eG Cook-Off #67: Apples

[Anna N]

These Caramel Apple bars went over very well from all accounts.

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/147440-meeting-friendly-snacks-to-bake/?p=1987868

[David Ross]

When I was a kid, we used to order the "German Apple Pancake" at the "Original" (are they all called the "original"), Pancake House in Salem, Oregon.  It was quite a treat, the most expensive thing on the menu and it took "extra time to prepare."  Sometimes you'll find the dish simply called a Puffy Apple Pancake.  But regardless of the title of the recipe, it's a blend of caramelized apples cooked in a skillet then batter poured in and the "pancake" is baked in a very hot oven. 

 

I use an old cast iron skillet because it does the best job of caramelizing the apples and it retains heat very well.  Just one caution though--cast iron gets so hot that you have to be careful so that you don't burn the apples.

 

2 tbsp. butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

Cinnamon and nutmeg

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into big chunks, (I go with a tart apple)

3 eggs

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp. salt

 

Heat the over to 425

 

Melt the butter with the sugar and water over medium-high heat in a skillet. Let the sugars caramelize and soften the apples, about 15 minutes.  While the apples cook, blend the eggs, milk, flour, salt and a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg.  Pour the batter over the apples and place the skillet in the oven.  Bake until puffy and golden, about 18 minutes. Serve with pure maple syrup.

 

The apple pancake out of the oven-

 

I like to invert the pancake, like a tarte tatin, and then cut wedges for serving.  It wasn't as puffy as the Pancake House version and not a dainty presentation, but it was crispy with soft caramelized apples.  Almost like an apple bread pudding. Delicious-

 

 

[David Ross]

And I thought my standard Sticky Toffee Pudding was good.  (I've been told one never starts a sentence with "and.")  Yet as cooking goes, a new King of Sticky Toffee Pud's has been crowned--the "Sticky Toffee Apple Pudding with Calvados Caramel."  Adapted from a BBC Food recipe, I used Granny Smith apples due to their tart flavor and ability to hold shape when baked.  I also added some currants and golden raisins to insure the pudding stayed moist.  It's a lot of ingredients and a lot of steps, but you will swoon.

 

Calvados Caramel-

8 tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 tbsp. calvados

12 tbsp. heavy cream

 

I would recommend making the caramel about 6 hours in advance.  Letting it cool and thicken in the fridge, then reheating over a water bath at the point of service. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat, then add the brown sugar, calvados and cream.  Cook until the caramel thickens, about 15 minutes.  Chill until ready to serve.

 

Apples-

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

2 tbsp. butter

4 tbsp. water

6 tbsp. granulated sugar

2 tbsp. calvados (apple brandy)

1 tbsp. currants

3 tbsp. golden raisins

1 tsp. baking soda

 

Heat the oven to 375.  Butter a springform pan, (I used a 8" pan with 4" high sides).

 

Melt the butter, water and sugar over medium-high heat.  Add the apples and cook until golden and caramelized, about 15 minutes.  You may need to add additional water. Remove from the heat and stir in the currants, golden raisins, calvados and baking soda.

 

Pudding-

6 tbsp. butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 tbsp. honey

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

7oz. self-rising flour

 

Cream the butter and brown sugar.  Add the honey, eggs, vanilla and flour and mix until the pudding is thoroughly combined.  Add the apple mixture and turn the pudding into the pan.  Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Let the pudding cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the springform pan and release the sides.

 

Toffee topping-

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. brown sugar

 

Melt the butter over medium heat and add the brown sugar.  After 30 minutes baking the pudding, pour this toffee topping over the top of the pudding and continue baking another 15 minutes.

 

Cut a wedge of the pudding while still warm.  Add a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and drizzle some of the warmed calvados caramel on top of and around the pudding.

 

Sticky Toffee Apple Pudding with Calvados Caramel-

 

 

 

[David Ross]

It's a duck!  Slow-roasted with apples, potatoes, turnips and garlic.  A rush of heat at the end to crisp the skin and a douse of warmed calvados to flame the bird just before service.  The only thing that this duck needed was a smidge of dark, rich duck jus.

 

 

 

Truss a duck.  Place in a roasting pan with a rack. Season the cavity with salt and pepper, then stuff the fowl with a chopped onion, a head of garlic cut in half and a few sprigs of fresh thyme.  Roast the duck in a 300 oven for 1 1/2 hours.  Add some quartered tart apples, (don't peel or core), a quartered turnip and a russet potato cut in thick wedges, (unpeeled potato).  Roast another hour.

 

Raise the heat to 400 and roast another 35 minutes to crisp the skin. 

 

Remove the duck from the oven and let rest 10 minutes.  Place the duck in a large casserole and add the vegetables and apples.  Douse with warmed calvados and light afire!  Serve slices of the duck and some of the vegetables and apple.  Drizzle a bit of duck jus around the plate.  If you have it.

[Smithy]

I wish I'd seen either or both of your latest posts before yesterday's dinner party, David.  They look luscious.

 

Yesterday we had friends over to celebrate Oktoberfest, with a series of Oktoberfest beers, Gewurtztraminer and a Mosel wine, and more-or-less German-themed food.  The theme broke down at dessert, however; my dreams of an apple strudel went out the window with my time management.  Apple pie it was, using my standby crust and recipe, inherited from my mother.

 

I've found yet another 'wild' apple tree with miniature apples: no more than half the size of a Red Delicious, roughly the same shape, and probably the firm delicious piquancy that the original was supposed to have.  These were begging to be put into a pie.  I still have a store of applets.  I also supplemented the lot with a couple of store-bought full-sized apples whose variety I've forgotten, unfortunately.  It was good that I bought them, because I wouldn't have had time to go get more of the wild apples.  The store-bought apples (not Galas, Pippins, Fujis, Honeycrisp, Delicious, Macintosh, Granny Smiths...what was that variety?) were good filler although too sweet and soft to be ideal pie apples. Here's the blend I used:

 

The large size of conventional apples pays off in the preparation.  I use the slicer on a box grater to process apples for pie after I've peeled them.  It's quicker than slicing apples and finer than using the hand-crank corer/slicer thing I have.  The applets required great care to prevent losing a fingertip or fingernail to the slicer, because their diameter was 1" at most.

 

The pie was ready go quickly: there's something to be said for tried-and-true recipes.  Streusel topping makes it especially easy.

 

The pie came out after our guests had arrived, so I didn't get a picture of the entire finished product.  There wasn't much left over. I figure that means they liked it.

[Shelby]

I hesitated to post this because...well, it's not NEAR as fancy and intricate as everyone else's apple creations.  But, here goes lol

 

I made apple butter in the slow cooker.  My husband's folks LOVE this stuff so a couple jars will go to them.

 

[Smithy]

Brava, Shelby! Apple butter is good stuff. I never thought of the slow cooker for that (cue the 'Name 3 Things You Do' topic currently under way :-)) How long, what else do you put in it? Are any particular apples better for this than others?

[Shelby]

Brava, Shelby! Apple butter is good stuff. I never thought of the slow cooker for that (cue the '3 Things You Do' topic currently under way :-)) How long, what else do you put in it? Are any particular apples better for this than others?

OH!  I have one thing of the three lol.

 

I used Fuji and Gala this time.  One of them must have been extra juicy because the butter ended up a tad bit runnier than normal--but it was still fine.  I don't care for Granny Smith apples in apple butter...but that's just probably a personal thing lol.

 

The best thing about using the slow cooker is the delicious smell that wafts through the house.  Thus, I try to prolong the cooking as long as possible  I do it for two days turning it down to warm over night and low during the day.  I am a bad measurer....I peel and chop enough apples to fill my slow cooker up to about an inch from the top (I used my 6 quart cooker), throw in about a cup of white sugar and a cup of brown sugar, sprinkle liberally with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, slap the lid on and go.  I cook them until they are as dark brown as they can get.  Then, I turn off the heat and add a tablespoon or so of good vanilla.  Stir, let that sit until it cools off (a couple hours) and then I use my stick blender to make it creamy.

[Smithy]

Tonight's dinner was bratwurst and some other sausage, potatoes, young onions and wild apples. By 'young onions' I mean that the bulbs were relatively small and the greens were intact - like scallions on steroids or like dwarf leeks. The procedure: bacon grease and butter into the pan to melt, while I quartered the potatoes and sliced the apples. (These apples look like one-third size Delicious apples; they wouldn't sell in the supermarket but they're easier to manage than Itty Bitty Applets.) The sausages went into the fat and began to brown; when the sausages were turned, the potatoes and apples were added. Once all that was beginning to brown and I tired of the spattering, I added apple juice and a touch of beer, gave it a stir and covered it. Some time later the onion bulbs (sliced) went in; later, balsamic vinegar was added for sweetness; much later, the onion greens were added. By the time the potatoes were done, the onions and apples had cooked down to a syrupy blended red sauce that coated the sausage. We had mustard and horseradish but didn't need them.

I'm sorry I have no photo. I expected it to taste good, but by the time I realized it also looked good we had already tucked in. I recommend this approach for anyone who thinks that apples can't be a good match for a savory dish like spicy pork. I'm married to such a person, but I think he's seen the light.

[David Ross]

My next dish is going to be a non-traditional pairing of pork and apples but with Asian flavors.  I toyed with it tonight, but the color was pretty much brown and dull green, the flavors not vibrant and the pork not cut properly.  Needs some work but I think it will be a winner.

[JohnT]

Tonight's dinner was bratwurst and some other sausage, potatoes, young onions and wild apples. By 'young onions' I mean that the bulbs were relatively small and the greens were intact - like scallions on steroids or like dwarf leeks. The procedure: bacon grease and butter into the pan to melt, while I quartered the potatoes and sliced the apples. (These apples look like one-third size Delicious apples; they wouldn't sell in the supermarket but they're easier to manage than Itty Bitty Applets.) The sausages went into the fat and began to brown; when the sausages were turned, the potatoes and apples were added. Once all that was beginning to brown and I tired of the spattering, I added apple juice and a touch of beer, gave it a stir and covered it. Some time later the onion bulbs (sliced) went in; later, balsamic vinegar was added for sweetness; much later, the onion greens were added. By the time the potatoes were done, the onions and apples had cooked down to a syrupy blended red sauce that coated the sausage.

Good Grief Smithy, how on earth could you post such a concoction of ingredients! I am going to drool all night in my sleep until I can get to my butcher in the morning and obtain some bradwurst. Then to the fruit and veg market for the rest of the ingredients. Gives me good idea on replacing the brown onion gravy in one of the dishes I cook - a twist on the British bangers and mash with brown onion sauce, now soon to be an "apple, onion and cider sauce"! Need to see how that sauce freezes and if it splits when defrosted and heated.

[David Ross]

I first created the recipe for Litchee-Plum Conserve as an accompaniment to an Asian style pork dish in one of the preliminary rounds of MasterChef USA on PBS. That recipe has served me well for nearly 15 years and so it was the perfect starting point for adapting it to applesauce.  The result is a blend of litchee, plum, applesauce and five-spice powder that is fragrant, sweet and a bit tart.  It smells like a bed of roses in an apple orchard, and it's so easy to prepare. 

 

Litchee-Plum Applesauce-

10 canned litchee fruit

4-6 large canned plums, pits removed

1 16 oz. jar chunky applesauce.  I found a local brand made from Honeycrisp Apples, the "High J Orchards" of Manson, Washington

2 tsp. five-spice powder

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. lemon zest

 

Puree the litchee and plums in a food processor, then pour into a saucepan.  Add the applesauce, five-spice, sugar and lemon zest and cook the sauce about 20 minutes or until it starts to thicken.

 

Deep-Fried Szechuan Peppercorn Pork-

1 Pork tenderloin cut into medallions then pounded into thin cutlets

1 tsp. hot chile oil

1 tbsp. sesame oil

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sugar

1 tbsp. Chinese rice wine

2 tsp. grated ginger

2 tsp. grated garlic

2 tsp. ground Szechuan peppercorns

 

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup cornstarch

Canola oil for frying

 

Combine the marinade ingredients and add the pork cutlets.  Cover and refrigerate about an hour.  Add the egg yolk and cornstarch to the pork and marinade and toss to coat.  Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 375.  Deep-fry the pork cutlets until browned, about 3 minutes.  Drain the pork and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Serve with the Litchee-Plum Applesauce.

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

This is absolutely not in the same category as the wonderful dishes you are all posting!   I am visiting my mom in northern NY and picked up a few too many Macs at the local orchard.  I can make some applesauce but thought I’d look for a savory application and found this recipe for Sweet and Savory Warm Apple Onion Relish.

 

I cooked the following together:

 

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 apples (Macs)

2 T butter

1 T maple syrup

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 squirt mustard (recipe called for “ 2T stone ground mustard”)

1/8 c. cognac

 

Had a bit for lunch with some crusty bread, sharp cheddar and fresh apple. 

 

Very nice.  A nicer mustard than I had available would probably add something. But a nicer mustard might prefer to smeared on the bread on its own, too!

 

I have a honeynut squash that I will cube and roast for supper and toss with some of this but I look forwarding to trying it on sandwiches and with pork chops or roast chicken as well.

[David Ross]

Looks delicious.  I could find all sorts of dishes for that relish.  Thanks for posting.

[David Ross]

My favorite type of apple pie--the "Dutch" apple pie with a crumb topping.  I made this pie using my basic pastry crust and apple pie filling, (using golden delicious).  The crumb topping is a mix of 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, then 1/2 cup melted butter stirred in.  I baked it as a normal 9" pie, then cut a round out of the pie for this individual serving.  Served with the Calvados Caramel Sauce I made for the Sticky Toffee Apple Pudding. The only flaw?  That puny scoop of vanilla ice cream.

 

[David Ross]

Anyone have a very good apple fritter recipe?  I'm looking for something along the lines of an apple fritter doughnut.  I've got the apple cider ice cream made and the garnishes ready, just need the main part of the dish!

[Darienne]

Oh...an apple fritter recipe...a good one.  I love apple fritters.  Please.

[teapot]

Last night I made braised endives with apples and grapes - from Dorie Greenspan's Around my French Table. A delicious dish -- especially made with tart/sweet Pink Lady apples which Dave Ross highlighted in his initial post. The dish actually served as my entire dinner but I can see it partnering exceptionally well with pork.

[Shelby]

Just a plain 'ole apple pie.  I was going to try a new recipe for Bourbon Honey Apple Pie, but when I went to the liquor cabinet I discovered I had no bourbon.  Sigh.  So, I made a regular pie.  I did add some honey to it.....didn't seem to make a difference.  I also used a lot more spices than the recipe called for.  I like a spicy pie

 

 

 

[Anna N]

Last night I made braised endives with apples and grapes - from Dorie Greenspan's Around my French Table. A delicious dish -- especially made with tart/sweet Pink Lady apples which Dave Ross highlighted in his initial post. The dish actually served as my entire dinner but I can see it partnering exceptionally well with pork.

This sounds delicious. I just pulled out my copy of the book and note that I had put a sticky note in there. Time to add the ingredients to my grocery list I think.

[David Ross]

After three weeks of looking at different recipes, testing, tasting and weathering the fights with dough that didn't rise or was too dense, I finally came upon success.  Success in the form of a delicious apple fritter that is every bit as good as the fresh apple fritters you buy at your local bakery at 6am.  This is a fritter that is sweet, light and puffy yet with a dough density that can withstand the heat and pressure of 375 degree hot oil.  And with many good things that come from our kitchens, it takes time and one goes through a lot of steps.

 

The apple filling-
¼ cup unsalted butter
1/2 vanilla bean
4-5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4" dice
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup apple cider
¼ cup apple cider vinegar

 

I chose Granny Smith apples because I wanted some tartness to counter the sweet dough of the fritter and the sticky sweet glaze.  The secret here is the apple cider vinegar.  It gives a tart punch to the apple filling yet without a strong aroma or taste of vinegar.

 

Melt the butter in skillet over medium heat. Cut the vanilla bean in half and scrape the seeds into the butter, then add the vanilla bean.  Add the diced apples, sugar, cinnamon, cider and apple cider vinegar and cook until the apples are soft and most of the liquid is absorbed. Store the apples, covered, in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the fritters.

 

The fritter dough-

1 1/2 tbsp. dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

2 tsp. sugar

2 cups bread flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. shortening

1 large egg

1/4 tsp. vanilla

Additional bread flour as needed

 

When I first saw this recipe I was surprised.  Surprised that it called for more than twice the amount of yeast in other fritter recipes, less flour (and bread flour instead of all purpose flour), and baking powder.  I've never paired both yeast and baking powder in a dough recipe.  I figured it would result in a soft, pillowy dough that I've come to like in a good, a great, donut.

 

In a mixing bowl, add the yeast and warm water and stir.  Then sprinkle in the 2 tsp. sugar.  It will take about 7 minutes for the yeast to bubble and bloom before you can add the other ingredients.  In a separate bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine.

 

Attach the dough hook to the mixer and with the mixer running, add in the shortening, egg and vanilla and mix to combine.  Slowly add the dry ingredient mixture and combine until a soft yet sticky dough bowl forms.  You may need to add additional bread flour 1 tbsp. at a time.  The finished dough will be smooth and hold its shape yet still soft and sticky.

 

Turn the dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  I find that putting the dough in a warmed oven helps it rise.  Now I don't mean a hot oven.  I turn my oven to 150 then turn it off.  When it's warm, about 80 degrees, I put the bowl of dough in to rise.  After about 90 minutes the dough is doubled in size.  And now you are ready for the really tricky steps to making apple fritters, forming the dough.

 

The dough after the first rise-

 

Roll the dough into a thick rectangle, about 12" x 8" and spoon the apple filling over half the dough-

 

Fold the top half of the dough over the bottom half with the apple filling.  Then cut the dough vertically into 1" or so slices-

 

Now cut the dough horizontally, again into 1" slices.  You'll have all these little squares of dough filled with apples-

 

Now we put all these little chunks of dough into a oblong bread type of shape.  Then we'll cut them into sections about 3" wide, and form them into palm-size "fritters".  Sort of like the shape of a bear claw-

 

Gently, gently, place the fritters onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment and cover.  Let the fritters rise a second time, about 45 minutes-

 

The Glaze-

2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp. corn syrup

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. vanilla

1 tbsp. sugar

1/3 cup warm water

 

Add the powdered sugar, corn syrup, salt, vanilla and sugar to a bowl.  Stir to combine, then whisk in the warm water until a smooth glaze with no lumps forms.  We'll use the glaze to cover the fritter when they come out of the fryer.

 

After the final rise, the fritters are ready to go into hot oil.  I used canola oil heated to 375 and after about 1  1/2 min. frying on each side and this is what you have-

 

You can now see how those little clumps of dough cling together during rising and give that characteristic bakery style shape to your apple fritters. Spoon over a good coating of the glaze while the fritters are still warm.

 

Because we are dealing with fresh, sweet dough and apples that are fried and then glazed, they taste best when eaten, oh, let's say no more than 10 minutes after coming out of the fryer and doused with sugary glaze.  We wouldn't want to eat day-old fritters now would we.

[Darienne]

I swear I am actually drooling looking at those apple fritters.  I hope I can be up to such a complicated recipe.  Your instructions are very clear...but I do have a habit of not succeeding brilliantly at such complicated items.

 

Thanks so much for posting your recipe, David.  You are a gentleman and a scholar and a fine baker too. :wub:

[FauxPas]

yes, thank you so much for posting that. Even if I never actually make the recipe (though it's on my list), I still have the vicarious pleasure of the photos and description. Thank you again. 

[David Ross]

My pleasure, but I will tell you it was weeks of fritter dough hell.  I would go to sleep at night wondering why oh why my tepid little ball of dough wouldn't rise.  I usually don't give up until I find success with a recipe.  This one was darn good.

[Martin Fisher]

They look great David.