Summer Desserts

 

I got my first out-of-the-blue reader email recently (from someone who turned out to be my parents' neighbor, although we don't actually know him!), asking for summer dessert suggestions.  In my typical long winded way (when you get me talking about dessert), I ended up writing a fairly lengthy response.  Since I haven't had a lot to contribute to the blog lately I figured I'd share my musings with the rest of you, just in time for the Fourth of July!!  My response to him was mostly comprised of ideas, but has a few real recipes thrown in, too (and a reference to my 2010 post about rhubarb jam, that will never, ever get old for me!). 

I love light and fruity desserts, always, but particularly in the summer.  One of my favorite things to make is fruit compote or macerated strawberries, which I serve over a simple panna cotta, yogurt, or a good quality vanilla ice cream.  Panna cotta is lovely because it seems like it's fancy and complicated, but it's actually quite quick to make, and is cool and creamy and can play host to any number of fruity accompaniments.  I have used Ina Garten's recipe with good success.  You need to prep it a day ahead, but the active time is quite short, and won't heat up your kitchen in the summer.  It is as follows: 

Rhubarb "Jam"

 
UPDATE: I've already made this twice!  It is heavenly stirred into plain yogurt, and I actually wish I had some vanilla ice cream, because I know it would be amazing on top.  Sadly, I just have mint chocolate chip (okay, not just, but there's no vanilla in there!)  I actually made the full recipe today (a whole 2 lbs of rhubarb!) but I used 14 oz of sugar instead of the 16 that Martha recommended, which I thought was just perfect.  I'm already looking forward to breakfast tomorrow!

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Are you ready for a super fast, super easy, and somehow super-addictive recipe?  Hopefully the answer is yes, because that's what I have. 

I swore up and down that I would take advantage of rhubarb season this year, and so I bought four stalks...a while ago....and they've just been sitting, sitting, sitting in my fridge for a very, very long time.  Three of them still looked decent, despite somewhat shriveled ends (but who can blame them--if I sat in my fridge that long, I'd be shriveled, too!)  I have been hesitant to bake something, because baking for myself is just dangerous--either I eat the whole thing, and then it's bad news, or I don't eat the whole thing, and half of it goes bad.  So I was excited when I came across this ridiculously easy recipe in this month's issue of Martha Stewart Living.  It's really just your basic stewed rhubarb, but calling it "jam" opens a world of possibilities: stir it into plain yogurt, use it like a sauce on vanilla ice cream, spread it on toast or a scone, the list goes on....  Or, you can just do what I'm doing, and eat it piping hot out of the sauce pan, because it is just THAT GOOD. 

Martha's recipe calls for 2 pounds of rhubarb, which is kind of a lot.  However, the proportions in this recipe are super simple, 2 parts rhubarb to 1 part sugar, BY WEIGHT.  So this is a good recipe to do using a kitchen scale, and you can easily adjust it for whatever amount you want.  I washed and sliced my rhubarb, then popped in on the scale, discovered I had exactly a pound, tared the scale, then added half a pound of sugar right into the pot.  However, I found the end result just a tad sweet--if I were to do this again (which I probably will, since I just noticed the other day that rhubarb is still in the grocery store--I guess seasons don't apply on this one), I would reduce the sugar by a few tablespoons or so.  Once it had cooked, I added a few tablespoons of lemon juice to amp up the sweet-tart flavor, and so far I've already eaten about half the pot...oh well.  I just hid my spoon so I can save at least a little for my yogurt tomorrow morning.

Rhubarb Jam (Adapted from Martha Stewart Living Magazine, August 2010)
Makes about 2 cups

* 1 pound of rhubarb, rinsed, trimmed, and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch lengths (about 3 cups)

* a scant 1/2 pound of sugar (about 1 cup)

* Pinch of salt

* Lemon juice, to taste (optional)

In a saucepan combine rhubarb, sugar, and salt.   Bring to a boil, stirring often.  Cook, continuing to stir frequently, until the bubbles slow, foam subsides, and the jam is a nice, thick consistency that sticks the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice, to taste, and allow to cool for 1 hour.  Refrigerate overnight, and up to 1 week.

This is what it looks like when it's done.  
Insert spoon, eat, and repeat over and over.