[Photograph: Carrie Vasios]
Cat tongues. Nuns’ Breasts. Maybe it’s all that sugar going to people’s brains, but sweets have been named for some interesting things. Take the French pastry known as a jalousie, which is actually named after windows.
Of course we’re not talking about just any windows, but those slatted or louvered windows that can be left open in the rain. If you’ve road tripped around Florida or the South you probably know what I’m talking about, same if by chance you’ve spent time in mid-century mobile homes. Though it’s entirely coincidental, I think it makes a romantic story. Jalousie, like the feeling of a Bogie-esque character, trapped in the heat, watching someone through slatted blinds.
With its association of passion (and er, windows), I decided to fill my version with deep red raspberries, one of summer’s sweetest, most delicate fruit. The berries are lightly crushed and laid on top of a thin layer of sweetened cream cheese, not unlike the filling of a sweet cheese danish. The puff pastry wrapped around the filling then gets its distinctive cuts, or slats, that give the pastry its name.
Traditional jalousies don’t have cream cheese, and if you have quality summer fruit, these pastries will certainly taste delicious without the extra layer. But I like the combination of the slightly tangy cream cheese with the juicy berries, so I’ve given it a twist. I’ve also made these in individual portions as opposed to one large pastry, which makes them easy to transport for a summer picnic brunch.
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About the author: Carrie Vasios is the editor of Serious Eats: Sweets. She likes to peruse her large collection of cookbooks while eating jam from the jar. You can follow her on Twitter @carrievasios