In a perfect world, I would have posted this recipe last month when I created it and apricots :: albicocche were in season. In reality, I’m posting it now because I finally have the time to sit down to write an article! ’Tis life. But, no harm done. This recipe is fantastic made with Continue Reading
Almost every week I find myself at the farmer’s market :: mercato degli agricoltori in the small town of Correggio, Italy where I live. I shift my weight back and forth on the cobble stone street as I diligently wait my turn in line. I sometimes have a grocery list, but most often I just let my eyes do the shopping. What new produce has my favorite stand brought to the square this week? What recipes come to mind as I gaze at the colorful display?
I created these delicious strawberry parfaits with greek yogurt mousse and caramelized almonds for a cooking show I held at the new Smeg store in Milan in July. The theme was “last minute meals.” It was so lovely to be able to spend time cooking and chatting with a group of passionate foodies. A big thank you to all of you who participated.
For those of you who will be in the Milan area in September, I am giving another cooking show at the Smeg store on the 10th. It’s free of charge, but it is recommended to sign up on the Smeg events page. The online world is incredible for meeting new friends :: amici, yet, I would love to also meet you in person!
Not only is this dessert :: dolce great for unexpected guests or last minute meals, I also like to group it into the category of “quick desserts I can make when it’s too hot to cook.” Here in Italy, we’ve had a terrible heat wave. It’s been unbearable. Hot, humid, sweat-as-soon-as-you-walk-outside kind of unbearable. Has it been the same for you?
That’s why this 15 minute dessert has been my little life savour for summer dinner parties. They are so simple and quick to make. I can even make the parfaits a few hours ahead of time, just adding the already prepared caramelized almonds right before serving so they stay crunchy :: croccanti.
When I made this recipe in July, strawberries :: fragole were in full swing. Now they are winding down here in Italy. However, you can easily substitute them with any fruit of choice. The vanilla bean greek yogurt mousse really goes well with all fruit, and especially berries. I would recommend making a double batch because it’s also fantastic on a bowl of homemade muesli, granola or strawberry crisp in the morning! Enjoy!
Warm weather has arrived in Italy. Actually, I should say, warm humid :: umido weather where we live in Emilia-Romagna. I’m a Pacific Northwest gal, so I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the sweltering humidity that blankets our small town every late spring and summer.
This year there was no gradual change from winter to spring (to even summer time temps.) We went from wearing heavy winter coats last week to slipping on flip flops :: infradito and a t-shirt to get a gelato after dinner last night. Ahhh….flip flops. I adore them. Americans wear them almost all year round, even in the Seattle rain you’ll see people flopping around in them. Italians, on the other hand, wear various kinds of sandals, but contrarily to Americans they only wear rubber flip flops at the beach. Be warned that you’ll immediately be pinned a “foreigner” if you walk around Italian city centers in thongs, you’ll also be sure to get quite a few looks of disapproval from the “fashionistas”.
I am excited to make this strawberry crisp with whipped vanilla ricotta again for outside dinner parties under our gazebo. I think that this dessert :: dolce beckons to be eaten outside on a warm evening where you crave something sweet but not overly rich or decadent.
Each season I make a crisp. It is one of my favorite desserts that I can adapt to flavorful seasonal fruits. In the fall I make a delicious apple crisp, in the winter a mouthwatering pear crisp and in late spring a strawberry crisp. Crisps are great because you can generally substitute with whatever in season fruit that you like.
I used a small amount of butter :: burro and brown sugar in my apple and pear crisps, but for this strawberry crisp I really wanted to increase the health factor by using honey and coconut oil to sweeten and bind the ingredients. I also use whole wheat and almond flours to give it a nice nutty taste. I hope you enjoy it as much as Mr. Italicano and I did!
Fruit crisps are underrated. This American dessert :: dolce americano doesn’t get the attention like apple pies or cheesecake do, but it is just as delicious, if I dare not say, more delicious.
I love to eat crisps for breakfast :: colazione. They go great with a hot cup of dark roasted coffee. I also love them after dinner as a decadent dessert; they absolutely beckon for creamy vanilla ice cream or a swirl of caramel sauce.
This time I’ve spiked the caramel with some whiskey. I thought it quite fitting as I am going to be making this dessert at a Blues Festival next weekend. Have I ever mentioned that Italians love America and host all sorts of “American events”. In November I did a showcooking event at an American Wild West exhibition and in December, I cooked :: ho cucinato on a stage at an American themed Christmas trade show. It was funny to see men dressed up like cowboys, yet speaking in Italian.
There are many ways to make fruit crisps. The easiest way is to chop up the fruit, throw on the crisp and bake it in the oven :: forno in a large casserole dish. The fastest way is to cook everything on the stovetop like I did with my apple crisp. The most beautiful way (or at least I think so) is to serve the crisp directly in the fruit itself like these little pear boats. Aren’t they just darling?
All Italians know about the traditional American apple pie but many have never heard of apple crisp, another classic American dessert. It is also a British favorite known as apple crumble. The beauty of this recipe is in its versatility: you can use apples or substitute with various other fruits like rhubarb, peaches, pears or berries.
The soft sweet baked apples contrast with the crunchy topping made of flour, oats, nuts and spices. It is common to serve this dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I am an ice cream addict, so I do this all the time; however, if you want to keep the integrity of the crunchy topping, a drizzle of warm salted caramel is the perfect solution.
Although Americans may find it strange to see apple crisp or apple pie on the table for brunch, since living in Italy, I have become accustomed to eating sweets for breakfast. Not to say that we Americans never eat sweets for breakfasts, quite the contrary, as we often have coffee cake, sweet breads,,, pancakes, scones and muffins, but for some weird reason it’s hard to find pie, cupcakes, cakes or chocolate on dessert menus—they are considered desserts. Since I am italicana, I say go for it. I think it is completely acceptable to eat your apple crisp when you want: for breakfast, a snack or for dessert! Enjoy!