Nothing thrills quite like early robins pecking the ground or the first snowdrops and crocuses poking through the cold earth. Like fattening buds and buckets propped on maple trees, they tell us that leaves and flowers and warmth are returning.
Yet these harbingers of spring can sometimes be a distraction. As we’re dreaming of good things to come — spikes of asparagus and pink fists of rhubarb forcing their way forth — we can easily ignore those we already have. Oranges, lemons, mangoes, pineapples and other tropical fruits are at their best right now because they are in season. Not only are they perfect for everyday snacks, but they are spectacular in festive desserts for upcoming holidays such as Easter and Passover.
We don’t usually think of oranges for spring holidays; they ripen at the very end of the year so they are associated with Christmas and Hanukkah. But the trees carry on producing throughout the winter, with different varieties following each other in the supermarkets.
Similarly, lemons, limes and other members of the citrus family are also at their peak during winter. Meyer lemons, a delicious cross between lemons and oranges, are especially worth looking for. They appear in very early spring and cannot be found at any other time. Chefs and bakers love them because they are not as sour as lemons, but just as fragrant and delicious.
Mangoes — the national fruit of India, Pakistan and the Philippines — was once a rarity here but can now be found throughout the year because different varieties come at different times. Tommy Atkins, the sort we see most often, is in season from March to May.
Similarly, March sees the beginning of the pineapple season in Hawaii, the world’s largest producer.
Pomegranates, which are natives of the hot, dry Mediterranean rather than the humid tropics, are another fruit that stays with us throughout winter. Protected by their leathery skin, the glowing globules of juice stay bright and flavorful for many weeks.
All these, plus many other fruits that were once unusual or exotic, are often available throughout the year because they can be imported from countries with different seasons. Nonetheless, now is the best time to eat them because the lengthening days seem to wake up the appetite for fresh and fruity flavors, yet we still have to wait a long time until summer brings our own berries and fall ripens the apples and pears.
The simplest, and one of the best, ways to revel in the flavors of tropical fruits is to make a fruit salad for dessert. You can use whatever selection of fruits you like, or build your mixture around a theme.
A Caribbean fruit salad, for example, could feature bananas, pineapple, papaya and guava in a syrup flavored with ginger, which thrives in Jamaica, or rum, which is made on virtually every Caribbean island.
Looking farther afield, you could feature the mangoes so beloved in southern Asia, teaming them with kumquats, guava, papaya and coconut. Or you could celebrate Hawaii by scooping out the flesh of pineapple and filling the shell with pineapple cubes tossed with bananas and papayas.
The colors of tropical fruits channel the post-impressionist artist Paul Gauguin in Tahiti with every shade of orange, coral and yellow. These are the colors that also paint the primroses, daffodils and other early flowers, and so they spell springtime to us.
The recipes below include one for Maple Tutti Frutti Cake, which is a chance to celebrate maple, our first local crop, while also having fun with fruits. And from the British Isles comes a trifle that is perfect for Easter, while those who want something light and zesty can revel in caramelized oranges, a simple but deliciously refreshing dessert from Italy.
Maple Tutti Frutti Cake
This cake teams our own in-season maple syrup with your favorite tropical fruits in a riff on traditional pineapple upside-down cake. You can arrange your chosen fruits in an orderly pattern, or make a colorful abstract pattern, or fit them any way they will go into your cake pan. This eye-catching cake is perfect for any festive meal.
For the topping:
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup maple syrup, preferably a darker cooking syrup
1-2 bananas
1 mango
1-2 pineapple slices
1-2 kiwi
Other fruit from among the following (optional): 1 orange, 1 tangerine or clementine, ½ papaya, 1 carambola (starfruit), 1 passion fruit, 3-4 crystallized cherries, seeds from about ¼ pomegranate
For the cake:
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour or all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
cup maple syrup, preferably a darker cooking syrup, or more to taste
To make the topping: In a small pan, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter and grease the sides of a 9-inch layer cake pan with a little of it. Line the base of the pan with baking parchment. Mix the maple syrup into the remaining butter, then pour it over the parchment paper in the pan. Set the pan aside.
Peel the fruit. Cut the bananas longways into 2 or 4 long strips. Slice the mango by first feeling for the pit with the point of a knife then slicing the flesh from each side of it. Remove the core from the center of the pineapple slices.
Think about how you want to arrange the fruit in the pan. The long thin slices of banana should probably go in first (cut side down) because they can provide a structure for your pattern. Slice the other fruits any way you like: The mango can be long slices or shorter ones, or it can be cut into globes with a melon baller (as can papaya if you are using it). The kiwi could be cut in disks or strips. Leave the pineapple slices (or orange slices if you have them) whole or cut into chunks. Arrange the fruit any way you like. Aim to cover most of the base of the pan but don’t worry if you have a few empty spots.
To make the cake, set the oven to 375 degrees.
In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the eggs and sugar for about 5-7 minutes until they have tripled in bulk and are pale and very foamy. (You can also do this using a large bowl for the ingredients and a hand mixer, though it will take a few minutes longer.)
Melt the butter and stir in the vanilla extract and a tablespoon of cold water. Let it cool to room temperature and then stir it into the egg mixture. Mix the flour and baking powder then sift in about half into the egg mixture. Fold it in gently with a spatula. When this is smoothly combined, fold in the rest of the flour. Spread the mixture gently over the fruit and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean.
Put the cake on a rack to cook.
Immediately poke about 20 holes in it distributing them all over the surface. Slowly drizzle the maple syrup over the cake so that it trickles into the holes. Use more maple syrup, pouring it on about 5 minutes later, if you like.
Let the cake cool for half an hour then run a knife blade between the edge of the cake and the pan, place a plate over the top, and holding the plate steady with the flat of your hand, quickly invert the pan onto the plate so the cake falls out. The parchment helps keep the fruit in place but if pieces are dislodged, move them back with a fork. Now add the pomegranate seeds, using them to fill in empty spots or to highlight bits of your pattern. (You can use pieces of kiwi for this too.)
Serve with whipped cream. Or make a salad with any remaining fruit and serve it alongside.
Banana-Rum Trifle
Trifles look impressive but they are a simple do-ahead dessert that can be adapted to whatever fruit you want to use and easily sized-up for larger groups. This banana version is especially good because the bananas have an affinity with the custard and cream topping.
About 8 ounces (about 3-4 cups crumbled) yellow sponge cake or pound cake
7 tablespoons sugar
cup dark rum
About ½ cup strawberry or raspberry jam 3-4 ripe bananas
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
5 tablespoons cornstarch
2 ½ cups whole milk
3 egg yolks, well beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon orange-flower water (optional)
2 tablespoons butter cut in 4-5 bits.
1 cup whipping cream
Choose among the following to decorate: edible flowers such as pansies or primroses, candied violets or rose petals, multicolored sprinkles, small silver balls, banana slices brushed with lemon juice to prevent browning, or holiday-themed ornaments.
Crumble the cake in a 6-8 cup-bowl.
In a small pan dissolve a tablespoon of the sugar with a third cup of water, bring to the boil and boil for 3 minutes. Stir in the rum. Pour this over the cake then work a little with your hands to thoroughly moisten it. Cover the surface with a thin layer of jam. If you are using a glass bowl, peel and slice one or two of the bananas, then sprinkle the lemon juice on the slices to prevent them browning
. Arrange the slices on edge round the perimeter of the bowl so they can be seen from outside. Slice the other bananas and put on top of the jam. If using an opaque china bowl, no need to put slices round the edge; just put them all on top of the jam. Set aside.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan off the heat mix the remaining sugar with the cornstarch. Add about 4 tablespoons of the milk and stir to make a paste. Now stir in the rest of the milk, put the pan on a moderate burner, and continue stirring until the mixture thickens.
Off the heat, thoroughly stir in the beaten egg yolks and the vanilla. Return to a low heat and stir all the time until you see the very first signs of boiling. Remove the pan immediately. Stir in the orange-flower water if you are using it and the bits of butter. Pour over the sliced bananas in the bowl and spread to completely cover them. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours if this is more convenient.
To finish the trifle, whip the cream until stiff then pipe or spread it on top. Decorate to suit the occasion and your whim. Sprinkles are a traditional trifle topping derived from the comfits used in Tudor, England. You can also use sliced bananas brushed with lemon juice to prevent browning. Flowers are particularly attractive in spring and summer, but be sure to choose edible varieties (such as violets, primroses, pansies, roses,) that have not been sprayed with garden chemicals.
Caramelized Oranges
This easy make-ahead dessert comes from Italy and is a perfect dessert after a heavy holiday main course. You can use any large oranges, but navels are ideal because they have no seeds. Combine them with a blood orange or two for extra color. A sprinkle of orange-flower water adds an evocative aroma. Specialty food outlets, especially Middle Eastern ones, sell it. This recipe is easily multiplied
7 navel oranges or 5 of these and 2 blood oranges
1 teaspoon orange-flower water
3-inch cinnamon stick
1¼ cups sugar
Peel the oranges, cutting down through the skin to get all the white pith, thus leaving the orange flesh completely peeled.
Cut oranges cross ways into circular slices (don’t divide lengthways into segments.)
Arrange the orange circles in a wide bowl, and sprinkle with the orange flower water.
Put the sugar into a heavy saucepan and add two-thirds cup of water. Set over moderate heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Now raise the heat as much as possible. Stop stirring, though watch all the time as the mixture bubbles away. While it is doing so, boil water and keep it very hot. As you watch the pan of sugar and water you will see it changing color, first to beige, then to pale gold and finally to a rich chestnut brown. Working quickly and wearing an oven mitt, remove the pan to an empty sink, and immediately pour in about a third of cup of the very hot water. The mixture will sputter — hence the mitt and the sink — then will die down. Add another third cup of the hot water. Return the pan to the heat and stir briefly until you have a thin dark-gold syrup. Pour this over the orange slices and let them cool or chill for an hour before serving.