Classic Home Desserts: A Treasury of Heirloom and Contemporary Recipes from Around the World

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Rhubarb-Strawberry Crisp with Cinnamon-Walnut Topping

For the first 200 years in America, rhubarb pies were almost as popular as apple or mince. In fact, so strong was the connection that for years people called rhubarb "pie plant." Technically a vegetable, rhubarb makes as good a crisp as it does a pie. Not only does the old rhubarb-and-strawberries combination play sour against sweet, but the two arrive in the garden at the same time in spring. (See photograph, page 35.)

Serves about 6

Fruit 1 1/2 pounds rhubarb, stalks trimmed, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 3 cups) 1 pint strawberries, hulled, and halved, if large 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/4 cup cold water

Cinnamon-Walnut Topping 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 3 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Ice cream or frozen yogurt, for serving (optional)

1. Fruit: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch pie pan or other shallow baking dish. In a mixing bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, white and brown sugars, lemon juice and water. Transfer the mixture to the buttered pan.

2. Cinnamon-Walnut Topping: In a small bowl, combine the butter, flour, brown and white sugars and cinnamon. Cut together until the mixture forms large crumbs. Crumble in the walnuts. Scatter the topping over the fruit, pressing it in lightly.

3. Bake until the topping is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool briefly. Serve warm, topped with ice cream or frozen yogurt, if you like.

Variation Warm Plum Crisp: Plums work well in warm desserts. I often slice a couple of plums into berry and nectarine desserts, just to deepen the flavor. Substitute about 1 3/4 pounds plums for the rhubarb and strawberries, add 3 tablespoons of flour and a little cinnamon to the fruit, and eliminate the water. Proceed as directed above.

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Berry Shortcakes with Buttermilk-Almond Biscuits These are tender biscuits, with a little egg yolk and vanilla to make them cakey. They’re baked in individual rounds, each topped with a crunchy almond-and-sugar glaze. You can make the biscuit dough ahead, cut out rounds, arrange them on a baking sheet, glaze them and refrigerate until dinnertime. Get the berries ready, too, tossing them with sugar so they form their own light syrup.
As you finish your main course, pop the panful of biscuits into a hot oven, bake quickly, split them while warm and fill with berries and a spoonful of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Then replace the almond-crusted lids and let their warmth make the cream dribble down through the berries in thick rivulets. Serve at once. (See photograph, page 362.)

Serves 6

2 generous pints ripe fresh strawberries, picked over, hulled and sliced (or a combination of berries; see variations below) 1/3 cup sugar, preferably superfine (or to taste, depending on the berries’ sweetness)

Buttermilk-Almond Biscuits 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces 2/3-1 cup buttermilk (or use equal parts plain yogurt and low-fat milk or water) 1 large egg yolk 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon almond extract Milk or cream, for glaze 1/3 cup sliced almonds

1 1/4 cups heavy cream (or vanilla ice cream—easier and just as good) 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (if using heavy cream)

1. Place the sliced berries in a large bowl and toss them with the sugar. Use the back of a large wooden spoon to crush some of the berries into the sugar. Let stand at room temperature for at least 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally, until the berries form a light, natural syrup. Chill.

2. Buttermilk-Almond Biscuits: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Butter a baking sheet (do not use a black steel sheet). Place the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a food processor and pulse briefly to combine the ingredients. Add the butter and pulse briefly until the mixture is crumbly. Place 2/3 cup of the buttermilk or yogurt mixture in a measuring cup; stir in the egg yolk and the vanilla and almond extracts. With the processor running, add the buttermilk mixture and turn off the machine. Add enough extra buttermilk, pulsing briefly after each addition, to form a slightly sticky but manageable dough. Transfer the dough to a floured sheet of wax paper; do not overhandle.

3. Sprinkle the dough with flour. With your fingertips, gently pat out the dough to an even thickness of about 3/4 inch. Use a 3- or 3 1/4-inch fluted round biscuit cutter tooooo cut out biscuits and transfer them gently to the buttered baking sheet. Gather the scraps of dough, pat out again and cut out the remaining biscuits. With your fingers or a pastry brush, coat the tops of the biscuits with a light film of milk or cream. Scatter the almonds over the tops; sprinkle the biscuits with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. (The biscuits can be made ahead to this point. Cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake.)

4. Bake the biscuits until pale golden, 11 to 14 minutes (watch carefully, as timing can vary; do not overbake). Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack and cool for about 2 minutes. Using a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice the biscuits horizontally in half.

5. Whip the cream with the vanilla (adding a little sugar, if you like), until nearly, but not quite, stiff. Place the bottoms of the biscuits on serving plates. Spoon the berries generously over the biscuits, dividing them evenly and spooning the juices over. Spoon some of the whipped cream over the berries (or top them with a small spoonful of vanilla ice cream); replace the almond biscuit lids. Serve immediately, passing the remaining whipped cream or additional ice cream separately.

Copyright (C) 1994 by Richard Sax. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Company.