For Dessert, I'll Have a Sandwich

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Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Inspired by the freedoms celebrated every Fourth of July, I hereby endorse the liberation of the sandwich and the wrap.

I propose reallocating their resources toward dessert: specifically, three make-ahead summertime recipes that can travel to picnics and family reunions or stay home for a backyard barbecue. You can make Dagwood-style stacks, with blueberries, raspberries and whipped cream between buttery shortbread cookies; or an easy coffee-flavored cream-cheese filling that is sandwiched between rich chocolate oatmeal cookies. Or try indulgent wraps, using crepes with a mixture of strawberries and sweetened sour cream inside. The berries for the wraps and stacks can be mixed and matched to take advantage of whatever is in season or looks best at the market.

The cookies (with or without filling), crepes and shortbread can be made, cooled and frozen for up to one month. Wrap them well in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and defrost them with their wrapping on, so any condensation will remain on the wrapper. Put a square of wax paper between the crepes so they separate easily, and handle the shortbread carefully so it does not break.

Raspberry-Blueberry Whipped Cream Stacks

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Sandwiches

Strawberry and Sweet Sour Cream Wraps

-- From Elinor Klivans, whose newest book is "The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook" (Chronicle Books, 2008)