Apple bliss

Flaky crust baked apple

With ice cream and caramel sauce

A friend of mine handed me some apples collected from her acres of gorgeous property. They were small but the pink, red hue is awfully sweet looking. “Take as many as you want” she offered but I only took three. One for each of my three family members - smart, logical thinking? Upon my return, I try to think of something to make with them,,, like apple pie? She told me her family eats as-is but is it food blogger ‘s occupational hazard? I try adding sugar and fat to perfectly healthy, beautiful creation of earth. Anyway, I realize three apples are way short of even a half pie. Duh!  Undaunted I went to plan B. Something like an apple pie, but cuter… I know - an Individual apple pie!

I start making the pie crust first (which recipe I was taught from a gentleman who was well known for being a great pie maker in our church). I have kept a copy of his hand written recipe since 1997. It’s all stained with many usages, yet I can’t part with it because it brings back fun memories of the class and he was a good teacher. Next I prepare the apples. This apple compote recipe is all ‘about’. I didn’t measure anything and I’m grateful that it turned out OK. As I wrap a apple with dough then made some design, I thought I was a genius then comes yikes. Some dough broke away from the apple in the baking process and turned into Picasso art.

Ingridients for two pie crusts

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar- You can omit sugar if you so desire.
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter butter – keep frozen until ready to use
• 6-8 tablespoons ice water

1. Put flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and combine well.
2. Grate the frozen butter over the bowl and dust with flour mixture once a while.
3. Drizzle ice water one tablespoon at a time and  mix with your hands till the dough starts getting moist but still is crumbly. If the dough holds together when squeezed in your hand then it is not necessary to add more water.
4. Make a ball and wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Ingredients for Apple compote

• 3 apples
• Water 1000 ml or enough to cover apples
• Sugar 180g
• Slice of 1 lemon (I used more)

1. Dig a small hole with a melon baller in the top of an apple and remove seeds and core- do not go all the way through. Peel and set aside.
2. In a pan large enough to hold the apples, pour water, sugar and lemon slices. Start boiling.
3. Gently drop apples into the pan and turn the heat to low.
4. Simmer for 30 minutes (tinier apple may take less - you don’t want too mushy of an apple). If you lid smaller than the pan, use it to help keep the apples submerged.

Ingredients for stuffing

• 1/2 cup raisin-soaked in warm water and 1 tablespoon of rum flavoring (if you have it) for 30 minutes.
• About 100g of graham crackers – broken in small pieces.
• Unsalted butter 50g melted.
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1. Combine drained raisins, graham crackers, butter and  cinnamon.
2. Gently put stuffing into the hole you made in the apples, do not over stuff. Set it aside. Keep the left over stuffing.

Assembly

Heat oven to 360 F.

Take out dough from refrigerator and let sit for a while to room temperature about 20 minutes. Dust your surface and rolling pin with flour. Roll out dough from center to edges. Too many passes makes it tough so don’t overwork the dough. Roll out dough large enough to cover the apple. Put about two tablespoons of the left over stuffing in center of the dough then put the stuffed apple on top of it. Gather the dough and wrap apple. Make designs as you wish. Brush with egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water mixture for shine. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Put apples in and bake for 25minutes or till golden color.

Enjoy while it’s warm with vanilla ice cream!

I discovered new variety of apple called ‘Sweet Tango”  the other day. Loved the name and looks. The taste is similar to Honey Crisp but costs twice as much. $2.75 per pound, I bought only 2.

As you could see in the picture, that friend also give me pears. I made poached pear salad and that was mighty fine. I wish I could live on only eating healthy stuff but I will come back to that subject after Halloween.