Best Spring Fruit And Mixed Berry Gratin Recipes

FRESH BERRY GRATIN

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Toss fruit gently with sugar, kirsch (if using), and salt in medium nonreactive bowl and transfer to 9-inch glass or ceramic pie pan.
• Pulse bread, butter, sugar, and cinnamon in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses.
• Sprinkle crumbs evenly over fruit and bake until crumbs are deep golden brown and fruit is hot, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack 5 minutes and serve.

FRESH RASPBERRY GRATINS

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler for at least 15 minutes, with the rack about 5 inches away from the heat.
• To make the sabayon, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering (not boiling) water until thick and creamy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk almost constantly, scraping the egg mixture from the bottom of the bowl. Slowly whisk in the Marsala wine and continue whisking over the simmering water for about 5 more minutes, until the mixture is thick and smooth, like a soft whipped cream. It should register about 150 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Whisk in the vanilla, remove from the heat, and set aside.
• Place one snug layer of raspberries in 6 (6 to 7-inch) shallow gratin dishes. (Each of my dishes holds about one half-pint of raspberries.) Spoon enough sabayon over the raspberries to cover them. Sprinkle each one lightly with granulated sugar. Arrange the dishes on 2 sheet pans and place themone pan at a timeunder the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the tops of the gratins are lightly browned. Watch them carefully; they burn really quickly! Serve warm.

FRESH BERRY GRATIN

Steps:

• Pick over the raspberries. Hull the strawberries and slice them in half. Mix the berries with two tablespoons of the liqueur. Refrigerate.
• Place the egg yolks in a bowl that will fit over a pan of simmering water. Beat the egg yolks until they have thickened. Beat in one-quarter cup of the sugar. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and beat the mixture vigorously over low heat.
• Add half the remaining amaretto and continue beating. As the egg mixture thickens and lightens, gradually add the remaining amaretto. Continue beating the mixture until it is very thick and light, taking care to regulate the heat so the yolks do not coagulate.
• Remove the pan from the heat, stir the mixture again and refrigerate it until just before serving time.
• Preheat a broiler. Spread the berries in a shallow gratin dish at least nine inches in diameter. Spread the egg-yolk mixture over the berries, covering them completely. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
• Place the gratin under the broiler and cook for a minute or two, just until the top becomes brown and glazed. Place the gratin dish on a serving dish and serve at once, gently scooping portions of berries and gratin onto each plate.

BERRY GRATIN WITH CHAMPAGNE SABAYON

Steps:

• Turn the oven on to broil with the rack about 6 inches/15 cm from the heat.
• Arrange the berries in individual gratin dishes and set on a baking sheet.
• Put the wine, sugar and egg yolks in a roomy glass bowl. Whisk to mix. Set the bowl over a saucepan partly filled with hot, but not simmering, water. Don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water beneath. Whisk until the mixture is frothy, pale and ribbony, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Whisk in the zest and keep whisking a minute or two to cool slightly. Spoon the sabayon over the berries and place under the broiler until the sabayon is bubbly and golden, a minute or two. Place the gratin dishes on plates and serve immediately.

BERRY SABAYON GRATINEE

Steps:

• In a large glass bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds with the back side of a pairing knife. Add vanilla bean seeds to the egg yolk mixture and whisk to combine. Add wine, a little at a time, and whisk to combine. Add a pinch of salt and whisk again.
• Set bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk vigorously and constantly until the sauce is thick and fluffy, about 10 minutes.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Place 1/2 cup berries in the bottom of 6 shallow individual gratin dishes or ovenproof bowls. Spoon an even amount of the sabayon over each dish. Sprinkle the remaining berries evenly over the dishes. Place the dishes on a sheet pan and place on the top shelf of the oven under the broiler. Broil until the sabayon is golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

FIFTEEN-MINUTE FRUIT GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler; set the rack as close to the heat source as possible (even 2 inches is not too close).
• Wash, pit, stem, and peel the fruit as necessary. Cut stone fruit in halves or slices as you prefer. Cut strawberries in thick slices; leave smaller berries whole. Put the fruit-there should be at least 2 cups-in a baking or gratin dish just large enough to hold it.
• Whip the cream with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the vanilla until it is thick and just barely holding soft peaks. Pour it over and around the fruit. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Broil carefully, allowing the cream to brown all over and even burn in a couple of spots; rotate the baking dish during broiling if necessary. Remove and serve.
• Using sour cream in place of cream will produce a strikingly different result. Sour cream is thick, rich, flavorful, and (obviously) sour; sweet cream becomes thinner and saucier in texture: Combine 1 cup sour cream with just enough milk-about 1/4 cup-to allow you to whisk it smooth. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and proceed as directed, using 1 tablespoon brown sugar for the topping.