Summer Berries

There are so many foods that SCREAM summer:  s’mores, corn on the cob, BLTs, watermelon, ice cream, anything grilled, anything from a farmers’ market, and, of course, anything with berries.  Following are a handful of recipes featuring berries.  Fortunately, today most berries are available year-round, so these recipes aren’t just for summer.  Berry good--especially for the Olympic festivities!

Summer Pudding

I first had this dessert many years ago in a very unstuffy buffet restaurant before attending a play at the Barbican Theater in London, England.  Summer pudding is quintessentially British but very easy. 

Source:  an old clipping (from New Home Cooking by Florence Fabricant Clarkson, 1992)

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 loaf (1 pound) thinly-sliced white sandwich bread (I use Pepperidge Farms)

1 ½ c. sugar

2 T. fresh lemon juice

2 ½ pints mixed fresh berries, such as strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries

2 T. raspberry liqueur

1 c. heavy cream, whipped (optional)

Remove crusts from bread and discard or save for crumbs.  Line 1 ½-quart bowl with bread slices in a single layer cutting slices to fit so that no gaps appear.  Reserve remaining bread for covering top of pudding.

Combine sugar and lemon juice in large saucepan.  Heat over medium heat until sugar starts to dissolve.  Stir in berries; cook 5 to 8 minutes until berries have softened, but still hold their shape.  Remove from heat.  Stir in liqueur.

Spoon berries with slotted spoon into bread-lined bowl.  Reserve ½ cup berry juice; pour remaining juice over berries.  Fit remaining bread on top in double layer to cover berries.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Place flat plate that fits inside bowl on top layer of bread.  Place filled 2-pound can on plate to weight down pudding.  Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight, or for up to 2 days.

To serve, remove can and plate.  Carefully run thin knife around inside of bowl.  Invert onto large plate with rim.  Use reserved berry juice to “paint” any areas of bread where color did not completely soak in.  Slice pudding and serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Wisconsin Schaum Torte

This is a recipe I remember my German paternal grandmother and my mother making.  These may be filled or topped with many things.  My mom used to fill them with ice cream or pudding and then berries.  For chocolate lovers, Nutella would be a good option.  


For 6 servings, I whisked 8 oz. of marscapone cheese with a little bit of sugar and put that in the base of the cups.  Then I topped them with a mixture of berries:  sliced and sugared strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and black berries.  I didn’t garnish with whipped cream, but when has whipped cream ever hurt anything? 

Source:  an old clipping

Yield:  12 servings, may be halved

Ingredients:

6 egg whites

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1 T. vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

Process:

Preheat oven to 275°.  In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy.  Add cream of tartar and vinegar and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl).  Add vanilla and sugar a little at a time, beating on high speed until very stiff peaks form.  Make twelve tortes on greased and floured cookie sheets (I lined the pans with parchment paper instead) using the back of the spoon to build up sides and dent the middle. Bake for 50 minutes.  Then turn off the oven, leave undisturbed and allow meringues to sit with the door closed for 1 more hour.

Loosen tortes from cookie sheets before they are cold.  Makes 12 tortes.  (I made these a day before I served half of them and put them in a plastic container.  I served the second half two days later, and they were still nice and crispy.)

Berries with Almond Cream

This is super simple, but elegant and refreshing.  Recently I made this without the Amaretto, and the cream tasted like “liquid” cheese cake with a nice tang that complemented the berries

Source:  Kay Ewing’s Cooking School Cookbook

Yield:  about 1 cup of topping

Ingredients:

1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

½ c. powdered sugar (I tend to use less, about ¼ c.)

3 T. Amaretto

½ c. whipping cream

Fresh berries (If I use strawberries, I usually slice and lightly sugar them first.)

Process:

Beat cream cheese, sugar and amaretto with an electric mixer until smooth.  While beating, very slowly pour in cream until combined.  Cover and refrigerate.  Top individual servings of any combination of berries with the cream.