Charleston, SC Restaurants Famous Dessert Recipes – Bon Appétit
We had a wonderful response from the Charleston Restaurant Soup Recipes article. No soup is complete without an entree and of course, dessert. I dare you to find anyone without a sweet tooth. In Charleston, we love our desserts. Here are some of the best dessert recipes from your favorite Charleston restaurants. Bon Appétit.
East Bay Meeting House – 160 East Bay Street, Charleston, SC
Crêpe de Cosette
Serves 8
Ingredients for Dessert Crepes:
8 Crepes, either store bought or your favorite recipe
2 cups sliced Strawberries, Peaches or whole Blueberries
2 cups Pastry Cream, recipe included
Whipped Cream
Ingredients for Pastry Cream:
5 large Egg Yolks
½ cup Sugar
2 tbsp Cornstarch
1½ cups Milk
1 Vanilla Bean, split & scraped
1 tbsp Cognac or Brandy
1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 tbsp Heavy Cream
Method for Pastry Cream:
• Heat the milk with the vanilla bean (seeds and pod) in a large saucepan until scalded, periodically whisking the mixture to distribute the seeds.
• In a standing mixer on high beat the egg yolks and sugar until light in color and thick, about 3-4 minutes. • Turn down the speed to low and add the cornstarch and beat another 1-2 minutes.
• With the mixer still on low slowly add the scalded milk, tipping the pan back and forth to collect all the vanilla bean seeds. Discard the pod.
• Pour the mixture back into the pan and over low heat bring it to a low boil, about 4-6 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
• Once boiling continue to stir but switch to a whisk and beat vigorously until very thick, about 2 minutes.
• Turn the heat off and stir in the Cognac, unsalted butter and heavy cream.
• Pour through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. (Note- put the plastic wrap directly on the pastry cream to avoid a “skin.”)
Method for Dessert Crepes
• Spread ¼ cup of pastry cream on each crepe.
• Top with ¼ cup of the fruit.
• Roll up and top with whipped cream.
Fat Hen – 3140 Maybank Highway, Johns Island, SC
Crème Brulee French Toast
10-14 portions
Ingredients:
• 20-28ea Thick sliced Texas toast
• 1/2# sugar
• 8ea egg yolks
• 3ea vanilla beans
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup whole milk
Method:
1. Split the vanilla beans length wise and scrape the seeds out reserving the pods.
2. Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla beans along with the pods. Slowly whisk in cream and milk.
3. Put mix in a plastic container and let sit for 24 hours.
4. Strain through a sieve, skim off the foam and stir with a rubber spatula to evenly distribute the vanilla bean seeds.
5. Pre-heat your skillet on medium heat, add vegetable oil just enough to coat. When the oil is hot dip your Texas toast in the custard mixture on both sides then put on the skillet.
6. Brown both sides remove from the skillet to the plate and serve.
Circa 1886 – 149 Wentworth Street, Charleston, SC
Frozen Lemon Custard
Ingredients:
11 Egg Yolks
1 C Sugar
5 fl. oz Frozen Lemon Juice, concentrated
1 ea Lemon, zest and juice
3 C Heavy Whipping Cream
Method:
- Place heavy cream, concentrate, lemon and lime juices and zest in a heavy bottom non-reactive pot.
- Bring solution to a boil.
- When the solution reaches a boil, remove from heat immediately.
- Whisk the yolks and sugar together until light in color.
- Slowly drizzle the hot liquid into the yolk mixture.
- Just a little at a time. (If you pour too much liquid to quickly you will “scramble the eggs”, and get to start over.)
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Line a “edged” baking sheet with two layers of plastic.
- Pour the combined solution into the lined baking sheet and place in the oven uncovered for about 30 minutes.
- (also place another pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven to add steam to the oven. This keeps the custard fro cracking).
- Remove the pan from the oven and place directly in to the freezer when frozen.
- Cut the custard into any shape you desire for presentation.
- Note: This may also be prepared in small ramekin cups. Just be sure to butter the molds well.
High Cotton – 199 East Bay Street, Charleston, SC
High Cotton Volcano Cake
12 Servings
Ingredients:
1 lb Butter
1 lb Dark Chocolate
1 c Sugar
9 Whole Eggs
9 Egg Yolks
4 oz. Kahlua
2 T Vanilla Extract
Method:
- In saucepan, melt together butter, chocolate and sugar.
- In mixing bowl, mix together eggs, yolks, kahlua and vanilla.
- Mix half melted mixture with egg mixture, incorporate well.
- Add rest of melted mix to egg mix, mix well.
- Place in 8 oz. ramekin 1/2 full.
- Bake at 375 degrees, 10-12 minutes or until top is crusted over.
- Serve with scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Swamp Fox – 387 King Street, Charleston, SC
Peach Crème Brulee
Ingredients:
100 c Heavy Cream
65 Vanilla Beans
275 Egg Yolks
16-2/3 c White Sugar
2 c and 1 T White Sugar
32 oz Fresh Peaches
Method:
- In a medium heavy-bottomed pan, heat cream with vanilla beans until bubbles begin to form at edges.
- Remove from heat and let stand 30 minutes.
- Beat egg yolks with sugar until pale and thick. Remove vanilla beans from cream and pour into egg yolk mixture.
- Cook, without boiling, over low heat until mixture thickens and coats the back of a metal spoon.
- Remove from heat and divide evenly among 6 large ramekins with fresh sliced peaches layered in the bottom.
- Cover and refrigerate 3 hours, until set.
- Prior to serving, sprinkle remaining sugar evenly over custards and brown with a kitchen torch or under the oven broiler.
- Refrigerate until serving.
- Serve with a slice of fresh peach and a dollop of Chantilly cream (optional)
Peninsula Grill – 112 North Market Street, Charleston, SC
Pluff Mud-Rum Cream Pie
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups gingersnap coookie crumbs 1/4 cup granulated sugar 6 tablespoons butter, melted 4 ounces dark chocolate , chopped 4 ounces heavy cream 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons rum extract 4 leaves gelatin (or 1 packet granulated gelatin) 1 cup heavy cream 10 whole large egg yolks 7 tablespoons sugar 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons sugar chocolate shavings to garnish
Method:
1. To make crust: Mix together cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan and also up the sides. Run the back of a knife around the edges to smooth them. Bake crust at 325F for 6 minutes and cool before filling.
2. To make ganache: Bring 4 ounces heavy cream to a boil and pour over chopped chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Pour over bottom of cooled crust and let set in freezer.
3. To make filling: If using leaf gelatin, soften it in enough water to cover. If using granulated, mix the gelatin with the vanilla extract and rum extract and set aside. Whisk together sugar and egg yolks in a bowl. Simmer 1 cup heavy cream and very slowly pour into egg yolk mixture while constantly whisking. Pour mixture back into pot and cook over medium low heat(constantly stirring with a wooden spoon) until it coats the back of a spoon. (dip spoon in and draw a line with your finger through it, the line should hold) Do not cook to long or mixture will curdle. Strain through a sieve into a metal bowl and add gelatin (if using leaf gelatin squeeze the water out of it, also add the extracts now) and whisk until it dissolves. Chill until cool but not set, stirring occasionally (about 20 minutes). Whip 1 cup cream to medium peaks and fold into custard. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.
4. To garnish: Whip 1 cup heavy cream with with 2 T sugar until it has medium stiff peaks. Fill pastry bag fitted with a medium sized (about 1/2 “) star tip and decorate top with whipped cream. The easiest decoration is to pipe rows of cream< that look like hershey’s kisses> all over the top and sprinkle chocolate shavings on top.
Poogan’s Porch – 72 Queen Street, Charleston, SC
Poogan’s Peanut Butter Pie
Ingredients:
1-8 oz Package Cream Cheese
1 C Powdered Sugar
3/4 C Creamy or Chunky Peanut Butter
1 t Vanilla
1/2 C Whipping Cream, whipped
1-9 inch Baked Pie Crust
Method:
- Beat cream cheese until soft and fluffy.
- Beat in sugar, peanut butter and vanilla.
- Slowly fold in whipped cream until well blended.
- Pour into baked pie crust and freeze until ready to serve.
- Remove from freezer and let soften 20 to 30 minutes before serving.