We’ve been having an ongoing debate here in the EatingWell Test Kitchen about which berry is the best. When I initially brought up this question I thought the correct answer would be totally obvious to everyone. But of the six of us involved in that initial debate, only I seemed to be clued in to the fact that the only choice that’s truly deserving of that number one ranking is raspberries. (Four people picked strawberries and one picked blueberries as their first choice.)
So in the spirit of our summer fruit debate I thought I’d share a couple of my favorite EatingWell raspberry dessert recipes, including decadent Frozen Raspberry Pie (see recipe below), with those of you who love raspberries as much as I do.
My sister, Katie Webster, developed this amazing Raspberry Spoonbread for EatingWell’s August issue. If you’re not a spoonbread afficionado now’s the time to try it. Serve it warm and you won’t be disappointed.
Raspberries with chocolate. Come to think of it, maybe that should have been its own item in the ranking. After all, that combination is nothing short of KILLER! This Chocolate-Raspberry Frozen Yogurt Pop is irresistibly tangy and it’s loaded with chocolate chips. Plus at 87 calories it won’t break the bank calorie-wise. I could eat one of these every day.
I’m sure I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: this Raspberry-Almond Crumb Tart is genius. I love this particular recipe because it is just so darned easy. It takes 20 minutes to assemble, but it comes out looking like you could have bought it from a fancy bakery. And the flavor is perfect for a raspberry lover…not too sweet.
This Frozen Raspberry Pie is a little bit more of a labor of love than the tart is. (There is a double boiler and strained raspberry puree involved.) But my thinking is, when raspberries are in season, there’s almost nothing I wouldn’t do for them. This creamy, luscious pie is made by combining a fluffy cooked meringue with a raspberry puree, then pouring the mixture into a chocolate-cookie crust. To make ahead: Cover with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Crust
32 chocolate wafers (about 6 1/2 ounces; see Ingredient Note), plus
1 for garnish
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons skim milk
1 tablespoon butter
Filling
3 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites, at room temperature (see Kitchen Tip)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking
spray.
2. To prepare crust: Process 32 wafers, confectioners’ sugar, oil,
milk and butter in a food processor until finely ground. Press the
mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan,
creating an even, dense crust. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool on a wire
rack to room temperature, about 1 hour, pressing any puffed parts
of the crust back into the pan.
3. To prepare filling: Meanwhile, puree raspberries, lemon juice
and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. Strain
through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing with a
rubber spatula to extract the juice; discard seeds.
4. Bring 1 inch of water to a slow simmer in a large saucepan.
Combine egg whites, granulated sugar and cream of tartar in a
3-quart stainless-steel bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium
speed until foamy. Set the bowl over the simmering water and
continue to beat on medium speed, moving the mixer around, until
the mixture is glossy and thick, about 3 1/2 minutes. Increase the
speed to high, and continue beating over the simmering water until
very stiff and glossy, about 3 1/2 minutes more (the eggs will be
at a safe temperature, 160°F, at this point). Remove from the heat
(be careful of the escaping steam) and continue beating on medium
speed until room temperature, 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Fold the raspberry puree into the meringue until combined. Pour
the raspberry filling into the pie crust; crumble the remaining
chocolate wafer over the top. Place the pie on a level surface in
your freezer and freeze until solid, at least 6 hours. To serve,
let the pie stand at room temperature until softened slightly,
about 10 minutes, before slicing.
Makes 8 servings.
Per serving: 220 calories; 7 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 4 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 4 g fiber; 165 mg sodium; 126 mg potassium.
Kitchen Tip: To get the most volume from beaten eggs, it’s best for them to be at room temperature. Either set the eggs out on the counter for 15 minutes or submerge them in their shells in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot) water for 5 minutes.
Ingredient Note: Look for chocolate wafer cookies without any partially hydrogenated oils. Our two favorites were both from Newman’s Own Organics: Tops & Bottoms and Chocolate Alphabet Cookies. Chocolate Snaps from Mi-Del will also work, but the chocolate flavor isn’t as rich.
By Jessie Price
EatingWell deputy food editor Jessie Price's professional background in food started when she worked in restaurant kitchens in the summers during college. She started out testing recipes for EatingWell and then joined the staff here full-time in 2004 when she moved to Vermont from San Francisco.
Related Links from EatingWell:
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