‘Tis the season—to bake! This week’s box embraces the beloved holiday pastime with an array of provisions to help you whip up some of your favorite seasonal treats, featuring such all-star ingredients as organic all-purpose flour, extra-dark chocolate baking chips, marzipan paste, Northwest-grown hazelnuts and a warming spice mix. Also including farm-fresh eggs, fromage blanc from our in-house creamery and multigrain bread, plus a host of fresh produce like Black FutSu squash, fingerling potatoes, leeks, and hearty radicchio greens, as well as fragrant herbs, this delivery has things looking very merry and bright, indeed.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Tarte Normande
A French classic, featuring orchard-grown apples, a buttery short crust pastry, and a splash of apple brandy.
Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Sandwich Cookies
Accented by a creamy, chocolatey Nutella filling, these lovely shortbread cookies from Ina Garten of The Barefoot Contessa are always a hit.
Apple-Pear Galette with Hazelnut Crumb Topping
This rustic fruit tart is fragrant with cinnamon, sugar and toasted hazelnuts.
Butter Pie Dough
This simple, extraordinary all-purpose pie dough recipe can be used in both your sweet and savory baking.
Lemon Bars
Finish off your week of baking with these bright bars!
Maple-Ginger Winter Squash
You’ll love this unique flavor combination!
A French classic, featuring orchard-grown apples, a buttery short crust pastry, and a splash of apple brandy.
Ingredients:
For the short crust pastry:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup powdered sugar
1 egg
⅛ tsp salt
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
For the tart:
3-4 apples, such as Pink Lady or other firm baking apple with good flavor
¾ cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
½ cup crème fraîche (or heavy cream)
¼ cup Calvados (or other apple brandy)
Powdered sugar (optional, for serving)
Method:
1. To prepare the crust: In a medium bowl, combine butter and ½ cup powdered sugar. Beat with an electric hand mixer until pale and creamy. Add the egg and beat again until fluffy. Add the salt and flour and mix just until the dough comes together into a soft ball. (This dough should not be too sticky.) Place the ball of dough into your tart pan and press the dough gently to fill the pan. Place the dough-lined pan in the refrigerator, while you prepare your filling ingredients, and being to preheat your oven to 400º.
2. For the filling, mix together the powdered sugar, 2 eggs, crème fraîche (or heavy cream), and Calvados (or other brandy). Set aside. Peel and slice apples into ⅜”-½” thick.
3. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and arrange the slices over the dough in the tart pan. Place the pan on a lined baking sheet for easy transportation and to catch any spill-over. Pour the Calvados mixture over the apples in the tart pan. (You may not use all of this mixture, just be conscious that you are not over-filling your pan.) Bake the tart for 35-40 minutes, until the cream is firm and the tart is a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Sprinkle with powdered sugar once cool, if desired.)
You’ll love this unique flavor combination!
Ingredients:
1 winter squash of your choice
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 heaping tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350° Half the squash and remove the seeds. Then, cut into wedges. Place in baking dish.
2. Melt butter in small dish. Stir in ginger and maple syrup. Using a brush, spread mixture over squash wedges. Sprinkle with salt.
3. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until squash is cooked through and crisp on edges.
Finish off your week of baking with these bright bars!
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
For the filling:
5 eggs
1½ cups sugar
¾ cup lemon juice (from about 4-5 lemons)
2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 4-5 lemons)
Pinch kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Method:
1. Liberally grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with a little bit of the softened butter. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. To prepare the crust: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, mix the softened butter, powdered sugar and kosher salt on high until well combined. Add the flour and mix on low speed until the dough begins to just stick together and clump up. Press the dough mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan with your hands. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until just starting to brown.
3. Meanwhile, make the topping: In the same mixing bowl, mix together the 5 eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, a pinch of kosher salt and baking powder on medium-high speed until well combined and pale in color. Add the flour and mix until smooth.
4. After the crust has baked, remove from the oven and turn the temperature down to 325°. After the crust has cooled in the pan slightly, pour the topping in and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes. Cut into squares and top with powdered sugar, berries, lemon zest, and/or mint leaves, if desired.
