Let Yourself Goo

Although She may one day outgrow valentines, no girl ever out-grows extravagantly rich desserts. Frenchmen at the table, especially during the month of hearts and arrows, love to repeat their old saying, Le dessert est tout le diner pour une jolie femme. The whole dinner? Like most aphorisms, it seems particularly exaggerated these days, when toutes las jolies fcmmes, almost as avidly as men, devour their onion soup gratinee, their thick chateaubriands and their bowls of salad studded with roquefort cheese. But all during the dinner, the back of every girl's mind, the dessert, like an unmentioned but impendeing rendezvous, is awaited as the grand finale. A sumputous dessert differs from ever other course on the menu. It doesn't depend upon appeatie any more than the use of one's hand is dependent upon a diamond ring. Like all lovely baubles, it's rich and rare only when the donor knows what and how go give.

Crepes suzette are always dazzling. The host in a hurry can pick up a jar or two in any gourmet shop, heat the crepes, fortify them with liqueur and, in double-quick time, a flamboyant dessert lights up his table. but crepes made in one's own crepe pan can be much more imaginative. They may be sweetened with the usual jam. jelly or sugar--all dependable ways of saying, "Will you be mine, oh. valetine?"--but if they're coated with a creamy souffelike filling before they're rolled and flambeed, they turn into a completely different kind of rapture. Even though the crepes are made the day before (a perfectly acceptable procedure), they have the delicate freshness, the tender bitability that their syrup-soaked counterparts in the jar are denied. The secret of crepe making--the key to any great dessert, in fact--is to be found in a simple word of advice: Rehearse. The first time round, the crepe journeyman may hesitate in pouring the proper amount of batter into his pan, in turning, stacking, filling or flambeeing the crepes. The second or third time round is inveribly speedier, because it's easier; and eventually, the ritual can be carried off blindfolded.

But while crepes are best when freshly made, there are culinary short cuts that shouldn't be overlooked. Meringue sheells, for example, used in making meringue glacée, a prodigal ice-cream dessert, don't depend upon freshness for flavor. You can count upon their being more uniform in size and shape, as well as lighter, when turned out by professional backers, than when made by amateur masters of the dolce. Excellent meringue shells are now being imported from France is a rich gem of a dessert ingredient, eclipsing the fresh chestnuts that must be laboriously boiled, shelled, crushed, sieved and sweetened. Purchasable dainties such as toasted coconut bits or ladyfingers are members in good standing in the category of easy confections.

But total effect is all important; a menu that features a triumphantly lavish dessert must be kept in balance: A simple broiled breast of chicken or breast of guinea hen with a slice of Virginia ham is preferable to an outsize vol-auvent of chicken or guinea hen swimming in a rich cream sauce. A double-lamb-chop mixed grill, a roast tenderloin of beef or any roast game such as quail or partridge are all party foods that naturally lead to such peaks as pineapple baked Alaska, with its hot outer crust and cold inner cargo of ice cream and fruit marinated in liqueur.

Choosing mates in February was an old Lupercalian festival predating Saint Valentine himself, strictly a hit-or-miss affair. Names of Roman boys and girls were put into a box and whatever name was picked was, ipso facto, the next year's mate. Centuries later, Chaucer observed that the birds in February didn't seem to go in for this kind of freewheeling, but met and carefully chose their mates . . . "And after flie away/With hem as I move you with pleasaunce." The following entremets are for men who are masters in their own houses of pleasaunce.

[recipe_title]Pineapple Baked Alaska[/recipe_title](Serves four)

[recipe]1 extra-large ripe pineapple[/recipe]

[recipe]Granulated sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]1 oz. maraschino liqueur[/recipe]

[recipe]1 oz. kirsch[/recipe]

[recipe]4 egg whites[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 teaspoon salt[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon vanilla extract[/recipe]

[recipe]1 quart banana ice cream[/recipe]

[recipe]6 brandied red cherries[/recipe]

[recipe]Confectioners' sugar[/recipe]

Cut pineapple in half lengthwise, retaining stem end with each half. With small, sharp paring knife, cut out meat of pineapple, leaving pineapple shell 1/2 in. thick. Avoid puncturing shell. Cut off hard core of fruit. Cut remainder into slices about 1/4 in. thick. Combine sliced fruit with 2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar to taste, maraschino liqueur and kirsch, mixing well. Let fruit marinate overnight or at least 3 to 4 hours before serving. Store pineapple and pine-apple shells in refrigerator until serving time. Preheat oven at 500°. In electric mixer, beat egg whites, salt and vanilla extract until almost stiff. Slowly add 1/2 cup granulated sugar while beating and continue to beat until stiff peaks are formed. Fill pineapple shells with scoops of ice cream. Drain sliced pineapple and surround ice cream with it. Cover with egg whites, using a spatula or pastry bag and tube. Be sure pineapple shell is well covered to edge. Place 3 cherries on each pineapple. Sprinkle lightly with confectioners' sugar. Place in shallow pan in oven until whites are lightly browned. Serve at once. Each pineapple shell is 2 portions.

[recipe_title]Coconut Cheese Pie[/recipe_title](Serves six to eight)

[recipe]1-1/3 cups chocolate-wafer crumbs[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons butter at room temperature[/recipe]

[recipe]1 lb. ricotta cheese[/recipe]

[recipe]4 ozs. whipped cream cheese[/recipe]

[recipe]8-3/4-oz. can cream of coconut[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 cup heavy cream[/recipe]

[recipe]2 envelopes plain gelatin[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar 3-1/4-oz. can Hawaiian coconut bits[/recipe]

Place about 2 dozen chocolate wafers on a large kitchen towel. Fold towel to cover wafers. Roll with rolling pin or pound with smooth side of meat tenderizer until wafers are thoroughly crushed. Crumbs should be fine size, with no large pieces remaining. Combine 1-1/3 cups crumbs with butter, blending very well. Press crumbs with back of spoon or by hand onto bottom and sides of 9-in. pie plate. Bake in oven, preheated at 375°, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool crust. In bowl of electric mixer, beat ricotta, cream cheese, cream of coconut and 1/4 cup cream until very well blended. Soak gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water until soft, then place in top part of double boiler over simmering water until dissolved. Add gelatin to cheese mixture, again mixing until well blended. Pour into pie crust. Chill in refrigerator until filling is firm. Beat remainder of cream until thick. Fold in confectioners' sugar. Spread whipped cream over pie filling. Place coconut bits in blender and blend at high speed until finely crushed. Sprinkle on top of pie. (Prepared, ready-to-fill chocolate crumb crust may be used as a timesaver. If crust is smaller than 9 inches, reduce amount of filling.)

[recipe_title]Mocha Meringue Glacé[/recipe_title](Serves six)

[recipe]8-3/4-oz. can sweet marron purée with vanilla[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped[/recipe]

[recipe]6 large scoops coffee ice cream[/recipe]

[recipe]12 small meringue shells or 6 large shells[/recipe]

[recipe]6 marrons in syrup[/recipe]

[recipe]Coffee liqueur[/recipe]

Mix marron purée until soft and easily spread. Slowly but thoroughly fold purée into whipped cream. On each of 6 dessert dishes, place a scoop of ice cream. Place 2 meringue shells alongside ice cream, or place 1 large meringue shell under ice cream. Top with whipped-cream mixture. Place a marron on top of whipped cream. Pour about an ounce of coffee liqueur on top.

[recipe_title]Brandied Date Pudding[/recipe_title](Serves six)

[recipe]12 pitted dates[/recipe]

[recipe]4 ozs. cognac[/recipe]

[recipe]12 ladyfingers[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 teaspoon salt[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon vanilla[/recipe]

[recipe]4 eggs[/recipe]

[recipe]2 cups milk[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 pint vanilla ice cream[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped[/recipe]

[recipe]1 oz. cognac[/recipe]

Soak dates in cognac overnight. Drain dates, reserving cognac. Chop 6 dates coarsely. Sprinkle drained cognac on ladyfingers, then cut them into 1/2-in. squares. Divide ladyfingers and chopped dates among 6 buttered custard cups. Add 1/4 cup sugar, salt and vanilla to eggs and beat well. Heat milk to boiling point, but do not boil. Slowly pour milk into egg mixture, blending well. Pour egg-milk mixture into custard cups and place them in a shallow baking pan with 1 in. hot water. Bake in oven preheated at 375° 30 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center of custard comes out clean. Remove custard cups from pan and chill in refrigerator. Let ice cream stand in refrigerator (not freezer) until soft but not melting. Add 2 tablespoons sugar to whipped cream. Fold ice cream into whipped cream. Add 1 oz. cognac. Run a paring knife around inside of each custard cup and invert pudding onto dessert dishes. Pour ice-cream sauce over pudding. Place a date on top of each portion.

[recipe_title]Fruit Pousse-Café[/recipe_title](Serves four)

Cut into cubes enough ripe sweet pears, apples and bananas to fill 4 parfait glasses or 4 large whiskey-sour glasses. Since glasses vary in size, no exact amount of fruit can be indicated. Sprinkle fruit generously with sugar and steep in orange or pineapple juice to keep fruit from discoloring. On bottom of each glass, pour about 1 oz. crème de noyau. Drain fruit, discarding juice. Put enough fruit into glass to reach top of noyau. Add another layer of fruit and pour a layer of blue curaçao into glass very slowly over back of spoon held against side of glass. Add a third layer of fruit and pour pineapple juice (again, slowly over back of spoon). Fill glass to top with fruit. Add a final layer of Southern Comfort. On top of fruit, place a dab or rosette of whipped cream flavored with green crème de menthe. Layers of liqueurs and fruits need not be uniform in size. The section covered with pineapple (concluded on page 169)Let Yourself Goo (continued from page 114) juice may be larger than the others, if desired. Dessert may be assembled before dinner, adding whipped cream just before serving.

[recipe_title]Crepes Soufflés with Guraçlao[/recipe_title](Serves four to six)

[recipe]3 eggs[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup milk[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup cold water[/recipe]

[recipe]1/8 teaspoon salt[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup flour, instantized[/recipe]

[recipe]2--3 tablespoons clarified butter or salad oil[/recipe]

Put eggs, milk, water, salt and flour into blender and blend at high speed 20--30 seconds. Scrape sides of blender if necessary. Heat about a teaspoon butter over moderate flame in a heavy pan 6 in. in diameter. Drain off any excess butter. Pour about 3 tablespoons crepe batter into pan, tilting pan so that crepe batter covers bottom completely. Adjust flame if necessary to prevent overrapid browning. When lightly browned, turn with spatula and brown other side. Remove from pan, set aside and continue in this manner until all crepe batter is used. If crepes are to be used the following day, cover and store in refrigerator.

[recipe_title]Filling For Crepes[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1 cup milk[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons flour, instantized[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons butter[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 teaspoon salt[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]2 egg yolks[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon vanilla[/recipe]

[recipe]1 egg white[/recipe]

Put milk, flour, butter, salt and sugar in heavy small saucepan, mixing with wire whip until no lumps of flour remain. Heat over moderate flame, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from fire. Beat egg yolks well. Add a few tablespoons sauce to yolks and pour into pan.

Return to a moderate flame, stirring constantly, until thick--about 1 to 2 minutes. Add vanilla and set sauce aside until serving time. Just before filling crepes, beat egg white until stiff and fold into sauce. Spread about 2 tablespoons filling on each crepe and roll up, enclosing filling. Place crepes in a single layer in a buttered shallow casserole or au-gratin dish. Bake in oven preheated at 375° until heated through--about 8--10 minutes.

[recipe_title]Sauce for Crepes[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1/4 cup butter[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]2 ozs. fresh orange juice[/recipe]

[recipe]4 ozs. curaçao[/recipe]

Heat butter, sugar and orange juice until butter melts. Pour over crepes. Turn crepes to coal all sides completely. Heat curaçao over a trivet flame. Pour over crepes and set ablaze. Serve when flames subside.

[recipe_title]Crème Brulée with Pecans[/recipe_title](Serves four)

[recipe]1 cup heavy cream[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup milk[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 teaspoon salt[/recipe]

[recipe]1/3 cup sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]5 egg yolks, well beaten[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons oloroso sherry[/recipe]

[recipe]2 ozs. shelled pecans[/recipe]

[recipe]Brown sugar[/recipe]

Heat cream and milk to boiling point, but do not boil. Add salt and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Slowly pour cream mixture into egg yolks, beating well. Heat, stirring constantly, in top section of double boiler over simmering water until custard thickens. Avoid overcooking or custard may curdle. Stir in sherry. Pour into a greased shallow heatproof casserole. Chill in refrigerator overnight, if possible, keeping casserole covered. Put pecans in blender and blend until finely chopped. Sprinkle evenly over custard. (Crushed pecans tend to lump: break them apart with finger tips.) Cover pecans thoroughly and evenly with about 1/4 in. brown sugar, smoothing top with tines of a fork. Place under preheated broiler flame until sugar turns medium brown; avoid charring. Chill in refrigerator until serving time. May be served as is or with sweetened whipped cream.

One needn't be carried away to the Mack Sennett extremes pictured on pages 111--113 to properly appreciate the rich variety of final-act fare at his beck. So bring on the desserts and damned be him that first cries, "Hold, enough!"