How to Pack Seasonal Vegetables Into a Delicious Dessert

Our traveling web series ‘To Market We Go’ is brought to you by the kitchen experts at next125. United by our passion for turning every cooking experience into a unique one, together, we’re visiting Europe’s very best markets to show you how to find, cook, and enjoy the very best produce back in your home kitchen. Watch episode 3 at Berlin’s Martkhalle Neun here!

We're back! This time with a recipe inspired by our visit to Martkhalle Neun with Lea, our expert guide to the market. Having worked for the market for three years now, Lea knew exactly where to find the ingredients our chef Christian needed amidst the many food counters overflowing with fresh produce.

Strolling through the charming aisles of the market, quite a few things ended up in their shopping bag: apples, cream cheese, apple juice, kale, lemon balm, and a sweet dessert wine. With their bags full, Lea and Christian took their market haul to our next125 kitchen at the Kitchen Stories office and created a delicious, seasonal dessert topped with kale.

We know what you’re thinking: How does kale fit into something sweet, you ask? Watch our third episode of To Market, We Go! to find out.

The fruit that makes this dish shine

Hovering over the food stand of Beet & Baum, the search for crisp apples did not take long. The different types of apples in this recipe have two functions: Firm Wellant apples add texture to the compote and their tartness is a welcome counterpart to the caramelized sugar, while the more mealy Boskoop apples help bind everything together. Then there’s the flavorful Carola apple juice from Märkische Schweiz, which adds another fruity dimension to the dessert.

It’s all in the cheese!

Because the apples are naturally sweet and sour, Christian needed something to counter that. He caramelized oats to provide a bit of texture and sweet accents, but the main star here is cream cheese. Christian and Lea sourced theirs from the Alte Milch counter, and its rich creaminess softens the flavors of the apples. Each bite is an experience here and the way Christian layers each component really guides you through the different flavors at play.

The finishing touches

The whole thing gets topped with a crunchy kale chip, an unlikely but very special ingredient from Beet & Baum. Mixed with some neutral vegetable oil and powdered sugar, this glowing winter vegetable turns into something light and crisp—the perfect garnish on our jammy compote.

To finish the dish, Christian referred to Werner and his wide selection of fresh herbs at Markthalle Neun. His herb of choice? Lemon balm. These small green leaves not only provide a delightful citrus aroma, but are nice splashes of color on the compote. Paired with a dessert wine from Monsieur Collard, it’s time to sit back and enjoy this delicious dish!

We’re so glad to have taken you on a journey to this beautiful market in our chosen home town of Berlin. We’ll be back in a new location soon with more stories and new recipes to share with next125. Europe’s best food markets are waiting for us, so stay tuned!