Desserts


Personally I prefer lighter desserts to heavier, fruits to sweets, and pies, crisps, and whips to confections, cookies, and cakes. Some people are in heaven with a huge double-chocolate torte with ice cream and hot fudge.  I rarely have enough room after a meal for more than a taste of something like that.  I rarely eat dessert anyway, but when I do (usually to serve to guests) here are some of my favortes:

Mangos Lamond
Key Lime Pie
Bananas Foster
Apple crisp

Mangos Lamond
This is a wonderful dessert created by Graham Kerr during his "The Galloping Gourmet" days.  

zest of ½ orange
zest of ½ lemon
3 Tbs butter
3 Tbs powdered sugar
2 Tbs Crème de cacao
2 mangoes
2 cups large strawberries, cleaned and hulled
¼ cup cream
  1. Split mangos in two, scoop out mango flesh and puree it.  Place mango shells in freezer.
  2. Boil zest for 1 minute.
  3. Warm sugar and butter in pan to make a fudge (not too hot, or it will become a toffee).  Add citrus zest and crème de cacao.
  4. Cook 1 minute, remove zest.
  5. Add cream and mango puree.  Heat through and serve over chilled strawberries in mango halves.

Key Lime Pie
One of my favorite desserts.  Key limes are about the size of  a ping pong ball and have a smoother skin, rounder shape and lighter color than the "Persian" limes commonly found in the stores.  If you can't find them (they are sometimes called "Mexican limes" and indeed are often found in hispanic markets, if you have one nearby) you can use bottled key lime juice or regular limes.  Key limes are more acidic and aromatic, however.  This is very easy to make- try to be creative witrh the presentation- you can make it "crustless" by simply baking it in ramequins, or tea cups.
1/2 cup  lime juice
14 oz  (1 can) fat free condensed milk
egg beaters equivalent to 4 yolks
1 graham cracker pie crust
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F. 
  2. Combine lime juice, egg yokes, and sweetened condensed milk with wire whisk until smooth. Bake for 10 minutes.  
  3. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before refrigerating. Serve chilled with a dollop of whipped cream.

Bananas Foster (serves 4)
Created in 1951, by Chef Paul Blangé of "Brennan's" in New Orleans, to honor Richard Foster, a civic leader and regular patron. This recipe was taken directly from the orignal source.  All other recipes should be considered heretical apocrypha .
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup banana liqueur
4 bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then halved
1/4 cup dark rum
4 scoops vanilla ice cream
  1. Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a sauté pan or skillet.
  2. Dissolve the sugar over low heat.
  3. Stir in the banana liqueur, add bananas and cook until brown.
  4. Add the rum,  tip the pan slightly and ignite the mixture (it helps to pre-heat the rum or use 151 proof rum).
  5. When the flames subside, place four pieces of bananas over each portion of ice cream.  Spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.



Apple Crisp (serves 4)
5 cups apples, quartered
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Put apples in a 9 x 3-inch dish with water.
  2. Combine dry ingredients with butter and mix with a fork until crumbly. Cover apples with the mixture.
  3. Cover pan with tinfoil or aluminum wrap and bake for 30 minutes,then uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes.


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Marc's Dessert Page
Last Updated May 20, 2003
Marc A. Healy