6/18/2015 3SensationalSummerDesserts| ThePollanFamilyTable

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Strawberries,peachesandrhubarbtasteespeciallyheavenlyinJunewhensummerisalmostuponus.Theyaregorgeousandabundantatthefarmer'smarket.Summerfruitsmakethebestdesserts,andwegiveyoutwoofourfavoriterecipesbelow.Inanodtoourchildhood,wealsoofferanincrediblerecipeforicecreamsandwiches.Thisambrosialhomemadeversioniscrispyanddenselychocolaty.

Achocolatedessertisfineonoccasion,butwePollanshavealwaysbeenenamoredwithanydessertwithfruitinside.Soit'snotsurprisingthatsomeformofacrumbleappearsatjustabouteveryoneofourfamilygatherings.Onesummerwedepartedfromourclassicapplecrumbleandexperimentedwithdifferentfruitcombinations,frompeachblueberry,tomangostrawberry,topearcranberry.Weeventriedapiacoladacrumbleanunlikelymixofbanana,pineapple,andcoconutandliketheothers,itwasdelish.Andyet,wemustadmitthattherhubarbstrawberrycrumbleholdsaspecialplaceinourheartsthefragrancealonecaptureswhatwelovebestaboutsummer.

RhubarbwasusedinChinaformedicinalpurposesthousandsofyearsago,butwhenanewstrainofrhubarbwasintroducedinEnglandin1837,itwasthebeginningofapassionateloveaffair.TheVictoriansbecameobsessed,andveryquicklytheywereusingitineverythingjams,jellies,pies,custards,fools,evensavories.Soonrhubarbwasascostlyassuchrarespicesascinnamonandsaffron.Butbythe1950srhubarbhadfallenoutoffavoritwasconsideredoldfashioned.It'sonlyinthelastdecade,whenchefshavebegunusingrhubarbininventivewayswithbraisedchicken,asatangysweettoppingforfish,orasaspicyBBQsauceforribsthatthiswonderfullysourfood(deemedafruitbyaNewYorkCitycourtin1947)hasregaineditspopularity.

CaramelizedPeacheslaModeWithRaspberrySauce

4servings

Broilingpeachescaramelizesthemandintensifiestheirflavoraddingscoopsoficecreamandadrizzleortwoofraspberrysauceturnsthesepeachesintoanimpressivedessert.

1/2cupgranulatedsugar1cinnamonstick1bayleaf1tablespoonfinelygratedfreshginger1cupfreshraspberries3tablespoonsunsaltedbutter3tablespoonsdarkbrownsugar4peaches,halvedandpitted1tablespoonbalsamicvinegar1pintvanillaorcoffeeicecream

Setracksinthemiddleandtheupperthirdoftheovenandpreheattheovento400oF.Linearimmedbakingsheetwithparchmentpaper.

Inasmallsaucepan,combinethegranulatedsugar,cinnamonstick,bayleaf,ginger,raspberries,and1/4cupofwater.Simmer,stirringoccasionally,for8minutes,untilslightlythickened.Discardthecinnamonstickandthebayleaf,andsetaside.

Inanothersmallsaucepan,meltthebutter.Addthebrownsugarandstir.

Arrangethepeachescutsideuponthebakingsheet.Withapastrybrush,spreadonthebuttermixture.Drizzleeachhalfwithvinegar.

6/18/2015 3SensationalSummerDesserts| ThePollanFamilyTable

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Roastuntilthepeachesaretender,8to10minutes.Removethebakingsheetfromtheoven.

Settheoventobroil.Returnthebakingsheettothetoprackoftheoven,andbroiluntilthesugarbeginstobubbleandcaramelize,about5minutes.

Toserve,arrangetwopeachhalveseachinfourindividualbowls.Topeachservingwithascoopoficecreamanddrizzlewiththeraspberrysauce.

RhubarbandStrawberryCrumble

6to8servings

FortheFilling

3cupsrhubarb,cutinto3/4inchpieces21/2cupsstrawberries,hulledandquartered1/2cupgranulatedsugar1tablespoonfreshlysqueezedlemonjuice2teaspoonsgroundcinnamon1/4teaspoongroundnutmeg1teaspoonfinelygratedfreshginger3tablespoonsquickcookingtapiocaorallpurposeflourKoshersalt

FortheCrumbleTopping

11/4cupsallpurposeflour11/4cupsoldfashionedrolledoats(notinstant)11/4cupsfirmlypackeddarkbrownsugar1/2teaspoongroundcinnamonKoshersalt10tablespoonsunsaltedbutter,cutintosmallcubes

Setarackinthemiddleoftheovenandpreheattheovento375F.

FortheFilling

Placetherhubarbandthestrawberriesinalargemixingbowl.Addthegranulatedsugar,lemonjuice,2teaspoonsofcinnamon,thenutmeg,ginger,tapioca,and1/8teaspoonofsaltandgentlytosstocombine.Spoonthefillingintoa9inchround,2inchdeeppiedish.

FortheCrumbleTopping

Inamediumsizemixingbowlwhisktogethertheflour,rolledoats,brownsugar,1/2teaspoonofcinnamon,and1/8teaspoonofsalt.Addthebutter,andworkingwithyourfingers,afork,orpastryblender,combinethemixtureuntilthecrumbsarepeasized.

Sprinklethetoppingevenly,butthickly,overthefruitfilling.

Placethepiedishonabakingsheetorsheetoffoil(tocatchanyspills)onthemiddlerackoftheoven.Bakeuntilthefruitisbubblingandthetopisnicelybrowned,about1hour.Toinsureevenbakingrotatethebakingdishhalfwaythrough.Ifthetopbeginstogettoobrown,coveritwithasheetoffoil.Servewarm.

Jack'sBrownieCookieIceCreamSandwiches

6/18/2015 3SensationalSummerDesserts| ThePollanFamilyTable

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Makes2dozencookiesor12sandwiches.

"Thereisnothinglikefindinghomemadetreatsinyourfreezer.Ilovetobakethesebrowniesandwichcookiesbecauseoftheirversatilityandunmatchabledeliciousness.Almostanythingtastesgoodsandwichedbetweentheserich,stronglychocolatycookieswhippedcream,buttercream,raspberryjam,hazelnutspreadallowingmetoexperimentortostickwiththeclassicicecreamsandwichonhotsummerdays."Jack

1/2cupallpurposeflour1/4teaspoonbakingpowder2tablespoonsDutchprocesscocoapowder11/2cupsgoodqualitysemisweetchocolatechips4tablespoons(12stick)unsaltedbutter,atroomtemperature1/2cupgranulatedsugar1/4cuppackedlightbrownsugar11/2teaspoonspurevanillaextract2teaspoonsKahla,or1teaspooninstantespressomixedwithoneteaspoonhotwater2largeeggs1/4teaspoonkoshersalt11/2cupsvanillaicecreamorvanillafrozenyogurt

Inamediummixingbowl,sifttogethertheflour,bakingpowder,andcocoapowder.Mixwellandsetaside.

Meltthechocolatechipsinthemicrowave,15secondsatatime,forabout2minutestotal.(Youcanalsouseadoubleboilerorametalorglassbowlsetoversimmeringwater.)Pourthemeltedchocolateintoalargemixingbowlandaddthebutter,granulatedsugar,brownsugar,vanilla,andKahla.Mixwell.Allowtocoolslightly,3to5minutes.

Inasmallmixingbowl,gentlywhisktheeggstogether.Addtheeggsandsalttothechocolatemixtureandstiruntilblended.Foldinthedryingredients,mixingwell.Coverandrefrigerateuntilthedoughischilledandfirmenoughtoshapeintoballs,atleast30minutes.

Setracksintheupperandlowerthirdsoftheovenandpreheattheovento350F.Linetwobakingsheetswithparchmentpaper.

Formthedoughinto11/2to2inchballsandplaceonthebakingsheetsabout2inchesapart.Pressdownoneachballwiththepalmofyourhandtoformadiskabout1/3inchthick.Bakeuntilthetopsarecrackedbutthecookiesarestillsoft,12to13minutes.Toensureevenbaking,rotatethepanstoptobottomandfronttobackhalfwaythrough.

Allowthecookiestocoolonthebakingsheetsforabout5minutes,thentransferthemtoawirecoolingracktofinishcooling.

Whenthecookiesarecompletelycool,spreadasmallscoopoficecreamontothebottomofonecookieandtopwithanothercookie,pressingdowntomakeasandwich.Stackthecookiesandwichesinanairtightcontainerwithasheetofparchmentorwaxpaperbetweenthelayersofsandwichesandfreezeforatleastanhourtoallowthesandwichestofirmupbeforeserving.Thesewilllastforweeksinthefreezer.