Tag Archives: dessert recipe

Clementine Granita Recipe; A Perfect Summer dessert

Clementine Granita Recipe; A Perfect Summer dessert

The other night for a dinner party I made this recipe and feel compelled to share it here since it is such a perfect summer treat.   I found this fabulous Clementine Granita recipe in Martha Stewart Magazine (December 2011 issue). I have made both a clementine version and blood orange version for Valentine’s Day, and it was a huge hit both times with the children and adults alike.   It is super refreshing and I am always thrilled to find a healthful but festive dessert to add to my repertoire.

 

12 Clementines

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 tsp Powdered Ginger (the Martha Stewart Recipe calls for 1/2 in peel of fresh ginger but I don’t tend to keep fresh ginger on hand so have only made this with powdered  so far)

1 T lemon juice

Slice the clementines in half, cut around the pulp and scoop it out, leaving the shell. Place the pulp and any juice in a bowl.

Wet the skins and roll in sugar, then place in the freezer to create tiny bowls for the Granita.

In a pot on the stove mix the water, sugar and ginger and bring to a boil. Cool.

 Blood Orange version

Blood Orange Version

Juice the pulp from the clementines, ideally enough for 2 cups, you may need to buy extra clementines to get this amount of juice. Add in sugar water mixture and lemon, and place in a bowl to freeze.

Once frozen (about 2-3 hours) Scoop the granita into the frozen skins, and keep them in the freezer until it is time to serve. Enjoy!

 

Delicious White Chocolate Fruit Tart Recipe!

Delicious White Chocolate Fruit Tart Recipe!

This is one of my favorite dessert recipes because it looks as good as it tastes.  I’ll never forget when my friend Karen Vernacchio walked into a dinner party carrying it years ago. I could not believe she had made that beautiful fruit tart herself, and certainly did not believe her when she said it was actually easy to make!

She was kind enough to share her recipe with me back then, so you really have her to thank for what I am about to share with you.  It has since become my staple, simple yet elegant dessert for entertaining. I am grateful to her every time I make it. I even keep the non-perishable ingredients in my pantry, (I almost always have milk, butter and cream cheese in my fridge) so in a pinch I can just grab the fresh berries and whip it up.

 

White Chocolate Fruit Tart

Tart crust:

¾ c. softened butter

1 ½ c. confectioners’ sugar

1 ½ c. flour

Filling:

1 bag White chocolate chips

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

½ c. milk

Topping:

Kiwi, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries

(These are my usual toppings but Karen has made it with bananas, and I have made it with pineapple too, so it is really whatever design you come up with)

Glaze:

¼ c. sugar

1 T. cornstarch

½ c. pineapple juice

Preheat oven to 300. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Blend in flour.  Press mixture into 12 inch round tart pan, or pizza pan.  Bake 20 min. until lightly browned.  Cool completely.  In a saucepan, melt chocolate and milk until smooth.  Add cream cheese and mix until smooth.  Spread over crust to cool.

 Arrange kiwi, and berries on top of filling.  In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch, stir in Dole pineapple juice. Stir constantly until thick. Drizzle over fruit topping. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until it has set.

 

Blood Orange Granita Recipe: A Perfect Valentine’s Day Treat

Blood Orange Granita Recipe: A Perfect Valentine’s Day Treat
Blood Orange Granita Recipe: A Perfect Valentine’s Day Treat

The Martha Stewart Clementine Granitas from the Magazine

I adapted this recipe for Valentines Day from the fabulous Clementine Granita recipe I found in Martha Stewart Magazine (December 2011 issue). I served the clementine version on Thanksgiving and for a holiday gift swap and it was a huge hit both times with the children and adults.  I am always thrilled to find a healthful but festive dessert to add to my repertoire.  When I saw the Blood oranges I thought their ruby pulp would create a pretty Valentines Day alternative version to our new family favorite.

 

12 Blood Oranges

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 tsp Powdered Ginger (the Martha Stewart Recipe calls for 1/2 in peel of fresh ginger but I don’t tend to keep fresh ginger on hand so have only made this with powdered  so far)

1 T lemon juice

Slice the oranges in half, cut around the pulp and scoop it out, leaving the shell. Place the pulp and any juice in a bowl.

Wet the skins and roll in sugar, then place in the freezer to crete tiny bowls for the Granita.

In a pot mix the water, sugar and ginger and bring to a boil. Cool.

Juice the pulp from the oranges, ideally enough for 2 cups, you may need to buy extra oranges to get this amount of juice. Add in sugar water mixture and lemon, and place in a bowl to freeze.

Once frozen (about 2-3 hours) Scoop the granita into the frozen skins, and keep them in the freezer until it is time to serve. Enjoy!

       Happy Valentine’s Day!