How sweet is June
Early fruit struts its stuff in these desserts
Spoon it down, taking in the vibrant taste of early summer fruit paired with sweet cake, whipped cream or custard. June brings fruit that calls out for dessert making, treats designed to use the bounty of orchard, bush or plot. To follow are three delicious choices: a tart that highlights apricots and custard, an English-style “fool” that uses blueberries in an inviting whipped cream concoction, and chunks of rhubarb in a three-layer upside-down cake.
Some readers may question including rhubarb in the mix. Botanically speaking, indeed, rhubarb is a vegetable, but it was reclassified as a fruit by U.S. Customs Court in 1947. And it is logical to think of it as a fruit because it’s primarily used in baked goods. Here are some tips for buying and storing late spring and early summer fruit. Apricots: Available May through July (sometimes August); buy plump ’cots that are fragrant and a little firm but not hard (they should be just on the verge of softening but not mushy). Avoid fruit that is green-tinged or bruised. If ripe, wash and eat as soon as possible. Ripe fruit can be stored, unwashed, in refrigerator crisper drawer in plastic bag up to three days. If unripe, ripen by placing in a loosely sealed paper bag at room temperature away from heat or direct sunlight for two to three days. Blueberries: Choose brightly colored, plump berries without mold, soft spots or discoloration. If boxed, check to see if berries move freely when container is tilted; if they stick together, they are probably moldy. Refrigerate (unwashed) in single layer on paper towel, discarding any that are moldy, up to seven days. Rhubarb: The color is cosmetic. The red hue if not necessarily a sign of ripeness. The color comes from pigments that vary according to variety and growing conditions. For the cake recipe that follows, it is prettier if bright red stalks are used, but greenish ones will work in a pinch. To keep stalks crisp, wrap a bundle loosely in aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator. It will stay crisp up to two weeks.