Have you ever had the obscenely delicious, always on the verge of selling-out scones at Kru Coffee in Saratoga? Sam Pierre makes those, and she has also gathered a cult following in town for her from-scratch cakes, biscuits (go for the ones with bacon baked in) and chic cookies that she cranks out on special order. Her special sundaes, which she reserves for her two children, husband and close friends, are also the stuff of legend. Get a taste of her magic, below.
Pairing recommendation from EmpireWine.com: Sweet Walter Rosé
Ingredients
- 1 pound strawberries (preferably local, they’re always tastier)
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
- Juice of half a lime
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream (as local and organic as possible)
- 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
- 1 pound cake (either homemade or store bought)
- Butter, to taste
- Vanilla ice cream (homemade or store bought; Adirondack Creamery, Stewart’s and Perry’s are delicious upstate New York brands)
- ½ cup toasted sliced almonds or granola (optional)
Preparation
Chop strawberries into quarters. Place in medium bowl. Add lime zest, lime juice, sugar, salt and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Can be made up to 2 hours in advance.
(Recipe adapted from Milk Street Kitchen)
Add cream to a saucepan and heat gently until just boiling. Add chopped chocolate to heatproof bowl. Once cream is just boiling, carefully pour cream over chocolate. Allow to sit for 2–3 minutes. Whisk cream and chocolate together until all the chocolate has melted and the ganache is smooth. Set aside.
Heat grill or grill pan on medium-low. Slice pound cake into .-inch slices. Lightly butter each side and place on grill. Grill for 2–3 minutes on both sides until toasted.
Instructions
Place grilled pound cake in the bottom of your bowl. Add a small handful of strawberries and their juices, then a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream. Pour a generous tablespoon or so of ganache over the ice cream, followed by a few more strawberries on top for garnish and a sprinkle of toasted almonds or granola for a little extra crunch, if desired. Dig in, preferably outside!
