june 27, 2018

Exciting news on the blog! The Good Eats Company blog posts will be showing up soon on Yummly, a colorful and tasty site showcasing ingredient-driven recipes with mouth-watering photos and easy to make food and beverages for those who love to cook. Get the inspiration you want and need with a simple click of the “yum” button!

Today’s recipe comes to you courtesy of my dentist. Yes, my dentist. Some years back he shared his foolproof recipe for key lime pie, free of eggs and with only three ingredients. After my initial skepticism I became a fan of his simple version because it is really foolproof and so tasty. Now my summer client menus offer up a  key lime tart with shortbread crust and several more ingredients than Dr. Joe uses but with this same simple formula that always, always pleases. Operative word here is simple.

Each year I have been publishing a July Fourth red, white and blue recipe (see Summer Berry Yogurt Trifle and Chocolate Berry Tart). Both of these desserts are festive, but decidedly a little more complex than today’s easy berry dessert which will wow your holiday guests and keep you cool as you dodge kitchen heat in the assembly. This is almost embarrassingly easy but offer no apologies when you bring these parfaits to the table. They’re easy to make and easy on the eyes, and dangerously easy going down the hatch.

Only two ingredients for the key lime cream (sweetened condensed milk and key lime juice), summer berries (here blueberries and raspberries) and whipped cream – that’s that. Make  your own whipped cream or use the canned version, but make sure the ingredient list reads cream and not weird chemicals. If you are able to find fresh key limes, squeeze away, but I usually use the bottle of Nellie and Joe’s key lime juice which resides permanently in my fridge.  A wonderfully tart topper would be Greek yogurt, cutting down on the sweet factor for those who like their desserts less sugary.

only two ingredients are needed for a tart-sweet smooth key lime cream

My tasters called this dessert “stupid good”, which I hope was the ultimate compliment. Hope your holiday is cool despite the heat and that you find time to enjoy a day of leisure and great food. Happy July Fourth!

Key Lime Berry Parfaits

recipe by Michele Humlan, The Good Eats Company                                                       

makes four servings

ingredients

one fourteen ounce can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup key lime juice, fresh or packaged (I like Nellie and Joe’s)
one teaspoon pure vanilla extract
one generous cup each blueberries and raspberries
½ cup heavy whipping cream*
½ tablespoon powdered sugar
optional garnish : mint sprigs
*may also use canned whipped cream if desired

directions

1. Combine condensed milk and key lime juice, whisking gradually until mixed well; add vanilla extract and refrigerate in nonreactive (glass or stainless steel) bowl at  least several hours or overnight.
2. In beaker attachment or narrow bowl use hand held immersion blender to whip together cream and powdered sugar to firm peaks.
3. Divide thickened key lime cream into four clear drinking glasses, parfait glasses or small mason jars.
4. Top key lime cream with berries.
5. Top with dollop of freshly whipped cream and garnish if desired with mint sprig.
6. May be assembled several hours ahead ; serve chilled.