Warm weather is always sociable, and that means sharing goodies. At the same time, we'd like our treats to be a bit less harmful to our waistlines. The heavy, rich sweets of Winter seem rather silly, after a meal which is likely to have a main-dish salad as the entree. However, a dish of unadorned cut fruit, though beautifully ripe and fresh, is a bit too austere to feel like a Summer celebration.

The usual solution to this quandary is a shortcake with sweetened fruit and plenty of whipped cream. There's no doubt that it's a universal favorite, but I'm going to suggest something else, equally simple, because it solves a problem inherent with shortcake.

Problem? What problem? Well, a good portion of Summer gatherings are meat barbecues, fried chicken picnics, or cold-cut sandwich buffets. That means shortcake is going to be covered with a Pareve whipped topping, which may look nice, but is not usually a flavorful end to a perfect meal.

The recipe below is Pareve, and will pair perfectly with unsweetened cut berries or other fresh fruits. It has only two ingredients, and is simple to prepare. So simple, that it is an ideal project for any youngsters who would enjoy helping in the kitchen. The baking time is only twenty minutes, so the oven needn't be on for long, and they can be baked several hours before serving, so you can do it in the morning, when temperatures are cooler.

Ingredients

1 package frozen Pareve Puff Pastry, sheets or squares, thawed
1 roll Marzipan, 7 or 8 ounces

Method

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. If the Pastry is in sheets, unroll it, and cut each sheet into 4 squares. Unwrap the Marzipan, and cut in 8 portions. Roll each portion of Marzipan between your hands into a small sausage shape, and lay it diagonally on each square of pastry. Fold each piece of Pastry over the Marzipan to make a triangle, and pinch the edges to seal. Roll the sealed Pastry triangles over themselves into a cylinder, then bend into a crescent shape with the point down. Place on the foil-covered cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool and serve.

Copyright 2010 Eddy Robey