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Quick & EasyBy Beverly Barbour
Do you know the real difference between a raspberry and a blackberry?The difference does not have to do with color or seeds or size. All varieties of raspberries have hollow centers, whereas the core of a blackberry is solid; it stays in when the berry is picked. So you get more bang for the buck with blackberries. You also get more seeds, of course, so maybe you come out even. Given a choice between raspberries and any other kind of berry, I'll bet that most of us would choose raspberries. I'm not certain why that is, perhaps because raspberries are always very flavorful whereas you sometimes find strawberries and other berries that seem almost tasteless. I've reached the point where I don't buy strawberries if they are white at the stem end. I have never met a raspberry that was white anywhere. Raspberry Fool Aren't the English wonderful at naming dishes? Who else would ever call a raspberry a fool or name a casserole "bubble and squeak?" "Fool" is the British name for a very simple person and also a very simple dessert. It is really just whole or pureed fruit folded into whipped cream. You can even use frozen berries when fresh are not available. 4 1/2 cups of fresh raspberries or 12 oz. frozen
Mash the berries with a fork to make about 3 cups. Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar and the liqueur, if using. Set aside. Whip the cream with remaining sugar, using a mixer or whisk, until firm peaks form. Fold in the raspberry mixture. Divide the fool among 8 glasses or bowls and top with a few fresh raspberries. You can serve immediately or cover and chill for up to 2 hours. If you have any fresh mint, use it for garnish. Makes 8 servings. * Or, substitute grated orange rind, or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Raspberry Ice Cream This will keep a week in the freezer but it will never last that long, not even if you live alone. 2 (10 oz.) boxes frozen raspberries in heavy syrup, thawed
Puree raspberries and syrup with lemon juice in a food processor, then pressing hard force through a sieve into a bowl; discard the solids. Whisk together sugar and cornstarch in a bowl, then whisk in milk, yolks, and a pinch of salt. Cook custard in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisking, until it just reaches a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking, 1 minute. (Custard will look quite curdled.) Pour custard through a fine sieve into a bowl, and then stir in vanilla and cool, stirring occasionally. Stir berry puree and cream into custard and chill, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours. Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden. Makes about 1 1/2 quarts. Raspberry Scones This sugar-free recipe is credited to Erin McKenna. It makes 1 dozen crusty scones. 2 cups spelt flour
Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the spelt with the baking powder and salt. Stir in the oil, agave nectar and vanilla. Stir in the hot water, then the raspberries. Scoop 12 rounds of batter (1/3 cup each) onto baking sheet and lightly brush the tops with oil. Bake the scones for 20 minutes, or until golden. Let the baking sheet cool completely on top of a rack before removing the scones. Berry Puff Torte A recipe credited to Linda Lau Anusasananan (yes, that is the correct spelling) in the Cooking With Les Dames d'Escoffier cookbook*. You make the same simple batter for this as you do when making cream puffs. But you bake the dough on the bottom of a cake pan and later line it with a cream cheese filling and fresh berries. Beautiful when filled with raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Pastry Puff: 2/3 cup water
1/2 cup cream cheese at room temperature
Pastry Puff: Preheat oven to 400 F. In a large saucepan, combine water, butter and sugar; bring to a boil over high heat. Add flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until mixture pulls away from pan sides and clumps together. The dough will be stiff and hard to stir. Remove from the heat and stir until the flour is incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Let cool for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add eggs, one at a time, to warm mixture in pan, beating with a spoon after each addition until mixture is smooth and satiny. (Or, scrape mixture into a bowl and add eggs one at a time, beating with electric mixer on high speed after each egg, just until mixture is smooth; DO NOT overbeat.) Lightly coat bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon the mixture into the pan; spread evenly over bottom and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake until puffed and golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Prick the puff with a toothpick in about a dozen places, then return to the oven and bake until golden brown, dry, and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a rack. Run a knife around the pan sides to release the pastry; remove from pan. Filling: Beat cream cheese, zest and vanilla at high speed until smooth. Add the cream and sugar; beat on low speed until blended, then on high speed just until mixture forms stiff peaks (DO NOT overbeat). Spread the filling evenly over the bottom of the pastry shell. Distribute the berries over the filling. If not serving immediately, cover and chill. Just before serving, shake confections sugar over all. Cut in wedges to serve. Makes 6 to 8 servings. This excellent cookbook can be ordered from Sasquatch Books (www.sasquatchbooks.com); it sells for $35.00 and is worth every penny. Getting "the raspberry" is bad; eating the raspberries is good.
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