Anne and Grace shiver in August which is not unusual for New England. The wind off the ocean picks up and the clouds roll in under a hazy, smoke-filled sky. Wildfires eat the land to the north and west again, now a yearly occurrence. The sisters gaze at their children playing chase around the playground’s perimeter. The boys run and snake around each other unsure of how to interact now that puberty is present at varying amounts for each. The chill of the ocean air doesn’t register with their young bodies. Anne remembers the days when her body felt less cold all the time, less achy, and less irritable.

The sisters maintain a conversation, their eyes darting from their children to each other. The conversation jumps from one subject to the next and Anne struggles to follow Grace. She attends the conversation as best she can while her legs shake and she hugs herself tighter. Her sister stands unmoving and unphased by the chilly ocean air. They chat about meaningless things trying to keep the conversation light. The constant worry Anne feels for Grace suffocates her. And yet she begins to compartmentalize the angst and worry. What can she do but watch and wait? Her sister has choices. She can carry the past or release it. So, simple for Anne and yet impossible for Grace.

As Anne fortifies the walls around her heart, at least as they relate to Grace, Grace wraps her sweatshirt around Anne’s shoulders. This simple gesture of love reassures Anne that Grace is not lost.

I am publishing this recipe much later than I anticipated. The past couple of months have been nuts! This recipe works incredibly well with summer fruit though I imagine it would be delicious with pears and thinly sliced apples. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Berry Cookie Dessert

Recipe adapted from my grandmother’s summer dessert pizza

Serves 8-10

Ingredients for Cookie Dessert:

¼ unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Zest of 1 lemon

1 ¼ cup of unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

4 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

2 cups blueberries

8-10 strawberries depending on size, sliced into triangles

Ingredients for Glaze:

¼ sugar

¼ orange juice

¼ water

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350F.  Spray a 9-inch round spring-form pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper. Set it aside.

Using a medium-sized bowl, combine dry ingredients with a whisk.  Set aside 

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or handheld mixer cream butter, sugar, and lemon zest on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.  Next, add egg and beat until combined.  Add vanilla extract.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until well combined.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3o minutes. 

Once the dough has chilled, press the dough evenly across the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared pan.  Bake until the cookie crust is golden brown, about 17-20 minutes. Allow it to cool completely. 

While the cookie crust is cooling make the whipped cream cheese topping. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth.  Set it aside. Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment whip heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar until stiff peaks form.  Fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. 

Next, evenly spread whipped cream cheese topping over cooled cookie crust.  Arrange blueberries and strawberries on top as desired.  Chill.  While the cookie dessert is chilling make the orange glaze.

Add sugar, orange juice, ¼ water, and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil stirring constantly.  Boil for 2 minutes or until it thickens.  Brush glaze over fruit.  Chill dessert until ready to serve.  Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.