Maple Sugar Apple Cake
October 1, 2023 | Featured Recipe, Recipes, Sweet
Apples, warm spices and sweet maple sugar. Fall baking at its best! Read More...
Blog Archives
Why Do Leaves Change Color in Autumn?
September 24, 2023 | Blog, Featured Article
Maple Apple Crisp
September 23, 2023 | Blog, Featured Article, Featured Recipe, Recipes, Sweet
Maple Apple Crisp
Apple season in Vermont is one of my favorite times. There are several orchards nearby and we have both cultivated and wild apple trees growing on our farm. The combination of maple, spices and apples is amazing. Top with a crumbly, buttery oat mixture and you have a dessert that is sure to bring out autumn vibes!
Apples
6 apples of any variety, I prefer Macintosh or Paula Red, mixing varieties is also great
1/2 Cup Couching Lion Maple Sugar
1 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon (divided)
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Topping
1/2 cup of pure Couching Lion Maple Syrup
3/4 cup of oats
3/4 cup of all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
dash of salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Butter an 8×8 baking dish, or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, add chopped apples, granulated maple sugar, 3/4 tsp of the cinnamon and lemon juice. Stir to combine, then transfer to prepared baking dish.
In a separate mixing bowl, add dry topping ingredients (oats, flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, salt, and diced cold butter). Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the oat mixture, using a slight downward twisting motion, until mixture resembled pea-sized crumbs. Alternatively, you can use two forks or even your hands to cut butter into the mixture. Once the butter is well incorporated, stir in maple syrup.
Spread topping over apples in baking dish, and gently pat to even it out. Bake 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of maple syrup. Enjoy!
Maple Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
Maple Sugar Cream Cheese FrostingMost cream cheese frosting recipes use many cups of confectioner’s sugar. This recipe uses only pure maple sugar, making it not only more delicious but so much healthier! Bring to room temperature 8 oz cream cheese and 6 tablespoons unsalted butter. Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on low. Slowly add in chunks of butter until it is well incorporated.
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Maple Sugar Pumpkin Spice Muffins
September 4, 2023 | Blog, Featured Article, Featured Recipe, Recipes, Sweet
Maple Sugar Pumpkin Spice Muffins
This classic pairing of maple, pumpkin and spices comes to me from my sister, Juniper. She and her kids are always experimenting in the kitchen with their number one ingredient, maple!
Ingredients
1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
1/2 cup granulated maple sugar
1/2 cup Couching Lion Maple Syrup
1 and 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling- you can find it canned or halve a pie pumpkin, remove seeds, bake in oven at 350 for an hour, scoop out flesh and puree)
2 large eggs
Method
First, set oven at 425. Mix together the flour, baking soda, spices and salt. In a separate bowl combine vegetable oil, maple sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin puree and eggs. Make a small well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in. Stir just until combined. Lumps are ok! Pour into prepared muffin tin (greased) or paper liners. Bake at 425 for 5 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 and bake about 15 minutes more or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool muffins completely if using Maple Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting.
Identify a Sugar Maple Tree
July 13, 2023 | Blog, Featured Article
How to Identify a Sugar Maple Tree
If you’re visiting Vermont this summer, be sure you are able to identify our sweetest tree!
1
Look closely at the color of the leaves. Sugar maple leaves will have a dark green color on the outside, and a lighter green on the underside. In the fall, sugar maple leaves will lose their green color and take on a beautiful orange,
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Maple Syrup Grades
June 11, 2023 | Blog, Featured Article
Maple Syrup Grades
All Maple syrup is delicious! People tend to feel very strongly about their favorite grade, however. Learn more about the different grades to know what’s best for baking or pouring on pancakes.
Golden Color with Delicate Taste
Usually made at the beginning of the new maple season, this syrup was known once graded as Fancy. Subtle maple flavor is best appreciated when used on pancakes or waffles or paired with rich dairy items like yogurt or vanilla ice cream. Try it over Greek yogurt or for a simple but elegant dessert, simply pour this grade of Vermont syrup over vanilla ice cream.
Amber Color with Rich Taste
Usually made about mid-season and often seems to be the most popular for all-around use. Full of characteristic maple flavor, this syrup is equally as good over waffles as it is in salad dressings, cocktails, or in a maple-sweetened barbecue sauce. If you’re only going to have one grade of Vermont maple syrup in your kitchen, make it Amber Color with Rich Taste.
Dark Color with Robust Taste
As the maple season progresses, the syrup darkens in color and develops a more robust maple flavor. Good for all around use, its hearty flavor is a great choice for all kinds of recipes. Pour over baked apples or squash, use as a glaze for meats and vegetables, or sweeten baked goods. This grade pairs well with smoky and spicy flavors like chipotle peppers, sriracha, or bourbon.
Very Dark Color with Strong Taste
Produced at the end of the season, it’s perfect for cooking and baking. When you need a strong maple flavor in a bread or cookie, ice cream, or barbecue sauce, this is the grade of choice.
The Health Benefits of Real Vermont Maple Syrup
June 6, 2023 | Blog, Featured Article
The Health Benefits Of Real Vermont Maple Syrup
Derived from 100% maple sap and minimally processed over a wood fired arch, our maple syrup is a healthy addition to your meals! Many people enjoy a few tablespoons each day in coffee, over oatmeal or yogurt, in salad dressing and marinades and of course with waffles and pancakes! It has a lower glycemic index than other sugars, making it a better choice for people with insulin resistance. Maple syrup is also packed with minerals and antioxidants. Swap out all your sweeteners for nature’s healthiest syrup!
| P e r 6 0 m l ( 1/4 c u p ) , i n % D V | Maple Syrup | HFCS | Honey | White Sugar | Brown Sugar |
| Manganese | 100 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
| Riboflavin | 37 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Zinc | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Magnesium | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Calcium | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Potassium | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Calories | 217 | 220 | 261 | 196 | 211 |
Holiday Newsletter 2022
November 20, 2022 | Blog, In The News
Holiday Newsletter 2022
Happy Holidays!
After an exceptionally long and warm Vermont fall, it is starting to feel more like winter is approaching. The days are shorter, most leaves have fallen and we’ve had a couple of light snows. This is good news for our sugar maples which need several months of dormancy in order to produce sweet maple sap in the spring.
We’re packaging our delicious maple syrup in all shapes and sizes for your holiday gift giving. A small gift of maple syrup is a wonderful way to show gratitude and appreciation.
Savory, sweet and a cocktail! Maple enhances every dish.
Incredible Maple Bars
Back by popular demand…..
shake up your holiday baking with this maple treat!
Ingredients
Base
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ¼ cup maple sugar
- 1 cup flour
Topping
- 1 cup maple syrup
- ¾ cup maple sugar
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp flour
- pinch of salt
Base
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine butter, maple sugar and flour and stir until the mixture is crumbly. Press mixture into an 8 inch greased baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Topping
- In a saucepan, combine the maple syrup, maple sugar and walnuts and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and stir until melted.
- In a bowl, beat the eggs with the flour and salt. Add egg mixture to maple syrup mixture and stir to combine. Pour over the base and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until set. Cool completely before cutting.
Vanilla Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour
Courtesy of Half Baked Harvest
In a cocktail shaker combine 2 ounces bourbon, 1 ounce lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Couching Lion Maple Syrup, a dash of vanilla extract and a pinch of cinnamon. Shake and strain into your favorite glass!
Check out Half Baked Harvest for many more creative maple inspired recipes.
Maple Syrup Glazed Red Cabbage
This colorful vegetable pairs well with poultry and is a delicious non-traditional Thanksgiving dish.
INGREDIENTS
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
- 5 slices bacon, minced
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 medium firm, tart apple, peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 pound red cabbage (about ½ head), cored, outer leaves removed and shredded
- 1 bay leaf
- ½cup maple syrup
- Salt and black pepper
- Step 1Heat oven to 350 degrees. In an ovenproof saucepan or Dutch oven large enough to hold all of the ingredients, sauté the bacon over medium until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 more minutes.
- Step 2Add the apple, cabbage, bay leaf, maple syrup, and season with salt and pepper, cover, and transfer to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
Join the 123rd Audubon Christmas Bird Count
Our sugarbush is enrolled in Audubon’s Bird friendly Maple Project.We love seeing how our forest stewardship protects habitat for birds. Participate in the Christmas Bird Count from your neck of the woods or get in touch if you’d like to bird in our sugarbush.
Whether giving as a gift or keeping for yourself, maple syrup is the perfect addition to your gatherings with friends and family. Shop all our products online or visit our Maple Kiosk on Aestivalis Hill!
As 2022 draws to a close, we want to thank all our wonderful customers, friends and family who support our business. We are grateful for so much. Wishing you a happy, healthy and peaceful holiday.
XO From Huntington,
Chaska, Matt and Sugardog Archie
Spring 2022 Newsletter
May 21, 2022 | Blog, Featured Article, In The News
Welcome Springtime!
Sugaring season in the northeast ended in mid-April. The taps have been pulled and our sugar maples are now in the phase of growing leaves which will begin the process of making next year’s sugar through photosynthesis. We are also continuing the cycle of preparation for next year’s season. Right now the most pressing job is to cut, split and dry wood to be used in our wood fired evaporator. Read on for more news from the farm and delicious, maple inspired recipes!
Sugarers were concerned when March started off with 60 degree temperatures, but the season quickly looked up as freezing nights returned.
Maple sap starts at 1% or 2 % sugar and the rest is water and various nutrients. Maple syrup is 67% sugar. The nutrients remain and a lot of water is evaporated. We boil over a wood fire for the best caramelized flavor. Matt is always a fast moving blur during sugaring!
After several hours…maple syrup is poured off!
The finished product is hot packed into our new custom glass.
All our firewood is sustainably harvested. Most comes from trees downed in windstorms. Being on a mountain means lots of wind damage!
Finally we are seeing spring flowers! Check out this fun guide to Vermont’s Spring Flowers.
The songbirds are back! Our sugarbush is certified as Bird Friendly through the Audubon Bird Friendly Maple Project. Every spring we are amazed at the number of birds who make their home on our hillside until late summer. Learn how to Bird By Ear in this fun article by Gwendoyln Causer.
King of the sugarbush! On April 1, we celebrated two years with our our little pandemic sugar dog, Archie. As a stray from Texas it’s taken a couple of years for Archie to feel comfortable in the woods and with Vermont weather. He has come around though, and spent lots of time helping with sugaring this spring.
Finally we’re getting some heat in Vermont! As a full-time teacher I spend most of the day inside. As soon as I get home, Archie and I head out to the sugarbush to look for Matt, check on the songbirds or just enjoy the beauty of quiet nature.
Sweet Treats for Spring
Maple Sugar Bars
These delicious bars are reminiscent of pecan pie, yet the maple and walnut create a much more robust flavor. Serve once they have cooled, maybe with a dollop of whipped cream to create a special dessert.
Ingredients
Base
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ¼ cup Couching Lion Maple Sugar
- 1 cup flour
Topping
- 1 cup Couching Lion Maple Syrup
- ¾ cup Couching Lion Maple Sugar
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp flour
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Base
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine butter, maple sugar and flour and stir until the mixture is crumbly. Press mixture into an 8 inch greased baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Topping
- In a saucepan, combine the maple syrup, maple sugar and walnuts and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and stir until melted.
- In a bowl, beat the eggs with the flour and salt. Add egg mixture to maple syrup mixture and stir to combine. Pour over the base and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until set. Cool completely before cutting.
Extra Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
These pancakes are extra fluffy due to a shot of seltzer. See how it stacks up against your favorite pancake recipe!
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons Couching Lion Maple Sugar
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
2 large eggs
1¾ cups buttermilk
½ cup cold seltzer water or club soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more
Pure Vermont Couching Lion Maple Syrup (for serving)
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and wet ingredients in a second small bowl. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir. The batter will be slightly lumpy and should not be over stirred.
Heat a greased griddle or frying pan. Scoop out batter in 1/4 cups, leaving plenty of space for the pancake to expand. Look for bubbles to form and then flip.
We always heat the maple syrup for pancakes! Add about 2 tablespoons per serving to a small pan. Heat slowly and watch carefully. Maple syrup boils over quickly!
Serve immediately and enjoy the rest of the morning (or evening if you’re having pancakes for dinner….an actual real thing we do in Vermont)!
Enjoy springtime wherever you are! We look forward to sharing this season’s maple syrup with you. Click the green links or the button below to shop for your own springtime sweet maple syrup!
XO From Huntington,
Chaska, Matt and Archie
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