For Crystal Morton, baking is about the joy of giving. And as pastry chef of The Moorings, it is central to her work as well as to her life.
It all began with family traditions. “I’m originally from South Carolina, and I had a very large extended family,” she says. Baking was a big part of gatherings and reunions. Morton learned favorite family recipes, and she enjoyed seeing how her efforts were appreciated. “I really took to that. Even as a kid, I had a strong passion for the joy you get from baking for other people.” Her work is therefore interwoven with happy memories and nostalgia.
After high school, Morton worked for “a multitude of coffee places,” and she remains grateful that a kitchen manager took a chance on her. Therefore, when she was about 20 years old, she was “pushed right into the kitchen.” Thus began her restaurant career.
Eventually, she spent five years at Citrus Grill, ending up a sous chef. However, her real goal was to become a pastry chef. As a result, she was willing to take a step down from sous chef to prep chef in order to get a job at The Moorings, where she knew she might have the opportunity to work her way into specializing in pastry. “Pastry chef was the job I really wanted,” she says. The gamble paid off; Morton has now been pastry chef at The Moorings for seven years.
Among the special events she enjoys preparing for are the wine dinners, which have geographic themes such as “Italian Wines” or “South African Wines.” Morton explains, “I talk to whoever is handling the wine, and I try to pair something with the wine being served.” Not only is it an interesting challenge, but it “brings us together as a team.”
As a chef who focuses on desserts, Morton finds it hard to pick a favorite. “Cakes are always a lot of fun. I have a passion for sorbets and ice creams. I love panna cottas.” She explains that what makes panna cottas so interesting is their versatility; with the base of gelatin, cream, and sugar, “you can do anything.”
Morton’s culinary repertoire has vastly expanded since her days of baking for family reunions, yet she remains true to her roots—and to the sense of joy that has always motivated her baking.
Dessert: Banana Split Ice Cream Bomb
This dessert combines favorite flavors—chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, and banana—for a real crowd-pleaser. Morton recommends Callebaut chocolate, a Belgian brand, for the semisweet chips.
Serves 4
- 1 ripened, peeled banana
- 1 cup vanilla bean ice cream
- 1 cup chocolate ice cream
- 1 cup strawberry ice cream
- 1/2 sheet pan chocolate cake
- Silpat (silicone) dome-shaped dessert mold
- Chocolate ganache (see below)
Pulse banana with vanilla ice cream and freeze to solidify once again.
Layer banana with the chocolate ice cream and then the strawberry ice cream. Add one layer at a time, freezing for at least an hour in between layers.
Cut/trim chocolate cake to fit top of inverted silicone dessert mold to cover ice cream layers, and freeze.
Turn out frozen “bombs” onto a sheet pan lined with a baking rack.
Pour chocolate ganache mixture over frozen bombs until covered completely, freeze until set.
Chocolate Ganache
- 8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
- 8 oz. heavy whipping cream
Simmer whipping cream until hot but not boiling. Pour over chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. Wrap with plastic wrap for at least 5 minutes undisturbed. Whisk until fluid, then let cool slightly.
Dessert: Butterscotch-Pecan Bread Pudding
Reflecting the chef’s Carolina roots, this is comfort food with Southern flair.
Serves 10
- 1 lb. day-old rustic white bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp. sugar, divided
- 5 large eggs
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 3 tbsp. bourbon
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- Bourbon sauce (see below)
In a large bowl, toss bread, melted butter, and 2 tbsp. sugar and set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar in another large bowl until pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add cream and salt; blend.
Place 3 tbsp. bourbon in a small bowl; scrape in seeds from vanilla bean. Whisk, then add to egg mixture and blend well.
Pour over bread mixture in bowl. Add pecans and butterscotch chips and toss. Transfer mixture to glass or ceramic baking pan.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and bake until top is browned in spots and a tester inserted into center comes out clean. Top with warm bourbon sauce.
Bourbon Sauce
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp. bourbon
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt to a boil, whisking to dissolve sugar. Boil until mixture is syrupy and measures 1 1/2 cups, about 3 minutes.
Remove from heat. Add cream and bourbon. Stir until smooth. Let cool slightly.
Dessert: Key Lime Tartlets with Raspberry Coulis
This is an elegant variation on a Florida classic.
Serves 12
- 4 cans (14 oz. each) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 bottle (16 oz.) key lime juice
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 5–6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
- Meringue (see below)
- Raspberry coulis (see below)
Whisk condensed milk with key lime juice. Whisk in 1 egg at a time.
In a separate bowl, mix ground graham crackers, light brown sugar, and melted butter into a moldable crust. Pack crust down into the bottoms of 12 mini pans.
Bake 10 minutes, then let cool. Pour key lime mixture over crusts, tapping slightly to release air bubbles.
At 325 degrees Fahrenheit, bake 20 minutes in foil-covered water bath, then 10 minutes without foil.
Pipe meringue onto the tartlets and top with raspberry coulis.
Meringue
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
Raspberry Coulis
- 1 tbsp. water
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
- 3 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Whisk the cornstarch and water until all the cornstarch has dissolved.
In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch mixture, raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract over medium heat. Using a spatula, stir the mixture, lightly mashing the berries as they simmer. Bring to a boil for a full 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Press the warm sauce through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds.
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