The Dessert Issue

Find a recipe for Blueberry Doughnut Ice Cream Sandwiches here.

What was the best meal you ever ate? When a friend asked me that question recently, I didn’t have to think too long. I recalled a dinner when I was a teen-ager, while on vacation with my best friend and her family. Her father was building a cabin on the outskirts of Cooperstown in upstate New York and we spent the week camping in tents. My friend’s mother prepared all our meals on a Coleman stove, except for the last evening of the trip. We drove for about 45 minutes farther into the woods and arrived at a restaurant for what turned out to be a gourmet meal (at least in the eyes of teen-agers). First came Waldorf salad served with feather-light Parker House rolls, followed by Chicken Kiev, oozing with herb butter. The sweet finale, however, is what imprinted that meal in my memory. We all ordered profiteroles: a puffy, slightly crispy pastry filled with vanilla bean ice cream and topped with dark chocolate sauce.

Dessert was often served with dinner when I was growing up, mainly homemade cakes and brownies. Yet I had never seen anything as spectacular or exotic as the profiterole. It was the first time dessert was more than just the end of a meal; that sweet became a souvenir of a shared experience, a connection to those around the table with me. Although the evening ended and we went back home, that feeling of community is one I seek to recreate with every dessert I make for friends and family.

This issue explores the role dessert plays in our culture. While some studies suggest we are becoming more health-conscious, read why the desire to linger at the end of a meal still exists as a trigger to cultural memories. Curious about some of the latest trends in desserts? Even as more attention is being paid to health, diners seek adventure and bold flavors, as we learn from local pastry chefs. If you’re ready to expand your dessert-making skills, check the tips from professional bakers on how to utilize spices and other ingredients not commonly paired with sweets. Looking for ways to bake with less sugar? Find suggestions for alternatives to refined sugar, along with recipes to get you started. And if you want to try your hand at that aforementioned profiterole, don’t miss the DIY with step-by-step instructions to make pate a choux, the versatile pastry you can use to create impressive and memorable desserts. All this and more about the course at the end of a meal.

We hope these pages encourage you to venture into our community and discover the region's diverse dessert offerings. Granted, sugary treats may not be your preference, but who says dessert has to be sweet? Savory flavor profiles are currently a trend that can be found on local menus. Opt for the chance to linger at the end of a meal for the companionship and human connection. Tag us on social media @edibleneflorida and let us know what’s on your dessert plate.

Lauren Titus, Editor

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STORIES & RECIPES FROM THE DESSERT ISSUE