Mixed Berry Gratin Recipes

FRESH BERRY GRATIN

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Toss fruit gently with sugar, kirsch (if using), and salt in medium nonreactive bowl and transfer to 9-inch glass or ceramic pie pan.
• Pulse bread, butter, sugar, and cinnamon in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses.
• Sprinkle crumbs evenly over fruit and bake until crumbs are deep golden brown and fruit is hot, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack 5 minutes and serve.

FRESH RASPBERRY GRATINS

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler for at least 15 minutes, with the rack about 5 inches away from the heat.
• To make the sabayon, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering (not boiling) water until thick and creamy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk almost constantly, scraping the egg mixture from the bottom of the bowl. Slowly whisk in the Marsala wine and continue whisking over the simmering water for about 5 more minutes, until the mixture is thick and smooth, like a soft whipped cream. It should register about 150 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Whisk in the vanilla, remove from the heat, and set aside.
• Place one snug layer of raspberries in 6 (6 to 7-inch) shallow gratin dishes. (Each of my dishes holds about one half-pint of raspberries.) Spoon enough sabayon over the raspberries to cover them. Sprinkle each one lightly with granulated sugar. Arrange the dishes on 2 sheet pans and place themone pan at a timeunder the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the tops of the gratins are lightly browned. Watch them carefully; they burn really quickly! Serve warm.

BERRY GRATIN WITH CHAMPAGNE SABAYON

Steps:

• Turn the oven on to broil with the rack about 6 inches/15 cm from the heat.
• Arrange the berries in individual gratin dishes and set on a baking sheet.
• Put the wine, sugar and egg yolks in a roomy glass bowl. Whisk to mix. Set the bowl over a saucepan partly filled with hot, but not simmering, water. Don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water beneath. Whisk until the mixture is frothy, pale and ribbony, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Whisk in the zest and keep whisking a minute or two to cool slightly. Spoon the sabayon over the berries and place under the broiler until the sabayon is bubbly and golden, a minute or two. Place the gratin dishes on plates and serve immediately.

BERRY SABAYON GRATINEE

Steps:

• In a large glass bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds with the back side of a pairing knife. Add vanilla bean seeds to the egg yolk mixture and whisk to combine. Add wine, a little at a time, and whisk to combine. Add a pinch of salt and whisk again.
• Set bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk vigorously and constantly until the sauce is thick and fluffy, about 10 minutes.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Place 1/2 cup berries in the bottom of 6 shallow individual gratin dishes or ovenproof bowls. Spoon an even amount of the sabayon over each dish. Sprinkle the remaining berries evenly over the dishes. Place the dishes on a sheet pan and place on the top shelf of the oven under the broiler. Broil until the sabayon is golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve immediately.