Longboat Key Chef whips up decadent desserts

By Phyllis Steinberg

You Don’t Have to be Crazy, But It Helps” is the title of Chef Raymond Arpke’s cookbook featuring some of the favorite recipes he serves to guests at his extraordinary restaurant, Euphemia Haye in Longboat Key, FL.

Chef Raymond writes about his childhood in the cookbook where he grew up in the Sheboygan County Hospital for the Insane where his father was the superintendent of the hospital. The institution had its own farm and apple orchard and one of his first jobs was spraying the orchard with pesticides.

Chef Arpke runs Euphemia Haye with his wife, D’Arcy. The couple has won the Golden Spoon Award every year since 1993 and is now a member of the Golden Spoon Hall of Fame. If you visit Long Boat Key, you will have to reserve a table at this restaurant prior to your visit as it is always busy with locals who enjoy dining there on festive occasions as the food is exceptional. A Caesar salad mixed to order in front of your table and flaming dishes are the order of the day and make dining out extra special.

The HayeLoft upstairs in the eatery features a vivid display of delicious desserts. The Walnut Crumble is Chef Raymond’s signature dessert and so rich and delicious that I am certain you will enjoy making it and serving it to guests. Among the other winning desserts served at the HayeLoft are Poached Pears in a Raspberry Sauce and Zabaglione, the Italian version of Sabayon. It is made with Marsala wine and is simple to make and elegant to serve.

Poached pears and Raspberry Sauce is a classic dessert. It is especially good in the fall, when pears and raspberries are in season. Any pear will work with this recipe, but Chef Raymond prefers bosc pears, as they tend to keep a nice firmness even when poached.

The recipes below are from:  “You Don’t have to be Crazy, but it Helps!” cookbook by Chef Raymond Arpke. Euphemia Haye is located 5540 Gulf of Mexico Drive in Longboat Key. The phone number of the restaurant is 941-383-3633 and the website is www.euphemiahaye.com.

Poached Pears with Raspberry Sauce and soft peaked cream
Serves 4

Pears
4 bosc pears, partially peeled in an attractive manner
3 /4 cup sugar
Water

Choose a pot that will just hold the 4 pears. Place sugar and some water in the pot and bring to a boil. Carefully place the pears in the sugar water and fill the pot with enough water to cover the pears. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer until tender. Depending on the ripeness, the pears can poach for 15 to 45 minutes. When a sharp knife slides in and out of a pear easily, it is done. Remove the pears and chill.

Raspberry Sauce

1 12 ounce package frozen raspberries
1 /2 cup sugar
1 /2 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water

Bring raspberries, sugar, and water to a boil. Add cornstarch mixture while stirring carefully. Cook for about 30 more seconds and remove from heat. Chill.

Soft Peak Cream Mixture

1 cup whipping cream
1 /2 cup sugar

In a non-reactive bowl, whisk the cream while adding the sugar slowly. Whisk until soft peaks are formed.

Apple Walnut Crumble Pie
Makes 1 pie

Pie Shell
1 10 inch pie shell (recipe below or use store bought pie shell)

2 cups cake flour
1 /4 cup shortening
1 /2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 /2 teaspoon salt
1 /3 cup ice water

Place the cake flour, butter, and salt in a stainless steel bowl. Cut the shortening and butter into cake flour, until the entire content has a mealy consistency. Add ice water and mix with your fingers, forming a dough. Form a ball with the dough. Flatten the ball with your hands and place on a well-floured flat surface. Flour the top of the dough well, and roll out into about 13-14 inch round. Place the dough into a floured 10-inch pie pan. Flute the edge.

Apple Walnut Filling

12 cups or 3 pounds of 1 /2 inch apple slices
1 & 1 /2 cups walnuts, chopped
1 /2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 dash ground cinnamon
1 dash ground clove
1 dash ground ginger
1 dash ground allspice
1 & 1 /2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon flour

Place prepared apples in a non-reactive bowl. Sprinkle the walnuts, spices, and sugar over the top. Toss apple mixture and mix well. Add the flour and toss well. Let mixture rest for 10 minutes. Toss well again. Mound the apple mixture in the pie shell. Top all of the apples with “crumble” (recipe below) so they are completely covered. Bake at 350 degrees F for 70-80 minutes or until baked through and browned evenly.

Apple Walnut Crumble Pie topping

1 /2 pound soft butter
1 /2 pound sugar
1 pound cake flour
Vanilla to taste

Combine all ingredients in a mixer with the paddle in p[lace. Mix at low speed until large “crumbles” form. Cool and reserve.

Zabaglione with Fresh Berries and Bananas
Serves 6

3 egg yolks
1 /2 cup and 1 teaspoon sugar
1 /2 cup Marsala wine
Fresh berries and banana

Mix all of the ingredients except the fruit, together in a large stainless steel bowl. Whisk briskly over a hot water bath or over a direct flame until fluffy. It will triple or quadruple in size. Pour into fancy glasses or bowls partially filled with fresh berries and banana. Serve hot immediately.