7 Great Dessert Recipes from the Best Charleston, SC Area Restaurants

We had a wonderful response from the Charleston Restaurant Soup Recipes article.  No soup is complete without an entree and of course, dessert.  I dare you to find anyone without a sweet tooth.  In Charleston, we love our desserts.  Here are some of the best dessert recipes from your favorite Charleston restaurants.  Bon Appétit.

Fat Hen – 3140 Maybank Highway, Johns Island, SC

Crème Brulee French Toast

Circa 1886 – 149 Wentworth Street, Charleston, SC

Frozen Lemon Custard

Ingredients:

11 Egg Yolks
1 C Sugar
5 fl. oz Frozen Lemon Juice, concentrated
1 ea Lemon, zest and juice
3 C Heavy Whipping Cream

Method:

• Place heavy cream, concentrate, lemon and lime juices and zest in a heavy bottom non-reactive pot.
• Bring solution to a boil.
• When the solution reaches a boil, remove from heat immediately.
• Whisk the yolks and sugar together until light in color.
• Slowly drizzle the hot liquid into the yolk mixture.
• Just a little at a time. (If you pour too much liquid to quickly you will “scramble the eggs”, and get to start over.)
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
• Line a “edged” baking sheet with two layers of plastic.
• Pour the combined solution into the lined baking sheet and place in the oven uncovered for about 30 minutes.
• (also place another pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven to add steam to the oven. This keeps the custard fro cracking).
• Remove the pan from the oven and place directly in to the freezer when frozen.
• Cut the custard into any shape you desire for presentation.
• Note: This may also be prepared in small ramekin cups. Just be sure to butter the molds well.

High Cotton – 199 East Bay Street, Charleston, SC

High Cotton Volcano Cake

12 Servings

Ingredients:

1 lb Butter
1 lb Dark Chocolate
1 c Sugar
9 Whole Eggs
9 Egg Yolks
4 oz. Kahlua
2 T Vanilla Extract

Method:

• In saucepan, melt together butter, chocolate and sugar.
• In mixing bowl, mix together eggs, yolks, kahlua and vanilla.
• Mix half melted mixture with egg mixture, incorporate well.
• Add rest of melted mix to egg mix, mix well.
• Place in 8 oz. ramekin 1/2 full.
• Bake at 375 degrees, 10-12 minutes or until top is crusted over.
• Serve with scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Swamp Fox – 387 King Street, Charleston, SC

Peach Crème Brulee

Ingredients:

100 c Heavy Cream
65 Vanilla Beans
275 Egg Yolks
16-2/3 c White Sugar
2 c and 1 T White Sugar
32 oz Fresh Peaches

Method:

• In a medium heavy-bottomed pan, heat cream with vanilla beans until bubbles begin to form at edges.
• Remove from heat and let stand 30 minutes.
• Beat egg yolks with sugar until pale and thick. Remove vanilla beans from cream and pour into egg yolk mixture.
• Cook, without boiling, over low heat until mixture thickens and coats the back of a metal spoon.
• Remove from heat and divide evenly among 6 large ramekins with fresh sliced peaches layered in the bottom.
• Cover and refrigerate 3 hours, until set.
• Prior to serving, sprinkle remaining sugar evenly over custards and brown with a kitchen torch or under the oven broiler.
• Refrigerate until serving.
• Serve with a slice of fresh peach and a dollop of shantilly cream (optional)

Peninsula Grill – 112 North Market Street, Charleston, SC

Pluff Mud-Rum Cream Pie

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups gingersnap coookie crumbs 1/4 cup granulated sugar 6 tablespoons butter, melted 4 ounces dark chocolate , chopped 4 ounces heavy cream 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons rum extract 4 leaves gelatin (or 1 packet granulated gelatin) 1 cup heavy cream 10 whole large egg yolks 7 tablespoons sugar 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons sugar chocolate shavings to garnish

Method:

1. To make crust: Mix together cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan and also up the sides. Run the back of a knife around the edges to smooth them. Bake crust at 325F for 6 minutes and cool before filling.

2. To make ganache: Bring 4 ounces heavy cream to a boil and pour over chopped chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Pour over bottom of cooled crust and let set in freezer.

3. To make filling: If using leaf gelatin, soften it in enough water to cover. If using granulated, mix the gelatin with the vanilla extract and rum extract and set aside. Whisk together sugar and egg yolks in a bowl. Simmer 1 cup heavy cream and very slowly pour into egg yolk mixture while constantly whisking. Pour mixture back into pot and cook over medium low heat(constantly stirring with a wooden spoon) until it coats the back of a spoon. (dip spoon in and draw a line with your finger through it, the line should hold) Do not cook to long or mixture will curdle. Strain through a sieve into a metal bowl and add gelatin (if using leaf gelatin squeeze the water out of it, also add the extracts now) and whisk until it dissolves. Chill until cool but not set, stirring occasionally (about 20 minutes). Whip 1 cup cream to medium peaks and fold into custard. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.

4. To garnish: Whip 1 cup heavy cream with with 2 T sugar until it has medium stiff peaks. Fill pastry bag fitted with a medium sized (about 1/2 “) star tip and decorate top with whipped cream. The easiest decoration is to pipe rows of cream< that look like hershey’s kisses> all over the top and sprinkle chocolate shavings on top.

Poogan’s Porch – 72 Queen Street, Charleston, SC

Poogan’s Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:

1-8 oz Package Cream Cheese
1 C Powdered Sugar
3/4 C Creamy or Chunky Peanut Butter
1 t Vanilla
1/2 C Whipping Cream, whipped
1-9 inch Baked Pie Crust

Method:

• Beat cream cheese until soft and fluffy.
• Beat in sugar, peanut butter and vanilla.
• Slowly fold in whipped cream until well blended.
• Pour into baked pie crust and freeze until ready to serve.
• Remove from freezer and let soften 20 to 30 minutes before serving.