Monthly Archives: September 2015

Bakery Miscellaneous

Apple Crisp

Oh, geeze, is it really almost October?  Somehow, yes, indeed, ‘Truly Autumn’ is upon us and there is no better time to begin baking up Apple Everything!  Our cooler nights and mornings are perfectly suited to warm Apple Crisp tonight and then cold Apple Crisp the next morning so  gather your apples while you may and get started! Apples of every stripe will be everywhere soon and apples do so definitely deserve their own season! Apples & Autumn are the best of partners!

Today I used Granny Smith apples and a recipe from my sister’s “Deli & Delights” cookbook.  I love the texture of the crust on this one, it is more pie crust than sweet cobbler topping, and, pairing it with the just-tender apples has you thinking apple pie and ice cream in no time! There are no oats in this crisp topping; the butter provides the flakier crust. A simple filling is all you need: tart apples, sugar, and a whiff of cinnamon is just right.  Add a T. of lemon juice if using sweeter apples. Prep time is minimal: prepare the apples and blend with the filling.  Place into baking dish, make your crust topping and sprinkle it over the fruit, then drizzle the crumbs with melted butter, and you’re all pau and done!  Now just allow it to cool, if you can.

Vanilla ice cream is my favorite accompaniment for any warm fruit crisp and this one is wonderful as well for breakfast, served cold, with just 2 T. of sweet cream poured over.  Make up a larger version if you’re counting on it for breakfast!  We are definitely talking Apple Autumn Delight here, folks!

Apple Crisp

Ingredients

6 cups apples, peeled, cored, sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

TOPPING

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1/2 stick butter, melted

Directions Preheat oven to 350. Combine apples, sugar, and cinnamon in medium bowl; stir. Place in a lightly sprayed 9×9” baking dish. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder in medium bowl.  Add the egg; stir and press egg into dry ingredients, forming crumbs.  Sprinkle this mixture over apples in baking dish.  Drizzle the melted butter over the crumbs and bake 45 minutes or until browned and apples are tender.  Cool slightly and serve with vanilla ice cream.

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Food for Thought

Blessings

Musing.  All about food and freshness and the smiles as people indulge themselves in that most enjoyable of activities, eating, for what is more enjoyable than being gathered around the table with folks you love absolutely?  Taking time, enjoying the food, the conversation, and the view whether from enormous windows, a small kitchen or just across the table.  In this busy world, I am rediscovering what a true luxury it is to sit, and visit, and listen.  Oh, that the world be filled with the luxury, and the necessity, of taking the time to slow down.  Today, wishing for everyone that this blessing was close at your side today.

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Recipes - Desserts

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

First Scoop!

The best thing about a Rhubarb Crisp is adding fresh strawberries to the mix and today’s crisp proved no exception to this rule of thumb. You’re getting the sweet and the sour in each bite, guaranteeing satisfaction for all.  Tart and sweet, creamy and crumbly, this dish has it all.  I used my sister, Mamie’s, recipe, listed in her cookbook, “County Seat Deli & Delights” and altered it only by omitting the lemon juice in favor of orange zest and 1/2 cup of fresh orange juice as Ina Garten’s online recipe calls for. I also used my favorite Amish fruit thickener, Clear-jel by name, but you can certainly use cornstarch easily to thicken the filling also and I listed the cornstarch here. This is an awesome recipe, Mamie, and many thanks to you and Rosie!

The crisp topping I made exactly as listed as I never seem to have any luck using rolled oats in toppings. The butter, melted, is drizzled over the topping and not chunked up in the dough as most cobbler recipes instruct. This topping so deliciously delivers a great texture contrast to the soft fruit and it bakes up beautifully golden brown, rich with butter. The only difference in my book between cobblers, crisps, and crumbles is in the use of butter and whether you want a chewy topping or a biscuity one. The main thing you do with all of them is to sweeten, sometimes tarten, your fruit and make the topping that offers the best contrast and texture, and, geeze, what a great way to enjoy an abundance of summer fruit.

Of course you serve this dish with vanilla ice cream, preferably while the crisp is still warm. I guarantee you won’t find a more satisfying way to brighten any still hot September day. Enjoy!

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients

Combination of 6-7 cups rhubarb, cut 1″ pieces, and strawberries, stemmed and quartered

FILLING INGREDIENTS

2 cups sugar
3 T. cornstarch
4 T. water
2 t. orange zest
1/2 cup orange juice

TOPPING ingredients

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 sticks butter, melted

Directions Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9×13″ glass baking dish. Zest orange. Squeeze oranges to equal 1/s cup  juice.  I needed 2 oranges for this. Combine the rhubarb and the strawberries and orange zest in large bowl then place inside prepared baking dish. Set inside oven on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Prepare the filling ingredients by combining the sugar, cornstarch, water and orange juice in a medium saucepan, bringing just to boiling. Remove from heat and pour this mixture over the hot fruit. Return dish to oven.

Make the topping by combining the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Stir to blend. Add the eggs and stir until clumps begin to form and mixture pulls away from the bowl; use a fork to further cut the eggs into the dough until you have clumps. Drop this mixture by spoonfuls over the fruit; I usually squeeze 2 tablespoons in my hands and add these heavier pieces first then scatter any smaller crumbs evenly over the top. Slowly drizzle the melted butter over all and bake for 45-50 minutes. DO serve this warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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