Bon Appetit Desserts (123 page)

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

3 1-pound papayas, peeled, halved, seeded, cut into ½-inch-thick wedges

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

6 2×½-inch strips lime peel (green part only)

1 cinnamon stick

Sour cream, stirred to loosen

Additional lime peel, cut into matchstick-size strips

Bring 2 cups water and sugar to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil until syrup thickens slightly, about 6 minutes. Add papaya wedges, lime juice, lime peel, and cinnamon stick. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until papayas are just tender, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer papayas to bowl. Boil syrup until reduced to 1 cup, about 6 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick. Pour syrup over papayas and chill at least 2 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Spoon papayas and syrup into dessert dishes. Drizzle with sour cream and garnish with matchstick-size strips of lime peel.

Pink Grapefruit with Cassis

With just three ingredients and a little water, this light and lovely dessert is a refreshing finish to any meal, and an excellent accompaniment to Sesame-Almond Macaroons (page 557). Crème de cassis is available at many supermarkets and at most liquor stores. If it’s unavailable, Chambord (black raspberry liqueur) or Cointreau (orange liqueur) can be used instead.
4 servings

2 large pink grapefruits (about 14 ounces each)

2 tablespoons sugar

1½ tablespoons water

2 tablespoons crème de cassis (black currant liqueur)

Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Using small sharp knife, remove peel and white pith from grapefruits. Working over bowl to catch juice, cut between membranes to release segments. Reserve juice in bowl. Arrange grapefruit segments decoratively on plates.

Combine sugar, 1½ tablespoons water, and reserved grapefruit juice in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in crème de cassis. Drizzle syrup over grapefruit. Chill at least 2 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Garnish with mint, if desired, and serve.

Nectarines, Strawberries, and Melon in Orange-Honey Spiced Syrup

Melon balls are playful components of this fruity dessert. For an even easier alternative, cut the melon into cubes. Whole star anise—a brown, star-shaped seedpod—adds a licorice flavor to the syrup; it is available in the spice section of some supermarkets and at Asian markets and specialty foods stores. You can make the syrup a day ahead; however, add the fruit no more than eight hours in advance to prevent it from becoming soggy.
8 servings

2 large oranges

2 cups water

⅓ cup honey

4 large whole star anise

1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 4-pound honeydew melon, halved, seeded

3 large nectarines (about 1 pound), halved, pitted, cut into ½-inch-thick slices

1½ 1-pint containers strawberries, hulled, quartered

Additional orange peel strips (optional)

Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) from oranges. Set peel aside (reserve oranges for another use).

Combine 2 cups water, honey, star anise, and cinnamon stick in medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve honey. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until liquid is reduced to 1½ cups, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in reserved orange peel. Cool syrup. Strain into large bowl; discard solids in strainer.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Using melon baller, scoop out enough fruit from melon to equal 4 cups. Combine melon balls, nectarines, and strawberries in large bowl. Add syrup; toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 5 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Ladle fruit mixture into bowls. Garnish with additional orange peel strips, if desired.

Vodka-Spiked Watermelon with Crème de Cassis

Use a combination of red and yellow seedless watermelon for the most colorful presentation. Store-bought butter cookies or brownies make a great accompaniment.
8 servings

1 8-pound watermelon, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 16 cups)

1 cup fresh lemon juice

⅔ cup sugar

½ cup vodka

6 tablespoons crème de cassis (black currant liqueur)

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

Place watermelon in large bowl. Whisk lemon juice and sugar in medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Whisk in vodka and crème de cassis. Season mixture to taste with salt. Pour mixture over watermelon. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours. Sprinkle with chopped mint and serve.

Melon and Blueberry Coupe with White Wine, Vanilla, and Mint

The different colors of the melons—red, orange, and pale green—dotted with purple blueberries, mint, and flecks of vanilla make a festive and refreshing finale to a summer meal. The wine syrup brings out the aromas of the melons and marries all the flavors. Serve your favorite sugar cookies alongside.
6 servings

1½ cups dry white wine, divided

½ cup sugar

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

2⅓ cups cantaloupe cubes (about ⅓ small melon)

2⅓ cups honeydew cubes (about ⅓ small melon)

2⅓ cups watermelon cubes (about ¼ small melon)

3 cups fresh blueberries

½ cup chopped fresh mint

Combine ½ cup wine and sugar in small saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves and syrup is hot, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep 30 minutes. Remove vanilla bean.

Combine all fruit in large bowl. Add mint and remaining 1 cup wine to sugar syrup. Pour over fruit. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Spoon fruit and some syrup into large stemmed goblets and serve.

Oranges with Pomegranate Molasses and Honey

This simple yet sophisticated dessert would be perfect after a Middle Eastern dinner. Thick, sweet-tart pomegranate molasses is delicious drizzled over citrus fruit (as here) or over goat cheese sprinkled with herbs, and it also adds brightness when whisked into meat marinades. Pomegranate molasses is available at many supermarkets, Middle Eastern markets, and specialty food stores.
8 to 10 servings

8 large navel oranges (preferably Cara Cara), all peel and white pith cut away, oranges sliced into thin rounds

¼ cup floral honey (such as tupelo or orange blossom)

3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

8 large Medjool dates, pitted, chopped

Arrange orange slices, overlapping slightly, on large rimmed platter. Whisk honey, pomegranate molasses, cinnamon, and sea salt in small bowl to blend; drizzle evenly over oranges. Sprinkle oranges evenly with chopped dates.