Simpsons Recipes: Dessert Ideas

Who doesn't love The Simpsons? 

If not for giving us the most celebrated characters in TV history, at least for the fact that after 30 years and more than 600 episodes, it's become the longest-running prime time series ever. In that way, it's an American institution.  

If you're one to binge-watch, by all means. But if you've got a sweet tooth, you'll want to visit Bluestem Brasserie in San Francisco, where the team is revisiting some of the show's most memorable moments with a new Simpsons-inspired dessert menu.

Bluestem Brasserie is known for putting topical spins on its sweets, and earlier this year, restaurant co-owner Adam Jed and pastry consultant Lori Baker launched a Simpsons-themed dessert menu fit for Homer Simpson himself. A fan of The Simpsons, Jed says, "The desserts aren't built to literally represent the cartoon—we are not taking a dish from the cartoon and recreating it, rather we find what relates thematically to the dessert. Nothing is forced."

The desserts then take the majority of their cues from the show's characters. East Side Cookie Kwan, for example, named after the cutthroat realtor, features actual warm dark chocolate chip cookies (get the recipe) and Belgian chocolate, and is served with a sea salt and cookies 'n' cream milkshake. For Mademoiselle Meringue, a crisp meringue crust is filled with apricot curd and pistachio custard, then topped with pistachio brittle. The Miss Springfield is a strawberry tall cake with vanilla bean yellow cake, strawberry cheesecake buttercream and jam. Cakes are particularly popular with guests at Bluestem and have been something of a signature since the restaurant opened.

Other highlights include the Hoyvin-Mayvin, Shhhhhh!, a triple berry bread pudding with bourbon buttermilk caramel, toasted pecans and vanilla ice cream, which references an episode that features a top-secret project by the Motherloving Sugar Corporation to get the citizens of Springfield addicted to sugar. And the Sector 7-G, a twice-baked goat cheese soufflé, with lemon custard, strawberry ice cream and a house-made Biscoff-style cookie, which is dubbed after the power plant workstation where Homer regularly fails to prevent nuclear meltdowns. It's best to order one of each—to prevent a meltdown or dueling spoons at the table.

So why The Simpsons? The choice was natural. Jed says, "It takes a playful approach to political satire. It's our way of responding in a nonpartisan way and not politically. It's also one of the longest-running sitcoms on television. Many generations can relate to the references." Whether or not diners remember when Lisa gave an "I Choo-Choo-Choose You" Valentine's Day card to Ralph, they're sure to appreciate the dessert homage with a dark chocolate toffee brownie, peanut butter caramel, butterscotch marble ice cream, hot fudge and milk chocolate toffee.

Amy Sherman is a San Francisco-based writer and cookbook author who never says no to a warm doughnut. Follow her on Instagram at @cookingwithamy.