Caramel Apples

Growing up in California, I had a Northeast fantasy of fall: Harvest fairs, caramel apples, hot cider, pumpkin patches, and piles of falling leaves. We had all of those things, of course, but with temperatures often in the 80's through October, there was something missing - that brisk air that heightens your taste buds and makes everything taste better.

I always thought making caramel apples was melting down dozens of those individually wrapped Milk Maid caramel candies, but it turns out that it's nearly as easy to make your own homemade caramel, and the difference in taste is extraordinary. My roommate Randi said to me last night, "This is the best caramel I've ever had!" It's also fairly foolproof. You'll notice in the recipe that I say to make sure not to boil the cream, and to let the sugar mixture cook undisturbed, without stirring, to keep the melted sugar crystals from recrystallizing and forming a gritty texture. Well, I'm not a candy maker, and in testing these recipes, I accidentally boiled my cream AND stirred my sugar, and still ended up with great caramel. Melting sugar can be a bit finicky, and I do recommend following the directions, but if you don't, don't worry - your finished product should still turn out fine. Besides, caramel apples are supposed to be rustic. You're looking for rich, delicious taste, not perfect presentation.

One thing to keep in mind: You do need to be careful with the proportion of fat to sugar. Many caramel candy recipes call for butter, but you'll notice that this one does not. That's because if you have too much fat mixed in with the sugar, the caramel won't stick to the smooth surface of the apple. For the same reason, be careful to limit the cream to the amount listed in the recipe. I tried adding more cream, thinking that it would make the caramel softer, but it fell right off the apple.

For 8 small (2 1/2 inch diameter) caramel apples, and about 1 1/2 cups of caramel, you will need:

8 small, local apples, preferably crunchy, sweet, and spicy. I like a mix of red and green varieties. Use an apple with some sweetness. A granny smith will be too sour when paired with the caramel.
Light oil or cooking spray
2/3 cup heavy cream (Hint: If you need a delicious caramel sauce for ice cream, use 1 cup of cream, though this won't stick to the apples.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons corn syrup or agave nectar
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
Chopped nuts, coarse sea salt, optional

Special equipment: Popsicle sticks, tongue depressors (available at a pharmacy), or my favorite, wooden chopsticks; wax paper; cookie sheet, tray, or large plate; two heavy saucepans, one large (3 quart or larger), one smaller. 

Directions:

Wash the fruit well, and snip out the stems with scissors. Where the stems were, push your sticks about 2 inches into the apples. On a cookie sheet, spread a piece of wax or parchment paper, and grease with oil or a cooking spray. Set your apples up on the cookie sheet until ready to dip. 

In a small, heavy saucepan,  heat your cream and vanilla to just under boiling. (It will steam and tiny bubbles will start to appear at the edges.) Remove from heat. You don't want to boil the cream because the proteins will form a skin on the top of the cream. However, if that happens, you can remove the skin and whisk the cream to make it smooth again.

In a large heavy saucepan - please use a big saucepan here, the sugar will boil up to three times its height, and there's nothing worse than burning yourself on hot sugar or cleaning up hard sugar syrup off your range - heat the sugar, salt, water, and syrup over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and let cook undisturbed (don't stir it) for 5-8 minutes, until you achieve a medium amber color. How long this takes will depend on how high your heat is and what type of cookware you use. Watch it constantly. Once the sugar starts to deepen in color, it can go from amber to burnt in a minute. As a guide, think amber = flavor, brown = burnt. Remove from heat immediately as soon as you achieve a rich, golden color.

Pour the hot cream into the hot sugar mixture. It will bubble up like a witches' brew. Let it do its thing for a few seconds until the boiling subsides, then whisk vigorously to integrate and beat out the bubbles. Add the lemon juice and whisk until combined.

Let cool for a couple of minutes until the mixture has thickened a bit, how thick is up to you. You want a caramel thick enough to form a pretty golden shell on the apples, but not so thick that it's gloppy. This is quite a rich caramel, so you don't need too much. Plus, the thinner the caramel, the more apples you can cover. If your caramel become too thick to dip, simply reheat for a couple of minutes over low heat until it melts to a thinner consistency.

To dip, you want to work fast while your caramel is at the proper consistency. Holding the handle firmly, tilt your pan so that the caramel pools deeply on one side, and dip your apples into the pot one by one. Rotate the apples to cover as much surface area as you wish. (I like leaving a little space uncovered around the stick so that you can see the color of the apple.) As soon as they are completely covered in one coat, hold the apple over the pan and continue to turn as any excess drips off. This will give you a pretty, smooth finish. Resist the urge to double dip. This caramel is so rich that, believe it or not, there can be too much of a good thing. You want to taste the apple and enjoy its delicate flavor without overpowering it with too much caramel.

If you plan to dip the apples in nuts or other toppings, do this now while the caramel is still soft and warm. Fill a shallow bowl with your toppings and coat the bottom half of each apple. (I like sliced, roasted and unsalted almonds or roasted, unsalted chopped peanuts. Chopped chocolate and toasted, shredded coconut are delicious, too. I also love a simple sprinkle of coarse sea salt.)  Set the apples on the wax paper to cool. They're ready to eat as soon as they're cool enough to touch. Gently lift the apples off the cookie sheet and  and slowly peel the paper off to prevent ripping the soft caramel.  If you plan to eat them later, wrap them in squares of greased wax paper after they have completely cooled. Do not refrigerate, or the caramel will be too stiff to eat, and you will lose your dental fillings.

This week at the market...

Breezy Hill Orchard and Cider Mill is my favorite apple stand at the Union Square Greenmarket. (For my local NYC friends, they're at market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.) When I went today for my weekly apple and cider supplies, the stand manager said there were only about two weeks left in the season, and the apple crop is smaller than usual this year. That means that now's the time to enjoy local apples, particularly if you like eating them raw. (Any apples we buy later on will have been in storage and start to look a little worse for wear as winter drags on.) For dessert, drizzle honey over slices of apples and a sharp, local cheddar.

"Fruits and Veggies for Kids of All Ages" on Baby Meets City!

I am so excited to announce my guest post today on Ellen K. Schmidt's amazing blog, Baby Meets City! Ellen is a "new-ish" mom to an active one year old in Manhattan.  Her musings on modern Motherhood (always with a capital "M") run the gamut from working mom guilt and stroller-friendly restaurant reviews to reviewing children's literature based in NYC.

Here it is: "Fruits and Veggies of Kids of All Ages"

Children have sensitive palates, and I remember how some foods that I now love, like green peppers and Brussels spouts, tasted so inedibly bitter when I was small. That being said, vegetables are inarguable good for us, and encouraging children to eat them and try new foods is a big challenge for a lot of parents. The following are five recipes for easy veggie (and a fruit) dishes that are mild and flavorful, and may just become your next favorite family sides. Enjoy!

BREAKFAST CARROTS

These carrots will change your mind about cooked carrots, which I never liked as a kid. They’re sweet, nutty, and firm in texture, and they taste like Sunday morning waffles. You can use carrot sticks or circular slices cut from whole carrots, or you can buy packaged baby carrots.

For each child-sized serving, you will need:

1 six inch long carrot, peeled and cut in half length-wise, and then in half again, until you have sticks that are about 1/2 inch wide.

1-2 teaspoons of butter (or olive oil, if you are dairy-free)

3 tablespoons water

1/2-1 teaspoon maple syrup (or brown sugar, agave nectar, honey, or whatever you have on hand)

Kosher salt

Directions:

In a sauté pan with a lid (can be non-stick or regular), heat the butter, 2 tablespoons of water, and carrots over medium high heat. When you hear the butter start to sizzle

(within a minute) shake the pan to gently move the carrots and distribute the butter. Reduce heat to medium low and put the lid on. Cook for 5 minutes or until you get a rich, golden brown color on one side. Flip the carrots (to get even color on both sides) and add another tablespoon of water. Cook for another 2 minutes or so, then add the maple syrup. Shake the pan to mix the butter and syrup together and sprinkle with a small pinch of kosher salt. When serving, pour the pan juices over the carrots. 

PURPLE MASHED POTATOES

Mashed potatoes are easy, comforting, and go with everything. You can use this recipe for regular white or red potatoes as well, but the bright ultraviolet color of these little purple spuds (available at most farmers markets I’ve been to recently, and also a lot of grocery stores) makes them really fun. They are much higher in antioxidants than lighter-fleshed potatoes, though their flavor is the same. They take very well to steaming, which, unlike boiling, preserves the nutrients, and their skins are thin and delicate enough to leave on when you mash (again, more vitamins).

For each child, you will need:

Four or five 2-3” long potatoes, which makes about a cup of mash

2 tablespoons milk, cream, or milk substitute of your choice

1 teaspoon butter, olive oil, or other fat

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Scrub your potatoes under running water with a soft vegetable brush. Place a steamer basket in a large sauce or sauté pan with a lid. Fill the pan with water up to the bottom of the steamer basket. Place the potatoes in the basket, place over high heat, and put the lid on. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are soft all the way through and give easily when pierced with a sharp knife.

In a mixing bowl, crush the potatoes by hand with a potato masher (or fork) until they are the texture of cooked oatmeal. Add the butter, cream, and salt, and mash until smooth. If you cook the potatoes through, they will be light and fluffy, without a lump in sight.

Extra: You can also turn these whole, steamed baby potatoes into mini “baked” potatoes. Simply split them open and add your favorite toppings. I like cheddar cheese, salsa, and sour cream. Plain yogurt, ranch dressing, and warm chili are delicious, too.

FROZEN PEAS

There is nothing simpler than pouring a handful of frozen peas into a small dish for a quick, healthy snack. It may sound strange, but they are sweet, cold, and crunchy, like little drops of ice cream. My mom used to give them to my brother and me when we whined about being hungry and dinner wasn’t quite ready.

 BROCCOLI ALFREDO

Who doesn’t love alfredo sauce? Besides tasting heavenly, it’s gluten-free, and a small drizzle can take a simple steamed vegetable to another realm. Note that you can use any kind of melting cheese here. The classic is a hard Italian-style cheese like parmesan, but if you think your child would prefer a mild cheddar or Swiss, use that instead. You can mix the Broccoli Alfredo with pasta for a complete meal.

For 2-3 servings, you will need:

1 small head of broccoli

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup grated parmesan, cheddar, or Swiss

Black pepper

Nutmeg, optional (Great if using parmesan or Swiss cheese. If using cheddar, try a pinch of paprika or chili powder.)

1 clove of garlic, optional, left whole and crushed slightly with the side of a large knife or the bottom of a drinking glass, optional.

Directions:

Trim your head of broccoli into large florets (trees!). Peel the stalk with a vegetable peeler, trim off the end, and cut into 3/4-inch circles.

Place a steamer basket in a large sauce or sauté pan with a lid. Fill the pan with water up to the bottom of the steamer basket, place the pan over high heat, and bring to a boil. When the water is boiling, place the broccoli in the basket, put the lid on, and cook for 5-8 minutes, until the stalks are tender when pierced with a knife, but the florets are still vividly green. Immediately remove the lid and take the pan off the heat. (If you won’t be using it right away, run the broccoli under cool water in a colander to stop the cooking and preserve the color. Then reheat in the microwave or in frying pan when you’re ready to serve.) I like my broccoli fully cooked, rather than al dente, but if you prefer crunchier “trees,” test with a knife after 3-4 minutes of steaming.

While the broccoli is steaming, heat the cream, butter, nutmeg, pepper, and garlic, in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat until it starts to simmer, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and whisk in the cheese until it is fully melted into the cream mixture. Simmer for another minute for about 1/2 cup of cream sauce. (The longer you simmer the sauce, the more it will reduce. As it becomes thicker and creamier, it loses volume. How thick you want your sauce is completely up to you.) Remove the garlic clove. Pour the sauce over the broccoli and serve immediately. 

APPLE CIDER APPLES

Though I don’t yet have kids of my own, I have babysat for many children over the last ten years, and not one apple-loving kid has ever refused my apple slices with cinnamon and honey. You don’t need a lot of honey (or if you prefer, a low glycemic syrup like agave nectar). There’s just something about the way the syrup coats the apples that brings out the richness of their flavor. Coupled with a light sprinkle of cinnamon, it’s like apple cider on a plate. Also, these apple slices don’t seem to oxidize as quickly, which makes them a great lunch bag treat.

You will need:

Crisp apples, cut into slices with core removed

Honey or agave nectar

Cinnamon

Directions:

Arrange apple slices on a serving plate. Drizzle with honey and very lightly sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon from between your fingers.

This week at the market...

The broccoli at the Union Square Greenmarket is gorgeous this week! Look for dark, evenly colored purple or green heads with tightly closed flower buds. Also check the stalk to make sure the cut is fresh and green.

Toasted Winter Squash Seeds with Olive Oil and Rosemary

It was a tradition in our family to make toasted pumpkin seeds on Halloween night. My brother and I would carve our jack-o-lanterns and my mom would rinse and toast the seeds. I can't take credit for the rosemary idea - I saw Martha Stewart toast pumpkin seeds with rosemary on her original show years ago, back when I was a teenager, and I've been doing it ever since. Rosemary and pumpkin seeds complement each other perfectly, but you can also omit the herbs, or choose your own favorites. Spices like smoked paprika or garam masala would also be great. In any incarnation, toasted squash seeds herald the beginning of the holidays.

All firm-fleshed winter squash have edible seeds, though depending on the variety and, sometimes, the particular vine, some squashes have more tender seeds than others. My kabocha squash seeds were a little tough in the husk, but very delicious. And whose diet couldn't use a little extra fiber? Acorn squash seeds were delicate and fragrant. Generally, the smaller and thinner the seeds, the better. Their husks will dry out more quickly in the oven, and will be lighter and more crunchy.

For 3/4 -  1 cup winter squash seeds (the expected yield of a healthy 3-4 pound squash), you will need:

3/4 - 1 cup squash seeds, well-rinsed and dried (To clean, put them in a sieve or colander under cold running tap water, and swish them around with your fingers.)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary (Believe it or not, dried is actually better than fresh here, because it stands up to the heat of the oven without wilting and losing flavor. Just make sure your rosemary is fresh, and smells fragrant when you remove the lid of the jar. You'll get more flavor out of your rosemary if you grind it with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. At the very least, crush it between your fingers.)
1/2 teaspoon kosher or flaky sea salt

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350°. Place your squash seeds and the oil on a large cookie sheet. Mix with your fingers until the seeds are well-coated, and spread into a single, even layer. Sprinkle with salt and crushed rosemary. Place in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes. You may start to hear the seeds pop, which is fine. Using a spatula, move the seeds around the pan. If your seeds are small and delicate, they may be ready to come out of the oven now. If they're bigger, they may need another 5-10 minutes until they are toasted to a light golden brown.

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Winter Squash Purée with Nutmeg and Gruyère Cheese

 

When I was studying abroad in France, and the weather turned to fall, my host mother Liliane made a gratin de citrouille, a casserole of pumpkin purée and cheese baked in the oven. I remember how strange it sounded, how I was reluctant to try it, and when I did, how delicious it was. The sweet nuttiness of the squash melded so perfectly with the salty nuttiness of the cheese. I swooned. Liliane's gratin remains to this day one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. 

In recreating this dish from memory, I had simplicity and adaptability in mind. First, I didn't grow up eating a  lot of squash. The most intimately I knew squash was carving pumpkins on Halloween. So buying a heavy pumpkin or butternut, peeling and cooking it, sounded like a daunting task. I wanted this recipe to be as simple as making mashed potatoes. Second, I wanted to be able to customize it, depending on how rich I wanted to make it, what I was serving it with, and who I was serving it to. For a light side, you can used milk and a dab of butter. For your vegan friends, try coconut milk and a touch of curry powder. For a super rich version, perhaps to serve with a seared filet mignon, use heavy cream and a full 1 1/2 cups grated cheese.

Steaming turned out to be the best way to prep the squash for mashing. I tried baking in a packet of aluminum foil, but it took too long, wasted a lot of energy, and the end result was a bit dry. I tried boiling, but it lost all its vitamins, became waterlogged, and produced a soupy purée. Steaming gently cooked the squash to a silky smooth texture in 20 minutes.

For me, the gratin part of the dish is arguably unnecessary. Gratin essentially means that somethings is baked in the oven with a topping of breadcrumbs and/or cheese until it produces a caramelized crust. A homemade mac and cheese is a gratin. But when you bake a starchy purée like potatoes or squash, it dries out, and you need lots of cream and butter to compensate. Plus, the whole point of this purée is the velvety smooth texture, with or without added fat, and a crusty topping doesn't really add anything. So instead, after steaming the squash, I mashed it with the cream and cheese and heated it in the microwave until the cheese melted. If you do want to make a true gratin, mix the steamed squash with the cream and optional butter, put in an oven safe casserole dish, and top with a cup or more of grated cheese. The cheese will seal in the moisture of the squash and keep it from drying out. Then bake at 375° until the cheese is melted, golden brown, and bubbly, about 30-40 minutes.

As a side for 4-6 people, you will need:

One 3-4 pound winter squash with a firm, dense texture, about 4 cups when cooked and mashed. I used the Japonese kabocha squash, which has a dark, thin green skin and sweet, orange interior. It tends to grow to around 3 pounds, which is perfect for this recipe. You can use most other winter squashes for this recipe. I like sweet varieties like hubbard, butternut, and sugar pie pumpkins (big jack-o-lantern pumpkins may be bland and stringy.) Stay away from spaghetti squash as it will be, well, stringy.

1/2 cup milk, half and half, cream, coconut milk, chicken broth, soy milk, etc., as you prefer. If you prefer a very light dish, you may use lighter milk products and eliminate the fat, but know that the fat adds smoothness and richness. If you only have non-fat milk in the house, it helps to add a tablespoon or more of butter.

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg, grated on a microplane

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon kosher or flaky sea salt

1/2 to 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (or Jarlsberg, Emmentaler, or a mix. Swiss-style cheeses are all different but equally delicious.) How much cheese you use depends on how rich of a dish you prefer. I personally love using the full 1 1/2 cups, so that when you scoop up a spoonful of hot purée, you see strings of melted cheese. Reserve a handful of cheese for sprinkling on the top.

Butter or olive oil for greasing the dish

Directions:

Rinse squash well. Carefully cut in half. (The skin can be tough and require a lot of pressure from the knife - if the knife slips - ouch! I find that a large chefs knife is safer because you have more leverage, a broader blade, and more control.) Scoop out the seeds and save for toasting. Using a large metal spoon, scrape the sticky strings from inside the cavity and discard. When the squash is cleaned out, cut each half in half, and then in half again until you have large chucks about 3-4 inches across.

Place a steamer basket inside a large sauté pan or stockpot with a lid. Add water right up to the bottom of the steamer basket. Pile the squash into the basket, preferably in one layer (the wider the pot, the better), cover, and place over high heat. Steam for 15-20 minutes, until the squash is very tender all the way through when poked with a fork. Some thicker-skinned varieties may need a bit more time. You'll know it's done when you see the squash flesh start to separate from the skin.

Remove from heat and set aside until cool enough to handle. Using a spoon, scrape the flesh from the skin into a large bowl, and discard the skin. Add the salt, nutmeg, pepper, milk/cream and/or butter. Mash by hand with a potato masher until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the grated cheese (saving a handful to sprinkle on top) and stir until incorporated. Scoop the puree into a microwave safe dish with a lid. (I have a small glazed clay pot. Corningware and Pyrex glass dishes are good, too.) Top with the handful of grated cheese, place the lid on the pot, and heat on high in the microwave for 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. If you don't like to use a microwave, you can bake it, covered, in a pre-heated 375° oven for 20-30 minutes. Serve warm with roasted turkey, steak, pork tenderloin, or alongside steamed vegetables and a hearty salad for a vegetarian meal. This would make a great Thanksgiving side for a crowd.

Cauliflower with Brown Butter, Sage, Pinenuts, and Parmesan

This week the Union Square Greenmarket has the most beautiful heads of cauliflower I have ever seen. They are about three times the size of regular cauliflower, bright white, firm, and heavy as bowling balls. When cooked, they are super sweet and mild.

My mom always steamed cauliflower and served it with butter, or grated cheese, or a flour-thickened cheddar cheese sauce. All delicious, though casual. (Steaming is the preferred cooking method because boiling breaks down the cauliflower's sulforaphane, a compound that is thought to prevent cancer, diabetes, and infection.)  I wanted a recipe that would elevate cauliflower to the level of a holiday meal or dinner party, but still be easy enough for a week night.

This colder fall weather, and the appearance of pumpkins in every store, got me thinking of winter squash-filled raviolis with fried sage butter. What better accompaniment to tender, steamed cauliflower than butter, sage, toasted pine nuts, and lots of grated parmesan? It turns out that this is one of my favorite Girl with Spoon recipes so far. The flavors are rich and decadent, and balanced by the lightness of the steamed vegetable. The rich sage and nut flavors would go as perfectly with Thanksgiving turkey as with a grilled pork chop or fried eggs for Monday night dinner.

As a side for 4 people, you will need:

1 small head of cauliflower, washed and broken into florets, or about 4 cups. (I got about 12 cups out of my giant farmers market find.)
3 tablespoons butter
20 (or so) fresh sage leaves, washed and well dried
1/4 cup pine nuts (They are expensive and are best stored in the freezer to prevent them from going rancid.)
1 block of Parmigiano-Reggiano, Asiago, Pecorino Romano, or other hard, Italian-style cheese

Directions:

Place a metal steamer basket in a large saucepan with a lid. Pour in cold water up to the bottom of the steamer basket and add the cauliflower, making sure that the water does not touch the vegetable. Cover the pan and place on high heat until the water comes to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and continue to steam. Total cooking time from cold to cooked will be 15-20 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the lid and poke the thickest parts of the cauliflower, particularly the stems, with a sharp knife to check for tenderness. When done, the cauliflower should be cooked through (not crunchy) and give easily to the knife, but still hold its shape. Place in a serving bowl.

About ten minutes into cauliflower cooking time, heat the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. When the butter has melted and starts to sizzle, add the sage leaves. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes, until the sage leaves darken slightly and curl at the edges, and the butter turns a medium golden brown. Watch carefully and let the butter be your guide. As soon as the butter reaches the desired color, immediately remove from heat and add the pine nuts.

Pour the butter sauce over the hot cauliflower, including sage leaves. (Frying mellows out their flavor, and they are crunchy and aromatic.) Top with lots of freshly grated cheese and serve immediately.