Fruit Gratin Recipes

10-MINUTE FRUIT GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat broiler; set rack as close to heat source as possible (even 2 inches is not too close).
• Wash, pit, stem and peel the fruit as necessary. Cut stone fruit in halves or slices, as you prefer. Cut strawberries in thick slices; leave smaller berries whole. Place the fruit (at least 2 cups full) in a baking or gratin dish just large enough to hold it.
• Whip cream with 2 tablespoons of sugar until it is thick and just barely holding soft peaks; stir in the vanilla extract. Pour cream over and around the fruit. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.
• Broil carefully, allowing cream to brown all over and even burn in a couple of spots; rotate baking dish during broiling if necessary. Remove and serve.

APRICOT AND RASPBERRY GRANOLA GRATIN WITH RASPBERRY HONEY YOGURT

Steps:

• For the yogurt: In a small bowl, mix the yogurt and honey together. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the gratin: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart gratin dish with the softened butter.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. Whisk in the flour, melted butter, brown sugar, cane sugar, vanilla and salt, until smooth. Pour the batter into the gratin dish and arrange the apricot slices and raspberries on top. Bake for 20 minutes.
• Take the gratin out of the oven, and sprinkle the top with the granola and almonds, and bake until the batter is light brown and set, and the fruit is tender, 5 to 10 more minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.
• Serve with a dollop of the raspberry honey yogurt.

FRUIT GRATIN

Steps:

• Clean the fruits, remove the stone of the peaches and chop in cubes.
• Put all the fruit in an oven-proof dish.
• Top with the crumbled macaroons.
• Mix the orange juice with the lemon zest and sprinkle over the fruit and cookies and leave for about half an hour.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Whisk the egg whites in a very clean bowl, when stiff add the sugar gradually with the vanilla essence, whisk untill glossy.
• Spread the egg whites on top of the fruit and cookie mixture, try to pattern it a bit.
• Bake for approx 10 minutes (keep an eye on it) until colored to your liking.
• Serve garnished with mint and a scoop of ice cream (optional).

CHEF JOHN'S ROOT VEGETABLE GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the vegetables, and cook uncovered for 3 minutes. Drain in a colander, then immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Once the vegetables are cold, drain well, and set aside.
• Cook garlic and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until garlic starts sizzling, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, thyme, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper; cook until mixture begins to simmer, about 5 minutes.
• Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil and spread vegetables evenly over the oil.
• Pour broth and cream mixture over vegetables and top with half of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
• Cover baking dish loosely with aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
• Remove baking dish from the oven and top with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake uncovered until vegetables are browned, bubbling, and tender, about an additional 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes.

FIFTEEN-MINUTE FRUIT GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler; set the rack as close to the heat source as possible (even 2 inches is not too close).
• Wash, pit, stem, and peel the fruit as necessary. Cut stone fruit in halves or slices as you prefer. Cut strawberries in thick slices; leave smaller berries whole. Put the fruit-there should be at least 2 cups-in a baking or gratin dish just large enough to hold it.
• Whip the cream with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the vanilla until it is thick and just barely holding soft peaks. Pour it over and around the fruit. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Broil carefully, allowing the cream to brown all over and even burn in a couple of spots; rotate the baking dish during broiling if necessary. Remove and serve.
• Using sour cream in place of cream will produce a strikingly different result. Sour cream is thick, rich, flavorful, and (obviously) sour; sweet cream becomes thinner and saucier in texture: Combine 1 cup sour cream with just enough milk-about 1/4 cup-to allow you to whisk it smooth. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and proceed as directed, using 1 tablespoon brown sugar for the topping.

TROPICAL FRUIT GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven broiler.
• Mix fruit and lime zest in a bowl. Divide mixture among six 125 ml (1/2 cup) ramekins and set aside.
• Reserve 1 tablespoon sugar. In a saucepan, blend butter, remaining sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolk and cream.
• Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, always stirring, until thick.
• Remove from heat and add in vanilla. Allow to cool and reserve.
• Using an electric mixer, beat egg white in a bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add in reserved sugar, continuing to beat until soft peaks form.
• Fold egg white (incorporate gently with a spatula) into reserved cream mixture. Carefully spoon cream onto fruit and sprinkle with brown sugar and coconut.
• Cook under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden.

FRUIT GRATIN WITH CALVADOS AND MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Halve apples lengthwise (quarter if large), leaving stem intact, and core halves with melon-ball cutter. Halve Seckel and Forelle pears or quarter Bartletts lengthwise, then core with melon-ball cutter and trim root ends.
• Melt butter in a 14- by 9-inch oval gratin dish or other 2 1/2- to 3-quart shallow baking dish in middle of oven, about 2 minutes. Stir in Calvados and 3 tablespoons brown sugar, then add fresh and dried fruit and zest and turn gently to coat. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake in middle of oven, gently turning fruit and basting occasionally with juices, until apples and pears are tender but not falling apart, about 1 hour. Remove dish from oven.
• Preheat broiler.
• Spoon 1/3 cup baking juices from baking dish into a bowl and stir in mascarpone and remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Rearrange fruit, cut sides up, in baking dish to form an even layer, if necessary, and spoon mascarpone mixture over fruit. Put confectioners sugar in a fine-mesh sieve and sift over fruit. Broil gratin 3 inches from heat until confectioners sugar is caramelized, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Available in Italian markets and many supermarkets.

WARM PASSION FRUIT GRATIN WITH RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• Butter the insides of eight 3 1/2-inch flan rings.
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or wax paper; place rings on top and refrigerate.
• Whisk arrowroot gradually into yolks, beating until smooth.
• Soften gelatin in 2 tablespoons of the water.
• Combine passion-fruit juice and cream in saucepan and bring to boil; remove from heat. Stir a little of the juice mixture into the yolk mixture; then stir all the yolk mixture into the juice mixture. Bring to boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Add gelatin and simmer gently at least 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Mixture will be smooth and as thick as a light pastry cream. Set aside and cover with wax paper or plastic wrap to keep film from forming.
• Combine sugar and remaining 6 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Bring to boil; cover and cook 3 minutes. Remove lid and cook to 275 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• In a large bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Slowly beat sugar syrup into whites and continue beating until mixture is barely warm and glossy.
• Fold warm cream mixture into meringue mixture. Half-fill each ring mold with this mixture, burying 8 to 10 raspberries inside; then completely cover berries with the remaining mixture. Reserve some berries for garnish if desired.
• Refrigerate at least 4 hours in advance, and as long as 24 hours.
• To prepare for serving, preheat broiler. Dust each ring with confectioners' sugar. Arrange rings on oven-proof tray. Glaze briefly under broiler. Watch carefully.
• Slip the molds onto serving plates and serve immediately.