Baking - Extra Helpings

One Easy Rhubarb Recipe, 3 Ways to Eat it

rhubarb recipe used in blondies — Blondies with flaky sea salt

This simple rhubarb recipe is just four ingredients: sugar, vanilla extract, rhubarb, and water. Honestly, water barely counts as an ingredient, so it’s closer to three. Thanks to rhubarb’s characteristically tart and punchy flavor, this simple slow-cooked compote has a surprising amount of complexity. Here, the natural tartness is tamed by the addition of sugar and gentle heat, leaving you with an ever so slightly zingy jam.

Once you’ve made the compote, the possibilities are basically limitless. Of course, it’s delicious on its own, but why stop there? Spread it over peanut butter on a thick slice of toast, mix it into plain yogurt, swirl it into blondie batter, or spoon it over a scoop of ice cream for a wonderful spring dessert.

Just remember to act fast, rhubarb season lasts from spring to early summer.

rhubarb compote over ice cream — Rhubarb compote over ice cream

Slow-Cooked Rhubarb Compote Recipe

Recipe from from Dappled: Baking Recipes for Fruit Lovers: A Cookbook

1/2 Cup granulated sugar
¼ Cup water
1/2 Tsp vanilla extract
1 Pound rhubarb, cut into 1″ chunks

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and vanilla extract. Heat over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Stir occasionally.
Add the rhubarb and stir. Reduce the heat and cook over low until the rhubarb is soft and sticky. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has reached your desired consistency.
Store in an airtight container. This compote will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.

One Five-Ingredient Blondie Recipe, Infinite Possibilities

5 ingredient blondies with blueberries — Caramel-y and delicious

Sometimes, you want a simple dessert that you can make with ingredients you have on hand. Other times, you’re looking for a baking project that lets you exercise a little creativity. This easy five-ingredient blondie recipe is the solution in both cases.

The base recipe is quick and delicious. It comes together in about 10 minutes, and you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry. Once they’re done, the blondies have a surprisingly deep and caramelized flavor. If you stop here, you’ll be more than happy.

If, however, you’re feeling creative, this recipe is also infinitely adaptable. If you’re a chocolate fiend, add some chocolate chips or a chopped chocolate bar before baking. If you’re feeling fruit, you could fold in frozen berries, or even swirl in some jam once the batter is in the pan. Three Blue Apron team members took it for a test drive, and each came back with a twist that worked for their kitchen.

Chef Alex stuck to the base at first, but after the blondies came out of the oven, he decided to dress them up. One cooled, his bars got a generous drizzle of melted chocolate and cookie butter.

five ingredient blondie topped with chocolate — All dressed up and ready to party

Madeline sprinkled crushed walnuts over half of the pan before baking, much to Chef Alex’s dismay. When it came time to serve, she chopped her pan into 32 tiny bars, instead of 12 larger ones.

five ingredient blondies with nuts — Tiny nutty blondies

Laura took a look at her co-worker’s result, and decided to halve the recipe. She split the ingredients down the middle, and swapped in an 8X8 pan. The smaller pan created a slightly thicker bar, so she also increased the baking time by 5 minutes to make sure that they cooked through. For a summery twist, she folded in frozen blueberries.

blondies with blueberries — Blondies + blueberries

All three bakers gave rave reviews.

Five-Ingredient Blondie Recipe

Adapted from Dappled: Baking Recipes for Fruit Lovers

Makes 12 bars

1 ½ sticks (170g) salted butter, melted, plus more for greasing
1 ½ cups (188g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1 ¾ cups (350g) packed brown sugar

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9 x 13-inch pan by buttering the bottom of the dish and lining with parchment paper. Leave a ½ inch overhang on the long sides of the pan, you’ll use this as a handle later.

2. Combine dry the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.

3. Combine the eggs, brown sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat vigorously, until the mixture is thick and light in color. Slowly pour in the melted butter and mix until well combined.

4. Add the dry ingredients in two portions, stirring gently after each addition. If you’re using any add-ins, fold them in here.

5. Locate your prepared pan. Using a spatula, spread the batter all the way to the edges in an even layer. Place in the oven on a middle rack, bake for 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.

6. Remove the blondies from the oven, and leave them to cool. Once the pan is completely cool, use the parchment paper handles to life the blondies out of the pan. Cut into 12 bars. Keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month.

Celebrate Mother’s Day with Rosemary Currant Scones

What’s your first food memory? This past week at Blue Apron, we’ve been thinking a lot about our moms. For so many of us, mothers and grandmothers played a pivotal role in shaping our relationships with food. We helped them cook, begged them for snacks, and if we were good, we got to pick out a treat at the grocery store.

This Mother’s Day feels a little different. Some of us are isolated away from our family and wish we could be closer. Some of us are with our family, and could probably benefit from a little personal space. All of us are craving some of our childhood classics. Chef Annabel Epstein is missing her mom’s classic stuffed peppers. Chef Alex Saggiomo loves his mom’s banana bread so much that he’s shared the recipe with the entire test kitchen. For Chef Jessica Halper, teatime with mom is a sacred ritual.

This year Jessica is recreating the tradition with these flaky rosemary and currant scones. They make a perfect addition to any brunch table, but they’re also an excellent snack all on their own.

Rosemary Currant Scones

Adapted from Ovenly bakery in New York City, makes 8 larges scones

INGREDIENTS:

8 tablespoons (4 ounces) chilled, unsalted butter cut into ½-inch cubes
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried currants
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream plus more for brushing
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar for garnish

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Place the cubed butter and heavy cream in the freezer 10 minutes before using.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work quickly to cut or blend the cold butter into the dry mixture until it resembles small pebbles. Add the orange zest, currants and chopped rosemary to the flour-butter mixture. Carefully mix until just combined.
Slowly stir the chilled cream into the flour-butter mixture with a large wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together. The flour should not be fully incorporated at this point. Do not overmix the dough.
Transfer the dough and any loose floury bits to a floured countertop and quickly knead the dough until it comes fully together. Using a rolling pin or the palm of your hand, flatten the dough into a 3/4 inch-thick mound. The shape does not matter at this point.
Fold the dough in half, give it a quarter turn and then flatten it again using the palm of your hand or a rolling pin. Repeat this process 3 more times. This helps to build the flaky layers in the scone.
Flour your surface once more, and then shape the dough into a 3/4 inch-thick round. Use a bench scraper or a knife to cut the dough into 4 equal triangles. Then cut those in half to make 8 even triangles. Place the triangles on an ungreased rimmed sheet pan.
Place the sheet pan in the freezer for 10 minutes. Brush with cream and top with turbinado sugar just before baking.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the scones comes out clean. Cool the scones on a wire rack. Serve warm with butter and jam and a cup of tea.

A Guide to Baking with Frozen Berries

A blueberry crisp made with frozen berries — A blueberry crisp

There are few things more disappointing than taking a pack of fresh raspberries out of the fridge, only to find them covered in fuzzy mold. Berries are delicious, but they’re also delicate, and they spoil quickly. Some sources say that they won’t keep more than two to three days in the fridge. Combine that with the fact that they’re expensive, and it can make a pack of fresh berries feel like a truly risky purchase.

All of this is only exasperated by the fact that we’re making limited trips to the grocery store these days. When we do shop, we’re focused on pantry staples and hearty vegetables that will keep for weeks (shoutout to cabbage). All of this sensible shopping and meal planning has left us craving tart and light flavors. Luckily, there’s an obvious solution: baking with frozen berries.

While frozen fruit can’t completely replace fresh fruit, swapping in frozen berries will work perfectly well for most of your baking projects. Here are a few tips for using frozen berries in your pies, cakes, and breads.

Baking with Frozen Berries vs. Fresh

There are some baked goods where frozen fruit just won’t cut it. If you’re hoping to make a fruit tart topped with fresh berries as a decorative touch, frozen fruit isn’t going to work. As a rule of thumb, use fresh berries instead of frozen if the fruit will remain uncooked. That’s not to say that thawed frozen berries won’t have a good flavor, but the freezing process will drastically change the texture of the fruit.

Structurally speaking, berries are mostly water, and water expands as it freezes. When you freeze a berry, the expanding ice will break down some of the cell structure. Because of this, thawed or baked frozen berries will look collapsed, and less like individual perky berries than their fresh counterparts.

It’s Not a Beauty Pageant

In addition to the slightly deflated appearance, frozen berries are going to release more juice than fresh berries. Some berries may have even burst open during the freezing process. That means that color is more likely to bleed out around the berry while it’s in the oven. This matters if you’re incorporating the frozen berries into a light-colored batter, like you would for blueberry pancakes or muffins. If you’d like to keep your entire muffin from turning purple, the best thing to do is rinse your frozen berries before you mix them into your batter. If your berries are destined for an all-fruit filling, like a raspberry pie, then go ahead and skip this part.

Frozen berries being washed — Rinsing frozen berries

This step is a personal choice. If you don’t mind a slightly darker finished product, then don’t bother. If you crave the contrast of a bright cake with a dark spot of berry, just rinse and pat dry before incorporating.

Extra Juicy

If you’re creating an all-fruit filling, you may not need to worry about color bleeding out, but all of those extra juices being released mean that your filling could end up on the runny side. To avoid a watery finished product, increase the thickener that your recipe calls for (such as corn starch or flour), by about 25%.

baking frozen berry crisp — Frozen berries lose their round shape, but have excellent flavor

To Thaw or Not to Thaw?

Generally speaking, you should thaw frozen berries if the recipe you’re making has a short cooking time. For something quick, like a pancake, a frozen berry won’t have time to thaw properly in the pan. The cold berry will also keep the batter around it from cooking properly. You don’t want to end up with raw batter bits surrounding all the berries in your short stack. For something with a longer cooking time, like a pie or a cake, you can get away with partially frozen berries.

Even though they don’t capture 100% of the magic of fresh berries, frozen fruit is a great option for bringing the flavors of summer into your cooking routine when access to fresh produce is limited.

Looking for an easy baking project? Try this simple shortbread.

Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Just because we must grow up, that doesn’t mean we have to put childish things away. These peanut butter and jelly bars have all the flavors of a childhood snack baked into a sophisticated dessert. If you’re craving the nostalgic comfort of a classic flavor combination, these are the treat for you. Feel free to put your own twist on the recipe by swapping in your favorite flavor of jam or jelly (Chef Alex thinks peach would be delicious).

Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Recipe by Chef Alex Saggiomo

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups light brown sugar
¾ cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons strawberry jam
1 tablespoon chopped peanuts
Flaky sea salt

peanut butter and jelly bar ingredients — lined up and ready to go

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, and 1 tsp. kosher salt. Set aside.

3. Combine the 2 large eggs, 1 ½ cups light brown sugar, ¾ cup smooth peanut butter, ½ cup melted unsalted butter, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract in a large bowl. Whisk together.

4. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir until no streaks of flour remain.

5. Scrape the batter into a buttered 8×8″ baking pan. Dollop with 2 Tbsp. strawberry jam; using the tip of a knife, swirl the jam on the surface of the batter. Top with 1 Tbsp. chopped peanuts.

6. Bake 30-40 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, let cool for at least 20 minutes, and enjoy.

baked peanut butter and jelly bars — Peanut butter and jelly bars fresh out of the oven

Best Bread Recipes: Advice from the Blue Apron Test Kitchen

There are a lot of good reasons to bake bread at home. For baking enthusiasts, the process can be a source of comfort. For novice bakers, now is a good time to take on a new challenge. Whether you’re looking to tackle a kitchen project, or just in the mood for a sandwich, a homemade loaf is the way to go. These are the recipes that Blue Apron Test Kitchen Chefs (and friends!) turn to when the bread box is empty.

A Peasant Bread with a Beautiful Crust

This peasant loaf from Serious Eats is a great option for an intermediate baker. Misting the loaf while it’s in the oven gives the finished bread a satisfyingly chewy crust.

— Diane Casner

a crusty loaf of bread — This loaf is worth the extra work

An Easy No Yeast Flatbread Recipe

This flatbread recipe from Bon Appetit is a perfect solution for a busy weeknight. It doesn’t call for yeast, it has a short rest time, and it only requires light kneading. The ingredients are also pretty basic, so you can whip it up without much planning.

— Sarah Entwistle

A Super Savory Cheese Bread

Looking for something a little more exciting? This blue cheese swirl bread from The New York Times is soft, fluffy, cheesy, and beautiful.

— Alex Saggiomo

A Not-Too-Complicated Sourdough

If you’ve been curious about keeping a sourdough starter, there’s no time like the present. The Perfect Loaf has bread recipes, starter instructions, and ideas for how to use your sourdough discards.

— Laura Henderson

A Slightly Sweet Oat and Raisin Loaf

This recipe from America’s Test Kitchen gets rolled in oats before it heads into the oven. It gives the finished product a toasty, crunchy exterior. The slight sweetness from the raisins makes this a great option for morning toast.

— Ashley Giddens

Stuck at Home? Bake Doughnuts

Blue Apron’s Head Chef John Adler might be stuck at home, but he has company. In his own words, here’s how he’s keeping his family busy (and well-fed).

I’m no pastry chef, but I love making doughnuts. I had bomboloni on the menu at Franny’s, and just one bite of a cider doughnut sends me down a long path of nostalgia that ends up at the late and great Schultz’s Cider Mill in Westchester.

chocolate and sprinkle doughnuts — Chocolate or sprinkles?

Last weekend my daughter Ella Jane and I decided to make our own doughnuts. To adapt the process for a home kitchen, I started with Ina Garten’s Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts (Ina really knows how to stay home in style). Baked doughnuts are super easy, and, if you’re cooking with kids, a little safer to execute. Ina treats doughnuts like a quick bread; just mix wet into dry and go. No yeast, no gradual additions, they’re that simple and straightforward.

stir the doughnut batter — A+ kitchen helper

I did make a few adjustments here. I don’t keep cooking spray around, so I greased my doughnut pan with a little bit of shortening. I also left out the nutmeg because my wife has a strong aversion to it. Finally, instead of the cinnamon and sugar topping, we made a basic glaze and dusted them with “sparkly sprinkles” (that last part was Ella Jane’s idea). For the sake of variety, we also took half the batter and mixed in approximately 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to make a chocolate version—these turned out really well! They tasted like a cross between a brownie and a doughnut—let’s call them bronuts.

The recipe calls for baking these in a doughnut pan. Unfortunately, I overfilled the first batch quite a bit—Ella Jane said the finished doughnuts looked like mushrooms! Luckily, it was an easy fix; we took out some ring molds and manicured them back into shape.

More people should make doughnuts at home, and this recipe makes it possible. Including preheating the oven, this project was just 45 min from start to finish. Of course, it helps if your sous chef is totally adorable.

Ina Garten’s Cinnamon and Sugar Baked Doughnuts

Baking spray or shortening
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1¼ cups whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare your doughnut pans by coating with baking spray, lard, or shortening.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

3. Spoon the batter into the baking pans, filling each one a little more than three-quarters full. Bake for 17 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then tap the doughnuts out onto a sheet pan.

4. For the topping, melt the 8 tablespoons of butter in an 8-inch sauté pan. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each doughnut first in the butter and then in the cinnamon sugar, either on one side or both sides.

This Simple Shortbread Recipe Is the Sweet (or Savory!) Treat You Need

Cheese and herb shortbread — Sweet & savory

We like to think of shortbread as a day-to-evening cookie. The buttery, crisp base transitions smoothly from sweet to savory, and has the ability to fit perfectly on a cheese plate or a cookie plate. It’s the butter and flour equivalent of a little black dress.

Best of all? This shortbread recipe is simple. The base of the dough is only 4 ingredients. Our version includes cheese and herbs for a sweet and savory cookie that pairs perfectly with cocktail hour. If you’re more of a true dessert person, you can take a little creative license here: swap the herbs and cheese for vanilla and lavender, orange zest and poppy seeds, or any of your favorite baking spices.

Herb & Cheese Shortbreads

Recipe by Chef Alex Saggiomo

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tsp finely chopped herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme, marjoram)
1/2 cup finely grated cheese (Gruyere, Parmesan, Aged Cheddar, Manchego)
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

Place the flour, sugar, herbs, salt, and cheese into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the butter and pulse just until a soft dough forms; the dough should hold together when squeezed with your hands; if not, add a tablespoon of water and pulse until combined.

Place a large sheet of plastic wrap on a work surface and transfer the dough onto it. Form the dough into a loose log along 1 edge of the long side of the sheet. Roll the dough log, twisting the plastic gathered at the ends in opposite directions until the log is tight and compact, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the dough log into 1/3-inch thick slices and arrange on the lined sheets, about 1-inch apart. Bake until the edges are just beginning to brown, 11 to 13 minutes.

Cool the shortbread on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store the shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to serve. Yields 24 cookies.

Want even more simple dessert recipes? Try these 5 ingredient brownies.

Simple shortbread recipe — Grab a cookie

Make Your Own Oatmeal Raisin Bread

The responsible thing to do right now is to stay put, so that’s what the Blue Apron Test Kitchen is doing. Just because we’re cooped up at home, that doesn’t mean we’re not cooking. For now, you’ll find us in our home kitchens, chopping, frying, and baking up a storm.

This week, Chef Ashley Giddens pre-heated her oven and spent some time with her pantry staples. Here’s the story, in her words:

I always have a bag of oats in my pantry. To be honest, I’m not sure why it’s there. I don’t even eat that much oatmeal! It just feels like one of those things I should always have.

Recently, grocery stores have been all sold out of my favorite sliced bread. In search of a substitute, I flipped through my favorite bread book: Bread Illustrated from America’s Test Kitchen. The first thing to catch my eye was a loaf of oatmeal raisin bread; I had never even thought of putting oats into a sliced bread, so I was intrigued. Best of all, the recipe called for things I already had stocked: oats, bread flour, yeast, salt, milk, butter, brown sugar, and raisins.

This recipe was super easy to make. My favorite part was rolling the whole dough loaf in raw the oats before baking, which resulted in a super crunchy and gorgeous exterior. The next morning, I sliced and toasted two pieces. My husband had his with a simple gloss of butter, and I opted for a more *extra* approach with cream cheese, cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt.

Greenmarket Inspo: Zucchini & Squash Blossom Galette

Every week, our test kitchen team pays an early morning visit to New York City’s biggest farmers market: the Union Square Greenmarket in Manhattan. Comprised of over 70 stalls bursting with flowers, local products, and beautiful seasonal produce, it’s the perfect place for a hit of mid-week inspiration. Follow us on Instagram to tag along (bring a tote bag, it’s impossible to leave empty handed!) and see what we decide to make with our market haul.

When in the market for a picture-perfect brunch dish, dinner party side, or crowd-pleasing appetizer, look no further than a savory galette. While sweet, fruit-filled versions get most of the limelight, freeform tarts filled with vegetables and cheese make just as much of an impact, and allow for fun experimentation with herbs and spices, post-oven drizzles, and savory alternative flours.

A galette was the perfect showcase for this week’s farmers’ market find: a clamshell full of sunny squash blossoms. These bright yellow blooms grow from the same plants as zucchini and summer squash, and often appear on restaurant menus stuffed with cheese and fried until crispy. We used them as the final touch to our galette filling, splayed atop a swoosh of seasoned ricotta and thinly-sliced zucchini. In the oven they get golden-brown and a little crisp, a nice contrast to the herby, buttery pastry and hot honey drizzle.

Zucchini & Squash Blossom Galette

Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients

For the dough:
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp picked thyme leaves
6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces.
1 egg, beaten

For the galette:
1 zucchini, thinly sliced into rounds
5 – 6 squash blossoms, stem end trimmed, stamen or pistils removed
1 cup ricotta
1 clove garlic, finely grated
2 oz grana padano, grated
1 tsp lemon zest
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp honey
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Make the dough:

In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, thyme, and salt. Using your fingers, flake the butter pieces into the flour mixture, until it resembles wet sand (some larger pieces are ok). Add the beaten egg; use a fork to combine, then pat together with your hands into a flat disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.

2. Brown the zucchini:

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 350°F. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Working in batches if necessary, add the zucchini rounds in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Turn off the heat.

3. Season the ricotta:

In a bowl, combine the ricotta, garlic paste, lemon zest, and half the grated grana padano; season with salt and pepper.

4. Assemble & bake the galette:

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a ¼-inch-thick round (approximately 14 inches wide). Transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Spread the seasoned ricotta into an even layer on the dough round, leaving a 1- to 2-inch border around the edges. Layer the browned zucchini over the ricotta, cooked side up, overlapping where necessary. Top with the squash blossoms. Sprinkle with the remaining grated grana padano. Fold the edges of dough up over the filling, overlapping where necessary, to form the crust. Brush the crust with the beaten egg. Season with salt and pepper. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven.

5. Make the hot honey & serve your dish:

While the galette bakes, in a bowl, combine the honey, red pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoons warm water. Drizzle the baked galette with the hot honey before serving. Enjoy!

Greenmarket Inspo: Peach & Ginger Cornmeal Crumble

They say that you shouldn’t go grocery shopping while hungry, but for the farmers market in peak stonefruit season, the rule should be adjusted: don’t visit when you’re craving dessert. We made that mistake this week, and the colorful array of nectarines, apricots, peaches, and plums put visions of pies, galettes, and jam bars in our heads. We would 1000% be baking.

But just 2 ½ pounds of market peaches can be difficult to stretch, so we spent the trip back to the test kitchen scheming about how to use them to feed all of our coworkers. The obvious choice: a crumble. For a crowd and in a pinch, with almost any type of fruit and an oven-safe dish, a crumble is a bubbly, golden-brown, show-stopping meal-ender — or afternoon snack, if you’re us. Mix and match flavors using the fruit itself (we added grated ginger with the peach for a bit of brightness and bite) and the topping (here we opted for cornmeal, for a hearty, Southern-inspired sweetness). Some failsafe combinations, if you’re not in the mood for peaches:

Blackberry + lime (try chopped pistachios in the topping)
Strawberry + rhubarb (try rolled oats in the topping)
Pear + cranberry (try cinnamon in the topping)

Peach & Ginger Cornmeal Crumble

Serves 8 to 10
Special equipment: 10-inch cast-iron pan, like this one

Ingredients

Peach & Ginger Cornmeal Crumble in a skillet with vanilla ice cream on top

½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
¾ cup cornmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
¾ cup light brown sugar, divided
2 ½ lbs peaches, pitted and large diced
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cornstarch
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Method

1. Prepare the skillet:

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch cast iron pan with butter across the bottom and up the sides.

2. Make the crumble:

Cut the remaining stick of butter into small pieces. In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, a pinch of salt, and ½ cup brown sugar. Add the butter pieces; using your fingers, flake the butter into the cornmeal mixture until it has the consistency of wet sand.

3. Assemble & bake the skillet:

In a large bowl, combine the peaches, ginger, lemon juice, cornstarch, and remaining ¼ cup brown sugar (use less if your peaches are super sweet!). Transfer the coated peaches into the prepared skillet. Evenly top with the crumble; form the mixture into larger and smaller crumbs as you work. Place the skillet on a sheet pan (to catch any drips). Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling at the edges. Let sit 5 minutes before topping with ice cream to serve. Enjoy!

Greenmarket Inspo: Blueberry Eton Mess

Raspberries, blackberries, huckleberries, gooseberries — the berry stand was undeniable this week at the market, and immediately put us in the mood for something sweet. Ultimately the plump moody blueberries won us over (can you blame us?), so we headed back to the test kitchen with an armful and big dessert dreams.

A traditional English treat served in school cafeterias, Eton mess is as simple as it is summery, made from layers of seasonal fruit, whipped cream, and store-bought meringues. Our bluebs made for the perfect stand-in for the traditional strawberries, and a bit of mint on top kept the whole thing light and fresh.

Blueberry Eton Mess

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 cups blueberries

1 pint heavy cream

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp sugar, divided

3 oz store-bought meringues (our local grocery had pastel-colored meringues, but white is just as good!)

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 tsp vanilla extract

a pinch of kosher salt

a few sprigs mint

Method

1. Make the compote:

In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, lemon juice and zest, 1/4 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt. Heat over medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and pressing down with the back of a wooden spoon, about 20 minutes, or until the blueberries are softened and just slightly syrupy. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Make the whipped cream:

With an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or with a whisk and some elbow grease), whip the heavy cream, vanilla, and remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar until stiff peaks form,

3. Crush the meringues:

Place the meringues in a zip-top bag. With the back of a measuring cup, crush into small pieces (variety is good here! some can stay in chunks, some can be smashed almost to a fine powder).

4. Layer & serve your dish:

Fill small glasses with the whipped cream, crushed meringues, and cooled berries and syrup. Top with the mint, tearing just before adding. Refrigerate the glasses for 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!