Dessert Challenge - What Would You Make?

[John DePaula]

In a particular circle of close-knit friends, there are lots of allergies. One is allergic to nuts; another, to chocolate; yet another, to dairy.

I need to expand my repertoire of desserts so that I'll actually want to eat the dessert I make for a dinner party.

Poached pears are nice - very elegant and simple.

I recently discovered a recipe for Overnight Apple Cake that really looks good.

Given these restrictions, no nuts, dairy (other than butter), no chocolate, do you have any favorite recipes that would fit the bill?

[Chris Hennes]

I've always had good luck serving a fresh homemade angelfood cake: for those who have only ever had the store-bought or made-from-a-box variety the real deal is revelatory, and can be served with all manner of fruit-based toppings (with whipped cream on the side for those who aren't allergic, perhaps).

[Tri2Cook]

Sorbets are an obvious category to explore if that's feasible for the party. Butter being ok leaves tons of options open for a baked item to accompany a sorbet. Many shortbreads, cakes, cookies, etc. don't require any of the restricted items. You also have many sauce and compote options to work into the plate without breaking the restrictions. You can even do fruit caramel sauces by caramelizing sugar and glucose, stirring in a little butter and adding some fruit puree. It's really good with banana puree. I know I'm not being specific but I don't really know what you have in mind in terms of simplicity or the lack thereof.

[stuartlikesstrudel]

There was a vegan dessert thread here not long ago, which had a few good ideas... even though you don't technically need vegan here, it's an easy way of thinking about the no-dairy thing. Being able to use eggs does open up more options.

You could still make pastry using shortening, which some people don't like but can still yield a good result in my opinion, so pies or tarts may be a nice option. I've never tried a soy pastry cream but i know some people do it, so a fruit tart could be classy.

When you say "dairy(other than butter)", does that mean you CAN use butter? Then even butter pastry is available, and you could do a terrific pear or apple tarte tartin. It's one of my favourite desserts! If it was ok to serve cream on the side for those who can eat it, even better!

[Marlene]

Individual Apple Charlottes

-----For the filling:-----

3 lb Braeburn or Golden Delicious apples (6 or 7 apples)

1 lemon, rinsed

1 vanilla bean

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup golden raisins

2 1/2 oz (5 Tbs.) unsalted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbs Calvados (or other apple brandy)

-----For the crust:-----

1 loaf sliced white bread

1/2 lb (1 cup) unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

Crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream for serving or not if there are allergies

1. Make the filling:

2. Tip: These can be completely prepared a day ahead, covered (still in the

molds) with plastic, and refrigerated. To reheat, let them sit at room

temperature while you heat the oven to 350°F. Bake until hot, about 12

minutes, and unmold.

3. Peel, core, and dice the apples into 1/4-inch pieces (you’ll have about

6-1/2 cups). Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest off half the lemon in

long strips, taking care to avoid the bitter white pith (if necessary,

remove any pith from the zest strips by scraping it off with a knife). Slice

the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the back

of a paring knife. In a large bowl, toss the apples, lemon zest, vanilla

bean seeds and spent pod, raisins, and golden raisins.

4. In a 12-inch skillet or 5-quart Dutch oven, melt the butter over

medium-high heat and then add the sugar. When the sugar is fully moistened,

add the apple mixture and cook, stirring almost constantly, until the apples

start to release liquid and look soft on the outside (they’ll still be a

little crunchy inside), about 7 min. (you want to just start the cooking

process at this point while still leaving the apples crunchy). Set the apple

mixture aside to cool slightly and then add the Calvados.

----- Prepare the crust: -----

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven; heat the oven to 475°F. Trim

the bread crusts. Cut eight rounds to fit the bottoms of eight 8-ounce

ramekins. Cut enough rectangles to line the sides. (The bread should come to

within at least 3/4 inch of the ramekin’s rim, if not the top.) Melt the

butter in a medium skillet and put the sugar in a shallow dish. Brush the

insides of the ramekins with butter. Generously dip both sides of each piece

of bread in butter followed by sugar on one side. Lay one round in each

ramekin, sugared side down. Nestle the rectangles, sugared side facing

outward toward the ramekin, so they line the sides of each one.

2. Trace around the ramekin bottom with a paring knife to cut a round of

bread to line each ramekin.

3. Strips of bread line the sides. They needn't come all the way to the top,

but they should be close to the rim.

----- Assemble and bake: -----

1. Pick the lemon zest and vanilla bean halves out of the apple filling and

fill each ramekin, pressing on the filling to get rid of air pockets. Be

generous; the filling will cook down. Set the ramekins on a rimmed baking

sheet (leaving a few inches between each) and cover snugly with one sheet of

foil. Bake for 40 min. To see if the charlottes are done, run a paring knife

around the side, knock on the ramekin bottom, and invert a ramekin onto a

plate to check the bottom; it should be nicely caramelized, and will have

caramelized more than the sides. (If they’re not done yet, return them to

the oven for a few more minutes). Unmold and serve with a spoonful of crème

fraîche or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Edited December 11, 2009 by Marlene (log)

[judiu]

(Ahem)Other than a little more beating time, please explain the difference between butter and whipped cream? (/ahem.)

[Kerry Beal]

The gingerbread cake version would fit the bill, you could serve with the warm apple part, but the cider sabayon would be out because of the cream - but another sauce with only eggs, booze and sugar would sub in well. Let me know if you need the recipe. I know I've posted it here sometime before.

[Tri2Cook]

(Ahem)Other than a little more beating time, please explain the difference between butter and whipped cream? (/ahem.)

I'm guessing the reduction in non-fat milk solids (lactose, caseins, whey proteins, etc.) is probably the factor in this case but there is also a huge difference in water content. Can't think of any reason why that would be the problem though.

Edited December 11, 2009 by Tri2Cook (log)

[CKatCook]

Homemade marshmellows, shortbread, I also like the fruit pie, fruit tart idea. Heck, fruit tart with marshmellow fluff (hehehe)You could match the fluff with some fruit that is dominate in the tart. Then put it on a shortbread crust.

Ok, it's early....

[GordonCooks]

Bananas Foster, My girl is a little lactose intolerant so I serve it over coconut milk sorbet.

[Wholemeal Crank]

With those restrictions, I would want to feature fruit. Any number of cobblers and tarts should work, depending on what you put into the topping or crust.

If eggs are ok, blood orange curd.

If eggs are not ok, how about raspberry-nectarine tart?

Or warm gingerbread topped with fresh applesauce--I have a simple gingerbread recipe that has butter and egg but no milk, if you need.

And this is a vegetable disguised as a fruit--squash mock apple tarts.

Also consider a sweet yeasted bread--thinking here of madnakash, enriched with milk, honey, and butter, and then dipped in a date syrup: should take easily to substitution with soymilk, or fruit juice.

Dress up sorbet with shortbread cookies.

Edited December 12, 2009 by Wholemeal Crank (log)

[merstar]

I'm assuming you can use eggs, since eggs are not considered dairy. Here are some ideas, all T&T - some with and some without eggs - all delicious:

Deep Dish Apple Crisp (no eggs)

Ina Garten's Jam Thumbprints rolled in coconut (no eggs in batter - just used as egg wash)

Orange Butter Cake

Cinnamon Cookies

These next two are not T&T, but were given to me by a very reliable source:

ROASTED PEARS AND GRAPES (by Lidia Bastianich)

POACHED PEARS IN RED WINE SAUCE (from Bon Appetit - 1994)

Will PM any of these recipes to you if you're interested.

P.S. Another idea is Tarte Tatin.

Edited December 12, 2009 by merstar (log)

[John DePaula]

Thanks for the suggestions, All!

Yeah, I do lots and lots of sorbets and fruit pies and tarts for this group. The Gingerbread cake sounds good and love the idea of the individual apple Charlottes, Marlene!

Chris, I did actually do an Angelfood Cake, by request, recently and it surprised me how much I loved it. You're right, a very good choice!

I'm also considering Julia Child's Vanilla Pound Cake from Baking with Julia. Ok, my bad, it has some milk - but only a little...

[baroness]

John, the Overnight Apple Cake in the first post still sounds wonderful.

Perhaps you could mix in some pears or even dried fruit such as apricots...

[Darienne]

John, the Overnight Apple Cake in the first post still sounds wonderful.

Perhaps you could mix in some pears or even dried fruit such as apricots...

I was thinking about adding some cranberries...

[John DePaula]

Bananas Foster, My girl is a little lactose intolerant so I serve it over coconut milk sorbet.

I love bananas foster, though I usually make it with pecans.

Do you make your own coconut milk sorbet? When I do, it usually very stiff/icy. Do you add anything (alcohol, glucose, stabilizer) to reduce iciness?

[John DePaula]

(Ahem)Other than a little more beating time, please explain the difference between butter and whipped cream? (/ahem.)

I'm guessing the reduction in non-fat milk solids (lactose, caseins, whey proteins, etc.) is probably the factor in this case but there is also a huge difference in water content. Can't think of any reason why that would be the problem though.

I asked the same thing, judiu. But apparently, Tri2Cook has got it right: less lactose in butter.

So I guess the moral of the story is: If you have someone in your life who is marginally lactose intolerant, butter might still be ok.

[judiu]

One of my better friend's sons is somewhat lactose intolerant; He has found that the higher the butter fat content of the liquid, the less lactose problems he has. That's why he uses half and half for his delicious iced coffee!