You can make 'Farm-to-Table Desserts' by Lei Shishak year-round
Don't fret because it's fall and you fear your favorite farmers market in New Jersey may be finished for the year. While it's true that some have already closed, many are open into November -- and a handful or so operate year-round. So, after you pick up some fresh produce, get a copy of pastry chef Lei Shishak's new...
Don't fret because it's fall and you fear your favorite farmers market in New Jersey may be finished for the year. While it's true that some have already closed, many are open into November -- and a handful or so operate year-round.
So, after you pick up some fresh produce, get a copy of pastry chef Lei Shishak's new cookbook, "Farm-to-Table Desserts: 80 Seasonal Organic Recipes Made From Your Local Farmers Market" (Skyhorse Publishing, 200 pp., $22.99). In it, you'll find mouth-watering -- and Instagram-worthy -- ideas for using your nature's bounty.
Chapters are organized by season and include a listing of fruits and vegetables that are commonly available at that time (a shopping list, perhaps?). Examples of the easy-to-follow recipes are: for fall, sweet potato pie and pomegranate chocolate cookies; for winter, cranberry upside-down cake and brown butter banana souffle; for spring, peach cobbler and mango mousse; and for summer, blueberry zeppoles and cantaloupe soup.
"Buying locally sourced, organic ingredients is a satisfying way to bake that, once started, becomes an easy habit," Shishak writes.
For a list of farmers markets in the state, visit jerseyfresh.nj.gov.
Baked Granny Smith Apples
"When apples start appearing at the market, it's a sure sign that autumn has arrived. One of the first dishes I make to welcome in the season is a classic: baked apples. I like to use the Granny Smith variety for this recipe. Its tartness is balanced with a filling that consists of walnuts and currants sweetened with honey and brown sugar. The homemade butterscotch sauce is optional but
I highly recommend it."
Makes 4 servings
4 medium Granny Smith apples
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
For the butterscotch sauce:
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Slice off top third of apples and set aside tops. Use a melon baller to scoop out flesh from bottoms, leaving 1/2-inch thick edge from skin. Place apples in small rimmed baking dish that fits apples snugly.
3. Melt butter and honey over low heat in medium pot. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Stir until incorporated.
4. Use small spoon to fill apple cavities with brown sugar mixture. Place apple tops on. Fill dish 1/4-inch deep with warm water. Bake 40 minutes.
5. Make butterscotch sauce: Cook brown sugar and butter in small pot over medium heat, stirring constantly. After boiling for 5 minutes, stir in cream. Cook for 2 minutes to thicken sauce. Serve warm with baked apples.
-- Adapted from "Farm-to-Table Desserts," by Lei Shishak
Champagne Grape Cake
"Though more frequently seen on cheese plates, champagne grapes are actually quite lovely to bake with. They are intensely sweet and seedless berries that grow in tight clusters. Despite having delicate, thin skin these grapes retain their shape and juiciness even after baking."
Makes 1 (9-inch) cake
Champagne grape cake from "Farm-to-Table Desserts," by pastry chef Lei Shishak 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
11/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
11/2 cups champagne grapes, stems removed
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch round pan and set aside.
2. In mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and 3/4 cup sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, and beat for 2 minutes. Scrape bowl well.
3. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With mixer on low, slowly pour in buttermilk and mix until incorporated. Gently fold in grapes with rubber spatula.
4. Spread batter in prepared pan and sprinkle top with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
-- Adapted from "Farm-to-Table Desserts," by Lei Shishak
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