Page 58 - Valley Table - Spring 2023

Last Call
Just Desserts
If you search New York Times Cooking for recipe
inspiration, pastry chef Claire Saffitz might already
be on your radar. A former senior food editor at Bon
Appétit, Saffitz is a well-known recipe developer and
how-to video host. She made her book debut with the
bestselling Dessert Person in 2020, and recently released What’s for Dessert: Simple Recipes for Dessert People. Saffitz splits her time between NYC and her Hudson Valley cabin where much of the magic happens. This refreshing treat from her new book tastes like Key lime pie and couldn’t be simpler.
z No-Bake Lime-Coconut Custards with Coconut Crumble
YIELDS 8 SERVINGS
1 can (13.5 oz.) unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
31⁄2 cups heavy cream, chilled, divided 1⁄2 cup plus 2 Tbsp light agave syrup Several pinches of kosher salt
2 tsp finely grated lime zest (about 2
limes)
1⁄2 cup fresh lime juice (about 5 limes) 5 oz. graham crackers (about 9
sheets)
1⁄4 cup dried unsweetened finely
shredded coconut
1⁄3 cup virgin coconut oil, melted and
cooled
1 lime, for serving
1. In a large saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk, 2 cups of the cream, 1⁄2 cup of the agave, and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a
boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and continue to cook, whisking occasionally, until it’s thickened and reduced to 3 cups, 15–20 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat. 2. Add the lime zest and juice to the saucepan and use a handheld blender to blend the hot mixture directly
in the pan on high speed until it’s completely smooth. (Or put the mixture into a standard blender and blend on high.) Divide mixture among eight serving glasses. Cover the glasses and refrigerate the custards until they’re set, at least 6 hours.
3. Place the graham crackers in a medium bowl, breaking them up with your fingers into smaller pieces. Use the bottom of a sturdy glass to crush the pieces until you have mostly fine crumbs with a few larger pieces. Add the shredded coconut and a generous pinch of salt and toss to combine. Drizzle the coconut oil and remaining 2 tablespoons agave over the mixture and stir with a fork to thoroughly combine. Rub the mixture between your fingertips until it looks like wet sand. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until the crumble is cold, at least 30 minutes. Top with the crumble, lime zest, and whipped cream if you like.
56 TheValleyTable | March—May2023
WHAT’S FOR DESSERT?” COPYRIGHT © 2022 BY CLAIRE SAFFITZ. PHOTOGRAPHS COPYRIGHT © 2022 BY JENNY HUANG. PUBLISHED BY CLARKSON POTTER, AN IMPRINT OF RANDOM HOUSE.