Everyday Food - Martha Stewart Living Magazine [71]
Fresh blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries make a nice addition to this cake. Simply replace 1 cup of cut-up peaches with 1 cup whole berries.
CHERRIES WITH CINNAMON DUMPLINGS
This old-fashioned dessert—also known as a slump or grunt—is made by simmering fruit and sugar with dumplings, which soak up the sweet syrup as they cook. Be careful not to overmix the dough; it should be slightly lumpy, not smooth.
SERVES 6 PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES
2 bags (16 ounces each) frozen dark sweet cherries (unthawed)
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
Ice cream, for serving (optional)
1 Combine cherries and ⅓ cup sugar in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high; simmer rapidly until liquid is syrupy, 8 to 10 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine cinnamon and remaining tablespoon sugar. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually stir in milk, mixing just until a wet dough forms.
3 Reduce heat to medium-low. Spoon tablespoons of dough (you should have about 18) over simmering fruit in skillet; sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.
4 Cover skillet; simmer very gently until dumplings are set and dry to the touch, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve warm, with ice cream, if desired.
PER SERVING (WITHOUT ICE CREAM): 273 calories; 1.2 grams fat; 5.3 grams protein; 63.5 grams carbohydrates; 1.7 grams fiber
To make this recipe with frozen berries, replace the cherries with 2 packages (16 ounces each) blueberries, blackberries, or strawberries (or a combination).
APPLE BROWN BETTY
Brown Betties are similar to fruit crisps and cobblers, but they rely on toasted bread crumbs to bind the filling and to produce a crunchy topping. If you can’t find Gala apples, use other crisp, slightly tart varieties, such as Granny Smith.
SERVES 6 PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 40 MINUTES
4 to 5 slices white sandwich bread, torn into large pieces
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
2½ pounds Gala apples (about 6), peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup packed light- or dark-brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for serving (optional)
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
1 Preheat oven to 375°F. In a food pro-cessor, pulse bread until coarse crumbs form (to yield 2 cups). Spread bread crumbs on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until golden, tossing occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; let cool completely. Add butter, and toss until evenly coated.
2 Place apples in a large bowl, and toss with lemon juice. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and half the bread crumbs. Transfer mixture to a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil.
3 Bake until fruit mixture is bubbling, about 40 minutes. Remove foil, and continue baking until bread crumbs are browned and apples are easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving. If desired, top with ice cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.
PER SERVING: 254 calories; 8.8 grams fat; 2.1 grams protein; 45.2 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber
STRAWBERRIES WITH MINT WHIPPED CREAM
Mint-steeped simple syrup gives whipped cream surprisingly bright flavor (but no color). Use any leftover syrup to sweeten iced tea or lemonade.
SERVES 4 PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 25 MINUTES
¼ cup sugar
2 cups packed fresh mint leaves and stems, coarsely chopped, plus sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons water
1 cup heavy cream
1 quart strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and thinly sliced
1 In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar, mint, and the water to a boil. Remove from heat; let steep 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a liquid measuring cup, pressing to extract