FALL DESSERTS

Tanya’s Crumbly Apple Cobbler

SERVES 8

ACTIVE TIME: 1 HOUR

TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR AND 15 MINUTES

I begged my friend Tanya Petrovna, the chef and owner of Native Foods restaurants in California, for the recipe for her cobbler, which is one of the best things I have ever tasted.

7 Granny Smith apples
Grated peel of 1 lemon
2 cups rolled oats
cups unbleached flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
cups safflower oil
¾ cup maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Peel, core, and slice apples in ¼-inch slices. Toss with lemon peel.

3. Arrange in a 9- by 14-inch baking pan.

4. Combine oats, flour, and baking soda well.

5. Mix in liquid ingredients to dry.

6. Spread oats and flour mixture over apples.

7. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

8. Cover with foil, reduce heat to 375°F, and let bake another 35 to 45 minutes until apples are soft.

9. Let cool and serve for dessert or breakfast.

Sweet Potato Pie

SERVES 8

ACTIVE TIME: 1 HOUR AND 10 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR AND 55 MINUTES

This is a nice change from pumpkin pie. There is something down-home about it that everyone loves.

CRUST:

cups whole wheat or all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup Earth Balance “butter,” cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons ice water, or more if needed

FILLING:

2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 (12-ounce) package extra-firm silken tofu, drained and patted dry
¼ cup light brown sugar
Prepared egg replacement mixture for 2 eggs
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F

2. Put washed potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.

MAKE THE CRUST:

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.

2. Use a pastry blender to cut in the Earth Balance “butter” until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

3. Add the ice water a little at a time and blend until dough just starts to hold together.

4. Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic.

5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes while you prepare the filling.

MAKE THE FILLING:

1. In a food processor, combine the sweet potatoes and tofu until well blended.

2. Add the sugar, egg replacer, maple syrup, cornstarch, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg, mixing until smooth and well combined.

COMPLETE THE PIE:

1. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to about 10 inches in diameter.

2. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie plate and trim and crimp the edges.

3. Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 15 minutes.

4. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for another 35 to 45 minutes, or until filling is set.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

SERVES 6

ACTIVE TIME: 10 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR AND 10 MINUTES

Bread pudding is one of the greatest nursery foods. It always reminds me of childhood. Pumpkins make this classic dessert perfect for fall.

4 cups cubed whole grain bread
½ cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
16 ounces fresh or canned pumpkin
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups plain or vanilla hemp milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking pan.

3. Press half the bread cubes and half the pumpkin seeds into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and set aside.

4. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt.

5. Slowly whisk in the hemp milk until smooth and well combined.

6. Pour half of the pumpkin mixture over the bread in the pan, pushing the bread pieces down beneath the pumpkin mixture to moisten them.

7. Top with the remaining bread and pumpkin seeds, followed by the remaining pumpkin mixture.

8. Bake until firm, about 45 minutes.

9. Set aside for 15 minutes and serve, or refrigerate for 2 hours to serve chilled.