Cook the Book: 10 No-Cook Things To Serve For Dessert
Today's recipe (or non-recipe) goes out to the frazzled cooks already overseeing a turkey, six sides, and the tricky business of wine pairing. I doubt that Ina Garten, author of this week's Cook the Book selection, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, would use the word "hacks," but that's just what these ten no-cook desserts are.
Composed from store-bought items, these sweet courses can be as elegant as the host or hostess chooses to present them.
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10 No-Cook Things To Serve For Dessert
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten
1. Vanilla ice cream drizzled with saba (substitute a good balsamic vinegar, lightly reduced)
2. Fresh pears, English Stilton, and aged port wine
3. Vanilla ice cream mixed with chopped crystallized ginger and store-bought almond biscotti
4. Store-bought brownies, coffee ice cream, and chocolate sauce
5. Store-bought pound cake toasted and drizzled with honey and fresh raspberries
6. Clementines, dates, good chocolates, and demi-sec champagne
7. Passion fruit sorbet and vanilla ice cream with Grey Goose vodka poured on top
8. Strawberries macerated with sugar and good balsamic vinegar
9. Store-bought chocolate cake with melted vanilla ice cream as a sauce and fresh raspberries
10. Macoun apples, English cheddar, and store-bought ginger cookies
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11 Comments:
Some of these sound very Sandra-like. Buy this from the store and dress it up a bit. It'll seem like homemade.
It's not really that "no-cook" if you are just buying something from a store. As in...it would actually require cooking if you weren't buying it.
wunami at 1:24PM on 11/14/08
Does it matter that it's "Sandra-like"? When you have no time because you just planned an enormous dinner, these are pretty and tasty and will make your guests feel good after dinner. I'm tired of the clique-y "We Hate Sandra Lee" bunch that thinks anything you buy from the store premade is terrible and makes you a bad cook. I have a friend who is an amazing cook, but she doesn't bake. Sometimes, she wants to serve poundcake......is she just to throw her hands up and say "well, I can't go buy one because people may think I made it and that would be lying"?
/end rant
On that note, I think these are wonderful ideas. Now I'm off to eat my store-bought breakfast pastry.
amanda0730 at 1:38PM on 11/14/08
Sandra, shmandra. These desserts are simple and elegant. Can't go wrong with good, fresh ingredients beautifully served.
baboo at 2:13PM on 11/14/08
Yeah, these don't remind me of Sandra IN THE LEAST. There's no Cool Whip, instant pre-made puddings, or canned fruit filling anywhere in these ideas. THESE ideas are simple and elegant, time-saving and sound yummy. I especially like the idea of drizzling Grey Goose vodka over the top of sorbet and vanilla ice cream. Great idea!
juliebugsmama at 4:03PM on 11/14/08
I am a big fan of berries with a dollop of lemon curd and/or Crème fraîche. Garnish with mint, if you have to make things look fancy. Have some butter cookies on the side. I tend towards frozen blueberries which thaw while we eat dinner.
nita at 4:10PM on 11/14/08
@juliebugsmama -- I completely agree. Plus, if Ina buys cookies or cakes at a store, she's most likely buying things that were made from real ingredients and aren't full of additives and preservatives.
I wouldn't think of buying cake, cookies or brownies at the grocery. But I know people who bake using real ingredients and I will buy from them.
I like orange or lemon sorbet or sherbet with orange or lemon liqueur on top. A very light, lovely dessert.
IndyGal at 4:42PM on 11/14/08
Look. I have nothing against buying something already made in the store and eating it. I just don't think I need a recipe to tell me how to do it. Or a show. I was just expecting something more creative when I read the title. Especially, since this is a recipe book from Ina.
Seriously. I know how to put brownies and ice cream together and maybe drizzle on some kind of sauce. Etc.
I'd agree that the "Shamdra" bashing on SE does get kind of bad sometimes. That's why I stuck with her actual name.
wunami at 4:55PM on 11/14/08
Ina shops at Loaves and Fishes for baked goods - their meringues look fantastic, and you know everything there is superb! Not an angel food cake, corn nuts, cool whip, pudding cups, or canned apple pie filling in her list - nope, no comparison to she who shall remain nameless. Macoun, cheddar and gingersnap are calling my name right now - no need to wait for a holiday!
PerkyMac at 4:56PM on 11/14/08
@wunami I think the point of something like this (in a recipe book, or otherwise) is to provide inspiration. Lots of people aren't that creative when it comes to arranging a beautiful platter of vegetables (something covered in Ina's first cookbook) or putting together a few interesting storebought items to create a dessert that feels special, even if it isn't time consuming or homemade. The example of brownies and ice cream isn't exactly shocking, but 10, 7, 6, 3 and a couple of others probably don't come to you average home cook off the top of his or her head. I'll probably try 10 and 7-or variations thereof-pretty soon myself.
lovesomething at 8:35PM on 11/14/08
God bless Ina for admitting and accepting that many of us buy cakes and brownies instead of making them from freakin' scratch!
cebelamour at 11:26PM on 11/14/08
I agree with wunami.
I love love love Ina, but I don't need a book to tell me to buy some bakery items and put a scoop of vanilla icecream on it.
Come on now.
Stacey Snacks
Stacey Snacks at 1:11PM on 11/15/08