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March 12, 2010

Just Dessert

Sweet as cinnamon-kissed apples baking under a flaky pastry crust. Sweet as a crackling caramelized sugar crust on a silken crème brûlée. Sweet as honey-drenched baklava or cocoa-dusted tiramisu or wedge of dense, cheesy cheesecake.
What better time than now, when we need all the sweetness we can get, to search for the area’s standout desserts—as prepared at some of your favorite restaurants in Palm Beach County? We’ve identified 15 irresistible treats and placed them in three categories—World Classics, American Classics and New Classics.
Calories, cavities, cholesterol be damned! Life is too short to skip dessert.

 

World Classics

Tiramisu
Where: Arturo’s Ristorante, 6750 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, 561/997-7373
History: The origins of this beloved Italian confection, whose name translates as “pick-me-up,” are debated. As early as the 17th century tiramisu-like desserts were said to have been popular, but the consensus of food historians points to the 1970s in the Venetian town of Treviso.
Why here? Tiramisu that’s elegant and complex rather than heavy and sweet takes extra thought and effort. At Arturo’s, courtesy of pastry chef Elisa Gismondi-Tufano, ladyfingers are soaked in four different liqueurs, and mascarpone is whipped with cream, egg yolks and sugar to give it a cloud-like consistency. Instead of being spread, it’s piped in layers over the ladyfingers to avoid tearing the delicate pastry.
Cost: $8

 

 

 

Baklava
Where: Ouzo Blue, 5090 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, 561/776-3188
History: Baklava has a multicultural pedigree. It’s said that the Assyrians were the first people to bake thin layers of dough and nuts doused with honey sometime in eighth century B.C. Greek seamen are thought to have brought the dessert home, while other cultures contributed spices ranging from cinnamon to rose water.
Why here? A refined touch in its preparation sets this baklava apart from others. Several varieties of nuts, not just walnuts, are seasoned with a blend of spices imported from Greece before being sandwiched between layers of tissue-thin phyllo. Honey thinned by heating and spiked with cinnamon adds just the right amount of sweetness with a spice kick.
Cost: $6

 

 

 

Lemon-orange flan
Where: Uncle Julio’s, 449 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, 561/300-3530
History: It’s back to those ancient Greeks and Romans again for the presumed origins of flan, a simple custard of eggs and cream whose name comes from the Latin “flado” and French “flaon.” The custard and caramel version became popular in Spain. That country’s explorers presumably introduced it to the New World, where it practically became the national dessert of Mexico.
Why here? Though the most important element of any dish is flavor, with flan the fineness of its texture is a close second. This version cleans up on both levels, adding the refreshing tang of orange and lemon to the plush egg and smoky caramel flavors, and making it even richer and creamier by bulking up the number of eggs and egg yolks.
Cost: $5.25

 

 

 

 

Profiteroles
Where: Couco Pazzo, 915-917 Lake Ave., Lake Worth, 561/585-0320
History: Profiteroles are thought of as a French dessert and, indeed, the word “profiteroles” is French for “profit.” But the pastry on which they’re based—pâte à choux—is actually Italian in origin, though its recipe was refined over centuries by French chefs, most notably Antoine Careme.
Why here? You can’t have good profiteroles without good pâte à choux, and this unusual dough—it’s cooked prior to baking—can be tough and leathery in less-than-expert hands. These little hollow pastry balls are perfect—light and airy and just the slightest bit chewy. Filled with vanilla and chocolate ice creams and napped with warm chocolate sauce, they definitely profit your taste buds.
Cost: $7

 

 

 

 

Chocolate mousse
Where: Pistache, 101 N. Clematis St., West Palm Beach, 561/833-5090
History: The first official mention of chocolate mousse in the U.S. was in 1892 at a food exposition in New York. Five years later, one of the first recipes was published in a Boston newspaper. Before that, who knows? Except “mousse” is French for “foam,” and French chefs were making foams in the 18th century. When chocolate came in is anybody’s guess.
Why here? Rich yet airy, creamy yet delicate, with the texture of fine silk and a trip-hammer punch of chocolate, this mousse shows why French patisserie is the standard by which all others are judged. The secret is the quality of the chocolate (Callebaut, the pride of Belgium) and simplicity (no cream, just chocolate melted down with butter and egg yolks, then gently folded into stiffly beaten egg whites).
Cost: $7.50

 

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