Two Ways to Make Apple Butter

Over the years, while apple butter is not among my top favorites, I have tried it out, with some very good results. And of course, if there comes along a newer, better or different way to make something, I have to try that also. So it came about that I tried out an apple butter recipe that would taste (to my sisters-in-law) like her mother's recipe. As my mother-in-law had already passed away, this had to be strictly by taste memory. I believe we must have come quite close in our taste-testing, and this is the recipe I created.

Apple Butter

Apple Butter

Makes approximately 5 pints

4 pounds apples, peeled, cored, sliced
2 cups water
½ cup brown sugar, per cup of resulting apple puree
4 teaspoons cassia cinnamon
1½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon salt

Simmer the apples and water together in a pot until soft, stirring occasionally, about 20 to 25 minutes until most of the liquid is gone from the pan. Puree the apples, then measure the amount; there should be around 6 to 6½ cups of puree. Return the puree to the pot.

Add in ½ cup of brown sugar per cup of apple puree. If you have 6 cups puree, add in 3 cups of brown sugar. Add in the spices and stir well. Cook, stirring the mixture until it is thick and sheets off of a spoon, about 10 or 15 minutes more.

Have your canning jars sterilized and hot. Using a wide mouth funnel, ladle the hot apple butter directly into the jars, leaving ¼-inch of room at the top of the jar. With damp paper toweling, wipe the rim of the jar before placing seal and rim.

Lower the jars into a canning pot, or a large stock pot with a rack in the bottom, with boiling water about half way up the pot. Make sure the water is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars and maintains a boil throughout the timing process. Process the jars as stated below:

Half pint or pint jars: 
0 - 1,000 feet 5 minutes; 
1,001 - 6,000 feet 10 minutes; 
above 6,000 feet 15 minutes.

Quart sized jars: 
0 - 1,000 feet 10 minutes;
1,001 - 6,000 feet 15 minutes;
above 6,000 feet 20 minutes.

Turn off heat and wait for 5 minutes before removing the jars with a jar lifter. Set them on a towel to cool. If you hear a "pop," then congratulations, the jar has sealed properly.

NOTES: If you like a more acidic flavor to your apple butter, add 1 cup of apple cider vinegar when cooking the apples. It will need more time than noted to cook the liquids out.

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This next recipe came about when I heard or read about making apple butter in a slow cooker. I don't use my slow cooker - one of the old varieties with a simple Low or High setting - too very often, so when I see a recipe for slow cooking that tickles my fancy, I must try it out. 

Basically, all the ingredients are tossed into the crock pot and allowed to cook. It doesn't get much easier than that. Vinegar can be added to give that tang, or left out completely; this will affect the amount of time needed to cook down. The amount of spices can vary as desired. I have a larger crock pot that easily held the original 12 cups of apples, although this could be made in a smaller crock pot with part of the apples at first, then adding the rest as they break down slightly. The recipe can be canned and water bath processed or frozen, as desired. This is the recipe I created:

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Makes about 6 cups or 3 pints

12 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples
2 cups brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
4 teaspoons good-quality cassia cinnamon
2 teaspoons allspice
½ teaspoon cloves
½ cup cider vinegar (I used Bragg's)
 
Place apples into the crock pot. In a separate bowl, combine the sugars and spices, then pour them over the apples. Pour in the vinegar if using. Set crock pot to high for about 2 hours, stirring as the apples start to break down. Reduce crock pot to low and allow to cook for anywhere from 14 to 18 hours more, or until well broken down. The apple butter can be left as is at this point, but if you prefer a smoother product, an immersion hand blender works well.

Place the apple butter into freezer containers and freeze for later use or ladle into sterile 1 - cup to 1-pint sized canning jars, place lids and rings and place into a boiling water bath for the time shown in the table for the recipe above.

If any jars do not seal properly after the water bath, store them in the refrigerator. 


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Revisiting Some Great Foods

Ever since moving to the southwest in late June, I have mostly been occupied with unpacking and finding "homes" for things. I have only really experimented with one new recipe, in these past months. That doesn't mean I haven't cooked, and I have so many great recipes (if I do say so, myself) that I am thoroughly enjoying going back over some of them.

Hamburger Andouille Gumbo

I am planning to let my website lapse this Fall, due to circumstances that are highly frustrating and too numerous to go into, and so any recipes that are in the website but not here in my blog, I will be working to get into the blog soon. Not to the entire detriment of any new recipes I come up with, but just to have old favorites included. Of late, I have been using a lot of hamburger, first in deference to my husband's poor teeth, but also as it is less expensive than some meats, as moving is an expensive undertaking. One of the recipes I have had in my website but not in this blog, is Hamburger Andouille Gumbo. Since I made it originally many years back, I have made it a few other times, and it is always amazingly good, despite not being completely authentic, with hamburger. All the other flavors are totally authentic though, and the flavor is terrific. 

If you are unfamiliar with Andouille sausage, a very Louisiana type sausage (though originating in France), it is a quite highly spiced style. If it is unavailable where you live, substitute with a smoked, spiced (preferably pork) sausage of your own taste.

Hamburger Andouille Gumbo

Hamburger Andouille Gumbo

Makes 8 servings

½ cup shortening or oil
½ cup flour
2 tablespoons oil for cooking vegetables
2 onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound hamburger
2 – 4 andouille sausages (or other spicy sausage)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
¾ teaspoon dried oregano flakes
¾ teaspoon dried basil
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon ancho chili powder, or cayenne if heat is tolerated
6 cups stock or water
1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, to taste
Filé powder for serving

Make the Roux: Heat a heavy soup pot and melt the shortening or oil. Add in the flour and over relatively high heat, stir briskly with a whisk for about 10 minutes, until the roux has turned a very deep, dark mahogany chocolate color. Remove from heat and whisk a few times, in case the residual heat of the pot continues cooking. If the roux scorches, there is no salvaging; it must be made again.

In a large skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons oil and sauté the onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes. Add this to the pot with the roux. In the same pan, brown the hamburger very well. Add to the roux, along with the andouille (pronounced "on-DOO-eee") sausages and the thyme, oregano, basil, bay leaves, ancho powder and stock. Add salt and pepper, and check for seasoning. Bring this mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least an hour to meld flavors. Serve the gumbo over white rice and pass the file powder.

NOTES: Filé powder, pronounced "FEE-lay", is powdered sassafras. It is generally found among the spice jars in the supermarket, and adds a bit of  flavor along with the ability to add just a little thickening. It should not be added to a gumbo while cooking, but only in the bowl when ready to eat. If added in to the cooking pot, it may become stringy. Use from one teaspoon to one tablespoon, as per taste, to a bowl of gumbo.

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Another of the recipes I want to include here in my blog is something I originally created for the very first "Winefest Renaissance" back in 2013, held to raise funds for a new building for the (then - pre-move) local Aberdeen Boys and Girls Club. This building has been long since built and is allowing so many more children a safe place to spend their time. The recipe was for Squash, Apple, Leek and Asiago Triangles. While these require a bit of quick work when wrapping with Phyllo (Fillo, Filo) Pastry, once you get the hang of it, it is quite simple. 

These can be made ahead: roll the filling in the pastry and brush with butter, then set onto parchment lined baking sheets to freeze. Once frozen, carefully set them into containers to keep for up to three weeks. Remove from freezer and set onto baking sheets and bake just before serving. OR, the filling can be made up to a few days in advance and then rolled into the pastry just prior to baking.

Rolling little triangle packets of phyllo

The rolling process is as for rolling a flag, into a neat triangle. How large or small the triangles will be determined by how wide the lengths of phyllo dough are cut. Two inch widths are great, making a small, easy to pick up and eat little bundle, for a walking-around type cocktail party. If made larger, then they would be perfect to serve as a first course to a larger meal. Either way, these were created specifically to pair with a buttery Chardonnay wine, and made an amazing pairing.

Phyllo dough must be handled with great care, since it is delicate and dry to the touch. Carefully unroll as many sheets as needed and store the remainder immediately. Place sheets not immediately in use between damp towels to prevent drying. If weather is hot and dry, sprinkle a little more water on the towels periodically. The folding process requires starting with two layers of phyllo pastry, then brushing with melted butter. Cut the pastry into two-inch wide strips down the length of the pastry. Placing a small amount (from 1 tablespoon for these tiny pastries to 2 tablespoons or so for larger ones cut three or more inches wide) on one corner of the pastry nearest you (figure a), take the lower right corner and fold it across to the left, making what was the edge nearest you, now touch the left side (figure b). Now take the point nearest you and bring it up vertically (figure c), then flip the bundle to the right (figure d), each time lining up edges neatly into triangles. Continue, repeating this pattern (flip up left, flip up, flip right) until you reach the end of the strip of phyllo. Brush the outside of the little packet with melted butter, then set on a parchment lined baking sheet. Begin again with the next strip. The filling mixture should allow using the entire box of phyllo. 

Squash Apple Leek and Asiago Triangles

Squash, Apple, Leek & Asiago Triangles

Squash Apple Leek and Asiago Triangles

Makes about 50 triangles

FILLING:
2 - 3 leeks, white and light green parts only
1 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons dry sherry or other dry white wine
¾ pounds butternut squash, peeled
2 (6 to 7 ounce) apples (I used Pink Lady)
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
A few grinds of black pepper
---
1 cup grated Asiago cheese, about 3 ounces
---
1 box Phyllo sheets
1 stick butter, melted

FILLING: Cut ends off leeks, leaving only the white and lightest sections (about 4 to 6 inches) and slice in half lengthwise. Fan the layers under running water to clean out any mud or grit. Laying flat side down, cut them again lengthwise, then slice across into thin strips, making about 2 cups. Cut off about a 4-inch neck section of the squash, about ¾ pound. Peel and cut in half lengthwise. Laying flat side down, cut each section into three more lengthwise sections. Slice each of these across into thin pieces about 1 x 1½ inches, making approximately 2+ cups. Peel and core the apples and cut into 8 wedges apiece. Slice across the wedges into thin slices, making about 3 cups, total.

In a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add in the leeks and sauté for about 5 minutes to soften, stirring occasionally. Add the Sherry and cook to evaporate, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the squash and toss to combine; cook for another 5 minutes before adding apples. Add in salt and nutmeg and a few grinds of black pepper. Reduce heat, cover and cook for about 10 - 12 minutes or until the squash and apple are very tender. Take off the heat and cool slightly for about 20 minutes. At this point, the recipe can be held in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Before using, thaw the box of Phyllo at least 12 hours in the refrigerator, or 4 hours at room temperature before using. Have a stick of butter melted and a pastry brush at the ready. Add the shredded Asiago cheese to the filling mixture. 

ROLLING AND BAKING: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. When ready to make the triangles, unroll the phyllo from one packet (usually 2 packets in a box), covering the sheets completely with a damp towel to prevent undue drying. If the phyllo becomes too dry it will split and break and folding will be impossible. Set the phyllo sheets to one side, then remove two sheets to an open work surface, short end facing you, and quickly brush with melted butter. Slice along the length of the sheets, making approximately 2-inch wide strips. See above for further instructions on rolling the triangles. Once rolled and brushed with more melted butter, the triangles, set on baking sheets, may be well covered and frozen for up to 2 weeks, then removed from the freezer and baked straightaway, or they may be baked immediately after rolling. Bake the triangles for about 20 minutes, or until golden. Serve hot, or at room temperature.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Long Time Favorite Cake is Back

First off, I hope everyone enjoyed a lovely Valentine's Day. It doesn't matter if you sat at home with someone you love doing nothing at all spectacular, or whether you went out and splurged big time, or if you chose to catch up on some "me" time. The idea is that you enjoyed the day, however it was celebrated. 

My husband and I were invited out to dinner at the local Country Club by two people fast becoming very good friends. Since my husband and I generally stay at home rather than try and fight crowds, and I cook something really special for dinner, it has been about 26 years since we last braved a night out on Valentine's Day. That made yesterday's evening a true delight. As much as I love to cook, it is a tremendous joy for the cook to have a night out! I thank Ty and Ann Hanson with all my heart for having us as guests.

A night off was not in the cards for the cook at the country club, Jake Collins. He was on duty manning the kitchen, and produced a most excellent menu for a large crowd. Considering the tremendous amount of dishes that needed to be served at the same time, he made miracles happen. We know Jake from the past four years of Winefest Renaissance, benefiting the Boys and Girls Club of Aberdeen. This year marks the fifth annual Winefest Renaissance (which appears to be called "Renaissance Festival," this year), to be held on April 8th.

Fresh Apple Pecan Date Cake

So, on to the cake. This cake recipe is one that I have been making for about 33 years or so. Originally I cut the recipe out of the "Orlando Sentinal" newspaper's Thursday food edition. It called for using cooking oil in the batter, and raisins. I prefer to use melted butter, for the flavor, and do not care much for cooked raisins, so I switched the raisins out for chopped dates. It was the most amazing cake, outside of a Carrot Cake, for lovely flavors and moistness beyond compare. My version of this cake is called Fresh Apple Pecan Date Cake. The recipe I have used for carrot cake is also, coincidentally, from an Orlando Sentinel newspaper clipping and from around the same general time. I will have to post it!

Fresh Apple Pecan Date Mini Cupcake

Interestingly, in all the years I have been making both these cakes, I had never gotten any good photos of them, so last year I made it a point to make the cakes and take photos. Last year, however, was one crazy thing after another, between cataract surgeries for both my husband and me, and then various medical procedures and crises for my husband. It kept us on our toes. I didn't get to write many blogs. I do have a bit of a backlog of recipes to eventually get into this blog. 

I have also made this Fresh Apple Pecan Date Cake recipe to use as mini cupcakes with great success, as seen in this photo left. Tiny little two-or-three-bite mini cakes are cute as can be and delicious when set out on an appetizer type party spread.

Fresh Apple Pecan Date Cake

Serves 12 to 16

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

Fresh Apple Pecan Date Cake

½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups sugar
4 cups fresh apples, peeled, grated
2 cups pecans, chopped
1 cup pitted dates, chopped
2 eggs
1 cup butter, melted (or use melted coconut oil or cooking oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Stir in apples, pecans, and dates. Add eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 3 minutes.

Pour mixture into two greased 8 or 9-inch pans, a greased bundt pan or greased muffin pans or papers. If making in an 8-inch round pan, I spray the pan with cooking spray, then trace around the pan onto parchment paper, cut out the parchment rounds and set them into the pans and re-spray the parchment with cooking spray. This ensures that the cake definitely WILL NOT stick to the bottom!

Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 50 - 60 minutes for a bundt pan. For 8-inch cake pans, check at about 35 - 40 minutes and every 5 minutes thereafter, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes and then invert onto cake plate. For cupcakes, check after 15 to 20 minutes. For mini cupcakes check after 12 minutes.

Ice with Cream Cheese Icing, or sprinkle with powdered sugar and decorate with extra pecans.

Cream Cheese Icing

Cream Cheese Icing

Enough to frost an 8 or 9-inch, or 9 x 13 cake

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
3 - 4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt

Directions: Mix together on low speed of an electric mixer, and once combined increase speed to high and beat until completely smooth.

If the icing is too stiff, beat in one tablespoon of milk or cream at a time, until of spreading consistency.

NOTES: The longer you beat, the fluffier the icing will become, as air is being incorporated into the mixture. This is wonderful for the fluffy icing of a cake, but trying to decorate with too much air in the mixture will give difficulties when trying to get an even extrusion from a decorating tip. The air bubbles will constantly cause breaks in the flow. If using a hand mixer it would take a long while to accomplish this, but with a large heavy-duty mixer, it would be best to keep the speed at medium, thus lessening the quantity of large bubbles forming in the icing.

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Fall Apples and Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Fall brings lots of apples. A sudden deluge. What to do with all of them is the question. I still have a lot of apples both dried slices and frozen slices from last years bounty. And here we are in Fall again. Recently I made an Apple Fritter Loaf - twice. It was so amazingly good. With the bag of fresh apples still on the counter, a couple of days ago I wondered about making an upside down cake. I have made peach and pineapple and even spiced pear upside down cakes, but all with cooked/canned fruit. Thinking about apples, I couldn't imagine any reason that using fresh apples in an upside down cake. While the cake bakes, there is plenty of time for them to cook through. 

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake, just turned out onto the plate

Granted, this cake barely used up two apples, total, so it is not really about using up lots of apples. Still, it uses a couple, so that's something. Instead of just mixing the usual butter and brown sugar for the topping (which goes in the bottom of the pan), I added in some dark corn syrup, cinnamon and vanilla, to further approximate the "caramel" part of this cake. In all, it was simple to make and unctuously good, with the caramel dripping down the sides and soaked into the cake. This will certainly not be the last time I make this cake! 

Place apples rounded edge down

One thing to keep in mind when placing the apple slices onto the caramel: if you set them cut edge down, it will be the cut edge that shows when the cake is turned out and the bottom becomes the top. So, when setting the apple slices onto the caramel, set them in with the outer, rounded edge down into the caramel. layering them with the sharper inner edges up. 

Nuts, raisins or even dates could be added to the cake, or layered in with the apples on the caramel, if desired. I was going for simple caramel apple flavor this first time. This cake can easily be made gluten free. Simply substitute your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour mixture and add ½ teaspoon xanthan gum or guar gum with the dry ingredients.

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Makes one 9-inch cake
CARAMEL:

A slice of Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons water  

2 apples, peeled, sliced into thin wedges lengthwise

CAKE:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon½ teaspoon nutmeg½ teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon salt½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CARAMEL: In a small saucepan, combine all the caramel ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and simmer for a few minutes, until the sugar has melted. Spray a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray. For complete insurance the cake will come out cleanly, line the bottom of the pan with parchment and spray the parchment. Pour in the caramel sauce. Set the apple slices in a pattern in the caramel sauce and set aside.

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 on Convection). In a bowl, sift or whisk together the first 6 dry ingredients and set aside. In another mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light. Add in the eggs, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients in 2 or 3 batches, stirring well after each. Do not over beat. Using a spatula or spoon, slide small dollops of the thick batter gently over the apples, in order to not disturb the apple pattern. Once all the batter is on top, very gently spread the batter to cover the apples and reach the edges of the pan. Bake the cake for 40 or more minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake rest in the pan for about 5 minutes. Have a serving plate ready. Invert the plate on top of the cake pan. Using hot pads, grip both the cake pan and the serving plate firmly and flip them over, so the cake falls onto the serving plate.

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Swoon For this Apple Fritter Loaf

I saw a recipe online for "Pull Apart Apple Fritter Bread"; I even re-posted it on Facebook. It looked and sounded absolutely wonderful . . . except for the fact that it used one of those tubes of store-bought biscuits. I used to really love those biscuits, but as time went on, I began to react badly to the amount of sodium in most pre-packaged foods. This catapulted me even farther into the creed of "make everything from scratch," myself. I was already mostly there, after learning to cook in Guatemala in the 1970s, when there were no frozen foods, very few canned foods and almost nothing else pre-packaged. Returning to the States I reveled (for a while) in all the bounty of foods available. Once the reaction to sodium set in, I tried to stick to using foods where I could read the labels.

My Apple Fritter Loaf, ready to serve

The kind of recipe calling for one of those tubes of biscuits would be completely out, for me. I saw other recipes where a cake of a sort was used, mixing in the apples and sugar. This sounded better. I have one recipe for Luscious Bundt Coffee Cake that is just my most favorite. Unfailingly tender and moist and packed with flavor, I used a modified version of this recipe to create my own Apple Fritter Loaf.

To define "Apple Fritter," I mean the ones sold in many grocery bakeries, some gas stations and various other places. Those irregular lumps of fried goodness, with little apple bits and cinnamon, and drenched in glaze. Yum! I used to love eating those things! I even found a recipe that sounded like it might just come out like those store bought apple fritters, too. However, the catch is that I absolutely abhor deep frying. I do not abhor the results! I love French fries, apple fritters, and once in a great while, fried chicken. I just hate the mess of grease that spatters and fills the air, coating everything in a sticky film. And cleaning up afterwards, with the spent oil. I never know what to do with it. So I just do not deep fry anything at all. One of my foibles, I guess. 

Apples given to me today

Last Fall I was given so many apples I didn't know what to do with them all. I used my peeler/corer/slicer and made bags and bags of apples to freeze for either pie or my Best Apple Crisp, Ever. I bagged some smaller amounts for other uses like the Butternut Squash and Apple Soup recipe I posted yesterday and this Apple Fritter Loaf. Aside from my Best Apple Crisp, Ever recipe, I have never found any apple recipe that came close to that goodness . . . until now. I will most certainly be making this recipe again, and really soon, too. It is apple season right now, and I just received my first bag of apples today. A couple of these will go into my next batch. I took the loaf I made yesterday to a luncheon today. I had not tasted it, so I was really praying this experiment was a good one. It would be excellent as a breakfast or brunch item, or as a dessert at any time.

I needn't have worried; it was most spectacularly fantastic. Best of all, though I grant you I have not had a store bought apple fritter for years now - this loaf tasted like those apple fritters in my memory. Here is what I did:

Apple Fritter Loaf

Apple Fritter Loaf

Makes one 9 x 5-inch loaf; 8 to 12 slices

APPLES:
2 cups apples, peeled, cored, chopped very small
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon allspice

SUGAR TOPPING:
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

CAKE:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1½ teaspoons vanilla

GLAZE:
½ cup confectioners' sugar
pinch salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
milk or cream to make a not-too thick glaze

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 on Convection). Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. I lined the pan with parchment, though I believe it was not needed. Still, insurance!

In a small bowl, combine the apples with the 2 tablespoons of sugar, the cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Mix well and set aside.

In another small bowl, combine the sugar topping ingredients and set aside.

Make exaggerated figure-8s in the batter with a table knife

In another bowl, whisk together the first 4 cake ingredients and set aside. In a mixer bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, until well combined, and then add the sour cream and vanilla and mix well. Pour in the dry ingredients in about 3 batches, mixing well after each addition.

This batter is relatively thick. Using a spatula or a large spoon, place about half the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing it to the edges. Top this evenly with half the apple mixture. Place bits of the remaining cake batter on top of the apples and smooth as well as possible. Top evenly with the remaining apple mixture.

Hot from the oven with half the glaze

Now sprinkle the Sugar Topping over top of the apples. With a table knife or icing spatula, make exaggerated figure eights all along the loaf, letting the knife touch bottom. This swirls the topping as well as the apples all through the cake, giving the apple fritter look and consistency. Bake the loaf for 50 to 60 minutes. It should test done with a toothpick or knife just as with any cake.

While loaf is baking, mix together the Glaze ingredients. Once out of the oven, drizzle the hot loaf with half the glaze, allowing it to soak in, as shown at right. Save the remaining glaze for when the loaf has cooled completely and drizzle it over top.

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A Fall Soup with Butternut Squash and Apples

Nothing quite says "Fall" like seeing literally hundreds of squash, pumpkins and gourds at the Farmers' Market. There seem to be more and more varieties, most of which I have never even tried. Just like with all the heirloom tomatoes this year, there were lots of heirloom squash on display. There were French varieties I heard someone describing. Every color under the rainbow it seems, from pale tan to bright yellow, green, orange and aqua. Too pretty. I just wish I could have gotten one of each.

Squash of all sorts at the Farmers' Market in Aberdeen SD

I asked one person about Delicata squash. I have been seeing them around, but have never tried them. I want to. Last year I bought a Hubbard and a Kabocha to try. They were very good. During the short summer we had, I tried Pattypan squash for the first time this year. I wish my husband was a squash eater, but sadly he is not. Unless I cut it up small in a vegetable soup, he won't eat them. So, any squash I buy is mine alone. 

A few years back, our first year up here, I bought a Jarradale squash; one of the aqua or green blue colored varieties. I baked it whole, just only punching tiny vent holes around the stem. Once baked and cut into, it had the most vibrant yellow orange flesh inside, so striking against that bluish exterior. It was smooth inside; no strings. It pureed into the smoothest mixture for "pumpkin pie" I ever used. Just seeing all these varieties makes my heart sing at the beauty and bounty and just pure gladness that people are planting all these things. 

Ultimately, today the only squash I bought was a butternut. Same old, same old, but they are unfailingly good, and the meat makes a wonderfully smooth soup when pureed, which was what I planned for dinner. I have made various squash soups in past, though it has certainly been quite a while since I made this kind. I have yet to have a butternut squash soup in my blog. I decided to remedy that situation right away, and since today was Farmers' Market day here, I went with that in mind. There won't be many Farmers' Market days left here. The weather is dipping chillier and chillier. We will be in the 30s at night in the next couple of days or so. 

For this soup, either an onion or leeks will work just fine. Onion has a stronger flavor, where leeks are mild. Leeks need to have more attention given, as they can gather mud and grit in between the leaves, so if using leeks, slice off the root ends and the tough darker green tops. Slice down the length of the white and light green parts and fan then under running water before proceeding to slice them into ½-inch pieces. For the apples, a combination of sweeter and tart apples will make the best flavors, such as a combination of Pink Lady and Granny Smith. Meanwhile, here is the recipe for my Butternut Squash and Apple Soup:

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Makes about 5 - 7 servings

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped or 4 leeks, cleaned and sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups water or low/no-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
4 cups (1½ lbs) peeled, cubed butternut squash
4 apples, peeled, cored, in chunks
1 bay leaf
1 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon sugar, optional (it rounds out the taste)
1 - 2 teaspoons salt, as needed
½ cup heavy cream, optional

If using leeks instead of onion, make sure to clean them well, as noted above. Heat a large soup pot over medium to medium-low heat and add int he butter. When the butter melts, add the onions or leeks, celery and garlic. Cook slowly, stirring often until the vegetables are softened and translucent. Add int he tomato paste and stir well, then add in the water or stock with the squash and apples, bay leaf and thyme sprig(s). If using water, add in 1 or more teaspoons of salt. If using stock, the amount of salt will depend on the saltiness of the stock. Best to wait until the vegetables are cooked and you can taste the results before adding salt. Cover the pot, bring to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Puree the soup in two batches. Off the heat, add in the heavy cream if using.


MAKE AHEAD NOTE: This soup can be made up to the point of adding the cream and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, bring the soup slowly to a simmer, then off the heat, add in the cream to serve. 

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Testing Less Sugar Apple Crisp

When I was about 16 years old, a very long time ago, I started thinking ahead to one day getting married, having a family and cooking. At the time, I knew nothing of cooking, really. My sisters and I did on occasion try our hand at making a box cake. Making icing was somewhat less a success. With Mom's supervision, we made cookies for holidays. Though I didn't cook then, and did not until I was actually married and moved to Guatemala, I knew there would come a time for it. I began tearing out pages from some of Mom's magazines that had recipes sounding good to me at the time. 

One of the things I tore out was a little insert of a few pages on things to do with apples. From adding applesauce to meat loaf to desserts, this little flyer had it. The one recipe I took from there was an apple crisp. Ever since first making this recipe, I was totally in love. For me it is even better than apple pie, which is hard to beat. Mom never made an apple crisp, in my recollection. Her Mom made what she called an apple cake - not a cake at all but more like a deep dish sort of drier apple pie. I do not know what ever became of that recipe. I know I had it once. I know I tried making it once. It did not come out at all as I remembered, so I never made it again.

Less Sugar Apple Crisp

So back to the apple crisp. The recipe as it stood was small, filling only an 8 x 8" or 11 x 7" pan. I doubled the recipe later on and kept it that way, though some of the measurements had to be changed slightly to work better. I have made this recipe so often and for so long that I feel it is mine. The topping for this apple crisp is not your usual oatmeal topping, but a sort of streusel-like mixture given the texture by adding eggs. I have never ever seen a recipe like this anywhere else. I love it so much I have called it my Best Apple Crisp, Ever. I get nothing but raves, every time. It is so simple. Far easier and quicker than making a pie.

But.

Lately I have had more difficulty keeping my blood glucose numbers at an acceptable level. I bought that Stevia in the Raw that is used cup for cup like sugar. I used it with less than perfect results in some "Half the Sugar Chocolate Chip Spice Cookies" recently. The cookies were good but with a texture I was less fond of. I am not crazy about the idea of maltodextrin being the main ingredient in that "stevia" either. I have it in the pantry though, so I will use it.

Sugar is a funny thing to try and replace. I am seeing this more now that I am experimenting with less or no sugar in recipes. Sugar creates moisture. Use less sugar, and a recipe is less moist. The cookies turned out somewhat dry and without the chewiness I associate with chocolate chip cookies. They were delicious. Just not what I wanted. The same happened with my apple crisp yesterday. I substituted a fourth of the brown sugar in the apples themselves, and a full half of the sugar in the topping with Stevia in the Raw. 

Another thing different in this recipe was the fact that I used dehydrated apples. I had a glut of apples coming to me last Fall, so when my freezer could hold no more I started slicing and dehydrating apples. I used 2 bags of what would have been 8 cups fresh apples EACH, setting them into a bowl of water to reconstitute. These dehydrated apples do grow, but not to original size. I used all these apples in a 9 x 13 pan, adding in the brown sugar and stevia, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg as usual for my recipe. The apples were moist all through. Yet they did not make the juicy sauce in the pan that I normally see. The topping is nice, though less moist, but that is fine as I like the topping crisp. The difficulty is that the apples did not compensate for the dry topping with the usual sauce. The flavors are perfect. It's just more dry. A little cream or ice cream would likely make the dryness less noticeable. Obviously this can be made with fresh apples also. Here is what I did:

Less-Sugar Apple Crisp

Less Sugar Apple Crisp

Makes one 9 x 13-inch pan

8 cups apples, peeled, cored, sliced
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Stevia in the Raw
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

TOPPING:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup Stevia in the Raw
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 on Convection). Place the first 6 ingredients into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and mix with spoon or hands to combine. Whisk together in a large bowl the first 5 topping ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 eggs. Pour the eggs into the dry ingredients and quickly mix with a fork until the mixture looks like crumbs. Pour this over top of the apples in the baking dish. Drizzle the melted butter over top of the crumb mixture and sprinkle with the cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the apples are bubbling.

When I had this in the oven I thought , "Drat! I could have tried making it Gluten-Free!" I have never attempted that either, though I cannot imagine why it would not work out. Particularly if made with all real sugar and no Stevia in the Raw. Another day.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A New Twist on Oatmeal Cookies

I love oatmeal cookies. I love oatmeal, period. Chewy oatmeal cookies are my favorite. If they have walnuts, so much the better. Raisins I am not wild about, but I tolerate them. I eat oatmeal often for breakfast. I prefer whole oat groats or steel cut, but if I haven't managed the time right, I use Old Fashioned Oats. I like the chewy quality, so I eschew the instant varieties.

Some time back, my sister-in-law asked if I could make Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies. I had ideas, I created a recipe, I made them...but they were not what I hoped for. The flavor was great. The chewiness was great. However, the cookies came out positively lacy looking. They puffed while baking, then deflated, leaving large bubble holes behind. I have not gotten back to trying a better way to make those yet. My husband asked if I could make something for a little barbecue affair at work. Dessert, specifically. I asked if cookies would do, and he was happy with that. Being a little short on some ingredients just prior to my weekend grocery shopping excursion, I went simple. I decided on oatmeal cookies, because I had the things I needed. Chocolate chip were out - no chocolate chips in my cupboard.
 

Oatmeal Apple Cookies with Calvados

Last fall, I suddenly had apples being given me from all over. I have not been making apple desserts, though I should, with all the apples in the freezer. At one point, what with a side of beef taking up most of the freezer, I decided to try drying apples instead of freezing. I have a most wonderful Excalibur dehydrator with 9 shelves, so it went relatively quickly. I dried the apples to just crisp enough to snap, then bagged them. I stuck those in the spare refrigerator's freezer compartment, not wanting all my efforts to go to waste with mold, just in case. They were taking up about ⅓ of the space they would have if fresh. So here I am with all these apples I am not using. I decided to use some dehydrated apples in my oatmeal cookies. The outcome was really, really fine. The only thing to make these better would have been nuts, but I was on short supply there, too.

My dehydrated apples, easily broken in bits

What I did was use some Calvados to rehydrate the apples. I probably used more than was necessary (though all but a few drops was absorbed) but I was unsure of how much the apples would need to reconstitute. Calvados is a quite expensive Apple Brandy from around the Normandy region of France. I bought a bottle many years ago for a recipe that I cannot even recall anymore, but I still use it once in a great while, when looking for a boost to the apple flavor in something. I have never even tasted the Calvados by itself. But, the apple scent is unmistakeable. I added cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to the Oatmeal Apple Cookies, though it was not noticeable to my palate. The Calvados kind of took over. That said, I took the cookies to my husband's work place yesterday, noting to all that this was a brand new recipe, and I invited any comments, critiques, or suggestions.

One woman immediately said she tasted cinnamon, which surprised me. Another said she loved them because while she was not terribly keen on oatmeal cookies, this recipe with apples made them wonderful for her palate. No one could tell there was an alcohol of any kind in them, of course, though upon opening the container I used to transport the cookies, the Calvados was the scent that jumped out at me. Of course, I know what that smells like, but it was quite evocative. Everyone professed to love the cookies, and judging by the amount that were eaten, I have to believe they were a hit. If you do not want to splurge on Calvados, apple cider would work fine to reconstitute the apples, or even just water, if necessary. Here is my recipe:

Oatmeal Apple Cookies with Calvados

Makes about 6 dozen 2-inch cookies

2 cups dried apples, broken into small bits
⅓ cup Calvados
1 cup unsalted butter
½ cup shortening or lard
1½ cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2½ cups all purpose flour
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 tablespoons boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 on Convection). Slightly warm the Calvados and add the broken dehydrated apples to reconstitute; set aside while preparing the cookie dough.

In a bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, cream the butter and shortening with the brown sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in the vanilla. Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Add in the oatmeal and mix partially. Combine the baking soda with the boiling water and stir well, then add to the bowl along with the reconstituted apples and finish combining with the oatmeal. 

Drop the dough at least 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets and bake the cookies for about 12 to 14 minutes, until puffed and golden. 

I realize that not just everyone has dehydrated apples in their house. I know I have seen dried apples in the dried fruit section of the grocery, though these are usually in little chunks and soft, like other "dried" fruit. These can still be soaked in Calvados or cider, though they will absorb far less. 


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.