Here’s a little eye candy for your Monday morning!
On the 4th of July, Adam and I had dinner at one of our favorite little local spots, Bar Bocce. Bar Bocce is this fun little restaurant/cafe in Sausalito that serves the most amazing wood-fired pizzas (and yes, it’s called Bar Bocce because there’s a bocce ball court right outside, which I don’t attempt to go near). Anyway, they have on their menu this dessert called something like “berry bliss” or “bar bocce bliss” and it’s a parfait with meringue, vanilla ice cream and housemade raspberry sauce.
Amazing.
Sometimes this chocoholic just needs a sweet, fruity dessert, you know what I mean? And I kinda have a thing for meringue. I think I’ve talked about that on here before. Meringue reminds me of my mom, who is actually coming to visit for a WEEK tomorrow!!!!!!! Can you tell I’m a bit excited?
So, for these parfaits, I made an easy homemade raspberry sauce (don’t you just love raspberry sauce?! I do) and combined it with some crunchy meringues and vanilla ice cream. The end result tasted almost like a strawberry milkshake, with crunchy cookie bits scattered within.
I can’t wait to see my mom.
I have a few things planned for when she’s here, like kayaking near the house boats in Richardson Bay, “hiking” Mt. Tam (and by hiking, I mean driving to the top of the mountain and walking around to see the view before driving down and getting a glass of wine), visiting the ferry building farmer’s market and going wine tasting. My mom is literally my best friend and we only see each other a couple times a year, so when we get together I try to go all out.
I wasn’t going to announce this yet, but my mom is also traveling around with me on my book tour this fall! I will be announcing those dates and locations very, very soon.
But back to this dessert for a minute. Sure, the meringues are a little time-consuming (I won’t judge you if you use store bought) but after you have both the raspberry sauce and the meringues made, you can literally throw together this dessert in a minute. And it’s soooo good.
So good, in fact, that right after taking these lovely photos this happened:
Raspberry Meringue Parfaits
serves 2
Ingredients:
for raspberry sauce—
12 oz fresh raspberry, washed
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 drops red food coloring (optional)
for meringues—
3 egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
vanilla ice cream for serving
additional raspberries for serving
Directions:
First, make the meringues. You can even do this a week ahead of time and keep them in the freezer! Meringues freeze wonderfully. To make the meringues, preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking sheet with either a Silpat or a piece of parchment paper. Set aside.
Beat the egg whites until you can’t see the bottom of the bowl anymore. Then, with the mixer running, slowly add the sugar and cream of tartar. Continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form (about 8 minutes).
Drop spoonfuls of meringue onto your prepared baking sheet (doesn’t have to be perfect, you are going to crumble up them later in the parfaits. Bake for 2 hours at 200 degrees then turn off the oven and let the meringues sit there for another hour OR overnight.
Now that you have your meringues, start your raspberry sauce! Combine the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepot. Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water together in a measuring cup and then add that to the raspberry mixture. Bring to a simmer and then let simmer on low for about 20 minutes, until raspberries are all broken down. Take off the heat and add the vanilla extract and food coloring (optional).
Carefully transfer the raspberry sauce to a blender and process until smooth. Run through a sift after to get rid of any remaining seeds. Let cool.
To assemble parfaits, drizzle some raspberry sauce at the bottom of your glass. Then, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream followed by a meringue. Repeat until glass is filled and top with more raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries.
Time:
total time: 4.5 hours
active time: 30 minutes
Averie @ Averie Cooks
July 16, 2012 at 3:26 amThat raspberry sauce looks sooo wonderful. I love fresh raspberries – they would have never made it into sauce in our house!
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope
July 16, 2012 at 3:27 amThese look AMAZING. Perfect summer food!
Joelle (on a pink typewriter)
July 16, 2012 at 4:27 amThis literally looks like summer happiness in a glass, to me and I’m not even sure why.. something about the pretty color of the sauce I think.! Great photos!
Anne
July 16, 2012 at 4:38 amNormally the chocolatier (yes I deem that a real word), denser, richer the dessert the better, but I just might have to try these out! Meringues are right up MY momma’s ally!
Ashley
July 16, 2012 at 4:44 amLooks delicious, as always!
Michelle @ Eat Move Balance
July 16, 2012 at 4:48 amLooks delicious!!! Raspberries . . . . yum!
Jacqueline
July 16, 2012 at 4:52 amHave fun with your mom!!! I super-duper hope your book tour is coming somewhere by me! Ah, too many good things in one post. Love the looks of that dessert!
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat
July 16, 2012 at 4:57 amOooh I love meringues, and my sister was a meringue-a-holic when she was younger! As kids, my mum would buy small boxes of them for my sister from the grocery store and she’d go and gobble them all up and leave crumbs all over the place. She’d think she’d died and gone to heaven if I made this for her! That’s so exciting that you’re getting to see your mom! My family are scattered across the globe too so when I do see them, it’s definitely special. Have fun, especially on your “hike”!
Molly @ RDexposed
July 16, 2012 at 4:59 amI can’t waaait for your book to come out!
And you needed to eat this baby right away or it’d melt. 😉
Ali @ Gimme Some Oven
July 16, 2012 at 5:13 amOoooh – this looks gorgeous! I love the idea of adding meringues to a sundae!!
Have a wonderful time with your mom! 🙂
Lisa
July 16, 2012 at 5:24 amMmmm! Almost as yummy as pavlova. Almost. 😉
Devon | the food bitch blog
July 16, 2012 at 5:26 amThat’s cool that the restaurant has a bocce court! One of my favorite places here in Jacksonville is a little Irish pub that sets up cornhole boards on the side walk. It makes me feel a little frat-boyish, but it’s still fun!
Elisabeth
July 16, 2012 at 5:34 amMy mom is definitely my best friend, too – love to see close mothers & daughters 🙂 I can’t wait to hear where your book tour will be!
Kelly
July 16, 2012 at 5:59 amLooks delicious. I will be honest…I don’t usually like raspberries or blackberries because of the seeds. I know I can run it through a sifter but I am lazy and always just end up using blueberries. 🙂
Cait's Plate
July 16, 2012 at 6:17 amHaha – I don’t blame you – the same thing would’ve happened to me if that thing was sitting in front of me!
Maria
July 16, 2012 at 6:40 amI want one for breakfast!
thelittleloaf
July 16, 2012 at 6:46 amThese look absolutely divine and I love the tall glasses! I’m addicted to strawberries at the moment so might make this with them, although the raspberry sounds delicious too 🙂
Christine @ Take with Food
July 16, 2012 at 6:47 amThis looks delicious! I haven’t made meringues in a long time, so I’m feeling a bit inspired. I have no words for the raspberry sauce, drool.
But my real comment is… please please make Boston a stop on your book tour!!! 🙂
Kim@hungryhealthygirl.com
July 16, 2012 at 6:54 amThe raspberry parfait looks FABULOUS! Have fun with your mom. I hope your book tour comes to the DFW area.
Julia
July 16, 2012 at 6:57 amFab dessert – thanks for sharing this! And mom’s are the BEST friends, aren’t they? 🙂
Gabby (Quest for Delicious)
July 16, 2012 at 6:59 amI love the vibrant color of that raspberry sauce!
amy walters, aDESIGNdock
July 16, 2012 at 7:49 amDelicious recipe and photos Jenna! Have a lovely time with your Mom. What fun!
Erin
July 16, 2012 at 7:51 amThis looks great! I love raspberry syrup as well, my favorite thing to do is top cheesecake with it! I’m very excited for your book. I hope the tour brings you to or near Fayetteville, AR.
Caroline L.
July 16, 2012 at 7:53 amThis looks amazing! It really reminds me of soda fountains in the South from back in the day (not TOO long ago, haha!) where you could get malts and milkshakes that look like this!
Margarita
July 16, 2012 at 8:08 amDelicious and gorgeous cold treat! I am excited for your book tour dates… I hope you go to Seattle and Portland… Have a fun filled week with your mom!
Amy @ What Jew Wanna Eat
July 16, 2012 at 8:12 amLooks delish! Fruit and egg whites makes this a breakfast food right?
Alycia
July 16, 2012 at 8:42 amVery delicious looking dessert – I got the chance to visit Bar Bocce a couple weeks ago when I went to SF for my bachelorette party!! We could have stayed there all day….the sangria, the scenery and the pizza were all to die for! I can see why it’s one of your fave places 🙂
Emily
July 16, 2012 at 8:46 amThat’s how I “hike”, too. All hikes should end with wine.
Exciting that your book tour is coming up, I can’t wait to hear the dates!
Jen
July 16, 2012 at 8:51 amThis looks like a fantastic summer treat! I don`t know if you`ll be doing any Canadian dates on your tour, but I hope you have a blast!
Andrea @ The Skinny Chronicles
July 16, 2012 at 8:57 amI LOVE raspberry sauce. It should basically be its own food group that one puts on everything. Can’t get enough of that stuff!
Gina
July 16, 2012 at 9:55 amYum, I’ll have to put that place on my list! We may take a quick trip to Saus in a couple weeks to visit my bf’s family…his dad is running for Sausalito mayor this year, so we are going to support the campaign effort;)
Lexi @ You, Me, & A World to See
July 16, 2012 at 9:57 amGorgeous! Raspberries are definitely one of my favorite fruits. I could eat them till the cows come home 🙂
Jen
July 16, 2012 at 10:17 amLooks so refreshing, YUM!
Christina (The Pastry Posts)
July 16, 2012 at 10:18 amHow beautiful! This dessert screams summer to me. I MUST try the raspberry sauce! YUM!
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama
July 16, 2012 at 10:50 amPerfect simple summer dessert! Yum!
Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out
July 16, 2012 at 10:55 amAw, I love that you’re so close to your mom – I am, too! I would totally invite my mom on a book tour if I had one!
Love these parfaits. So gorgeous!
Jill
July 16, 2012 at 11:24 amThis looks FANTASTIC! And absolutely perfect for summer. Yum!
Alicia @ The Reluctant Home Cook
July 16, 2012 at 12:12 pmLove those colorful mixing bowls in the background of your pictures! Great idea. These parfaits look so good.
Michelle (The Runner's Plate)
July 16, 2012 at 2:06 pmThat’s so exciting your mom will be traveling with you on your book tour!!
Adrienne
July 16, 2012 at 2:11 pmHave a great time with your Mom!
mom
July 16, 2012 at 2:35 pmCounting the hours till 12:45 tomorrow!!
Amy
July 16, 2012 at 2:49 pmThis looks amazing! I love rasberries <3
DessertForTwo
July 16, 2012 at 2:50 pmExactly what I want to eat in the summertime 🙂
Moni Meals
July 16, 2012 at 3:00 pmWow, so fancy and this is so unique. What a lovely summer dish!!
Annie @ What's Annie Making?
July 16, 2012 at 3:07 pmOh my stars!!!! That sauce is so pretty. Those look perfect for a girls night 🙂
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles
July 16, 2012 at 4:59 pmlooks like a perfect summer dessert…and I’m usually of the “if it’s not chocolate, it doesn’t count as dessert” sort of mindset.
Suzanne de Cornelia
July 16, 2012 at 6:40 pmThat’s so fantastic your mother is coming for a week. My son and his GF have been in Brittany on the NW coast of France (we both have a real thing for Brittany, esp Brehat Island) and called me on my b-day this weekend, sent me about 100 photos of that favorite region. For me, my son stands for ‘You Lift Me Up’. When I thought that I Youtubed it….and found an amazing ‘You Lift Me Up’ by the Celtic Women! Brittany, France is actually part of the ‘Celtic Nation’ so that was kind of amazing! Nothing is a greater gift than a simpatico parent-child relationship.
Urban Wife
July 16, 2012 at 7:17 pmI love raspberries and this parfait looks pretty amazing. And totally awesome you’re so close to your Mom, too. 🙂
p.s. Please pretty please with a raspberry on top…come to Austin on your book tour!
Angie H.
July 16, 2012 at 7:23 pmBar Bocce was where the boy and I ate dinner on the last night of our vacation a few months ago and we both loved it! Thanks for bringing up a good memory and for the delicious looking treat!
Grace (My Spare Oom)
July 16, 2012 at 10:24 pmI’m only probably the 100th person to say this, but Jenna, those look AMAZING! I’ll take one for breakfast, please and thank you!
OOOOHHH, book tour!! So excited for you, especially that your mom gets to come. Moms are the best. 🙂 Enjoy your week with her!
Dawn (HealthySDLiving)
July 16, 2012 at 11:24 pmThis looks so refreshing and amazing!
marla
July 17, 2012 at 9:48 amSuch a fabulous sweet summer treat ~ pinning now!
Gillian G. @ When Bread Is Broken
July 17, 2012 at 2:32 pmI work in Sausalito and my bus goes right by Bar Bocce! I’ll have to put it on my list 🙂
Kathleen @ KatsHealthCorner
July 17, 2012 at 9:35 pmWhat a beautiful parfiet! 🙂