Taste of the Season: Raspberries

by KATY BERRY

The California raspberry season is now in full swing and the harvest will continue until mid-September. These bumpy, bulbous berries grow well in California because of the coastal climate. Due to our Valley’s summer heat, our region produces the Bababerry and Oregon 1030 varieties best, as they tolerate higher temperatures and full-on sun exposure better than the other more delicate varieties.

Raspberry Ice Cream Sodas with Marionberries

24 oz. red raspberries (can be frozen and thawed)
1 cup sugar
4 cups seltzer water
12 oz. frozen Marionberries
vanilla ice cream

Puree raspberries. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, discarding seeds (about 2 cups of puree). Mix puree, sugar, and selzter in a large pitcher.

In tall glasses, place several small scoops of vanilla ice cream. Add a handful of Marionberries and fill to the top with raspberry soda.

Raspberry Tiramisu Raspberry filling

24 oz. (6 cups) raspberries
½ cup granulated sugar

In a medium bowl, mix together raspberries and sugar and set aside.

Sugar syrup:
½ cup water
1½ cup sugar
5 Tbsp. Gran Marnier
2/3 cup cold water

Mix together ½ cup water and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat on medium/low, stirring often, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, add Gran Marnier and 2/3 cup cold water. Set aside.

Creamy cheese filling:
1 lb. (2 8oz. tubs) Mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 pint heavy whipping cream
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Place Mascarpone cheese in a large mixing bowl, and whip with electric mixer or by hand until light and creamy. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla with mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold one-fourth of the whipped cream into Mascarpone cheese using a rubber spatula, to lighten. Fold remaining whipped cream into the mixture and set aside.

Chocolate filling and garnish: 2 oz. bar dark chocolate

Divide chocolate bar in half. Grate half of the chocolate for the filling, using a box grater. Make chocolate curls with the second half of bar, by using a vegetable peeler and pressing firmly on a smooth edge of the bar and peeling curls off on a sheet of waxed paper. (You may have to warm bar slightly under table lamp to create curls).  Do not touch curls, refrigerate until ready to use.

To Assemble: 12 oz. ladyfingers

Dip ladyfingers into cooled sugar syrup and line the bottom of a 13x9x2 pan. Cut remaining dipped ladyfingers in half and line the sides, coming just to the top of the pan. Spread half of the Mascarpone cheese mixture on the ladyfingers. Top with grated chocolate to lightly cover the Mascarpone layer. Spread with all of the raspberry mixture. Spread remaining Mascarpone mixture over raspberries, being careful to keep the top white. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle with chocolate curls and garnish with fresh raspberries. Serves 12-15.