SWEET CELEBRATIONS

Sweet Sweet Celebrations Celebrations

We’re taking classic Canadian desserts to the next level with surprising twists on our country’s favourite treats.

BY ALANNA LIPSON & THE TEST KITCHEN

TESTED TILL PERFECT

Maritimer Blueberry Mess P. 90

Though the mess (a layered mishmash of meringue, whipped cream and fruit) is a nod to our British heritage, the blueberries and biscuits in this version are inspired by the traditional Acadian grunt. Essentially a stovetop cobbler, this rustic dish was made by some of Canada’s earliest French settlers.

Butter Tart Ice Pops P. 90

Perhaps the most Canadian dessert of all is the iconic butter tart. The first published recipe appeared in The Women’s Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook in the 1900s, but its origin is believed to date as early as 1663, when the king of France sent 800 unmarried women (filles du roi) to New France to offset the gender imbalance in the colony.

Nanaimo Bar Éclairs P. 91

Even in Nanaimo, B.C., the origin of the Nanaimo bar is contested. One thing we can all agree on, though, is that Canadians love this triple-layered treat. Over the years, creative Canucks have used the traditional elements of this dessert in Nanaimo bar–flavoured martinis, cupcakes and more. We’ve married it here with an éclair to create an especially rich pastry.

MARITIMER BLUEBERRY MESS

Hands-on time: 40 minutes Total time: 13¼ hours Makes: 10 servings

Biscuits:

1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tbsp granulated sugar 2 tsp black poppy seeds 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp lemon zest 1 tsp lime zest ¼ cup + 2 tbsp milk 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted 1 tsp lemon juice

Blueberry Sauce:

4 cups fresh blueberries ½ cup granulated sugar 2 tbsp cornstarch 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp vanilla

Whipped Cream:

2 cups whipping cream (35%) ½ cup sour cream 2 tbsp granulated sugar 2 tsp vanilla

Assembly:

8 store-bought meringue nests (about 4 inches each)

Biscuits: In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, lemon zest and lime zest. In separate bowl, stir together milk, butter and lemon juice; stir into flour mixture until soft dough forms. Drop batter by 2 tbsp, 1 inch apart, onto parchment paper–lined rimless baking sheet to make 12 biscuits. Bake in 400°F oven until light golden, about 15 minutes. When cool, break into large pieces; set aside. (Make-ahead: Let biscuits cool completely; store in airtight container for up to 2 days.) Blueberry Sauce: In large saucepan, stir together blueberries, sugar and cornstarch until coated. Stir in ¼ cup water, lemon juice and vanilla. Cook over mediumhigh heat, stirring gently, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool completely. Whipped Cream: In bowl, whip cream, sour cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Assembly: Break meringues into large pieces. Add half of the Whipped Cream to bottom of 12-cup (3 L) trifle bowl. Top with half of the Blueberry Sauce; top with half of the meringue pieces. Top with biscuit pieces and the remaining meringue pieces, Whipped Cream and Blueberry Sauce. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 12 hours. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.) Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

PER SERVING: about 390 cal, 5 g pro, 22 g total fat (13 g sat. fat), 47 g carb (2 g dietary fibre, 31 g sugar), 72 mg chol, 69 mg sodium, 143 mg potassium. % RDI: 8% calcium, 6% iron, 22% vit A, 8% vit C, 11% folate.

BUTTER TART ICE POPS

Hands-on time: 20 minutes Total time: 9¾ hours Makes: 10 servings

2½ cups 10% cream 3 egg yolks 2 tbsp cornstarch ⅓ cup sweetened condensed milk 1 tbsp maple syrup 2 tsp vanilla ¼ tsp salt ½ cup dulce de leche ½ cup finely chopped maple-flavoured shortbread cookies

In large saucepan, whisk together cream, egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until mixture begins to thicken, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in condensed milk, maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Strain through fine-mesh sieve into large liquid measure. Refrigerate until completely cool, about 1½ hours. Meanwhile, in small bowl, gently stir dulce de leche with shortbread. Fill 10 ice pop moulds halfway with cream mixture. Add

1 heaping tsp of the dulce de leche mixture to each; fill with remaining custard, leaving ½-inch headspace. (Pour leftover cream mixture into ice cube trays and freeze for iced coffee.) Freeze for 2 hours. Insert pop sticks into centres, gently swirling mixture. Cover and freeze until firm, 6 to 12 hours.

PER SERVING: about 195 cal, 4 g pro, 10 g total fat (5 g sat. fat), 22 g carb (0 g dietary fibre, 15 g sugar), 71 mg chol, 126 mg sodium, 165 mg potassium. % RDI: 11% calcium, 4% iron, 7% vit A, 6% folate.

If you don’t have ice pop moulds on hand, use small disposable paper cups instead.

NANAIMO BAR ÉCLAIRS

Hands-on time: 1 hour Total time: 2½ hours Makes: 14 servings

Coconut Custard:

2 cups whipping cream (35%) 6 tbsp custard powder (such as Bird’s Custard Powder) ¼ cup granulated sugar 2 tsp vanilla 1 tsp coconut extract

Pastry:

⅓ cup unsalted butter ⅓ cup milk ½ tsp salt 1 cup bread flour, sifted 3 eggs 2 tsp icing sugar

Chocolate Glaze:

75 g bittersweet chocolate (about 2½ oz), finely chopped 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Assembly:

2 tbsp sweetened shredded coconut 2 tbsp sliced almonds, toasted

Coconut Custard: In small saucepan, whisk together cream, custard powder, sugar, vanilla and coconut extract until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until mixture thickens, 5 to 8 minutes. Scrape into large bowl; place plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 12 hours; bring to room temperature before using.) Pastry: In saucepan, stir butter, milk, ⅓ cup water and salt over medium heat until butter is melted. Increase heat to mediumhigh; bring to boil. Remove from heat and add flour all at once, stirring vigorously with wooden spoon, until mixture forms smooth ball. Return to medium heat; cook, stirring constantly, until film forms on bottom of pan, about 1 minute. Transfer dough to stand mixer or bowl; using paddle attachment or wooden spoon, beat for 1 minute to cool. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition (pastry may seize after each egg addition, but continue beating) until shiny and smooth, about 1 more minute. Using large piping bag fitted with ¾-inch star tip, pipe dough into fourteen 4- x 1-inch logs, 1 inch apart, on 2 parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheets. Dust with icing sugar. Bake in 350°F oven until puffed and dark golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack; push chopstick or skewer lengthwise through pastry to release steam and create room for custard. Let cool completely before filling. Chocolate Glaze: Just before assembling éclairs, in heatproof bowl set over saucepan of hot (not boiling) water, stir chocolate with vegetable oil until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes; set aside. Assembly:Stir custard until smooth. Fill piping bag fitted with ¼-inch plain tip with custard; pipe into pastry logs. Dip tops into glaze. Sprinkle with coconut and almonds. Let stand until set, about 20 minutes. Best served same day.

PER SERVING: about 279 cal, 4 g pro, 22 g total fat (12g sat. fat), 18 g carb (1 g dietary fibre, 7 g sugar), 97 mg chol, 126 mg sodium, 71 mg potassium. % RDI: 4% calcium, 7% iron, 17% vit A, 10% folate.

To secure parchment paper in place when piping dough, pipe a dot of dough under each corner and firmly stick the paper to the baking sheet.

FOR A ROUNDUP OF OUR FAVOURITE CANADA DAY DESSERTS, VISIT canadianliving.com/canadiandesserts.