Dessert goes red, white and blue

This weekend marks the start of the July 4th holiday - parades, picnics, fireworks and a tsunami of red, white and blue. You’ll find bunting on windows, porch railings and vehicles in the Doo Dah Parade. Flags will adorn balloons, T-shirts, rub-on tattoos and even some items on the menu. 

The easiest way to showcase patriotic colors is with fruity desserts featuring blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and cherries. Perfect timing to find lots of fresh fruit at the farmers markets. While these provide the bright hues, there are several different options to represent the white stripes and stars. 

For many years, my mother-in-law made a July 4th sheet cake with an elaborate decoration across the top. Over a thick layer of buttercream frosting, she arranged rows of strawberries for the stripes and clumps of blueberries for the field behind the stars in the left corner of the flag. I tried this once, but didn’t sketch out the design in advance and had to omit a few stars and stripes. 

For a hot summer day, baking a cake may not be an appealing project. Instead, consider a layered parfait to incorporate the colors of the day in a sweet, cool treat (see photo). From yogurt to vanilla gelato to whipped dessert topping, you can find a number of ready-to-serve creamy ingredients for your parfait. 

If you’d like to do a little cooking, the Italian dessert called zabaglione is a delicious, creamy concoction. Egg, sugar and Marsala wine are cooked in a double boiler into a sauce for a selection of bright berries. Although the technique is straightforward, it’s a delicate operation to keep the mixture from curdling. The temperature should be carefully monitored and the custard should be served immediately. 

The French version, called sabayon, adds another step to allow the dish to be served chilled. Once the mixture has cooked to the correct consistency, the top portion of the double boiler is set in ice water. After chilling, whipped cream is folded into the sauce, which is lovely when layered with brightly colored berries. 

Another option for individually molded custard to serve with berries is panna cotta, similar to blancmange. These need to be made early enough to allow about 4 hours before serving to chill. This recipe uses unflavored gelatin as a thickening agent and balances the richness of heavy cream with a hint of tartness from buttermilk. 

No matter how you assemble your red, white and blue dessert or where you drape your bunting, here’s wishing you a happy and safe 4th of July.

Zabaglione 

4 eggs, separated 
1/4 C sugar 
1/2 C Marsala wine 

Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl and beat until stiff peaks form; set aside. Place the egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double boiler (not yet on heat). Whisk until slightly thickened and pale yellow in color. While continuing to whisk, slowly pour in the wine until combined. Place the top of the double boiler over gently simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly until thick enough to mound on a spoon, about 7 minutes. Gently fold in whipped egg whites and spoon into dessert dishes to serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

Sabayon 

1/4 C heavy cream 
4 large egg yolks 
3/4 C sugar 
3/4 C dry sherry 

In a mixing bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form; set aside. In the top of a double boiler, whisk together egg yolks, sugar and sherry. Set the top of the double boiler over briskly simmering water and whisk constantly until thickened and smooth. Remove the top and set in a bowl of ice water, continuing to whisk until cool. Fold in whipped cream and refrigerate until ready to serve. Yield: 6 servings.

Panna Cotta 

3 T cold water 
1 envelope unflavored gelatin 
1/2 C sugar 
1 C buttermilk 
1 1/2 C heavy cream 
1 vanilla bean 

Coat the inside of 6 ramekins or custard cups with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle with gelatin; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, stir together sugar, buttermilk and cream. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and add to the pot. Place pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring often.

Remove pan from the heat, remove the vanilla bean and stir in softened gelatin. Keep stirring until completely dissolved and pour into prepared ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing film directly on the surface. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 3 days.

Unmold custard onto dessert plates and garnish with berries. Yield: 6 servings.