Chapter 6

Apple Desserts

Nothing seems to meet with more appreciation than a fresh-baked apple pie. Fresh apples, lightly sugared and fragrant with cinnamon, fill a tender, flaky pastry. Although “easy as pie” doesn’t seem as easy today as it did to our grandmothers, pies are so yummy and beautiful that it is worth the effort to master their making. If you are more comfortable with batter, there are lots of scrumptious apple cakes that will fill your kitchen with good baking smells.

Harvest Apple Pie

Yield: 8 servings

This is my basic apple pie; the only way I vary it is by using different apples (sometimes I use more than one variety) or by rolling out a very large circle of pastry, placing it in a pizza pan, and folding the pastry over the apples to create a very large, half-moon-shaped pie.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 9- or 10-inch pie plate.
  2. 2. Roll out half of the pastry and fit it into the pie plate. Brush with the melted jam and refrigerate.
  3. 3. Place the apples in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice.
  4. 4. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  5. 5. Layer half the apple slices in the chilled pie shell and sprinkle with half the brown sugar mixture. Repeat the ­layers. Scatter the butter pieces over the apples.
  6. 6. Roll out the top crust, place over the filling, trim and flute the edges. Cut 3 steam vents in the center. Brush with the milk and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.
  7. 7. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. If the edges of the crust start to brown too quickly, cover with strips of aluminum foil or a pie-crust shield. Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

French Apple Tart

Yield: 8 servings

This makes a lovely, citrus-accented apple tart that I always vow I’ll make more often, because it is so delicious and also so easy to assemble.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Grease a 10-inch pie plate or flan tin.
  2. 2. Roll out the pastry and fit it into the pie plate. Flute the edges, brush the bottom with the egg white, and refrigerate.
  3. 3. Place half the apples in a medium saucepan (don’t crowd the apples, or it will take longer for the juice to evaporate). In a medium bowl, combine the remaining apples, lemon juice, and granulated sugar, and toss to coat.
  4. 4. To the apple slices in the saucepan, add the brown sugar, orange marmalade, brandy, if desired, and butter. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Remove the cover, beat the mixture, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes longer. The mixture should be thick and smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool.
  5. 5. Preheat the oven to 400°F. When the applesauce has cooled slightly, spoon it into the chilled pie shell and arrange the tossed apple slices decoratively on top. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 30 minutes longer.
  6. 6. In a small saucepan, melt the apple jelly over medium heat and brush over the baked apple slices. Allow to cool before serving.

Apple-Nut Puff Tarts

Yield: 4 servings

I often turn to this recipe when I want to serve “apple pie” to family and friends but find I’m short on time. I use a sheet of frozen puff pastry or the little frozen shells. Call these tarts fast food if you want, but they are delicious. I vary the flavor by using black walnuts or pecans and adding grated citrus zest. Serve with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Ingredients

NOTE: To toast a small amount of chopped nuts, place them in a single layer in a medium heavy skillet and cook over low heat for 5 ­minutes, stirring once after 3 minutes. Remove the toasted nuts to a dish to cool to prevent them from burning in the hot skillet.

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. 2. Place the pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 12-inch square. Using a sharp knife or pastry or pizza cutter, slice the pastry into four 6-inch squares and place them on a baking sheet.
  3. 3. Pinch 1⁄2 inch around the edges of each square, bringing the pastry up to form a lip. Prick the crust in several places with the tines of a fork. Place in the freezer for a few minutes to firm up if the pastry seems too soft.
  4. 4. Bake the tart cases for 15 minutes, or until they are golden and crisp. Keep an eye on them, and if they seem to be puffing up too much, press the pastry down with the back of a spoon. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving plate.
  5. 5. While the pastry is baking, in a medium bowl, combine the pie filling with the nuts and orange zest; add the raisins, if desired.
  6. 6. Melt the marmalade in a small saucepan over low heat.
  7. 7. Spread a spoonful of the marmalade in each tart case and spoon the pie filling on top.

Variations

For little tarts, use a package of frozen puff-pastry shells, thawed and baked according to the package directions. Brush with marmalade and fill as directed.

If you want to make your own filling, peel, core, and slice 4 apples and sauté in 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a covered skillet for 15 minutes, or until soft.

Apple-Picking Tips

If you are interested in getting the freshest apples you can buy, then picking your own apples is the way to go. Here are some tips to get you started:

Apple–Cream Cheese Tart

Yield: 10–12 servings

This scrumptious apple cheesecake in a tart shell is a recipe I received from Ann Kojis Ziff, my longtime friend, who used to bake me the most wonderful birthday cakes when I first came to the United States.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. In a large bowl, cream the butter, 1⁄4 cup of the granulated sugar, and the lemon juice. Stir in the flour until well blended. Press the dough into the bottom and about 11⁄2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate.
  2. 2. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  3. 3. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
  4. 4. In another large bowl, combine the remaining 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar and the cinnamon. Add the apple slices and toss to coat.
  5. 5. Pour the cream cheese filling into the prepared shell and cover with the sugared apple slices. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 40 minutes longer.
  6. 6. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Use a knife to loosen the tart before removing the pan sides.

Phyllo Tarts with Caramelized Apples

Yield: 12 individual tarts

One packet of phyllo contains two individually packaged rolls of dough. A single roll of phyllo will make 12 tarts, so you need to thaw only one of the individual packages. Allow a few hours for the dough to thaw completely in the refrigerator. Use cooking spray (butter or canola oil) instead of melted butter to moisten the layers quickly and neatly. Children attending my cooking camps have made these tarts with ease.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan.
  2. 2. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and allspice in a small bowl. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the apples, stirring to coat with the butter. Sauté for 10 minutes, then sprinkle the sugar mixture over the apples, stirring to combine. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the apples give off a lot of juice, reduce the heat to low and cook until some of the juice evaporates, ­adding an extra tablespoon of sugar if necessary to thicken the mixture. Remove from the heat and let cool.
  3. 3. For the tart shells, remove the thawed phyllo from the refrigerator. Unroll on a plastic cutting board (the phyllo stays moister on a plastic surface than on wood). Cut through the thickness of all the sheets of dough to make three sections measuring 4 by 10 inches. Cut each long section in half crosswise. You now have six sections, each measuring 4 by 5 inches.
  4. 4. Take three or four sheets of dough from each section and pat into the muffin cups. Spray lightly with the nonstick spray. Arrange three or four more sheets across the bottom sheets in the opposite direction and spray again. Arrange three or four more sheets in the opposite direction and spray again. Repeat until all the dough sections have been used. You want at least three layers of four sheets or four layers of three sheets per tart.
  5. 5. Fill the phyllo shells with the cooled caramelized apple slices and bake for 15 minutes. Take a peek after 10 minutes, and if the edges of the tarts are browning too quickly, cover loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper and continue to bake until the filling is hot and bubbly.

Pumpkin-Apple Pie

Yield: 8–10 servings

If you have a hard time choosing between pumpkin pie and apple pie, you’ll want to try this one. It makes a wonderful combination for an autumn dinner. You can easily substitute canned apple slices for the sautéed fresh apples.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a 10-inch pie plate.
  2. 2. Roll out the pastry and fit it into the pie plate. Trim and flute the edges. Refrigerate.
  3. 3. Place the apples in a medium skillet with the butter, cover, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain. If you are using canned apples, simply drain and set aside.
  4. 4. In a medium bowl, beat together the pumpkin, cream, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg until smooth.
  5. 5. Arrange the apple slices in the bottom of the chilled pastry shell and pour the pumpkin mixture over them.
  6. 6. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for 35 to 40 minutes longer, or until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean. Allow to cool before serving.

Apple-Raspberry Pie

Yield: 8 servings

Apples and raspberries go well together, perhaps better than any other apple combination. At least I think so until I taste apples and peaches, apples and strawberries, or apples and cranberries!

Ingredients

NOTE: If you use fresh raspberries, you will need 11⁄2 to 2 cups of berries plus 1⁄2 cup apple or apple-raspberry juice to use in step 3.

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a 9- or 10-inch pie plate.
  2. 2. Roll out half of the pastry and fit it into the pie plate. Spread the raspberry jam over the bottom of the pie shell. Refrigerate.
  3. 3. Pour the reserved raspberry juice into a small saucepan. Stir in the cornstarch and the 1⁄4 cup of sugar. Bring the cornstarch mixture to a boil over low heat, stirring until the juice is thick and smooth. Remove from the heat, stir in the drained raspberries, and let cool.
  4. 4. In a small bowl, combine the flour and the 1⁄2 cup of sugar.
  5. 5. Alternate layers of apple slices and the flour mixture in the chilled pie shell. Top with the cooled raspberry mixture.
  6. 6. Roll out the top crust, place it over the filling, and trim and flute the edges. Cut 3 steam vents in the center. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes longer, or until the crust is golden brown. If the edges start to brown too quickly, cover with strips of aluminum foil. Allow the pie to set for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm, with English Custard Sauce or vanilla ice cream.

Apple-Cranberry Meringue Pie

Yield: 8 servings

This is another recipe given to me by my good friend Ann Kojis Ziff when we worked together in New York City. With its pretty pink interior and lightly golden swirled meringue crust, it is a festive holiday pie.

Ingredients

Meringue Topping

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a 9-inch pie plate.
  2. 2. Roll out the pastry and fit it into the pie plate. Flute the edges, brush the egg white over the pastry, and refrigerate.
  3. 3. In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and ginger. Add the apple slices and toss to coat. Add the sugared apple slices to the chilled pie shell.
  4. 4. In a medium bowl, combine the cranberries and granulated sugar. Using a fork, lightly crush the cranberries. Spread over the apples.
  5. 5. Cover the filling with a piece of aluminum foil in which a 1⁄2-inch vent has been cut in the middle. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 45 minutes longer.
  6. 6. To make the meringue topping, place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar — 2 tablespoons at a time — beating continuously. When the whites are stiff, spread over the hot filling, bringing the meringue to the edges of the crust to form a seal. Return the pie to the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes longer at 350°F, or until golden. Allow the pie to set for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Apple Crumb Pie

Yield: 8 servings

This recipe was given to me by Louise Salinger of Salinger’s Orchard in Brewster, New York. Having been married to an orchardist for 40 years and having raised a family, Louise knew more about apples and pies than anyone I’d met. Her daughter-in-law, Maureen, who is head baker for Salinger’s Orchard Apple Market, is also an apple-baking expert.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Grease a 10-inch pie plate.
  2. 2. Roll out the pastry and fit it into the pie plate. Flute the edges and refrigerate.
  3. 3. Arrange the apple slices in the chilled pie shell.
  4. 4. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, granulated sugar, 1⁄4 cup of the flour, the egg, and the vanilla. Beat until smooth and pour over the apple slices.
  5. 5. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 30 minutes longer.
  6. 6. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1⁄2 cup flour, brown sugar, and butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the pecans and sprinkle over the baked pie.
  7. 7. Return the pie to the oven and bake for 15 minutes ­longer, or until the topping is golden brown.

Top 15 U.S. Apple Varieties

U.S. consumer preference is shifting from the traditional Red Delicious variety to newer varieties such as Fortune, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Jazz, and also some of the latest of the American-bred apples, including SweeTango and Autumn Crisp. According to the U.S. Apple Association in Vienna, Virginia, the following 15 varieties account for more than 90 percent of the annual production. Changes in apple-breeding technology have transformed the appearance and management of today’s orchards. The trees are smaller, which makes them easier to harvest, and they bear apples within just a few years, making them a more efficient investment for orchardists.

Braeburn Honeycrisp
Cortland Idared
Empire Jonagold
Fuji Jonathan
Gala McIntosh
Ginger Gold Red Delicious
Golden Delicious Red Delicious
Granny Smith Rome Beauty
Honeycrisp

Apple, Rhubarb & Strawberry Streusel Pie

Yield: 8 servings

With a streusel oat crumb bottom crust and the same crumbly mixture used to sandwich a luscious combination of fruits, this is a satisfying pie that is wonderfully easy to throw together.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a 10-inch pie plate.
  2. 2. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, and butter until well blended. Take two-thirds of the mixture and press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Refrigerate.
  3. 3. In a large bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, flour, ginger, and nutmeg. Add the apples, rhubarb, and strawberries, and toss to coat. Spread over the chilled streusel base. Sprinkle the remaining one-third streusel mixture over the top.
  4. 4. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for 30 minutes longer, or until golden brown. Let cool before serving.

Almond-Apple Streusel

Yield: 12–16 servings

This makes a great potluck dessert. All the layers can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated, then assembled and baked the day of serving. The almond paste adds a distinctively delicious flavor to this streusel. Many apple varieties work well in this recipe, but I favor those with flesh that bakes into a softer bite.

Streusel Crust and Topping

Apple Layer

Cream Cheese Layer

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. 2. For the streusel, in a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the butter and mash in with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture forms a crumbly mass. Spoon half the mixture into a 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish and press over the bottom but not up the sides.
  3. 3. Crumble the almond paste over the top. If the paste won’t crumble, slice it very thin.
  4. 4. For the apple layer, in a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add the apple slices and toss to coat. Spoon over the streusel crust and set the dish aside.
  5. 5. For the cream cheese layer, in the same bowl used for the apple slices, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and flour. When creamy, beat in the eggs and half-and-half. Pour over the apple mixture and, using a rubber spatula, spread lightly and evenly over the top.
  6. 6. Sprinkle the remaining half of the streusel over the top and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature with a drizzle of White Chocolate–Vanilla Sauce.

White Chocolate–Vanilla Sauce

Yield: about 1⁄2 cup

Ingredients

Instructions

Break up the white chocolate into chunks and place in a microwave-safe 2-cup glass measuring cup. Add the half-and-half and the vanilla. Microwave on high for 45 seconds. Remove and stir until smooth. Add another 1⁄4 cup half-and-half if you prefer a thinner sauce.

Cheese & Apple Tartlets

Yield: 12 tartlets

The homemade apple purée in this recipe is like a thick, smooth sauce. You could also start with store-bought applesauce and cook it down to a thicker consistency. Or you could use thick apple butter.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 12 small muffin cups or a tartlet pan.
  2. 2. Roll out the pastry to a rectangle 1⁄8 inch thick. Using a 3-inch round pastry cutter, cut out 12 circles and fit into the muffin cups. Pat the pastry up the sides and around the rims of the cups and press down around the pastry edges with the tines of a fork.
  3. 3. Prick the base of each pastry cup with a fork and fill each with crumpled aluminum foil or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil or beans and bake for 5 minutes longer. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
  4. 4. Add the apple slices, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and apple juice to a large saucepan, cover, and cook over medium-­low heat until soft, approximately 20 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for 10 minutes longer, or until the moisture has evaporated and the mixture makes a thick purée when crushed with a potato masher. Crush all the apples. Remove from the heat and let cool.
  5. 5. Preheat the broiler. Fill the tartlet crusts with the cooled apple purée. Top with the cheddar and broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat for 1 minute, or until the cheese has melted. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Apple Envelope

Yield: 2–4 servings

I love the rustic look of this pie, and I like how fast it is to make. And it’s faster still if I opt to use frozen puff or phyllo pastry. The flavorings are very basic; if you like, you can add 1⁄2 teaspoon each of ground nutmeg and ground ginger. Or replace the allspice with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or add grated orange or lemon zest.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a baking sheet.
  2. 2. In a medium bowl, combine the apple slices, raisins, honey, and allspice.
  3. 3. Roll out the pastry to a circle approximately 10 inches in diameter. Spoon the apple mixture over the lower half of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the lower ­border with milk, fold the top half of the dough over the apples, and press to seal. Crimp the edges with the tines of a fork.
  4. 4. Place on the prepared baking sheet, brush with milk, and sprinkle with sugar.
  5. 5. Bake for 45 minutes. Serve warm with English Custard Sauce or heavy cream.

Apple Pizza

Yield: 8 servings

This is really a single-crust tart, but using mozzarella as a cheese base makes it more like a pizza — a special sweet pizza.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 12-inch pizza pan.
  2. 2. Roll the pastry into a 13-inch circle and place in the prepared pan. Form a rim around the edges. Bake for 10 minutes.
  3. 3. Arrange the apple slices on the pizza crust and sprinkle with the cheese.
  4. 4. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sprinkle over the cheese. Dot with the butter. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Serve hot.

Apples in Low-Fat Baking

Apple juice adds a natural sweetness and moistness and can help you reduce fat in your baking. Your cakes will still be moist but much lower in fat. When beginning to experiment with eliminating some or most of the oil in baked goods, start by substituting applesauce (other fruit purées work the same way) for one-quarter the amount of fat and then work up to one-half the fat called for in a recipe. I substitute applesauce for 100 percent of the fat when making my healthiest breakfast breads and muffins. I prefer the enhanced flavor and the moister texture.

Apple Turnovers

Yield: 8 turnovers

The simplest way to make turnovers is to use frozen puff pastry or a package of pastry crusts. However, homemade pastry is easy to accomplish and is superior to most commercial pastry dough.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Grease a large baking sheet.
  2. 2. Place the apple slices in a medium bowl and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Scatter the butter pieces over the apples.
  3. 3. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cornstarch. Stir into the apple mixture.
  4. 4. Divide the pastry into 8 equal parts and roll out into 6- or 7-inch squares. Spoon the filling onto the center of each square. Brush the edges with milk and fold over to make a triangle. Press the edges together to seal and crimp with the tines of a fork. Using a sharp knife, make a steam vent in the middle of each. Place on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  5. 5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F.
  6. 6. Brush the turnovers with milk and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Louise Salinger’s Apple Pastry Squares

Yield: 20 servings

Louise was always busy baking something. You’ll find more of her recipes elsewhere in this book. (See Apple Tea Bread, Apple Meat Loaf, and Apple Crumb Pie.)

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. In a medium bowl, cut the butter into the flour with two knives or a pastry blender, or use a food processor.
  2. 2. In a small bowl, beat the milk and egg. Add to the flour mixture and stir to form a stiff dough. Divide into 2 pieces and refrigerate.
  3. 3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease and flour a 151⁄2-inch jelly-roll pan.
  4. 4. In a medium bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Add the apple slices and toss to coat.
  5. 5. Roll out half of the dough to fit the bottom of the prepared pan and sprinkle with the cereal flakes to within 1⁄2 inch of the edges. Spoon the apple mixture over the flakes.
  6. 6. Roll out the remaining dough and place over the apples. Pinch the edges together to seal. Brush the pastry with milk. Bake for 1 hour. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
  7. 7. While the pastry is still slightly warm, in a small bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, water, and vanilla. Spread over the pastry. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Flaky Pastry

Yield: two 10-inch piecrusts, 8 dumplings, or twelve 6-inch turnovers

Although not as richly flavored as a crust made with all butter, pastry made with vegetable shortening is more tender. This is one of the most basic pastry doughs to make for piecrusts.

Ingredients

NOTE: If the jam is too solid or too cold to spread, melt it first, but let it cool before brushing onto the pastry.

Instructions

  1. 1. Sift the flour into a medium bowl. Cut in the shortening with two knives or a pastry blender, or use a food processor, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the sugar, if desired.
  2. 2. Using a fork, stir in the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms a ball. Too much water or overmixing will make the crust tough.
  3. 3. Divide the dough into 2 pieces and flatten into 6-inch disks. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  4. 4. Roll out one of the disks to a 12-inch circle about 1⁄8 inch thick. Loosely fold the circle in half, fit into a buttered pie plate (butter browns and crisps the pastry more than shortening), and trim, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Brush the crust with beaten egg white to help prevent the bottom from becoming soggy. Refrigerate until the filling is ready.
  5. 5. Roll out the second piece of dough. Carefully lift the pastry and place over the filling. Trim, if necessary. Seal to the bottom crust. Flute the edges, cut two or three steam vents in the center, and brush with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Bake according to the recipe directions.

Short Pastry

Yield: two 9-inch piecrusts, 6 dumplings, or eight to ten 6-inch turnovers

A really good basic pastry for piecrusts, this is called short pastry because of its high ratio of shortening to flour.

Ingredients

NOTE: If the jam is too solid or too cold to spread, melt it first, but let it cool before brushing onto the pastry.

Instructions

  1. 1. Sift the flour into a medium bowl. Cut in the shortening and butter with two knives or a pastry blender, or use a food processor, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the sugar, if desired.
  2. 2. Using a fork, stir in the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms a ball. Too much water or overmixing will make the crust tough.
  3. 3. Divide the dough into 2 pieces and flatten into 6-inch disks. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  4. 4. Roll out one of the disks to a 12-inch circle about 1⁄8 inch thick. Loosely fold the circle in half, fit into a buttered pie plate (butter browns and crisps the pastry more than shortening), and trim, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Brush the crust with beaten egg white to help prevent the bottom from becoming soggy. Refrigerate until the filling is ready.
  5. 5. Roll out the second piece of dough. Carefully lift the pastry and place over the filling. Trim, if necessary. Seal to the bottom crust. Flute the edges, cut two or three steam vents in the center, and brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Bake according to the recipe directions.

Cheese Pastry

Yield: two 9-inch piecrusts, 6 dumplings, or eight to ten 6-inch turnovers

Use this pastry for a change when making a plain apple pie, apple turnovers, or dumplings.

Ingredients

NOTE: If the jam is too solid or too cold to spread, melt it first, but let it cool before brushing onto the pastry.

Instructions

  1. 1. Sift the flour into a medium bowl and cut in the shortening with two knives or a pastry blender, or use a food processor, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the cheese with a fork.
  2. 2. Using a fork, stir in the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms a ball. Too much water or overmixing will make the crust tough.
  3. 3. Divide the dough into 2 pieces and flatten into 6-inch disks. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  4. 4. Roll out one of the disks to a 12-inch circle about 1⁄8 inch thick. Loosely fold the circle in half, fit into a buttered pie plate (butter browns and crisps the pastry more than shortening), and trim, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Brush the crust with beaten egg white to help prevent the bottom from becoming soggy. Refrigerate until the filling is ready.
  5. 5. Roll out the second piece of dough. Carefully lift the pastry and place over the filling. Trim, if necessary. Seal to the bottom crust. Flute the edges, cut two or three steam vents in the center, and brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Bake according to the recipe directions.

Butter Piecrust

Yield: one 12-inch piecrust or twelve small tart shells

This is deliciously like shortbread cookies — rich and buttery.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Sift the flour into a medium bowl and cut in the butter with two knives or a pastry blender, or use a food processor. Stir in the sugar, if desired.
  2. 2. In a small bowl, mix together the water and lemon juice. Using a fork, stir the liquid into the flour mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms a ball. Too much water or overmixing will make the crust tough.
  3. 3. Flatten the dough into a 6-inch disk. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  4. 4. Roll out the pastry to a 12-inch circle about 1⁄8 inch thick. Loosely fold the circle in half, fit into a buttered pie plate (butter browns and crisps the pastry more than shortening), and trim, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  5. 5. To bake an unfilled pie shell, prick the bottom and sides of the pastry with a fork to allow air to escape during baking. Bake in a preheated 450°F oven for 10 minutes (prebaked) or 20 minutes (fully baked).

Variation: Whole-Wheat Crust

Substitute 1⁄3 cup whole-wheat flour for 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour, and add a drop more water, if necessary. You can substitute an equal amount of the less dense white whole-wheat flour, but you may need to add an additional tablespoon of water.

Terri’s Quick Apple Cake

Yield: 8 servings

I knew Terri Booth when she worked at the U.S. Apple Association. She calls this her “company’s coming” cake. It’s definitely a fast and winning recipe for a party or when you’re expecting weekend guests. Terri’s house is like an apple museum, featuring apple memorabilia in the thousands.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 10- by 14-inch baking dish.
  2. 2. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the cake mix, ­butter, coconut, and water.
  3. 3. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes and remove from the oven.
  4. 4. Spread the apple slices over the baked cake crust. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Reserving 1 tablespoon of the mixture for the topping, sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the apple slices.
  5. 5. In another small bowl, beat together the sour cream and yolks. Drizzle over the apple slices.
  6. 6. Sprinkle the reserved 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon mixture over the top. Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Hollabaugh Bros. Orchards

Owners: Hollabaugh Family

Kay and Brad Hollabaugh are part of a four-generation family farming the Hollabaugh Bros. Orchard on 500 acres in Biglerville, Pennsylvania. Their sons and daughters chose to return to the farm to work in their various areas of expertise after graduating from Pennsylvania State University.

The Hollabaughs grow a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, including 120,000 trees planted with apricots, plums, peaches, and apples. Biglerville is in the Adams County apple belt and is one of the top 10 apple-picking destinations in the country.

They also have a farm market bakery where they sell fruit pies, apple dumplings, apple cider doughnuts, and sticky buns. “We bake everything fresh daily,” says Kay Hollabaugh, who manages the market as well as many of the office duties.

She is also very active in the Adams County Conservation Association and points out that their farm is certified GAP (Good Agricultural Practices), and as such they follow low-risk advanced integrated pest management in the orchards, allowing them to grow fruits and vegetables with the least impact on the environment. Says Kay, “There is something very special about seeing the first fruits to come from the tree, whether it’s apricots or plums, peaches, or apples. The nice thing about working on a farm is that just as things are getting to the point where you are sick of doing them, it’s time to do something else. Spring bedding plants arrive and then leave, peaches come and go, apples are here and then gone, and soon it starts all over again with winter pruning and spring planting. I love being a participant in the stewardship of the land.”

Note: see Kay Hollabaugh’s Apple-Nut Cake

Kay Hollabaugh’s Apple-Nut Cake

Yield: 8–12 servings

Busy with a farm and a young family, Kay also spends a lot of time in the kitchen. This apple-nut cake is her favorite apple dessert because it’s rich, sweet, delicious, and loaded with fresh apples!

Ingredients

Topping

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish.
  2. 2. Add the granulated sugar, oil, and eggs to a large bowl and beat well.
  3. 3. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, apples, nuts, and vanilla, and mix until completely combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 1 hour.
  4. 4. To make the topping, in a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, and milk, and bring to a low boil over medium heat. Stir the mixture together and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool.
  5. 5. Remove the cake from the oven. Immediately poke the tines of a fork down through the cake (about 15 jabs all around the cake) and pour the topping over the hot cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chocolate-Applesauce Cake

Yield: 14–16 servings

This is a very moist, rich cake. Take care that the applesauce is not too liquid, or the cake will be more like a pudding. So, if you are using homemade applesauce, make sure it’s more apple than liquid. Otherwise, reduce the amount of applesauce by 1⁄2 cup.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and dust with the graham cracker crumbs.
  2. 2. Place the chocolate in a small ovenproof bowl and place in the oven. Set the oven temperature to 350°F and remove the chocolate after 10 minutes to finish melting in the hot bowl. Alternatively, place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals until melted, stirring each time.
  3. 3. In a medium bowl, cream the brown sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the melted chocolate.
  4. 4. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon into another medium bowl.
  5. 5. Stir approximately 1⁄2 cup of the flour mixture and 1⁄2 cup of the applesauce into the batter. Continue adding and combining the ingredients until all have been mixed into the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  6. 6. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. The cake will shrink. Use a knife to loosen the cake before releasing the spring and lifting the sides from the bottom of the pan. Cool completely before serving.

Applesauce Gingerbread

Yield: 12–16 servings

This is one of my favorite cakes. Depending on the thickness of the applesauce, this cake can turn out more puddinglike than it should be. If your applesauce is a little on the thin side, reduce the amount of applesauce to O cup to be sure of the desired texture.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9- by 13-inch baking dish.
  2. 2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Pour into a medium bowl. Beat in the brown sugar and molasses. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the applesauce. Sift the flour, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon into the applesauce mixture and stir to completely combine.
  3. 3. Spoon the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
  4. 4. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then finish cooling on a wire rack.
  5. 5. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

New York Apple-Bourbon Cake

Yield: 8–12 servings

This recipe has been adapted from the New York State Apple Association. Its spokesperson, Julia Stewart, says this cake gets rave reviews because people love the flavor of the bourbon and spices. If bourbon is not to your liking, you can substitute apple cider or juice.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish.
  2. 2. Place the apples in a large shallow dish and pour the bourbon over the apples. Cover and set aside, stirring occasionally to keep the apples evenly coated with the bourbon.
  3. 3. In a medium bowl, beat together the sugar, oil, and eggs with a whisk until completely combined.
  4. 4. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves into a large bowl. Stir in the nuts, the egg mixture, and the bourbon-soaked apples with their liquor.
  5. 5. Spoon the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
  6. 6. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or Breezy Hill Hard Sauce.

Apple Kuchen

Yield: 12 servings

If you’re pressed for time, substitute a cake mix for the flour, sugar, baking powder, and butter. Then add the liquids, apples, and topping.

Ingredients

Glaze

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish.
  2. 2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and baking powder. Cut in the butter with two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. 3. In a small bowl, beat together the egg, apple juice, and vanilla. Stir into the crumb mixture. Spread the batter in the prepared baking dish. Arrange the apple slices over the batter. Dot with the pecan halves.
  4. 4. For the glaze, melt the butter and honey in a small saucepan over low heat. Pour over the apples and pecans.
  5. 5. Bake for 35 minutes. Serve warm.

Simple Spice Frosting

For a cream cheese frosting with a special flavor, combine 8 ounces softened cream cheese, 1 stick softened butter, 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons apple juice, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a large bowl and beat until fluffy. Spread on top of fruit breads and cakes.

Oatmeal-Apple Cupcakes

Yield: 24 cupcakes

As cupcakes go, these little morsels are pretty nutritious — so much so that they can double as breakfast muffins.

Ingredients

Apple Glaze (optional)

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
  2. 2. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Beat in the honey, applesauce, and eggs.
  3. 3. In another medium bowl, mix together the flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and allspice. Stir into the applesauce mixture.
  4. 4. Fill the paper cups half full with the batter. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the muffin pans and cool on wire racks.
  5. 5. If using the apple glaze, mix the cornstarch with a little of the apple juice in a small bowl to make a smooth paste.
  6. 6. Add the remaining apple juice to a small saucepan set over low heat. Gradually add the cornstarch paste and cook, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth. Stir in the apple juice concentrate and cinnamon. Remove from the heat. If a sweeter glaze is desired, beat in the confectioners’ sugar.
  7. 7. Cool slightly and spoon over the cooled cupcakes, if desired.

Apple Strudel

Yield: 2 strudels/10–12 slices

If you like to bake with a firm, tart apple such as Granny Smith, I recommend you precook the slices, because phyllo pastry bakes easily in 30 minutes, not enough time for hard apples to break down. When I attended a course at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, we roasted diced Granny Smith apples for 30 minutes prior to assembling the strudel. I prefer to eliminate this step and use a less-firm apple sliced very thin. A food processor or mandoline makes short work of this process.

Ingredients

Icing

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a large baking sheet or line with parchment paper to fit. Place the apple slices in a large bowl and toss with the vanilla. Add the brown sugar, walnuts, raisins, and cinnamon, and stir to combine. Set aside.
  2. 2. Use 6 sheets of phyllo per strudel. Keep the remaining 6 sheets of phyllo enclosed in plastic wrap or damp paper towels. Lay the first 1 or 2 sheets of phyllo on a plastic cutting board (this will ease the transference to the baking sheet). Brush with melted butter or lightly coat with cooking spray. Repeat until all 6 sheets are buttered and stacked. (If you pick up two sheets at a time, it does not matter. Just keep working so the sheets don’t dry out and crack too much.)
  3. 3. Brush the last sheet with half of the melted preserves and sprinkle half of the graham cracker crumbs over the top.
  4. 4. Have a long side of the stacked sheets nearest to you to make rolling easy. Spoon half the reserved apple filling down the long side near to you, keeping it 1 inch from that edge and also about 1 inch from the short edges. Fold the left and right edges in over the filling and then roll the filling side over onto the dough and keep rolling toward the top until totally enclosed. It’s just like making a burrito.
  5. 5. Carefully slide the strudel onto the prepared baking sheet, seam side down, and brush with melted butter or spray with cooking spray. Lightly score the dough into 5 or 6 equal portions. Repeat with the remaining 6 sheets of phyllo and filling.
  6. 6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. If the strudels appear to be browning too quickly, lightly cover with a sheet of parchment paper and continue baking.
  7. 7. For the icing, in a small bowl, stir together the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and drizzle over the warm strudels. Cut the strudels following the score marks and serve warm.

Apple-Molasses Cookies

Yield: about 40 cookies

Anything that tastes of molasses and ginger takes me right back to childhood. Whereas chocolate cookies and bars were not considered the best fare for school snacks, I was given unlimited freedom to eat gingersnaps. My mother thought they were healthful because they contained molasses, a good source of iron.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, ginger, baking soda, and nutmeg.
  2. 2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs and beat until combined. Beat in the molasses and apple juice. Stir in the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour.
  3. 3. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease two large baking sheets.
  4. 4. Using a tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of the dough 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Remove from the pans and cool on wire racks.

National Apple Month

October positively sings of apples and autumn. It’s no wonder the apple connoisseurs have turned it into National Apple Month. A visit to the orchards at this time of year is a wonderful assault on the senses. The soft autumn days are redolent with the winey fragrance of ripe fruit and the woody smell of smoke that lingers in the damp air.

Apple & Date Squares

Yield: 16 squares

You can make these squares with other dried fruits — raisins, cranberries, blueberries, or cherries. Or use a cup of mixed fruits.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking dish.
  2. 2. In a medium bowl, cream the brown sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Stir in the apple chunks, dates, and nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking dish.
  3. 3. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. When cool, cut into squares.

Apple-Cinnamon Squares

Yield: 16 squares

The combination of apples and cinnamon is one of the all-time greats. If you like cinnamon, you’ll love this recipe — it’s bursting with it.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking dish.
  2. 2. Melt 1⁄2 cup of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and add the vanilla. Stir in the whole-wheat flour. Sift in the all-purpose flour, 11⁄2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, the baking powder, and the baking soda. Stir to combine. Add the diced apple and raisins and mix well. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
  3. 3. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons cinnamon and the granulated sugar. Sprinkle over the batter.
  4. 4. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat and drizzle over the sugar and cinnamon.
  5. 5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. When cool, cut into squares.

Sweet Applesauce

Yield: about 51⁄2 cups

A dessert applesauce, this is delicious all on its own.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Place the apples in a large saucepan with the honey, apple juice, butter, cinnamon, and ginger. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat for approximately 30 minutes, or until the apples are tender.
  2. 2. Purée in a blender or food processor. Stir in more honey to taste, if desired.

Maple Apple Crisp

Yield: 6–8 servings

So good and so easy, there’s no excuse not to make dessert from scratch — especially if you substitute apple-pie filling for fresh apple slices, because you’ll knock almost 10 minutes off the preparation.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a deep 2-quart baking dish.
  2. 2. In a medium bowl, combine the granola, brown sugar, oats, nuts, and cinnamon. Using your fingers, blend in the butter.
  3. 3. Place the apple slices in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the maple syrup and lemon juice.
  4. 4. Cover the apples with the granola mixture and bake for 40 minutes, or until the apples are tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.

Apple-Blackberry Crisp

There are pounds of blackberries for the picking on the hills behind my family’s house in Argyll, Scotland. Although most are used for jams and jellies, some find their way into dessert dishes such as this delectable one.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a deep 2-quart baking dish.
  2. 2. Place the apple slices in a medium saucepan, cover, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and add the blackberries.
  3. 3. In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and the 2 tablespoons flour. Stir into the apple slices and blackberries.
  4. 4. In a medium bowl, mix together the 1 cup flour, the brown sugar, and cinnamon. Using two knives or a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  5. 5. Sprinkle over the apple filling and bake for 30 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden brown. Serve warm with English Custard Sauce or heavy cream.

Apple-Rhubarb Slump

Yield: 8 servings

Slump is a New England name for a fruit dessert topped with a sweet dumpling mixture. On Cape Cod, traditionalists call slumps grunts. In other parts of the country, they fall under the heading of cobblers. No matter what they’re called, they all taste good.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
  2. 2. Place the apples, rhubarb, the 3⁄4 cup sugar, the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in a medium saucepan and cook, covered, over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, or until the apple slices are tender but not falling apart.
  3. 3. Sift the flour and baking powder into a medium bowl. Stir in the 2 tablespoons sugar. Using two knives or a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the milk and vanilla and stir until just blended. Do not overmix.
  4. 4. Pour the hot apple-rhubarb mixture into the prepared baking dish and spoon the dough in dollops over the top.
  5. 5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm with English Custard Sauce or whipped cream.

Barbara Mullin’s Apple Cobbler

Yield: 8 servings

Working every day at Haight Orchards in Croton Falls, New York, Barbara didn’t have much time for fancy cooking. Her recipe for apple cobbler is simple and superb.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
  2. 2. Place the apple slices in the prepared baking dish.
  3. 3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon. In a small bowl, beat the egg lightly. Stir into the sugar mixture. Spoon the batter over the sliced apples.
  4. 4. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and drizzle over the batter.
  5. 5. Bake for 45 minutes. The apples will be tender and the topping golden. Serve warm or cold with your favorite accompaniment.

Johnny Appleseed

The most famous apple-seed sower was John Chapman, or Johnny Appleseed, as everyone came to know him. Born in Massachusetts in 1774, he left home at an early age to follow the pioneers to the new frontiers with the intention of teaching the Bible and planting apple nurseries from seeds and cuttings. He accomplished his mission, and when he died in Indiana in 1854, he was making his customary rounds of his many apple trees.

Apple-Apricot Cobbler

Yield: 8 servings

A cobbler topping is somewhere between cake and biscuit batter, so it develops a slightly crusty texture. This apple-apricot cobbler is one of my favorites, especially with the bright touch of orange juice.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
  2. 2. Cut the apricots in half, place in a medium saucepan, and cover with the orange juice. Add the apple slices to the apricots along with the 1⁄2 cup brown sugar, the allspice, cloves, and ginger. Mix well and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
  3. 3. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and stir in the vanilla. Stir in the flour and baking powder and beat until blended.
  4. 4. Spread the apple mixture in the prepared baking dish and cover with the batter. Sprinkle the top with the 1 tablespoon brown sugar.
  5. 5. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

English Apple Crumble

Yield: 8 servings

I grew up eating my mother’s fruit crumble. It’s like a crisp but not as rich. She would use all apples or whatever other fruits were growing in the garden — rhubarb, blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, and sometimes a combination of whatever was in season.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
  2. 2. Place the apple slices in a medium saucepan with the 1⁄3 cup sugar, the lemon juice, and the cinnamon. Cook over low heat, stirring once or twice, for 10 minutes, or until the apple slices are tender but not falling apart. Spoon into the prepared baking dish.
  3. 3. In a small bowl, combine the flour and the 1⁄4 cup sugar. Cut in the butter with two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the apples. (I like to sprinkle the crumbs with 2 teaspoons sugar.)
  4. 4. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Apple-Raisin Crunch

Yield: 8 servings

For a really decadent crunch, crisp, or cobbler, drizzle a few tablespoons of melted butter over the top before popping it into the oven.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
  2. 2. In the prepared baking dish, combine the apple slices with the raisins, orange juice, the 2 tablespoons brown sugar, the allspice, and the orange zest.
  3. 3. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, the 1 cup brown sugar, the oats, and the cinnamon. Cut in the butter with two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the apples and raisins.
  4. 4. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden.

Apples and Love

It’s said that the game of bobbing for apples began as a Celtic New Year’s tradition for trying to determine one’s future spouse.

Johnny Appleseed Squares

Yield: 8 servings

This is another fast and easy recipe from the files of the U.S. Apple Association. It appeals to me because I love sweetened condensed milk, and because it can be thrown together in the blink of an eye. You don’t need to peel the apples if they have thin skins.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking dish.
  2. 2. In a medium bowl, combine the apple slices with the condensed milk and cinnamon.
  3. 3. Measure 1 cup of the biscuit mix into a medium bowl and cut in 1⁄2 cup of the butter with two knives or a pastry blender until it resembles large crumbs. Stir in the apple mixture and spoon the batter into the prepared baking dish.
  4. 4. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1⁄2 cup biscuit mix with the brown sugar. Cut in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter until crumbly. Stir in the nuts.
  5. 5. Sprinkle the nut mixture over the apple batter and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  6. 6. Cut into squares and serve warm with vanilla yogurt or ice cream.

Sherried Apple Crêpes

Yield: 8 servings

The whipped cream folded into the filling makes these very special party crêpes.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. In a medium saucepan, combine the apple slices with the jam, granulated sugar, raisins, almonds, apple juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the apples are soft and the mixture is thick. Let cool.
  2. 2. Make the crêpes following the dessert variation of the Basic Crêpes recipe.
  3. 3. In a medium bowl, whip the cream until thickened, stir in the confectioners’ sugar and sherry, and continue beating until soft peaks form.
  4. 4. Fold half of the whipped cream into the cooled apple mixture. Spread the filling over the crêpes, fold in half, then in half again to form triangles. Top each crêpe with a spoonful of the remaining whipped cream.

Meringue-Topped Baked Apples

Yield: 8 servings

This dessert has always been a favorite with my daughter, Wendy. Not one for cakes, she loves any meringue dessert. Because I didn’t make this recipe regularly, it encouraged her to start baking at a very early age.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish.
  2. 2. Arrange the apple halves, cut side up, in the prepared baking dish.
  3. 3. Heat the apple juice, honey, butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small saucepan, stirring over low heat until the butter has melted. Pour over the apples. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes longer, or until tender.
  4. 4. In a wide bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy. Add the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, and continue beating until soft peaks form.
  5. 5. Spoon the meringue over each warm apple half and bake for 10 minutes, or until the meringue is tinged golden brown. Serve warm.

Baked Apple Slices

Yield: 6–8 servings

When you want a very simple dessert that is neither heavy nor rich, this is a good one to choose. Moreover, you can eat the leftovers for breakfast or serve them as a side dish at dinner.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a large baking dish.
  2. 2. Arrange the apple wedges in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
  3. 3. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Sprinkle over the apples.
  4. 4. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir in the apple juice. Drizzle over the apples. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
  5. 5. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes longer. Serve warm.

Calvados & Cider Soufflé

Yield: 6 servings

This recipe is from Patty Power, who, with husband Rob Miller, owns the Distillery Lane Ciderworks in Jefferson, Maryland. Read about them here.

Soufflé

Calvados Whipped Cream

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Brush six 6-ounce soufflé cups with the butter and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the sugar.
  2. 2. Bring the cider to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking at a low boil until the cider is reduced to 2 syrupy tablespoons.
  3. 3. Combine the milk and the remaining 4 tablespoons sugar in a medium cold saucepan and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the flour completely, then add the cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and cider reduction. Cook this mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat. Stir in the Calvados and the egg yolks.
  4. 4. In a large bowl, whip the egg whites until firm peaks form — do not overbeat. Fold approximately one-quarter of the beaten whites into the mixture in the saucepan, then carefully fold this mixture into the remaining beaten whites — do not overmix. Divide this final mixture among the six soufflé cups. Run a knife around the edge of each cup to help with the rising. Carefully slide 2 or 3 apple slices into the center of each soufflé. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the soufflés have risen and are golden brown on top.
  5. 5. For the Calvados whipped cream, in a medium bowl, combine the cream and sugar and whip until soft peaks form. Add the Calvados and whip until incorporated. Serve with the soufflés.

Vanilla Soufflé

Yield: 8 servings

Not your usual soufflé, this uses caramelized apple slices to create a sauce.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 11⁄2-quart soufflé dish. In a small bowl, mix together the 1⁄3 cup sugar with the cinnamon. Set aside.
  2. 2. In a large skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat and sauté the apples for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture over the apples and sauté until they begin to caramelize and are tender, about 10 minutes. The mixture will be syrupy. Spoon into the prepared soufflé dish.
  3. 3. Bring the milk and the remaining 3 tablespoons butter almost to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat.
  4. 4. In a medium bowl, combine the 1⁄4 cup sugar and the flour. Beat egg yolks and vanilla together in a small bowl, and then stir them into the sugar mixture. Pour in the milk mixture and beat for 30 seconds.
  5. 5. Pour the mixture into the same saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Do not overcook, or the eggs will scramble.
  6. 6. Using a wire whisk or an electric beater, beat the egg whites in a large bowl with the cream of tartar until they form smooth, shiny peaks. Stir approximately one-third of the beaten whites into the egg yolk mixture, then carefully and quickly fold in the rest.
  7. 7. Spoon the soufflé over the apple base and bake for 15 minutes, until puffed and golden. Serve immediately. Sprinkle with the confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

Apple-Cinnamon Soufflé

Yield: 4 servings

This is a very easy soufflé to make. For an adult dessert, reduce the milk by 2 tablespoons and add 2 tablespoons applejack or Calvados.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease and flour a 1-quart soufflé dish. Cut a piece of aluminum foil long enough to wrap around the outside of the dish and wide enough to extend 3 inches above the dish. Tie the foil collar around the dish and use a paper clip to hold the ends together where they overlap. Spray the inside of the foil collar with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. 2. Bring the milk and butter almost to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat.
  3. 3. Combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl or blender. Add the egg yolks and beat or blend until combined. Pour in the milk mixture and beat or blend for 30 seconds. Pour into the same small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes, or until the mixture thickens.
  4. 4. Stir in the applesauce.
  5. 5. Using a wire whisk or an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a large bowl with the cream of tartar until they form smooth, shiny peaks. Stir approximately one-third of the beaten whites into the egg yolk mixture, then carefully and quickly fold in the rest until it is evenly distributed but not deflated.
  6. 6. Pour into the prepared soufflé dish and bake for 35 minutes. It will be puffed and golden. Gently remove the foil collar and serve the soufflé or at least show it off immediately; it will start to collapse once out of the oven.

Two Simple Apple Desserts

The apple sorbet is a lovely, light dessert to serve after a heavy meal. While the classic English fool is not quite as refreshing, it is still a light cloud of whipped cream and fruit. Although traditionally made with gooseberries, other fruits are often used with splendid results.

Apple Sorbet

Yield: 1 quart

Instructions

  1. 1. Combine the apple juice, applesauce, honey, and ginger in a medium bowl, blender, or food processor, and blend. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
  2. 2. Pour into an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Or pour into a shallow dish and place in the freezer for about 1 hour, then beat the mixture, cover with aluminum foil, and freeze until firm.

Apple Fool

Yield: 6 servings

Instructions

  1. 1. Pour the cream into a medium bowl. Add the sugar and beat until stiff.
  2. 2. Fold in the applesauce.
  3. 3. Spoon into individual dessert dishes and sprinkle with the cinnamon.

Apple-Honey Frozen Yogurt

Yield: 5 cups

This frozen treat is very simple to make in an ice cream maker, but if you don’t have one, simply freeze the mixture in a dish, purée in a food processor or blender (to break up the crystals), then refreeze.

If you have applesauce on hand, using it in place of fresh apples will speed up the process.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Place the apples in a microwave-safe dish and add the apple juice and cinnamon stick. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 2 minutes. If the apples are not quite tender, stir and microwave for 45 seconds longer. Allow to cool.
  2. 2. Remove the cinnamon stick and transfer the apples with their juice to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add the honey and confectioners’ sugar and process until smooth. Add the yogurt and half-and-half and process until combined. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
  3. 3. Pour into an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Serve soft if you like, or place in the freezer to harden.

Apple Sponge Pudding

Yield: 6–8 servings

In Britain and in many other regions, dessert is referred to as the “sweet” or the “pudding.” Ever since I can remember, we called it pudding. This is not surprising, because many of our desserts were, in fact, sponge or suet puddings containing fruits or preserves. Apple sponge is one of the classics.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 11⁄2- or 2-quart deep baking dish.
  2. 2. Place the apple slices in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle the honey over the apples.
  3. 3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the lemon juice. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Pour the mixture over the apples and smooth the top.
  4. 4. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the pudding.
  5. 5. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the pudding comes out clean. Serve warm with English Custard Sauce, heavy cream, or whipped cream.

Microwave Apple Bread Pudding

Yield: 4–6 servings

I grew up eating steamed puddings made from cake batter or day-old bread. They were dense but amazingly light and usually flavored with fruit.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Pour the milk into a 4-cup microwave-safe glass dish and add the chopped apples. Microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the milk forms small bubbles around the sides but is not boiling.
  2. 2. Combine the bread and walnuts in a 11⁄2-quart soufflé dish.
  3. 3. In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Slowly whisk in 1⁄2 cup of the milk from the apple mixture. Stirring continuously, slowly pour the egg mixture into the remaining milk and apples.
  4. 4. Pour the apple mixture over the bread and nuts. Cover the top of the dish with wax paper.
  5. 5. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove the dish and stir the mixture gently. Cover with the wax paper.
  6. 6. Microwave on medium for 11⁄2 minutes, remove the dish, and stir the edges into the center. Cover with the wax paper.
  7. 7. Microwave on medium for 11⁄2 minutes longer. The pudding will not be fully set in the middle.
  8. 8. Remove the wax paper. Let the pudding sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NOTE: To bake in an ordinary oven, preheat to 400°F. Set the uncovered dish in a large baking pan. Add enough boiling water to come 1 inch up the sides of the dish. Bake for 25 minutes, or until puffy and golden.

Breezy Hill Hard Sauce

Yield: about 21⁄2 cups

Elizabeth Ryan likes to offer this hard sauce with apple Betty, crisps, and other baked goodies served warm from the oven.

Ingredients

Instructions

In a medium bowl, cream the sugar, butter, and Calvados until light and fluffy. Chill for 2 hours before serving.

Breezy Hill Orchard

Owner: Elizabeth Ryan

For over 25 years, Elizabeth Ryan has owned and operated Breezy Hill Orchard and Cider Mill in Staatsburg, New York. Located in the historic Hudson Valley, the orchard features more than 100 varieties of apples and other fruits grown under her environmental stewardship. Ryan also operates the 200-year-old Stone Ridge Orchard in Stone Ridge, New York.

Breezy Hill and Stone Ridge orchards are Eco Apple certified by the Northeast organization Red Tomato. The certification means that all of the apples produced from both orchards are certified low spray, as well as indicating the fair trade and fair labor practices of the business.

Ryan, who studied pomology and pest management at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, has created a showplace for old varieties.

Among her heirloom and antique varieties are Jonathan, Stayman, Golden Russet, King Luscious, and Opalescent. She also grows some of the more modern hybrids, such as Jonagold, Gala, Fuji, Ginger Gold, Macoun, and Honeycrisp. The fruit from both orchards and a line of artisan baked goods and cider are sold at Breezy Hill’s farm market, which also features a wide variety of gourmet products and farm produce grown by local farms using sustainable farming practices.

Ryan’s sustainable practices include releasing beneficial insects into the orchards instead of using pesticides. She has collaborated with four institutions on several experiments related to predator-insect use in her orchards. Besides Cornell University, the University of Vermont, and Rutgers University, she has also worked with the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania. “To encourage the beneficials to stay, we provide shelter and food for them by allowing vegetation to grow under the apple trees,” explains Ryan. “Unsprayed apples are pretty funky looking, but they taste good.”

Note: See the Breezy Hill Hard Sauce recipe.

Applesauce Brownies

Yield: 16 servings

The applesauce adds moistness to these brownies without detracting from the chocolate flavor. If you make your own applesauce, make sure it does not contain too much liquid. It it’s very thin, drain it a little or cut back to 3⁄4 cup applesauce.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking dish.
  2. 2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and beat in the brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla. Sift in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir to combine. Stir in the pecans.
  3. 3. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into squares and serve.

English Custard Sauce

Yield: 2 cups

Dinner in Britain, whether at my mother’s home or at any of her farming siblings’ and relatives’, was almost always followed by a sweet dish. Pies and baked puddings were accompanied by double (clotted) cream or custard, such as this one. You can also serve this sauce with baked apples and any of the crisps and cobblers. Though it’s usually served warm, it can be refrigerated and is simply out of this world when chilled.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. In the top of a double boiler, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks until smooth.
  2. 2. Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Slowly pour half over the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in the remaining milk, then the vanilla.
  3. 3. Place the top of the double boiler over but not touching simmering water and, stirring constantly, cook for 2 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and is smooth.
  4. 4. Remove from the heat and pour into a small jug. Serve immediately, or cover the surface with wax paper to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until ready to use.

Variation

For a richer custard, in a small bowl, whip 1⁄2 cup heavy cream until thick but not stiff and stir into the cooled custard.

Apricot-Apple Dumplings

Yield: 6 servings

Apple dumplings can be made quite easily (especially if you use store-bought pastry), yet most people shy away from making them because they look as though they are difficult to assemble. Not at all. They come together quickly, and they taste like apple pie but make a prettier presentation.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. 2. Peel and core the apples, leaving approximately 1⁄4 inch of flesh at the base. Trim the bottoms, if necessary, so that the apples sit level.
  3. 3. In a small bowl, beat together the preserves, butter, and brown sugar. Stuff the mixture into the hollowed centers of the apples.
  4. 4. Divide the pastry into six pieces and roll out each into a 6-inch square approximately 1⁄4 inch thick. Place an apple in the center of each square of dough and bring the four corners together. Dab with milk and press to seal.
  5. 5. Arrange the dumplings, without touching one another, in an ungreased 9- by 13-inch baking dish and pop into the freezer for 3 to 5 minutes to chill the pastry.
  6. 6. Brush the pastry with a light wash of milk and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm with English Custard Sauce or vanilla ice cream.

Caramel-Apple Puff Dumplings

Yield: 4 servings

This recipe comes from Julia Stewart, spokesperson for the New York Apple Association. Julia says her guests are always dazzled when she serves this elegant but surprisingly simple dessert.

Ingredients

Sauce

Instructions

  1. 1. Thaw and unfold the pastry according to the package directions.
  2. 2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry into a 16-inch square and, using a fluted pastry cutter or a kitchen knife, cut into 4 equal squares.
  3. 3. Peel and core the apples. Trim the bottoms, if necessary, so that the apples sit level. Place one apple in the center of each pastry square. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon and spoon into the apples.
  4. 4. In another small bowl, beat together the egg and water. Moisten the edges of the pastry with a little of the mixture. Bring the pastry up around the apples, pleating or trimming excess pastry as needed, and pinch the edges together to seal. If the pastry feels warm, refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  5. 5. Place the dumplings in an ungreased 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Brush them with the egg mixture and sprinkle with the granulated sugar. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the pastry is golden brown.
  6. 6. For the sauce, in a microwave-safe dish, combine the caramel topping and the chopped pecans, if desired, and microwave, uncovered, on high for 30 seconds, or until heated through.
  7. 7. Spoon the sauce onto the center of a serving plate and set the dumplings on top, or drizzle the sauce over the top. Serve warm.

Sweet Little Bites

Yield: make as many as desired; 1⁄2 to 1 apple per person

When you don’t have time to bake a dessert, assemble these little bites for a simple sweet ending to dinner or to bring to a party. Feel free to flavor the chocolate with cinnamon, orange zest, or any other flavor you like.

Ingredients

Any of the Following:

Instructions

  1. 1. Brush or sprinkle the apple sections with lemon juice to preserve the color and add a sweet-tart jolt.
  2. 2. Measure the chocolate into a 2-cup microwave-safe glass measuring cup and heat on high for 45 seconds, then stir well. The chocolate will continue to melt and become smooth. If it’s not completely melted and smooth, heat again in one or two 10-second bursts, stirring well after each interval. Overheating will dry out the chocolate. Stirring vigorously in the warmed measuring jug is a better option.
  3. 3. Immediately dip the apple sections in the chocolate and then into any of the crunchy coatings that appeal to you. Place on wax or parchment paper to set.