Raspberry Angel Food Dessert

LFFC Red Raspberries

This recipe comes from LFFC member farm Maple Valley Organics, one of the Co-op's raspberry growers.

Raspberry Angel Food Dessert
Makes 3 desserts (9"x13"x2" pans)

1^st layer: broken pieces of angel food cake
2^nd layer: vanilla pudding with cream cheese
3^rd layer: raspberry mush

Angel Food Cake Ingredients
2½ cups egg whites (approximately 12 eggs, separated)
¾ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons cream of tarter
1¼ cups evaporated cane juice organic sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour

Angel Food Cake Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat egg whites with salt until foamy. Add cream of tarter and continue to beat until very stiff. Fold in ¾ cup of sugar, a little at a time and add vanilla. Mix together the remaining ½ cup of sugar and flour and sift 3 times. Fold into egg whites, 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time. Pour into greased cake pan and bake for 40 minutes or until golden on top.

Vanilla Pudding Ingredients
9¼ cups milk
¾ cup evaporated cane juice organic sugar
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup brown sugar
4 eggs, well beaten
½ cup flour
½ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter

Vanilla Pudding Directions
Pour 9 cups milk into large saucepan and add sugar and salt. Heat, stirring until hot but not boiling. Meanwhile, mix brown sugar, eggs, flour, and ¼ cup milk. Beat until well mixed. Pour this into hot milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, then add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons butter. Properly cool the pudding by setting in cold water and stirring every 5 minutes. This will prevent a "skin" from forming on the top. If you feel the pudding is too thick or make it more creamy, add some cold water after it has cooled completely and beat well.

Raspberry Mush Ingredients
2 quart raspberry juice (unsweetened)
1½ evaporated cane juice organic sugar (or more or less, to suit your taste)
1 cup thermflo or clear jel

Raspberry Mush Directions
Heat juice until hot, but not boiling. Meanwhile, mix sugar and thermflo or clear jel. Slowly add water until it is free-flowing. Pour into hot juice, stirring constantly until it boils and thickens. Cool.

Healthy Homemade Medjool Date Caramel

Here’s a great, simple way to turn the season’s amazing apples and pears into a dessert (or anytime) treat. I served this date caramel drizzled on top of a pear and apple tart at the raw dinner/demo at Fresh Thymes last week. But it is so good just drizzled on fresh fruit slices (or even on its own – naughty!), you don’t even need to go to the effort of making a tart! Tastes just like the caramel apples I used to love to get at the fair when I was a kiddo…even better! Dip some slices and sprinkle on some crushed nuts or coconut for an extra tasty treat.

Date Caramel
Makes about ½ a cup
½ cup (packed) of medjool dates, pitted and soaked for at least an hour
1 heaping tablespoon almonds (or cashews) (soaked for a few hours is best – not the end of the world if you forget!)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
½ teaspoon vanilla (or more, to taste)
2-3 small pinches of sea salt
Several teaspoons agave nectar, to adjust sweetness (optional)

In a blender, combine almonds or cashews with 3 tablespoons of water. (You could also just use 3 tablespoons of an already-prepared nut milk or soy milk, and skip the blending.)
Blend to a milky consistency, straining out solid particles if necessary (if there are only nut tiny particles, and you aren’t picky, don’t sweat it).
Add soaked and drained dates, coconut oil and vanilla, and blend until smooth, pausing frequently to scrape down sides. (This step can also be done in a food processor.)
Add salt – a pinch at a time, so you don’t over salt – and blend again. Taste for salty/sweet balance, adding a little agave or a date or two more if you prefer a sweeter caramel.
Refrigerate in an airtight container to chill the caramel prior to using, if desired.

Beat the Heat with These Peachy Pops!

I have been loving the fresh, local peaches coming in my share! I had yet to use the popsicle making gadget I received for my birthday, so though a juicy peach concoction might be just the thing to try out. Of course, a good, old-fashioned popsicle stick (or spoon) in a paper cup will do just fine, as well, although there are a lot of these quick-freeze pop makers in stores right now that are kind of nifty.
Here's a quick peachy pop recipe...I bet it would be delish with mango, as well!

Flesh of two medium peaches, peeled and roughly chopped
Two tablespoons water
One tablespoon agave nectar
Two teaspoons lemon juice (Lime would be delish, as well!)

Combine ingredients in a blender until completely smooth...pour into popsicle molds, freeze, and enjoy! My recipe made three largish popsicles, but of course it depends on what you are using as a mold.

Rhubarb-Almond Bars

This recipe is courtesy of Chow.com.

Rhubarb-Almond Bars
Ingredients
1½ pounds rhubarb stalks, cut into ½-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
2 cups organic evaporated cane sugar
2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon fine salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) frozen unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks
⅔ cup whole unsalted almonds, toasted

Directions
1. Place the rhubarb and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stir to combine, and cook until the rhubarb releases some juices, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is soft and just starting to fall apart, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove to a bowl and let cool.
2. Combine the flour, remaining cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Grate the butter on the large holes of a box grater, add it to the flour mixture, and rub between your fingertips until the ingredients just hold together when squeezed, about 3 minutes. Add the yolks and combine until the dough forms large, fist-size chunks when squeezed, about 1 minute (the dough will be crumbly). Shape the dough into a flat disk, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 375 degrees and arrange a rack in the middle. Coarsely chop the almonds and set aside.
4. Evenly crumble the chilled dough over the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, then firmly press it into the dish using your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup. Sprinkle the chopped almonds over top and press them lightly into the dough. Using a slotted spoon, evenly spread the cooled rhubarb over the base. If you have any remaining syrup, pour up to ⅓ cup over the top. Bake until the dough is brown and the rhubarb mixture is bubbly around the edges, about 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into 2-inch bars.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Orange Zest

It's pretty exciting that we have a few new shareholders this year that will be blogging about their experiences cooking with CSA ingredients. CSA shareholder Melissa from Philadelphia is one of these bloggers - be sure to check out Wonky Pie this summer for new recipe ideas. This strawberry rhubarb pie is her own creation. She writes, "Unlike many of the conventional recipes out there, I opted for a less sugary version with a hint of orange zest to bring out the natural tartness of the rhubarb."

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Orange Zest
Ingredients
2½ cups rhubarb, diced
2½ cups sliced strawberries
¾ cup raw sugar
2 tablespoons organic molasses
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons orange zest
¼ cup cornstarch

For the crust, Melissa suggests using Julia Child’s Pate Brisee recipe, following the proportions outlined under the recipe using 3 cups of flour.

Directions
1. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Mix all ingredients well and add to pie crust. Make sure to vent the top crust! After filling the crust, pop the completed pie back in the refrigerator for a few minutes to chill completely before placing in the oven.
2. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes and then change oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until bubbly.

Rhubarb Crisp

Rhubarb is finally back! This delectable dessert comes from the The New York Times, originally published on May 14, 2010. It's quick to make and easily adaptable—I add in sliced almonds instead of pecans and a ½ teaspoon of vanilla.

Rhubarb Crisp
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing pan
5 to 6 cups rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces, tough strings removed
¼ cup white sugar (can substitute with honey, brown sugar, or agave, but be sure to taste for sweetness)
1 tablespoon orange or lemon juice (optional)
1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest (optional)
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste
pinch salt
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup pecans

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking or gratin dish with a little butter. Toss rhubarb with white sugar or sugar substitute, orange or lemon juice and zest, and spread in baking dish.

2. Put the 6 tablespoons butter in a food processor along with brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt, and pulse for about 20 or 30 seconds, until it looks like small peas and just begins to clump together. Add oats and pecans and pulse just a few times to combine.

3. Crumble the topping over rhubarb and bake until golden and beginning to brown, 45 to 50 minutes.

Vegan Kale Cake with Sweet Potato Filling

Photo by CSA shareholder and professional food photographer, Evi Abeler (www.eviabeler.com).

This has to be my new favorite dessert! It's a creation of CSA shareholder Laura Forer, who picks up her share in Harlem, NYC. Her online bakery, Waltzing Matilda's NYC, specializes in unique Australian pastries. Laura adapted a carrot cake recipe that she found on Hell Yeah It's Vegan! Blog to create the cake, and a vegan vanilla-banana custard recipe from Food.com to create the fabulous filling. (http://hellyeahitsvegan.com/, http://www.food.com/). Thank you, Laura!

Kale Cake with Sweet Potato Filling
Filling Ingredients
2 cups soymilk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
⅓ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 sweet potatoes, boiled and blended until smooth
1 tablespoon vegan margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pinch nutmeg

Cake Ingredients
2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspon baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons flax seed meal
¾ cup warm water
1 to 1½ cups sugar
1 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups blanched, shocked, and chopped kale (about 2 bunches)
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Icing Ingredients
2 8-ounce containers Tofutti cream cheese
¼ to ½ cup vegan margarine
¾ to 1½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling Directions
1. Whisk cornstarch, sugar, and salt together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
2. Add milk and sweet potato and whisk until lumps disappear.
3. Heat over medium heat, whisking, until the custard thickens.
4. To test whether the custard is thick enough, dip a wooden spoon into the mixture and run your finger through the coating.
5. When the custard is thick enough, the trail will not close back up.
6. Take the custard off heat. Whisk in vegan margarine, vanilla, and nutmeg.
7. Cool with a plastic sheet pressed to the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

Cake and Icing Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 8×8″ pans with parchment paper. In a small bowl, sift together dry ingredients (flour through salt). In a large bowl, whisk together flax seed meal and water. Beat in sugar and oil. Add vanilla and blanched and shocked kale and mix until combined. Add dry mix and stir until moistened. Fold in walnuts. Pour equal parts into pans. Bake for 18-20 min, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes.
2. For the icing, beat together Tofutti cream cheese and vegan margarine. Add vanilla and powdered sugar; whip until smooth. Do not overbeat.
3. Use a knife to loosen edges of cake from pans. Using parchment paper, lift cakes out of pans. Carefully remove parchment paper from one cake. Frost one cake with sweet potato filling and one cake with icing. Layer and serve chilled.