Sweet Creme Fraiche + Almond

    How to explain that Creme Fraiche is a not sour cream?  Ah, let me count the ways.  For starters it has a much more viscous, dreamy texture than American sour cream.  As you can see in the photo above it can be piled up in heaping decadent swirls.  Also, Creme Fraiche is typically much higher in fat content, about 14% fat in some cases.  The acidity can hover around 4.5 ph the result is a cultured cream less sour than sour cream.  All of these marvelous traits combined makes for a much richer product.  Creme Fraiche is a knock out replacement for heavy cream in recipes, soups, and makes one hell of a (insert favorite dessert here) topping.  

    Now that you feel all educated about why Creme Fraiche is so much more than fancy-pants French sour cream let me tell you a story.  Once upon a time Creme Fraiche was mixed with sugar and almond extract.  Making a laughably simple dip/frosting thingy and there was much rejoicing in the kingdom.  The End.  Good story, no?  Right, so no literary prizes for me.  However, this bit of sweet dairy I whipped up is no joke.  

    Having never really used Creme Fraiche for anything and staring at the copious quantities on my store shelf I decided to explore.  I admit, I'm really not a fan of unadulterated Creme Fraiche.  I know, I know.  All you other cheese-heads out there will tell me how vaguely nutty and lactic yogurty amazingness this cultured cream is.  Frankly I find it bland.  That is until it's mixed with other things.  Then BAM!  

    In this case mixing it with sugar and almond made what was formerly an almost  distasteful Creme into something, dare I say, magical.  (okay cliche. but it is!)  Suddenly the light sour yogurt flavors all harmonized into a sweet nutty topping for my breakfast toast.  But the real good part was finishing off the last of it after dinner with a big bowl of ginger snaps carelessly dragged through the fluffy almondy cream.

Sweet Creme Fraiche + Almond

8 oz Creme Fraiche ( I like VC's version)

2 Tbs granulated sugar

2 tsp almond extract

In a small chilled bowl whip all ingredients together until smooth and fluffy.

Eat at once and refrigerate left overs promptly.

Baked Apple with St. Agour Blue Cheese

 

    Apples.  Honeycrisp, Tango, Gala, Granny Smith, Jonagold.  No matter its name or character apples are the official fruit of Autumn.  The best type having crispy flesh that turns velvety under the tooth, with honeyed sweetness balanced out with a tart snap.   While possibly the most perfect fruit on its own there is nothing that a little cheese can't improve.  

    Let me be the first to tell you that this improvement makes your average solo apple taste like that french fry you found in your backseat last week.  I'll explain.  This Jonagold apple was cored and baked with a fluffy mixture of softened butter, light brown sugar, and...wait for it...triple creme St. Agour blue cheese.  Oh. Yeah. 

    The salty, lactic, yet gentle acidity of the cheese perfectly complements the heady sweetness of the apple.  Blending seamlessly with the toasted, buttery caramel of the brown sugar and butter.  

    As I write this I have slowly been working my way through this a fore mentioned baked fruit (yes, it's my breakfast. don't hate.).  The sheer, almost physically palpable, decadence of it has left me slowly working my way to the bottom of the bowl.  Though once past the spoonable, just barely crisp apple, lies the juices left over from baking.  A caramelized, buttered pool of brown sugar, salt, and cream.  

    Now this is the way to welcome the first day of Autumn.

Baked Apple w/Blue Cheese

serves 1

1 washed and cored baking apple w/skin on

1 Tbs salted butter, softened

2 Tbs light brown sugar, packed

1 Tbs blue cheese, softened and packed

1/2 cup water

Cinnamon for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 F

Blend butter, sugar, and cheese with a spatula in a small bowl until well blend but still lumpy

Pack the mixture lightly into the cavity of the apple

The mixture should mound slightly over the top of the apple

Place into a baking dish and cover with apple lightly with tin foil

add the water to the baking dish

Bake for approx. 20 minutes

Remove tinfoil and add water if needed

Baste often with its own juices

Bake 20 more minutes or until tender under a fork

Carefully (molten sugar burns like napalm) move the apple to a ramekin or bowl 

Spoon over the juices from bottom of the baking dish

Sprinkle with cinnamon and any left over brown sugar

Spoon it into your face and enjoy!

Deconstructed Strawberry "Tiramisu"

     Yes, that's right, readers.  What you see above is the beginnings of one rad dessert.  While pouring hot liquid onto fluffed Mascarpone cheese seems counter intuitive, I promise you only good things come of it.  Sugared strawberries (this is still high strawberry season. get on it, people!) milky-sweet Mascarpone, and the bitter edges of espresso all swirl into a creamy, sugary, delightful mess.  Thankfully it's easy enough to go back for seconds...or fourths.  Just don't expect to sleep for a month. 

Deconstructed Strawberry "Tiramisu"

Serves 1

8 good-looking Strawberries (plump, glossy, no green spots)

2 Tbs softened Mascarpone cheese

1 Tbs Sugar

1/4 c Espresso (or to taste)

• Thoroughly wash strawberries, remove tops, and slice as desired into your heat resistant container of choice
• Sprinkle with sugar and carefully toss until evenly coated
• In a microwave safe dish heat the Mascarpone on medium power for about 15 seconds or until just softened.  Stir gently until creamy but not edging in on liquid.  Alternatively heating the Mascarpone slowly in a small sauce pot on the stove  works well, too.
• Brew or heat your espresso. ( i use a stovetop espresso maker. however, instant espresso is easily obtainable these days.  lacking both of these things, a strongly brewed dark roast coffee is an acceptable substitute.)
• While your espresso is preparing top the sugared strawberries with the softened Mascarpone.
• Gently pour the hot espresso over the mascarpone.  Use as much or as little as you desire.  
• Try not to dissolve the cheese entirely.  I find part of the appeal of this dessert is getting a spoonful of berry, cheese, and espresso all in one go.  Bitter-sweet.  Invigorating.  Heady. 

    Also, the variations on this "Tiramisu" are endless.  I'm curious to find out what booze soaked, alternative ingredients, etc. versions you all come up with.  Share away, dear readers!

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