Chocolate-Dipped Dried Fruit

I love when one idea works for so many different things. Take chocolate dipped dried fruit for instance. It’s easy to prepare. Who doesn’t like that? It’s a lovely Valentine’s gift (and a whole lot cheaper than boxed fancy candy!). It’s also a perfect mishloach manot gift for Purim (and a whole whole lot cheaper than a gift basket!). And here’s one more — it’s a delicious, sweet end to a Superbowl meal!

All of you have to do is melt chocolate, dip the fruit halfway in and place the dipped item on parchment paper or foil (it will set in about 30 minutes). Of course you can do the same thing with fresh fruit! How good is this!?

Grandma's Stewed Fruit

Many of us over a certain age remember Grandma’s stewed fruit!

I call this Grandma’s Stewed Fruit even though it is way different than my grandma’s version, but I’m the grandma now……. and this is one of the many ways my grandkids have tasted this iconic dish.

It is one of the dishes I cooked for my Tu B’shevat class last week at Temple Beth El in Stamford, CT. I’ve made this so many times and keep changing the fruit, depending on what I actually have in my cupboard. The poaching liquid too — sometimes I use a different juice or add some white wine (I particularly love a German sweet wine). And of course — the seasonings. Cinnamon is always good but there’s also cloves, cardamom, dried coriander, mace, etc. to consider.

It’s always delicious, no matter how you cook it.

Eat some with yogurt for breakfast. Use it for dessert! Remember this for Passover. Or Break-the-fast. It’s versatile, attractive, useful, make-ahead! No wonder this is such an icon of Jewish cuisine.

Grandma’s Stewed Fruit 

• 2 cups orange or orange/pineapple juice

• 1-1/2 cups water

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1 3” cinnamon stick

• 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger

• 1 teaspoon cloves

• 6-8 whole dried figs

• 6-8 pitted Medjool dates

• 1 cup dried apricot halves

• 8-10 prunes

• 1/2 cup golden raisins

Place the water, juice, maple syrup, cinnamon stick, ginger and cloves in a saucepan large enough to hold all the fruit. Bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the figs, dates, apricots, prunes and raisins and simmer another 15-20 minutes or until the fruit is soft. Let the fruit cool in the pan. Discard the cinnamon stick and cloves. Let cool. Serve with the poaching liquid.

Makes 8 servings

Broiled Grapefruit

Broiled Grapefruit

Hanukkah’s over and I am already on to New Year’s weekend, contemplating what to serve to my cousins, who always stay for a few days.

Years ago, our “group” — the cousins, Les and Neil, plus my sister-in-law Eileen and brother Jeff — agreed that on New Year’s Eve we would have a day of hors d’oeuvres rather than a big sit-down dinner. We break the day up into separate eating times so that at noonish we will have such goodies as Almond Crusted Chicken Nuggets and Lamb kebabs and a dip or two: Potlagela and Matbucha for sure and probably hummus.

Later on we’ll feast on Pizza with Spinach, Tomato and Cheese, Romanian Cheese Turnovers and an assortment of cheese and crackers accompanied by the Pepper Jam I made last summer from the chili peppers in my garden. Maybe some Lox and Cream Cheese Spread.

Dessert — always one of the apple pies I made last fall. And I’m thinking — Irish Whiskey Cake, because it is one of the most scrumptious cakes ever created.

I used to have a New Year’s Day brunch for the group, but haven’t done that for years. It was always too much food and too much work and so it’s just the cousins and us for plain old breakfast, meaning smoked fish and bagels.

Plus fruit of some sort.

This year I decided the fruit will be one of the simplest recipes I’ve ever made. Broiled Grapefruit. Honestly, it doesn’t get easier than this:

Broiled Grapefruit

• 4 medium red or pink grapefruit

• 4 tablespoons turbinado (or other crystal) sugar

• cinnamon or grated nutmeg

• Aleppo pepper or cayenne pepper, optional

Preheat the broiler with the rack 4-6 inches below the heat. Slice each grapefruit in half,** then (preferably using a serrated grapefruit knife) cut around the edges of each half to loosen the flesh, then cut the flesh into segments inside the shell. Place the prepared grapefruit halves on a baking sheet. Sprinkle each half with equal amounts of the sugar (each whole grapefruit (2 halves) will get about one tablespoon of sugar). Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon or nutmeg. Add a hint of pepper if desired. Broil for about 6-8 minutes or until the surface is caramelized.

Makes 4 servings

**I also slice the bottom of the grapefruit halves so they are more stable on the baking pan.

Apple Pie is Therapy

Peel, core and slice the apples for pie

Roll the pie dough

Fill bottom crust with fruit

Place second crust on top of fruit

Add a dab of milk here and there to the top crust

For me, my October pie baking fest is like therapy. It’s always a good way to spend the day and work out frustrations, anger and sadness. The kind I am feeling these days because of the war and devastation in Israel.

It was difficult to find the kind of apples I like this year. Because there was an early frost, none of the orchards I usually go to had Rhode Island Greening apples, the best pie apples on earth. After some delays and some connections from someone who knew someone who knew someone else who knew someone who had an orchard in Rhode Island, I got a bushel of them!

I’m grateful and happy for that at least.

Here are some photos showing the steps to my pie baking: peel-core-slice; roll the dough; place the filling inside the bottom crust; cover the pies (one of mine had a streusel top); place second piece of rolled dough on top of fruit; add a dab or two of milk (makes the crust brown in spots) and bake.

Voila! PIE!

If you prefer a streusel top, look here.

Lily Vail’s (My Mom’s) Apple Pie

crust:

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon peel, optional

• 1/2 cup cold butter

• 1/3 cup cold vegetable shortening

• 1/4 cup cold milk, juice, water or melted ice cream, approximately (add more as needed)

• apple filling

To make the crust: Combine the flour, sugar, salt and lemon peel, if used, in a large bowl. Cut the butter and shortening into chunks and add the chunks to the flour mixture. Work the fat into the flour mixture until the ingredients resemble crumbs (use your hands, a pastry blender or the pulse feature of a food processor). Add the liquid, using only enough to gather pastry into a soft ball of dough (start with 1/4 cup). Cut the dough in half and flatten each half to make a disk shape. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it stand at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly flour a pastry board or clean work surface. With a rolling pin, roll one half of the dough on the floured surface into a circle about 1/8-inch thick, making sure the circle is larger than the pie pan by about 1 inch. Place the dough in a 9” or 10” pie pan. Pour the apple filling into the pastry-lined pan. Cut the butter into small pieces and place on top of the filling. Roll out the remaining dough and place it over the filling. Gently press the bottom and top crusts together along the flared edge of the pie pan. For a fluted rim, press your thumb and index finger against the outside of the rim, or crimp it with the tines of a fork or the blunt side of a knife. Cut steam vents in the top crust with the tip of a sharp knife or the tines of a fork. Bake the pie for about an hour or until golden brown.

Apple Filling:

3 pounds pie apples (Rhode Island Greenings, Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Northern Spy, Golden Delicious, Idared, Stayman, Winesap, Baldwin, Jonagold)

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon butter

Peel and core the apples then cut them into slices. Place the slices in a bowl. Add the 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and flour and toss the ingredients to coat the apple slices evenly.

Nectarine and Blueberry Crisp

It’s getting to be that time of year in Connecticut — when the produce is at its summer peak and you know there’s only about a month to eat it up and use it up before the Jewish holidays come and we focus more on festive dinners and heartier food.

The nectarines couldn’t be better than they are right now — so here’s a treat that’s perfect for now. But here’s the thing — you can freeze this and reheat for a holiday dinner. The recipe can be either dairy or dairy-free.

Nectarine and Blueberry Crisp

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup old fashioned oats

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• pinch of salt

• 1/2 cup butter (or use margarine, solid coconut oil, vegetable shortening or a combination of these)

• 3 large ripe nectarines or peaches

• 4 cups fresh blueberries

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the 1 cup flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Cut the butter into chunks and work into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly. Set aside. Cut the nectarines into chunks and place them in a bowl. Add the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and flour and toss ingredients. Spoon into a baking dish. Top with the crumb mixture. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Makes 8 servings

Fruit and Oat Bars

When the grandkids are at camp or some summer program away, I send cookies.

I don’t send any that include nuts or peanut products in case of allergies. Typically, the gift box is filled with the usual favorites: Fannies (thumbprint butter cookies) and Grand Finale cookies (oatmeal-raisin chocolate chip cookies).

Frankly, I was getting a bit bored baking the same stuff, so, although I did bake the usual, I also sent some Saint Cupcake’s Brownie cookies, from a recipe I got from a friend who once owned a bakery in Portland, Oregon. They are the best chocolate cookies I ever tasted.

And I sent these fabulous fruit-and-oat bars, which were wildly successful with the kids and also the grownups left at home (I made enough for a mob).

Next time you’re looking for a summer camp goodie box or just want a tasty snack — think of these. They also make a nice gift of Purim mishloach manot.

Follow me on Instagram @RonnieVFein

Fruit and Oat Bars

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1-1/2 cups quick cooking oats

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 3/4 cup butter or margarine

• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

• 1/2 cup chopped dates

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

• 13-14 ounce jar orange marmalade (1-1/2 cups)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9”x13” cake pan. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Add the oats and brown sugar and mix the ingredients thoroughly to distribute them evenly. Cut the butter into chunks and work into the dry ingredients (with fingers or process on pulse in a food processor) until the butter is completely mixed in and the mixture looks crumbly. Mix in the apricots, dates and cranberries. Press the mixture evenly inside the prepared pan. Spread the marmalade evenly on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool in the pan. Cut into bars or squares.

Makes 24-36

Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream

Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream

Many years ago Ed and I were on a cruise with our cousins and there we were, lounging on a public deck, when we overheard a woman consoling another woman whose husband had died on board the night before.

It was so shocking that we still talk about it. I felt sorry for the widow of course and something she told the other woman has haunted me ever since.

She said “I told him not to eat the ice cream!” — as if that one dessert was responsible for the heart attack that killed him.

My first thought was “at least he had the ice cream.”

Next week I celebrate a big birthday. I mean big as in round numbers. I mean I have passed my grandparents round numbers. I’m about the age of that widow and her poor husband. And I now say:

“Eat the ice cream!”

Because you never know.

For most of my married life, the food we usually eat at home — with indulgences here and there — is healthy. I make fresh food, have cut down on meat, fat and salt over the years, don’t serve processed foods or junk.

We’ve reached the age that an occasional ice cream — especially on vacation — won’t be the thing that kills us. And if it is, well, at least we had the ice cream.

So, for my big round birthday I am going to eat some ice cream.

I love strawberry ice cream so I already made some for the occasion. I would normally have preferred fresh strawberries but I haven’t found a good source yet for real strawberries, the kind I remember from the old days that were small, sweet and smelled like caramelizing sugar. So I roasted the best looking ones I could find with a bit of orange zest and brown sugar and this combo turned out to be absolutely scrumptious for ice cream.

Roasted Strawberry birthday Ice Cream

• 1 pint strawberries

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

• 3 cups half and half, light cream or whipping cream

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 3 large egg yolks

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Rinse the berries, remove the hulls and chop the berries into smaller pieces. Place the berries on the parchment. In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, brown sugar and orange zest. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the liquid has thickened slightly. Pour the liquid over the berries and toss the fruit to coat all sides. Roast the berries for about 10 minutes or until softened and glazed. Remove from the heat and let cool. Heat 2 cups of the cream over medium heat until bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Set aside. While the cream is heating, beat the sugar, egg yolks and salt at medium speed in an electric mixer (or with a hand mixer) for 3-5 minutes or until light and thick. Gradually add the heated cream and mix the ingredients until the mixture is uniform. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes or until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour in the remaining cream and blend it in thoroughly. Pour into a container and refrigerate until cold. Stir in the vanilla extract. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s directions, until almost firm. Add the strawberries plus any juices that have accumulated. Continue to freeze until firm.

Makes about 6 cups

Blueberry-Orange Crumb Cake

Post Passover — what could be better than a slice of crumb cake chock full of fresh blueberries?

Blueberry-Orange Crumb Cake

Crumb Layer:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup quick oats

• 1/2 cup shredded coconut

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

• 6 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or use butter)

Place the flour, oats, coconut, brown sugar and orange zest in a bowl and mix until well blended. Pour in the coconut oil and blend it in. Crumble the mixture with your fingers or a fork and set it aside.

Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup orange juice

• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil (or butter)

• 2 cups blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-1/2-inch springform pan. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer. In another bowl, combine the eggs, orange juice, vanilla extract and melted coconut oil. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ones and stir only to combine: do not overbeat. Turn the batter into the prepared pan. Top with the berries. Cover with the crumb layer. Bake for about 50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes one cake serving 8

Stewed Dried Fruit

I know some people think it’s too old fashioned, but I have always loved — still love — dried fruit compote.

Last year I wrote about it for The Nosher (My Jewish Learning) and got lots of responses! It’s the kind of dish that some people absolutely hate (until they try some updated version) but people like me love not just for the flavor but also the memories this dish conjures up.

I grew up in an Ashkenazi Jewish family so dried fruit compote was a given! My grandmother, who made it basically with prunes and the occasional dried apricot, called it kumput. The young kids, me included, hated it.

Years later I rediscovered the dish after trying something similar (Khoshaf) in Egypt and I’ve been tinkering with the recipe ever since. This is my latest version; a tasty and fitting dish anytime, but especially for the lovely holiday of Tu B’shevat (New Year of the Trees), which comes at the beginning of a new season in Israel when trees bring forth their first fruits of the year (this year the holiday starts at sundown on February 5th).

We eat compote with yogurt for breakfast but I’ve also served it with mascarpone cheese for dessert. It’s really good anytime.

Dried Fruit Compote

• 2 cups orange juice

• 1-1/2 cups water

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1 3” cinnamon stick

• 12 whole cloves

• 2 pieces of orange peel, each about 2-inches long

• 12 prunes

• 8-10 whole dried figs, cut in half

• 1 cup dried cherries, blueberries or cranberries

• 1 cup dried apricot halves

Place the juice, water, honey, cinnamon stick, cloves and orange peel in a saucepan large enough to hold all the dried fruit. Bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the fruit and simmer another 18-20 minutes or until the fruit is soft. Let the fruit cool in the pan. The sauce will thicken as the fruit absorbs some of it. Discard the cinnamon stick (you won’t find the cloves). Serve with the poaching liquid.

Makes 8 servings

Cranberry-Orange Baked Apples

I realize that Hallowe’en is big business. I’ve said it before — I don’t mind the business of costumes and fun but I don’t like the tons of candy that come with it.

I’ve also written about how it was back in the day — when I was a kid, when we did some minimal trick or treating and spent most of the evening playing games and bobbing for apples.

Before the fun and games my mother would give us dinner (typically macaroni and cheese with a buttered rice krispies crust) followed by either apple pie or baked apples.

My Dad always ended the festivities with a feast of hot chocolate.

To me, macaroni and cheese, baked apples and hot chocolate bring back happy memories and, to this day, I would prefer to enjoy the day the way it used to be for me.

Cranberry-Orange Baked Apples

• 4 large baking apples

• half a lemon

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

• 2 teaspoons grated orange peel

• 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar (or plain sugar)

• 1 tablespoon butter or solid coconut oil, cut into 4 pieces

• 1 cup orange juice, apple juice or cider

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash the apples, then remove the core and seeds, leaving about 1/2-inch on the bottom. Peel the apples 1/2 of the way down from the stem end on top, then rub the cut surfaces with the cut side of the lemon. Put the apples in a baking dish. In a small bowl, mix the cranberries and orange peel and stuff this mixture into the apple hollows. Sprinkle the apples with the cinnamon sugar. Dot the tops with the butter or solid coconut oil. Bake the apples for 10 minutes then pour the juice over the apples. Continue to bake, basting occasionally with the pan juices, for about 35-40 minutes or until the apples are tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 4