Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Five Minute Desserts

From late spring into the fall,  we are tempted with fresh fruit.  It's hard to beat a good fruit salad with a harmonious selection of fruits.  Add a spot of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice.  We like to macerate a spoonful or two of Apple Jack with the fruit.


Only slightly more ambitious is a compote.  In Germany and Austria in the summer, you can eat a dessert call Rote Grutze  (Red Groats) everywhere.   Red berries and currants thickened with tapioca(?).  Make your own American version with rhubarb, strawberries, cherries, anything red including leftover cranberries you may have in the freezer.  Cook together with a very small amount of liquid (I like orange juice). Thicken with cornstarch or instant tapioca and of course sweeten according to taste.  Served with a bit of cream, this is delicious.


Only slightly more complicated is a country fruit tart.  Take one Pillsbury pie crust from the dairy case (they come two to a box in our area for $2.99 but can often be found on sale.) Put some parchment paper on a large cookie sheet with sides.  Unroll the crust onto the paper.  Pour a mixture of fruits (2-3 cups) sweetened with sugar and lemon juice with a bit of instant tapioca to thicken.  Any kind of fruit will do.  Crimp the sides around the fruit so that the fruit is still mostly visible  in the center of the tart.  Put into a 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes.  Cool on a trivet and eat.  Serves 4 or 6 people on a diet. 


The parchment paper keeps the cookie sheet clean.   Blueberries, strawberries, plums, cherries, peaches--singly or together.  Be creative.  Sprinkle with a tad of cinnamon or nutmeg is you like.  Not too much.  You want to savor the fruit. 


You can make your own crust for about $1.00 less, but that is more than 5 minutes, but not much with a food processor.  Any of these desserts are worthy of company.  Sometimes I sprinkle a few nuts into the fruit salad or over the tart, but make sure no one is allergic.


I hope your garden is planted and thriving and that you have lots of fresh herbs and veggies.   Don't forget to put out plants attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.  It is easy to enjoy life when the weather is good.  Take time to do so.


Yours in frugality, taste and beauty,


The Cheeseparer             

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