RECIPES

Russian Tea

If you are a fan of tea but don’t care for cinnamon or cloves, it’s very refreshing just to combine the tea with sugar, orange juice, and lemon.

 

4 cups water
3 tea bags, black tea
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cinnamon sticks
2 cloves
1 orange

 

Pour the water into a medium pot. Add the tea bags, sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for ten minutes. Slice the orange and use as a garnish.

Mr. DuBois’s Cinnamon-Apple Pancakes

Makes about 7 to 10 five-inch pancakes. I made these by mistake once and they were so good I had to re-create them. I have tried grating the apples, as well as slicing them, but they’re not the same. Too thin and they disappear, too thick and they don’t cook through. You can probably achieve the same effect by adding apples as described here to your own favorite pancake batter. You can also make these the day before. Just wrap aluminum foil over the top of the bowl and refrigerate until you’re ready to use the batter. Or make half one day and the other half the next morning!

 

3 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 apple
Oil for pan (canola or corn oil)

 

Melt the butter. In a large bowl, mix together the milk, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, egg, and vanilla. Add the melted butter and stir. Lumps are okay. Peel the apple and use the vegetable peeler to slice it very thin. Do not include the core. Add the apple slices directly to the batter and turn to coat them. Heat a large pan or griddle. Add oil. Using a large cooking spoon, ladle the pancake batter onto the pan. When the bottom side is light brown, flip and cook the top side. Add more oil and adjust the heat as necessary. Serve with maple syrup.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Makes 12 regular-size cupcakes.

 

2 eggs
½ cup sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar
1½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon pink sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of cloves
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup mashed pumpkin
¾ teaspoon vanilla

 

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place cupcake liners in wells of cupcake pan.

Crack the eggs into the bowl of a mixer. Add sugar and dark brown sugar. Beat on slow for several minutes, until thick. In the meantime, place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a bowl and stir well with a fork to combine.

While the mixer is running, slowly add the oil. When it is incorporated, on low speed, slowly spoon in the flour mixture. Add the pumpkin and vanilla and mix to combine. Divide among the cupcake liners, filling each cup three-quarters full.

Bake 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Test two cupcakes to be sure they are done. The cupcake papers should be pulling away from pan.

 

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar (more if needed)

 

Place the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla in a mixer and set on high speed. Lower the speed and gradually add the powdered sugar. Return to the high setting and beat for 10 minutes. (You can beat it for a shorter time, but it’s creamier if you let it beat longer.)

French Apple Cake

I love this cake! It’s not overly sweet but so delicious. If you don’t have a springform pan, you can make it with a cake pan. No apple cider? Use apple juice. Or you can omit the 1 cup of liquid and just use the 3 tablespoons. It won’t be as moist, but it will still be delightful. Instead of apple cider, I have also used raspberry and peach liqueur, which was very good.

 

9-inch springform pan or 9-inch cake pan
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons apple cider
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 eggs
2 firm apples (I use Fuji)
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon pink salt
⅔ cup sugar + 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Bring butter and eggs to room temperature. Pour 1 cup apple cider into a small pot and simmer uncovered until it reduces to about ½ cup. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9-inch springform pan. If using a cake pan, place parchment paper on the bottom and grease the sides well with butter.

Peel, core, and chop the apples. Place flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and mix well with a fork or small whisk. In mixing bowl, beat the butter with the ⅔ cup sugar until well blended, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat. Add the flour mixture slowly, mixing until the batter is nicely smooth. Add the vanilla and 3 tablespoons apple cider and mix in. The batter will be quite thick. Pour the chopped apples into the batter and fold until the apples are coated. Pour into the baking pan and spread. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over the top. Bake for 38–40 minutes.

If using a springform pan, unlatch and remove the outer band. If using a cake pan, turn it out onto a plate and then turn it over onto a rack to cool.

When cool, slowly pour the reduced apple cider over it.

Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

 

For the Sweetened Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream
⅓ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Beat the heavy cream until it begins to take shape. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until the cream holds a firm shape.