Lars Langemeier/A.B./zefa/Corbis
READ MORE ABOUT:
This is part one in a series of inspired organic coffee and seasonal dessert pairing ideas. Enjoy!
Forget dinner parties! Why not invite a couple of friends over for the pure joy of dessert?
Take it one step further and tout the green love around the lip-smacking duo of organic coffee and a farmers' market dessert!
We turned to Cathy Finley, owner of Experience Coffee, for her top recommendations. As someone who gives private coffee tastings to java junkies throughout L.A., Cathy did her homework and offered us three handpicked pairings.
First, Cathy offers a note of advice: "when you're pairing coffee and desserts, consider the level of roast as well as the acidity and body of the coffee to determine the best pairings," Cathy says. Rule of thumb: the richer the dessert, the darker and deeper-bodied coffee you'll need.
Organic Coffee/Farmers' Market Pairing
UCA Miraflor Natural Reserve Nicaraguan Coffee & Deep Dish Apple Pie
Cathy notes that acidic, sweet and light-to-medium roasted Central and South American coffees typically pair well with fresh fruits or berries, key lime pie, lemon meringue, or fruit tarts in addition to cooked-fruit desserts like crisp, compote or cobbler.
The Coffee: UCA Miraflor Natural Reserve, Nicaragua
Cultivated on small, shaded farms, this coffee comes from a women's cooperative that uses sustainable practices including composting, mulching and integrated pest management.
The Dessert: Deep Dish Apple Pie
Serves 12
Ingredients:
Pie dough
3 cups all-purpose organic flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut in bits
12 tablespoons ice water
Apple filling
3 1/2 lbs. apples from your farmer’s market, about 8, peeled, cored and sliced*
3 tablespoons fresh organic lemon juice
2/3 cup corn starch
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups blue agave nectar
Directions:
To make the dough:
Mix together the flour and salt. For best results, place in the work bowl of a food processor. Toss the butter with the flour and pulse 8 to 10 times just until it resembles coarse crumbs. (Alternately, use your clean hands or two forks to mix it together). Pour into a bowl and stir with a fork, gradually adding the ice water until dough is moist enough to hold together when pinched between your thumb and forefinger. You may need more or less ice water to moisten the dough, and the dough need not form into a ball.
Gather the dough and divide 2/3 into a disc and wrap in plastic. Repeat with the remaining 1/3 dough. Refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
To make the apple filling:
Toss the apples with the lemon juice. In a separate bowl, whisk together the corn starch, cinnamon and agave syrup.
When ready to bake, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees.
Roll the larger disc of dough out to fit your favorite large deep-dish pie pan (or use a 9 x 13 baking dish), and place gently in the pan. Arrange the apples in even layers in the pan and pour over the agave and corn starch mixture. Roll out the remaining disc of dough and place it on top of the apples. Tuck the edges down the sides and cut several holes in the crust to allow steam to escape. (If there is extra dough from the bottom, crimp the edges together, or decorate with leaves).
Bake for about 2 hours. Cool for about 2 1/2 hours before serving. Serves 12 to 15.
*Chef Mani Niall recommends using firm, sweet apples for this recipe because the lemon juice provides an additional, but slight, tartness to the recipe, he recommends against using Granny Smiths or Macintoshes.
Source: Wholesome Sweetners on The O’Mama Report, Organic Information and Inspiration.
Salivating over sustainable eats? Learn how to make your own with help from Emeril Lagasse in Planet Green TV's organic cooking show, Emeril Green.
-
- {}
