Desserts to crown your Easter feasts

By: Associated Press | Wednesday, April 12, 2006 8:39 PM PDT ∞

Easter is on the horizon, and the season calls for desserts bright with seasonal flavors ---- strawberry, lemon and rhubarb. We've collected some recipes to help you find the perfect topper for your Sunday dinner ---- or your favorite springtime occasion.

Almond paste complements the tart lemon and nutty poppy-seed flavors in this rich-tasting, festive cake topped with a drizzle of icing. It's an attractive dessert to serve for any occasion, holiday or family day, especially if you play up the springlike look and decorate it with a garnish of little marzipan lemons.

The baby lemons are easy to make and can also be served alone for in-between nibbling, piled in a candy dish. The lemons' "stems" are made from the star ends of whole cloves or cardamom seeds.

You will need a 9 1/2-inch fluted pan for the cake.

Lemon Almond Poppy Seed Cake

One 7-ounce package almond paste

2 lemons

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Scant 1/4 cup poppy seeds

1/2 cup sour cream

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

4 to 6 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

(Optional) 1 or 2 drops yellow food coloring

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 1/2-inch fluted pan.

Grate almond paste on large-hole side of a box grater. Grate lemon rind on smallest holes of grater, being careful not to include the pith (white part of rind). Set 1 tablespoon rind aside. Squeeze juice and reserve for icing.

In mixer's mixing bowl, beat almond paste, sugar and butter on high speed until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Beat on high 3 minutes, or until light-colored and fluffy.

Sift flour with baking powder and baking soda. Mix grated rind and poppy seeds into flour. Add flour mixture to batter alternately with sour cream. Beat on low until just combined and smooth. Do not overmix.

Spoon batter into pan, and smooth top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until cake turns golden and a toothpick inserted near cake middle pulls out clean.

Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Invert cake out of pan onto wire rack and cool completely. Drizzle with icing or dust with powdered sugar.

Icing: In a small bowl mix the powdered sugar, 4 to 6 teaspoons of lemon juice and almond extract until smooth. Add a drop or two of yellow food coloring if desired. Drizzle icing around top of cake and let it run down the sides.

For a festive touch, decorate with Marzipan Lemons (recipe follows) or grated lemon peel.

To store in refrigerator, after the cake is completely cooled, wrap in plastic wrap. The cake will keep for 3 days at room temperature or 1 week if refrigerated. To freeze, wrap first in plastic and then with foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Makes one 9 1/2-inch cake.

Marzipan Lemons

One 7-ounce package marzipan

Yellow food coloring, paste, gel or liquid

Star end of whole cloves or cardamom seeds

Roll marzipan into a ball and make a well in the center. Add 2 to 3 drops of yellow food coloring. Knead in color. Pinch off 36 to 38 pieces of marzipan and roll into balls. Slightly taper ends. With tweezers or fingers press in star end of clove stem (bud removed), or a cardamom seed, rounding that end just a bit. Leave smooth or, for a dimpled effect, gently roll lemon on fine-hole side of a box grater or a nutmeg grater.

Place marzipan lemons on a plate and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Let dry overnight. Covered lemons will stay soft for 1 to 2 weeks at room temperature. They can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Makes 36 to 38 mini-lemons.

---- Recipes from Andre Prost Inc., Odense Almond Paste; information and step-by-step recipes on the Web at http://www.odense.com

This spring-into-summer dessert will nicely dress up a special occasion table. Strawberries are layered in a coconut cake spread with fluffy "seven minute frosting" and toasted coconut, topped with more fresh strawberries.

The recipe adds the option of using a prepared cake mix and frosting flavored with coconut extract, if you wish ---- which can make preparation easy enough for children to help out as well.

This cake appeals to the eye as much as to the taste buds, so consider it for a garden party, a centerpiece for a birthday party, or for a bridal or baby shower.

Coconut Strawberry Cake

For the cake:

Nonstick cooking spray

All-purpose flour for dusting

2 cups sifted cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs, separated

1 cup "lite" coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

For the icing:

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

3 large egg whites

1 teaspoon coconut extract

For cake assembly:

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted

1/2 cup strawberry preserves

4 cups (about 1 1/4 pounds) whole stemmed strawberries

To make cake: Place oven rack in bottom third of oven; heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 8-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper; spray the paper, and dust inside of each pan with all-purpose flour, tapping out excess. Sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In bowl of electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter at medium speed until soft and light. Add sugar and continue to mix about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition until completely mixed. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture in 3 additions and coconut milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Add extract and beat at low speed until completely mixed.

In clean bowl with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at high speed to soft peaks. Gently fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter; fold in remaining egg whites gently but thoroughly. Divide batter between prepared cake pans and bake about 35 minutes or until cake springs back when touched and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool on rack 5 minutes; run a small knife around edge of each pan and carefully invert cake onto rack. Remove pan and cool cake completely; remove paper before assembling cake.

Icing: In small saucepan combine sugar, water and cream of tartar. Bring to a boil, covered, over medium heat; do not stir. When sugar is completely dissolved, uncover and boil 5 minutes longer. In bowl of electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at high speed to soft peaks. Continue to beat while slowly pouring hot syrup onto egg whites; add extract and beat until cool.

To assemble cake: Spread 1/4 cup of the preserves on top of 1 cake layer. Thinly slice 2 cups of the strawberries and arrange in 1 layer on top of preserves. Spread remaining 1/4 cup preserves on bottom of second cake layer and invert onto first layer. Spread icing on top and sides of assembled layers; pat coconut onto sides of cake. Arrange remaining strawberries on top of cake, stem side down. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Per serving: 527 cal., 22 g fat, 101 mg chol., 254 mg sodium, 79 g carbo., 3 g fiber, 6 g pro.

Cook's tip: You may substitute white cake made from a mix; add 1/2 teaspoon of coconut extract to batter. You may also substitute pre-made white frosting; add coconut extract to taste.

---- Recipe created for AP by the California Strawberry Commission

Eggs aren't the only route to an airy, light mousse. In the strawberry mousse below, gelatin provides all the necessary thickening power while whipped cream gives the dessert its richness and velvety texture. To avoid diluting the flavor of the strawberries for the mousse with water, wait to hull them until after they have been rinsed and blotted dry. Molding this dessert in a ring mold creates a hollow center that invites filling with the reddest, most perfectly shaped berries you can find. The doughnut shape also permits the contents to set quickly and unmold easily. If you don't have a ring mold, substitute any mold that holds 6 cups or more.

STRAWBERRY MOUSSE

1 1/2 pounds strawberries (2 12-ounce baskets)

1 1/2 envelopes (4 1/2 teaspoons total) unflavored powdered gelatin

1/2 cup water

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup chilled whipping cream

Rinse and dry strawberries, leaving hulls intact; set aside half of the berries. Hull the remaining berries and puree in a food processor or blender until very smooth. Pour puree into a large bowl.

In a small cup, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup of the water and let stand for 5 minutes to soften.

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and the remaining 1/4 cup water. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Place over low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves completely. Raise heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil, stirring. Simmer 30 seconds without stirring.

Remove from heat; adding the softened gelatin in two equal portions, immediately whisk in half of it and then the other half. Let mixture cool 3 minutes, stirring often.

Gradually pour gelatin mixture into strawberry puree, whisking constantly.

Refrigerate mixture, stirring often, until it is cold and beginning to thicken but is not yet set (about 30 minutes).

Lightly oil a 6-cup ring mold with tasteless vegetable oil or cooking spray. Place a deep, medium-sized mixing bowl and beaters in the refrigerator or freezer to chill. Reserve 8 perfect strawberries for garnish. Hull remaining strawberries and slice crosswise; if any slices are very large, cut them in half. Chill sliced and whole berries separately until ready to use.

Stir sliced berries into chilled puree and refrigerate until mixture begins to set, stirring often (about every 5 minutes). Then remove mixture from refrigerator.

Pour whipping cream into chilled mixing bowl; using chilled beaters, beat until soft peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into strawberry mixture. Refrigerate 15 minutes, folding mixture occasionally, two or three times.

Pour mixture into ring mold, smoothing the top. Cover with plastic film. Refrigerate until completely set (about 3 hours).

At least 45 minutes before serving, remove mold from refrigerator, leaving plastic film in place. Dip mold for about 10 seconds into enough warm water to reach nearly to top of mold; use a kitchen towel to blot water from sides and bottom of mold before unmolding mousse.

Remove plastic film; run a thin-bladed, flexible knife around between edge of mold and mousse to gently break the vacuum between the mold and the mousse. Set a round serving platter on top of mold, hold the mold and platter together firmly, and invert. Still holding the mold and platter together, give the mold a single hard, downward shake to release mousse onto platter. If it sticks, re-invert the mold and repeat the dipping, loosening and shaking procedure. Remove the mold by carefully lifting it straight up.

Decorate center of mousse with reserved whole strawberries. Refrigerate mousse to firm it for at least 30 minutes before serving it. Serves 6 to 8.

This upside-down almond cake is crowned with two of the quintessential flavors of spring, the puckery-tart flavor of rhubarb, and strawberries' sweetness.

The cake is very tasty whether hot out of the oven or cold the next day, recipe developer Pam Simmons said. Almond paste complements the fruit flavors.

Cook's tip: When picking rhubarb, look for firm, unblemished stalks, the redder the better. Remember that rhubarb leaves are toxic to humans, only the stalks are edible; so if the leaves have not already been cut off, trim them off and discard them. To store rhubarb, wrap a wet paper towel around the root ends and store in the refrigerator, in a plastic bag, and for best flavor, use within 3 days.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

For the topping:

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups chopped (1/2-inch pieces) rhubarb, 10 ounces peeled and trimmed

1/2 cup strawberry preserves (not jelly or jam)

For the cake:

One 7-ounce package almond paste

1/2 cup sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg, room temperature

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan.

Topping: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter and add sugar. Stirring constantly, cook until sugar begins to melt and starts to turn a light caramel color. Add rhubarb. Stirring, cook for 3 minutes or until syrup starts to thicken. Pour rhubarb mixture into bottom of prepared springform pan. Drop rounded teaspoons of preserves evenly around top of rhubarb. Set aside.

Cake: With a mixer, beat almond paste and sugar on low speed until the texture of small crumbs. Add butter and mix until combined. Beat on high for 2 minutes. Add egg and beat until very creamy, about 3 minutes.

Sift the flour with the baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Add flour mixture and milk to almond paste mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined. Drop spoonfuls of batter on top of fruit. Gently spread batter evenly across top.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until cake is done and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Make sure center of cake springs back when pressed with a finger. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake and unmold springform. Tip cake upside-down onto serving plate and carefully lift off bottom of pan. Serve warm or room-temperature. Makes one 9-inch cake.

---- Recipe developed for Andre Prost Inc.