An apple a day keeps the doctor away is an English proverb. I don’t think they had these recipes in mind. Apples are a great ingredient for sweet applications. Although apples are available year round, Fall is peak season for apples. So what should we do with apples?
Today I am sharing two very different apple recipes. The first one, Southern Baked Apple with Double Cream, was an often ordered first course for breakfast or brunch. The second, Skillet Apple Pie, is dessert all the way. Both of these recipes showcase the versatility of the apple. Go to the Farmer’s Market, gather up your apples, and Let’s head to the kitchen!
Southern Baked Apple with Double Cream
This recipe is taken from the old Brennan’s menu. It was a mainstay on their brunch menu. It’s a great way to start a breakfast feast.
8 large red apples, washed and cored
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon plus extra for dusting
3/4 cup water
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 400℉.
Stand the apples upright in a shallow baking pan. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the apples, then pour 3/4 cup water into the bottom of the pan. Bake the apples in the hot oven for 50 minutes to an hour until tender.
In a medium bowl, combine the cream, vanilla, and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar. Transfer the apples to heated bowls and pour 1/4 cup of the cream over each. Dust with cinnamon, then serve.
Skillet Apple Pie
This is not your traditional apple pie. There is no crust along the bottom. This is a great recipe for those whose favorite part of a pie is the filling.
Filling
5 each Golden Delicious and Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced thin
1/4 pound butter
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsps flour
To prepare filling, melt butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple slices, lemon juice and vanilla and cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. In a bowl, mix sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cornstarch and gently stir mixture into apples. Continue to cook until apples are soft but not mushy, approximately 5 minutes.
Topping
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar
1 1/4 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, chilled
1 cup half and half
3/4 tsp vanilla
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Using 2 knives or a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk and vanilla and quickly blend together with a spatula. To assemble the pie, drop heaping tablespoons of biscuit mixture on top of apples, covering most of the center of the mixture. Sprinkle top with remaining sugar and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until top is golden. Remove pie from oven and let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.
With all the different varieties of apples available, it’s easy to get confused as to which one to use. You wouldn’t want to make the Skillet Apple Pie recipe with just Granny Smith apples, unless you favor the tart flavor. As always, experiment and fine the type of apple that you prefer. Tell your doctor you’ll see him in the near future.
Opmerkingen