Members at Forest Lake Club in Columbia, S.C., have the pleasure of taking a walk down memory lane—while satisfying their sweet tooth—all thanks to two club pastry favorites, crafted by Pastry Chef Frances Wright. Her first private culinary experience after running her own bakery, Wright has spent the past three years at Forest Lake harnessing her expertise to deliver high-end pastry for a burgeoning membership.
One of Forest Lake members’ favorite desserts is almond cream pie, a recipe that dates back nearly 75 years and had almost been permanently retired—until fate intervened.
One of the dining room servers had alerted Wright to a member who enjoyed eating the pie as a young girl.
“With her being a member for over 60 years, bringing back a piece of her childhood memories and enjoying this pie with her parents here in the very same club makes what I do even more fulfilling,” she shares.
To put her own personal stamp on the time-honored recipe, Wright substitutes amaretto for almond extract for a richer taste and smoother texture, and she toasts the almonds for a more satisfying crunch.
A second favorite recipe, which Wright added to the menu herself, is a dark chocolate crémeux with ice cream almond lace and fresh berries. She notes this treat as a true crowd-pleaser that pairs well with house-selected wines. To enhance the flavor, Wright relies on Callebaut dark chocolate for perfect tempering and uses an immersion blender while the mixture is still warm to ensure a silky-smooth texture.
After all, she asks, “who doesn’t love chocolate?”
