During these long summer days, it’s too hot and muggy to do much of anything except sit barefoot in front of the fan, scratching mosquito bites. The long line at the ice cream parlor isn’t any incentive to roll off a hammock, either. But the mere thought of heating up the kitchen with baking something in a hot oven is enough to turn the ceiling fan up another notch and stand in front of the freezer.
“You don’t need to turn on your oven to prepare a great dessert,” said En-Ming Hsu, executive pastry chef at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago. “Summer desserts do not need to be complicated. Simple desserts can be made easily, especially by using summer fruits at their peak.”
We’ve gathered some beat-the-heat desserts that use the ripe ingredients of the season and have the bonus of being oven-free. And, they can be made at least a day in advance. Maybe even the dog will stop panting for a while.
It’s no little trifle
Trifle has a long and interesting history, dating to 17th Century England, when desserts consisting of cream and mashed fruit were called fools. Many English puddings like these evolved as a way to use stale spongecake. The stale cake was drenched in liqueur for moistening and covered with fruit and cream. Martha Barnette’s book, “Ladyfingers and Nun’s Tummies: A Lighthearted Look at How Foods Got Their Names,” explains that a fool was also called a “tipsy parson” because the cake layer was soaked in sherry and presumably enticed the Sunday-visiting preacher to become inebriated.
The word “trifle” comes from the old French word, “trufle,” meaning something of little consequence, and therefore should be simple and quick to make. Indeed, the recipe we’ve provided is easy, beautiful and can be made in advance. We’ve updated it with ladyfingers instead of the traditional stale spongecake. The trifle’s colorful layers can double as a centerpiece, especially when served in a traditional trifle bowl. Although any glass bowl will work, trifle bowls with their straight sides show the layers better and can be found in most kitchen supply stores or online. (We found some at cooking.com and surla-table.com for less than $25 each.) An even better idea is to hunt through antique shops and perhaps you’ll find one with its own history.
Raspberry lemon trifle
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Chilling time: 12 hours
Yield: 10 servings
Yellow and red layers make this an attractive dessert when displayed in a glass bowl. Inspired by a recipe from Bon Appetit.
4 large eggs
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 package (7 ounces) ladyfingers, about 24
1/2 cup raspberry or orange liqueur
2 pints fresh raspberries, a few reserved for garnish
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Whisk together eggs, 1 cup of the sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat; add butter and lemon zest. Stir until curd thickens to pudding consistency, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Chill at least 4 hours.
2. Line bottom of a 3-quart trifle or deep, straight-sided glass bowl with 8 ladyfingers, trimming to fit if necessary. Drizzle with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the raspberry liqueur. Spread one-third of the lemon curd over the ladyfingers; spread one pint of the raspberries over the lemon curd. Repeat same layers. Top with remaining 8 ladyfingers, raspberry liqueur and remaining lemon curd. Cover with plastic wrap; chill at least 8 hours.
3. Beat cream with remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and vanilla extract with mixer on medium speed until peaks form; spread over trifle. Garnish with reserved berries.
Nutrition information per serving:
355 calories, 44% calories from fat, 18 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 198 mg cholesterol, 46 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 61 mg sodium, 4 g fiber
Lime and strawberries team in a tart
Summer tarts involve only a minimum of heat from the stove and the resulting dessert is always dramatic.
According to executive pastry chef En-Ming Hsu of the Ritz- Carlton Chicago, many of the elements of a tart, such as pie shells, puddings and fillings, can be bought or prepared in advance. And topping a tart is easy with summer fruit in the supermarket or farmers market.
“Here at the hotel,” she said, “we take advantage of the variety of stone fruits (peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries) and berries that are available and use them in many ways for light desserts,” she said. “We work closely with local farmers, so we find ourselves basing some of our menu items on what they have to offer.”
Berries are one of the easiest toppings for a tart. Hsu makes a strawberry lime tart that starts with a gelatin-thickened cream filling. After chilling the filling so it sets, she tops it with halved strawberries and a twist of lime. Raspberries also work well with the filling.
Strawberry lime tart
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 6 minutes
Cooling time: 4 hours plus overnight
Yield: 8 servings
Adapted from a recipe by En-Ming Hsu, executive pastry chef, Ritz-Carlton Chicago.
1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
Juice of 3 medium limes
Zest of 1 1/2 limes
1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg white
1 cup whipping cream, chilled
2 pints strawberries, hulled, halved
1 baked 9-inch pie shell
1. Sprinkle gelatin over cold water; set aside to soften, about 1 minute. Heat gelatin mixture, lime juice, zest and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a small saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring just until sugar and gelatin dissolve, about 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
2. Stir together egg white and remaining 1/3 cup of sugar in a metal bowl with a metal spoon. Place bowl over a saucepan filled with enough boiling water to just touch the bottom of the pan; stir gently to heat, 1 minute; remove from heat.
3. Beat egg mixture in bowl of an electric mixer at high speed until mixture completely cools, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium; beat until whites hold soft peaks, about 3 minutes; set aside. Beat cream in a separate bowl of electric mixer on medium speed to form soft peaks, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
4. Stir lime mixture gradually into egg whites. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon into tart shell, smoothing top. Chill, uncovered, until set, 4 hours. Cover, chill overnight. Arrange strawberries, cut sides down, over mousse.
Nutrition information per serving:
259 calories, 54% calories from fat, 16 g fat,
8 g saturated fat, 41 mg cholesterol, 29 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 105 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
Tricks to making a smooth mousse
A mousse’s light and luscious consistency hits the spot after a summer meal. We’ve combined the richness of chocolate and coffee in this dessert but significantly lightened the flavors by adding whipped cream.
The microwave is a great appliance that won’t heat up the kitchen. Use it to melt the chocolate in this recipe. On those sizzling days when even making coffee can cause the mercury to rise, buy a few shots of espresso from the neighborhood coffee shop or use instant coffee or espresso.
The best technique for ensuring a smooth mousse is to add the egg whites and cream when the chocolate/coffee mixture is at 120 degrees. Too hot, and the fat in the cream will separate, resulting in a grainy texture. Too cold, and the chocolate will seize and become lumpy. You don’t necessarily need a thermometer: The chocolate-coffee mixture should be slightly warmer than body temperature, so test on your wrist or lip, the same as you would baby formula. When adding the egg whites and cream, another trick is to fold with a whisk, not a spatula. This will incorporate air and combine the ingredients, leading to a nice, smooth mousse.
Mousse looks great served in either casual or formal glassware. For a more elegant presentation, serve it in teacups and saucers or demitasse cups with biscotti on the side.
Mocha mousse
(This recipe as published has been corrected in this text.)
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes
Chilling time: 4 hours
Yield: 8 servings
This recipe was developed by writer Jennifer Frank.
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons prepared espresso or strong coffee
1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream, plus 1/4 cup at room temperature
3 egg whites, see note
Chocolate shavings or chocolate-covered coffee beans, optional
1. Stir sugar into coffee in microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high (100 percent power) until sugar dissolves, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
2. Place chocolate in small microwave-safe bowl. Melt in microwave on 10 percent power, about 1 minute, 20 seconds, stirring once midway. Stir in 1/4 cup of the room temperature cream; stir in coffee mixture. Set aside to cool.
3. Beat egg whites to soft peaks in bowl of electric mixer on medium-high speed, about 2 minutes; fold 1/2 cup of the cooled chocolate mixture into the whites. Pour this mixture back into the chocolate mixture, folding gently; set aside.
4. Beat chilled cream to soft peaks in bowl of electric mixer on medium-high speed, about 2 minutes; fold in chocolate mixture with spatula until totally combined. Pour into eight dessert or custard cups; chill at least 4 hours. Garnish with chocolate shavings or chocolate-covered coffee beans, if desired.
Note: Raw eggs are not recommended for children, the elderly or anyone with a compromised immune system because of the slight risk of salmonella. Instead, use pasteurized eggs, found in Dominick’s, Jewel and Trader Joe’s stores.
Nutrition information per serving:
320 calories, 68% calories from fat, 26 g fat, 16 g saturated fat, 71 mg cholesterol, 23 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 43 mg sodium, 1 g fiber
Kids in the kitchen
If you and the kids have already seen every G-rated movie this summer and you’re starting to hear cries of “I’m bored” and “I’m hot,” we’ve found a cool solution. Watermelon ice pops are refreshing and easy to make. Small fingers can pick out the watermelon seeds and help measure ingredients.
Ice pop molds are relatively inexpensive and can be found at well-stocked drugstores or grocery stores. Fancier molds can be bought at kitchen supply stores. If you can’t find the molds and are in a pinch, pour the mixture into 3-ounce paper cups, freeze for about 30 minutes, insert ice pop sticks and freeze until solid. In a few hours, you can unpeel the paper cup, and voila! (They’re not just for kids, either. Sneak one of these as a midnight snack when it’s too hot to sleep.)
Watermelon ice sticks
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Freezing time: 8 hours
Yield: 8 servings
For a grownup take on these easy frozen treats, substitute black currant liqueur (creme de cassis) for the corn syrup. This is inspired by a recipe in Bon Appetit. Choose a seedless watermelon to save some time.
2 1/2 cups seeded diced watermelon
1/2 cup fresh raspberries or frozen unsweetened, thawed
1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
Juice of 1 small lemon
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender; puree until smooth. Strain into a large measuring cup or pitcher, pressing solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
2. Pour puree into 8 molds or cups, dividing equally. Cover with top if using a mold; insert stick. Or, cover with a small foil square if using a cup; punch stick through foil. Freeze at least 8 hours.
Nutrition information per serving:
64 calories, 3% calories from fat, 0.2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 16 g carbohydrates, 0.3 g protein, 4 mg sodium, 0.7 g fiber
