Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - Maria Speck [117]
4 To finish, divide the red currants among serving bowls and top with the warm zabaglione. Serve at once.
FINGER-LICKING FAILURE
When I made zabaglione the first time, I missed the key moment of luscious glossiness and kept beating for another minute. As a result, the mixture collapsed and turned into a thick yellow cream. Guess what: everyone licked their bowl clean, myself included. Imperfectly delicious!
Almond-Peach Clafouti
This beautiful rustic dessert from the south of France is a breeze to make and striking to behold—perfect for last-minute dinner guests. This clafouti gives off the alluring scent of marzipan, a childhood favorite, thanks to a handful of ground almonds and a dash of Amaretto, combined with mild whole wheat pastry flour. I like my clafouti a tad creamy. Leave it in the oven a few minutes longer if you prefer yours more cakelike. Serve on its own, or with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
For an attractive presentation, use an ovenproof ceramic gratin dish (1-quart volume). You will need extra almond meal for the dish. SERVES 6
½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup whole milk
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (from about 1 orange)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup almond meal (1 ¼ ounces)
⅓ cup whole wheat pastry or whole spelt flour (1 ⅜ ounces)
1 tablespoon Amaretto or brandy (optional)
2 cups chopped fresh peaches, cut into ½- to ¾-inch pieces, about 12 ounces (thawed, drained, and chopped if using frozen slices)
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
SEE MEASURING WHOLE GRAIN FLOUR
1 Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Butter a round 9-inch glass pie dish, or coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with almond meal, tapping out any excess.
2 Whisk together the cream, milk, orange zest, and vanilla extract in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or small bowl. In a large bowl, using a large whisk, lightly beat the eggs to blend. Gradually add the granulated sugar and whisk vigorously until slightly thickened and pale, about 1 minute. Whisk in the cream mixture, and then the almond meal until smooth. Gently stir in the whole wheat pastry flour until just combined. Stir in the liqueur. The batter will be liquid.
3 Scatter the peaches in the pan and gently pour the batter on top (the fruit will bob up).
4 Bake until the clafouti is puffed and golden brown around the edges and a knife inserted into the center comes out just about clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioners’ sugar.
TO GET A HEAD START: The clafouti can be prepared about 1 hour ahead. Set aside at room temperature. Dust with confectioners’ sugar when ready to serve.
TO VARY IT: Many types of fresh fruit, cut into ½-inch pieces, can be used instead of peaches. Fresh cherries are a classic choice. In the winter, clementines add zing. Increase the sugar by 1 to 2 tablespoons if the fruits are tart.
TO LIGHTEN IT UP: You can use ½ cup half-and-half instead of the cream and ½ cup lowfat milk instead of whole milk.
Wheat Berry Fools with Grand Marnier Figs
This is how I like to eat my wheat berries—and not just on Sundays. Softly whipped cream and naturally thick Greek yogurt make a winning combination, resulting in a lofty dessert with a snappy tartness. Soft wheat berries are my first choice here, but other leftover cooked berries from the wheat family work just as nicely, especially spelt, Kamut, or farro (see cooking instructions). Hard wheat berries add a bit too much chew for my taste. If you want to make this for children, plump the figs in freshly squeezed orange juice instead of liqueur. This concoction would be equally delicious as a decadent topping for the saffron waffles, or add it as a treat to a brunch table on the weekend. SERVES 6 TO 8
¾ cup finely chopped dried figs, preferably Turkish