Bon Appetit Desserts (23 page)

1¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cup plus 1½ tablespoons sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

5 large plums (about 1¼ pounds), pitted, cut into ½-inch wedges

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in ¾ cup sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time, then lemon juice and lemon peel, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in flour mixture. Spread batter in prepared pan.

Press plum wedges halfway into batter in concentric circles, spacing slightly apart. Mix remaining 1½ tablespoons sugar and cinnamon in small bowl; sprinkle over plums.

Bake cake until browned on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cut around cake; release pan sides. Serve cake warm or at room temperature.

Raspberry Cake with Marsala, Crème Fraîche, and Raspberries

This tender raspberry cake has the texture of a fresh cake doughnut, so it would be great for brunch. Very lightly sweetened whipped cream could be substituted for the crème fraîche.
10 servings

1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ cup Marsala

¼ cup fresh orange juice

14 tablespoons (1¾ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

1 cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar, divided

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

4 cups fresh raspberries, divided

2 cups crème fraîche or sour cream

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg in medium bowl to blend. Combine Marsala and orange juice in small bowl. Beat 12 tablespoons butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and lemon peel. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with Marsala mixture in 2 additions. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1½ cups raspberries; reserve remaining berries for serving.

Bake cake until top is gently set, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Dot top of cake with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Continue baking until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack. Release pan sides; transfer cake to platter. Cool to room temperature.

Mix crème fraîche and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in small bowl.

DO AHEAD:
Cake and crème fraîche mixture can be made 8 hours ahead. Let cake stand at room temperature. Cover and chill crème fraîche mixture.

Cut cake into wedges. Top each with dollop of crème fraîche and fresh raspberries and serve.

Tarte au Sucre

Similar to a rustic coffee cake, this Belgian classic is a light and fluffy yeast-risen treat with a custardy brown sugar topping. Often served with fresh berries as dessert, the tart is also lovely for brunch or as an afternoon snack with coffee or tea.
10 to 12 servings

1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

½ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

¼ cup whole milk

3 large egg yolks

2 large eggs

⅔ cup heavy whipping cream

⅔ cup (packed) dark brown sugar, divided

Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides. Mix flour, ¼ cup sugar, yeast, lemon peel, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and egg yolks; using on/off turns, blend until soft dough forms. Using wet fingertips, press dough over bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Cover tightly with plastic and let rise in warm draft-free area until light and puffy (dough will not double in volume), about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk whole eggs and cream in small bowl to blend. Sprinkle ⅓ cup brown sugar over bottom of tart. Pour cream mixture over. Sprinkle with remaining ⅓ cup brown sugar. Bake until dough puffs and browns and filling browns in spots, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack. Cut around pan sides to loosen tart. Release pan sides. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chocolate Decadence

Although the pan is buttered and floured to prevent sticking, the cake itself is flourless. The decadence comes from a generous dose of bittersweet chocolate and butter, accented with Grand Marnier, Cognac, and espresso powder.
12 servings

1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

1 tablespoon Cognac or brandy

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or coffee powder

6 large eggs

¾ cup sugar

Lightly sweetened whipped cream

Fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in Grand Marnier, Cognac, and espresso powder. Cool to lukewarm.

Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in large bowl until tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Fold ¼ of beaten egg mixture into cooled chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold chocolate mixture into remaining egg mixture. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs still attached, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack (cake will sink as it cools). Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides.

DO AHEAD:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.

Cut cake into wedges. Serve with whipped cream and berries.

Chocolate-Pistachio Torte with Warm Chocolate Ganache

Characteristic of tortes, this is a decadent flourless cake loaded with nuts. Pistachio paste lends a wonderful flavor but is not readily available and is fairly expensive. Fortunately, this recipe demonstrates how simple it is to make your own, and by making the paste yourself, you control its purity and freshness. There will be a bit of pistachio paste left over—stir it into your next batch of brownies.
12 servings

12 ounces unsalted natural pistachios

2 tablespoons sugar

2 large egg whites

12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

6 large eggs, separated, room temperature

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

2 cups heavy whipping cream

15 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

Chopped pistachios

PISTACHIO PASTE:
Finely grind nuts and sugar in processor. Add egg whites and blend well.

DO AHEAD:
Can be made 3 days ahead. Transfer pistachio paste to small bowl, cover, and refrigerate.

TORTE:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides. Line pan bottom with parchment paper; butter paper. Place chocolate in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Cool chocolate to lukewarm.

Measure ⅓ cup pistachio paste and transfer to small bowl (cover and reserve for another use). Place remaining pistachio paste in large bowl; add butter. Using electric mixer, beat until blended. Beat in egg yolks, then melted chocolate. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with salt in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until firm peaks form. Sift brown sugar over and fold in. Using flexible rubber spatula, fold egg white mixture into chocolate mixture in 4 additions; transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake torte until center is slightly puffed and tester inserted into center of torte comes out with some batter still attached, about 1 hour. Cool torte completely in pan on rack.

DO AHEAD:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.