won't know how sweet one is until you actually taste it. Tasting blackberries is a bit like jumping into a pool without knowing the temperature of the water. It could be refreshing or it could be a shock. Whether jumping into a pool or tasting blackberries, the method is the same, you just need to take the plunge. But jump you must, because the sweetness of the berry will tell you how much sugar you need to add. It is important to sweeten the blackberries before adding them to the peaches in this compote. 'If you combine the blackberries and the peaches first, you run the risk of over sweetening the peaches. Sweetening each fruit separately and then putting them together will give you the perfect balance.
Makes 6 servings
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COOKIES:
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4 ounces (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter
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1/4 cup sugar
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2 tablespoons candied ginger pieces (roughly 1/8 inch each)
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3/4 cup all-purpose flour
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3 tablespoons rice flour
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Pinch of salt
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PEACH-BLACKBERRY COMPOTE:
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1 pint blackberries
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2 tablespoons sugar, or as needed
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1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
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Pinch of salt
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1 pound (about 4) large ripe peaches
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CHANTILLY CREAM:
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1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
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2 tablespoons sugar
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
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TO MAKE THE SHORTBREAD: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix the butter, sugar, candied ginger, flours, and salt until they come together into a dough, 3 to 5 minutes. Form the dough into a 5-inch flat disk.
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On a lightly floured board, roll the dough out 1/8 inch thick and cut into eighteen 2 1/2-inch circles. Combine and reroll scraps as necessary to get 18 circles. Place the shortbread circles 1/2 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
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Bake the shortbread until firm, about 30 minutes. To test for doneness, press the center of the shortbread with your finger. It should not be softer than the outer half. Let the shortbread cool to room temperature and then remove them from the baking sheets.
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TO MAKE THE COMPOTE: Just before serving, place the blackberries, 1/2 of the sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a bowl. Gently mix together. Taste for sweetness. If the
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blackberries are very tart, you may need to add a little more sugar. Peel, halve, and cut the peaches into 1/2-inch slices. Taste for sweetness, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar, if necessary. Mix them in with the blackberries.
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MAKE CHANTILLY CREAM: Whisk the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until soft peaks form. The cream should hold its shape but still be satiny in appearance. It should
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never be grainy.
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TO ASSEMBLE THE STACKS: Place a shortbread on each of 6 dessert plates. Place some fruit over the shortbread. Spoon some Chantilly Cream over the fruit. Top with a second shortbread, more fruit and cream, and finally a third shortbread. Spread any remaining fruit compote around the stacks. Serve immediately.
PLANNING AHEAD:
The shortbread can be made up to a week in advance; store in an airtight container at room temperature. Prepare the cream within an hour to two of being served. Make the compote and assemble the stacks just before serving.
More From This Book:
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Candied Ginger Shortbread Stacks with Peach-Blackberry Compote
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Three-Melon Sorbet Bombe
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Espresso Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Ganache and White Chocolate Frosting
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