How to Best Enjoy Baby Kiwis While They’re in Season

Fresh from French Terroir 

While the French concept of “terroir” might be more commonly associated with wine and cheese, terroir can absolutely be considered when sourcing fruits and vegetables, too. In France, growers of NERGI® baby kiwis carefully maintain their terrain with meticulous care, employ sustainable cultivation practices without the use of chemicals during fruit production, and pick each fruit by hand to ensure freshness, healthfulness and quality.  

What Do Baby Kiwis Taste Like?  

Bite-sized NERGI® baby kiwis differ from their larger cousins in more than size alone. Baby kiwis have a uniquely tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy taste, and they can be eaten with the skin on, giving them a crunchy texture. Their strong, fresh flavor makes them an appealing as a standalone snack or sliced on top of yogurt and smoothie bowls, mixed into a drink, or baked into your favorite goodies. And you can rest easy knowing you’re making satisfying and healthy choices for your body, as baby kiwis are rich in vitamins C and E, potassium and fiber.  

A Versatile Fruit 

In addition to being delicious on their own, baby kiwis can be enjoyed across a variety of mealtime situations, thanks to their juicy fruit forwardness and refreshing-yet-approachable amount of acidity. Not sure where to begin? We’ve got a few ideas. 

1. Breakfast Topping: Give your standard breakfast an extra kick of nutrition and flavor by adding sliced baby kiwis on top of yogurt, granola or smoothie bowls.  
2. Refreshing Sips: For a non-alcoholic cocktail that promises to please a variety of palates, simply blend up some fresh kiwi juice and mix with pineapple juice, sparkling water, and a touch of honey for a beautifully balanced beverage (pro tip: garnish with a few mint leaves for an added pop of freshness!)  
3. Satisfying Snack: Reach for baby kiwis as a satisfying, flavor-rich snack throughout the day. You could even make a mini charcuterie board with baby kiwis, hazelnuts or macadamia nuts and fresh chevre.  

4. Baked Goods: From muffins and quick breads to cakes and pies, baby kiwis can act as the star of the show in a number of baked good recipes—and if you’re curious to learn our current favorite, we’re sharing the recipe below! 

    

Ready to celebrate baby kiwi season on a high note? Taste France Magazine partnered with Kula’s Kitchen to source this delicious, gluten-free cake recipe below. Check it out below (and be sure to follow along Kula’s Kitchen journeys at @kulas_kitchen).  

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Emma Kula (@kulas_kitchen)

Gluten Free Baby Kiwi & Olive Oil Upside-Down Cake  

👉By Kula’s Kitchen  

⏰Time: 1 hour 30 mins  

🥧Yield: 12 slices  

For the cake:  

● ⅔ cup high quality, extra virgin olive oil  

● 1 cup granulated sugar  

● 3 eggs, room temperature  

● Juice + zest of ½ an orange (about 2 tbsp of each)  

● ½ cup milk of choice (I used almond)  

● 1 ¼ cups fine almond flour  

● 1 cup gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour  

● 1 tsp baking powder  

● ½ tsp sea salt  

For the syrup + topping:  

● 1/2 cup granulated sugar  

● 1/4 cup water  

● 2 tbsp butter  

● 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract  

● 8 containers / 900g baby kiwi berries, ends sliced off  

● Powdered sugar and/or whipped cream, for serving, if desired  

Instructions:   

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-inch round cake pan generously with butter. Place a round of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan.  
2. Arrange kiwi berries to fill the entire bottom of your cake pan, making sure to pack them as tightly as possible.  
3. In a measuring cup or small bowl, mix together your milk and orange juice. In another small bowl, whisk together your flours, baking powder and salt until combined. Set aside.  
4. In a large bowl, add your sugar and orange zest. Work the zest into the sugar with clean hands to release the flavour and oils from the orange. Add your eggs to this mixture and beat with an electric hand mixer on medium-high for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is glossy and pale in colour and all the sugar has dissolved. Stream in your olive oil and beat again until smooth and glossy, about 1 minute.  
5. To this liquid mixture, add half of your flour mixture and beat on low just until combined. Add half of the milk mixture, beat again, and then repeat this process with the remaining flour and mix. The final batter will look quite thin – that’s okay!  
6. To make the syrup, melt 2 tbsp of butter in a small saucepan over medium. Once melted, add sugar, water and vanilla and whisk to combine. Bring this mixture to a simmer and let cook for a few minutes until it has thickened. Remove and pour overtop of your kiwi berries in the bottom of your baking pan, then pour olive oil cake batter on top of that. Gently tap the pan to spread the batter evenly.  
7. Bake for 50-60 minutes until the cake is golden brown on top and set in the middle.  
8. Remove cake from the oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes. Use a knife to release the sides of the pan, then place a large plate over the pan and quickly flip it so the kiwis are on the top of the cake. Serve with powdered sugar and/or whipped cream!  

Keep up with Interfel on Instagram @fruitvegfromfr, on LinkedIn, or via their website.