Apple & Butternut Squash Crumble With Spiked Eggnog Custard

This delicious but simple dessert is quick to prepare but full of complex flavor and texture.  It is less sweet than the average southern dessert as to not cover the flavors of the apples and squash. But f you like a little more sweetness, try drizzling a berry compote or syrup on top before serving.

Filling:

1 1/4 lbs apples; peeled, cored, and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes

1 1/4 lbs butternut squash; peeled, seeded and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes

juice from one lemon

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tbs Alchemy Spice Wake & Bake Sweet Spice

1 tsp kosher salt

Method:

Soak the chopped apples and squash in a bowl of water and the lemon juice for at least one hour, and up to 24 hours. Drain the apples and squash in a colander, then place in a baking dish. Sprinkle with the sugar, spice blend, and salt, then stir to combine.

Crumble Topping:

2/3 cup Sonrisa Farm stone ground whole wheat flour

2/3 cup rolled oats

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1 tsp kosher salt

1 Tbs Alchemy Spice Wake & Bake Sweet Spice

1/2 cup sugar

4 oz unsalted butter

Method: 

Stir together the dry ingredients, then rub in the butter until the mixture is like coarse breadcrumbs. Cover the apple and squash mixture with the crumble topping and bake at 350 degrees for about 60-90 minutes, or until the filling is soft and the topping is golden brown. Serve with warm spiked eggnog custard, fresh cream or ice cream.

Spiked Eggnog Custard:

2 cups milk, plus extra for thinning if necessary

freshly grated whole nutmeg

2 Tbs corn starch

3 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 oz rum or brandy

Method: 

Place 1 3/4 cup of milk and about 1/2 of a nutmeg (freshly grated)  in a saucepan and warm until just under a boil, stirring occasionally.

In a Medium sized jug, combine the corn starch with 1/4 cup of milk. Then add the egg yolks, sugar and salt to the corn starch mixture and whisk until smooth.

When the milk is hot (but not boiling, as boiling will cause the milk to scorch), pour the egg yolk mixture into the hot milk and whisk continuously. Pour in the rum or brandy and continue whisking until the custard thickens. Remove from heat and serve.  If you want a thinner custard, whisk in more milk while the custard is hot.

Sweet Potato Corn Dogs (plus doughnuts!) with Maple Siracha Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup dry cream of wheat (optional- can substitute more corn meal)

1/4 cup grits or stone ground corn meal

1 tsp kosher salt

1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup maple sugar (use cane sugar if you don't have granulated maple sugar)

1 1/2 lb sweet potato, baked until soft,  flesh scooped out and mashed (about 1 3/4 cups of mash)

1 to 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 egg

4 tbs corn starch for dredging

About 16 regular sized hot dogs

Peanut oil (or your favorite high-heat oil) for deep frying

16 bamboo or wooden corn dog sticks (can use skewers cut to 6 or 7 inch lengths)

For the dipping sauce, combine:

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

Several tablespoons of Siracha Hot Chili Sauce

Method:

Combine or sift together the dry ingredients. Set aside. In a stand mixer, whisk the mashed sweet potato, buttermilk, and egg until smooth.  Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and combine, but do not over-mix. The batter should be thick but loose enough to be slightly pourable. Add more buttermilk a little at a time if it is too dry. Let the batter rest while you assemble the hot dogs.

Heat enough oil in a deep, wide saucepan for deep frying the corn dogs. The oil will need to reach 375 degrees before frying.

Insert sticks into the ends of the hot dogs, pushing them in about half of the length of the hot dog. Place a few tablespoons of corn starch on a plate, then roll the hot dogs in the corn starch, dusting off the excess.

Fill a glass nearly to the top with batter.  When the oil is up to temperature, dip the hot dogs into the cup of batter until they are coated. Place the corn dogs into the hot oil and fry until dark golden brown.  Because of the sugars in the sweet potato and the batter, the breading will fry darker than typical cornbread batter.

Roll corn dogs in the hot oil at least once to make sure all sides cook evenly. When the batter is fully cooked, carefully remove them from the oil with tongs and place on absorbent paper towel. Serve hot.

When all of the corn dogs are finished cooking, any remaining batter can be made into doughnuts by dropping a teaspoon at a time into the hot oil. Scoop the cooked doughnuts out of the hot oil with a slotted spoon and place on absorbent paper towel. Sprinkle with sugar immediately.

Sweet or Savory: Butternut Roulade With Local Artisan Nut Cheese Filling

This week we created a savory roulade made from Lebanese-spiced butternut squash, then filled with massaged kale and French Herb Cashew Cheese. But if you have a sweet tooth and want a twist (only slightly) on the traditional pumpkin roll dessert, then the recipe below is a great way to have the same flavors while also using a butternut squash from your CSA share.

Here's the twist: cream cheese frosting is out, and The Green House Cafe Market's Artisan Cinnamon Raisin Cashew Cheese is in! If you have not met Barbara Woody and Jerri Lane Price at one of the local farmer's markets then scoot on down and say hi. In addition to the nutritional benefits, their fermented nut cheeses really make these roulades burst with flavor.

Butternut Roulade with Cinnamon Raisin Nut Cheese Frosting

This recipe is "southern-sweet" as it's written, which is in keeping with the popular pumpkin roll dessert. However if you have a more "European-sweet" palate, then reduce the sugar in the batter to 1/4 cup, and 2 Tbs for the egg whites. And for the filling: mix small amounts of powdered sugar and brandy into the cashew cheese until it is sweet enough for your taste, and soft enough to spread.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp baking powder

4 egg yolks

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup butternut squash puree

4 egg whites

1/4 cup sugar

8 oz cinnamon raisin cashew cheese

1 lb 10-x powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting

Brandy (up to 2 oz)

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Peel the butternut squash and remove seeds. Chop into 1-inch cubes and place in a glass baking dish. Drizzle with some oil, then season with a little kosher salt, a generous sprinkle of cinnamon and cloves, then bake for about 45 minutes, or until the squash is soft and beginning to brown on the edges.  Remove from the oven and puree until smooth. You can do this step ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze.  Make sure the squash is thawed completely before using in this recipe.

Grease (with oil, shortening, or butter) a large piece of parchment paper that will cover the bottom and sides of a 10 inch x 15 inch jelly roll pan. Lay the prepared parchment inside the jelly roll pan, and press into the corners to shape the parchment inside the pan.

Combine the flour, cinnamon, cloves, and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer: beat the egg yolks, salt, and vanilla for 5 minutes on medium speed. Add 1/3 cup of sugar slowly while continuing to mix. The yolk mixture should turn lemon colored and have a light texture. Add the Butternut squash puree and mix until combined, followed by slowly adding the flour mixture until smooth.

In a separate bowl with clean, oil-free utensils, whisk the egg whites with a hand mixer until it begins to turn to a fine white foam but is still quite loose. Sprinkle in 1/4 cup of sugar slowly while continuing to beat the whites until soft peaks form. Do not mix until dry as this can cause the cake to crack when rolled.

Gently fold the whites into the batter, then pour into the prepared jelly roll pan. Smooth with a spatula until the batter is evenly distributed.

Place in the center of the preheated oven and set the timer for 12 minutes. When the cake is cooked it will pull away from the edges of the parchment and be springy to the touch. Do not over cook the cake or it will split when rolled.

Remove from the oven and cover the cake with a cotton tea towel (not terrycloth). Then place a large board or tray that is larger than the 10 x 15-inch baking sheet on top of the tea towel. Using oven mits, clasp the board and baking sheet together and flip the cake upside down to invert it onto the cloth-covered board. Remove the parchment paper and fold one edge of the tea towel over the edge of the cake, then begin to gently roll the cake and towel together. Doing this while the cake is hot out of the oven will help it to shape into a spiral. Let cool. Tip: If you want more small slices, roll the long side of the cake. If you want fewer large slices, roll the short side.

Meanwhile, make the frosting by gently combining the Cinnamon Raisin Cashew Cheese with the powdered sugar and brandy. Add sugar and brandy a little at a time, tasting for sweetness and checking for a soft, spreadable texture.  If the icing is over-mixed it will turn to a fudge-like consistency (which tastes really nice if you want fudge, but is not great for spreading on a roll cake).

When the cake is cooled, gently unroll. Spread the icing over the cake, then roll again and let rest on the seam. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with chopped pecans.

Savory Butternut Roulade with French Herb Cashew Cheese and Kale

Ingredients:

2 small butternut squash, or 1 large (about 3 lbs)

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 eggs, separated

1/4 cup chopped onion

4 cloves of fresh garlic

olive oil

juice from one lemon

Lebanese spice blend or a mixture of mint, cumin, coriander seed, chiles, cinnamon, onion, garlic, black pepper, and cardamom

kosher or sea salt to taste

1 Tbs honey (optional)

1 bunch of kale

8 oz French Herb Cashew Cheese

Sauce:

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

1/4 cup almond milk

2 oz French Herb Cashew Cheese

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove stems from the kale, wash the leaves and spin or pat dry with a cloth.  Chop finely, then place in a bowl with a little salt and some olive oil. Massage until the kale turns bright green. Set aside.

Grease (with oil, shortening, or butter) a large piece of parchment paper that will cover the bottom and sides of a 10 inch x 15 inch jelly roll pan. Lay the prepared parchment inside the jelly roll pan, and press into the corners to shape the parchment inside the pan.

Combine the flour and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.

Peel the butternut squash and remove seeds. Chop into 1-inch cubes and place in a glass baking dish. Drizzle with some oil, then season with a little kosher salt, and the Lebanese spices. Then bake for about 45 minutes, or until the squash is soft and beginning to brown on the edges.  Remove from the oven and place in a blender or food processor with the chopped onion, garlic, lemon juice, and honey. Puree until smooth, or leave a little texture if so desired. Season to taste. Place the puree mixture in a stand mixer or a large bowl. Mix in the egg yolks until combined, then slowly add the flour until combined evenly.

In a separate bowl with clean, oil-free utensils, whisk the egg whites with a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Do not mix until dry as this can cause the cake to crack when rolled.

Gently fold the whites into the batter, then pour into the prepared jelly roll pan. Smooth with a spatula until the batter is evenly distributed.

Place in the center of the preheated oven and set the timer for 12 minutes. When the cake is cooked it will pull away from the edges of the parchment and be springy to the touch. Do not over cook the cake or it will split when rolled.

Remove from the oven and cover the cake with a cotton tea towel (not terrycloth). Then place a large board or tray that is larger than the 10 x 15-inch baking sheet on top of the tea towel. Using oven mits, clasp the board and baking sheet together and flip the cake upside down to invert it onto the cloth-covered board. Remove the parchment paper and fold one edge of the tea towel over the edge of the cake, then begin to gently roll the cake and towel together. Doing this while the cake is hot out of the oven will help it to shape into a spiral. Let cool. Tip: If you want more small slices, roll the long side of the cake. If you want fewer large slices, roll the short side.

When the cake is cooled, gently unroll and spread the French Herb Cashew Cheese over the surface of the cake, then a layer of massaged kale. Carefully roll again and tuck the towel around the outside to hold in place until ready to serve

Prepare the sauce: Puree the mint, 2 oz French Herb Cashew Cheese, and milk until smooth.  Slice the roulade and drizzle each serving with a little mint sauce.

Butternut Squash Pound Cake with Rosemary & Orange

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups organic sugar

8 oz European style cultured butter or unsalted butter

5 fresh eggs

2 cups cooked butternut squash, mashed (About one 2lb whole squash). See Winter Squash: How to prepare for recipes

1 1/2 cups Sonrisa Farm stone ground whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla, or vanilla bean infused brandy

1 cup sour cream

Minced fresh rosemary leaves

Zest from one large orange

Glaze:

The best icing for this cake is drizzled Maple Cream. If you don't have a jar of pure maple creamy goodness on hand, you can make a maple glaze by combining 2 Tbs butter with 1/4 cup pure maple syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of powdered sugar. Drizzle immediately onto the cooled cake.

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare a 10-cup bundt pan with baking spray, or the old fashioned way with butter or shortening and a dusting of flour or sugar.

Combine stone ground whole wheat and all purpose flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.

With the paddle attachment set on a stand mixer whip the butter and sugar together on medium speed until it is fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing for about a minute with the addition of each egg. Add the mashed butternut squash and mix on low speed until smooth. Then add the flours mix until combined.  Fold in the sour cream, orange zest, rosemary, and vanilla.

Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, leaving about 3/4 of an inch head space. Place into the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Turn the cake out of the pan and let cool.  Drizzle with maple cream or maple glaze.

Almond Zucchini Breakfast Muffins

Ingredients:

2 Cups Sonrisa Farm stone ground whole wheat flour

1 Cup all-purpose flour

1 Tbs baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

1  cup organic raw sugar

2 Cups ground almonds or almond flour

1 Cup sliced almonds (optional)

3-4 cups grated summer squash like zucchini, zephyr, or pattypan squash

4 eggs

1/2 cup pure maple syrup or local raw honey

1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 cup unsweetened, unflavored almond milk

1 Tbs pure almond extract

 

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs, maple syrup, apple sauce, and almond milk.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients.  Add the grated zucchini and stir until fairly even-textured.  Add the almond extract and stir to combine.

Line muffin tin with parchment muffin liners, or coat with oil or cooking spray.  Fill muffin tin with batter.  Bake for 25 minutes for mini muffins, or 30-40 minutes for large muffins. They are fully cooked when a toothpick or bamboo skewer comes out clean.  Let cool on a cooling rack before serving.  Cool completely before freezing.

Makes about 5 dozen mini muffins, or 30 large muffins.