Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Liz]

Many thanks for the recipes. And when we're ready to put our feet up after a day of baking, how about quaffing this deliciousness? A professional bartender combined Calvados, a French apple brandy, with hot cider for a drink that's autumn in a glass.

HOT APPLE BRANDY TODDY

Ingredients for one toddy.  1⁄4 cup sugar  1 tsp. cinnamon, plus more for garnish  6 oz. apple cider, plus more for rimming glass  1 1⁄2 oz. fine calvados  4 oz. heavy cream  1 stick cinnamon, for garnish

PREP Dip glass rim in apple cider then cinnamon-sugar. Whip cream, 2 oz. Calvados to stiff peaks. Fridge til needed.

ASSEMBLY Heat 6 oz. apple cider. Add rest Calvados. Pour into glass and top with whipped cream.

SERVE garnished with cinnamon sprinkle and cinnamon stick.

[pugmama]

I am already thinking about Christmas cake. This is the only recipe I use now, as no-one I know will eat the regular kind.

Applesauce Fruitcakes per LCBO site

These luscious cakes are filled with an assortment of dried fruit rather than the sugary candied variety. It is essential to let the fruitcakes rest for 5 days before serving so the flavours have a chance to meld. Wrap the cakes tightly in plastic and foil so they remain moist. You can purchase individual loaf pans at kitchen supply stores.

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
1/4 cup (50 mL) molasses
3 tbsp (45 mL) honey
1 1/3 cups (325 mL) golden raisins
1 1/3 cups (325 mL) dark raisins
1/2 cup (125 mL) dried currants
1 cup (250 mL) dried cherries
1/2 cup (125 mL) dried cranberries
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) dried apricots, chopped
1 cup (250 mL) walnut halves, roughly chopped
1 cup (250 mL) pecan halves, roughly chopped
2 1/4 cups (550 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 mL) baking soda
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 mL) nutmeg
1/2 tsp (2 mL) allspice
1/4 tsp (1 mL) mace
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
3/4 cup (175 mL) brandy

Garnish
1 cup (250 mL) seedless raspberry jam
1/4 cup (50 mL) water
Gold leaf

Preheat oven to 275°F (140°C). Butter and flour twelve 4 x 2-inch (10 x 5-cm) miniature loaf pans and place on a baking sheet.
Heat applesauce in a medium pot over medium heat until boiling. Add butter and stir until melted. Add sugar, molasses and honey and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute or until sugar dissolves. Pour mixture into a large bowl and let cool. Add raisins, currants, cherries, cranberries, apricots, walnuts and pecans. Stir to combine.
Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, mace and salt into a large bowl. Fold dry ingredients into applesauce mixture until combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared loaf pans. With the back of a wet tablespoon, press batter into pans and smooth the tops.
Place baking sheet in middle of oven and bake fruitcakes 55 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Turn cakes out onto a wire rack and let cool.
With a pastry brush, coat fruitcakes liberally with brandy. Wrap fruitcakes in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil and let rest at room temperature for 5 to 8 days.
Put raspberry jam and water in a small pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and gently simmer for 5 minutes. Pass mixture through a strainer. Unwrap cakes and brush the hot glaze on top. Once the glaze has cooled, decorate the cakes with bits of gold leaf.

Serves 12 (1 cake per person)

[leaning conservative]

My.mother loves fruitcake & this sounds wonderful! Do you know if it travels well in the mail?

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Core apple, do not bother to peel, that's where all the nutrients are.

Mix honey, rolled oats, a dash of salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Pack the middle of the apple with this mix.

Add small pat of butter to the top of the packed apple.

Microwave for about five minutes.

Let it cool a bit.

Eat.

This is one of my "go to" deserts when I have unexpected company.

You can mix this up however you like, use brown sugar or crushed red hot candies instead of the honey. Use cardamon or mace instead of the nutmeg.

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

[pugmama]

I shipped these as gifts to friends in other states and they arrived safe and sound. Wrap the cakes securely in plastic, then aluminum foil over that. Put them in a firm container that is same size as the cakes.

[leaning conservative]

Thanks, good to know!!! I AM going to do this & will let you know how they turn out ; )

[pugmama]

I shipped these without doing the glaze. I gave the recipe to friends and they did the final step once they got them.

[Jamestown1630]

That is very nice, and great that it’s micro-wavy. Having stuff that’s easy and fast for unexpected guests is a ‘Good Thing’ (tm)

-JT

[Bellflower]

I looked for the PL apple cobbler at my Walmart and didn’t see it. Did you find it in the frozen desert section?

[sockmonkey]

*** looked for the PL apple cobbler at my Walmart and didn’t see it. Did you find it in the frozen desert section? ***

No, just in the regular bakery part. Not frozen or refrigerated. In a tan and brown box, probably 9 x 7”.
Over by the Patti LaBelle southern caramel apple cakes, sweet potato pies. The cobblers also came in peach, and berry.

I have bought the sweet potato pies, and froze them. I also bought two peach cobblers, and two apple cobblers, and froze them.

[sockmonkey]

On my local Walmart in TX, it says “new” on the website, so, maybe they don’t have them at your Walmart yet, or maybe they are seasonal.

I always check on the reduced for quick sale/oops, we baked too much racks for stuff like that, too as it is 50-70% off.

[sockmonkey]

I found this. They are just now rolling out the cobblers.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2016/08/29/first-came-that-viral-sweet-potato-pie-now-there-are-patti-labelle-cobblers-at-walmart-too/

[Liz]

FRIED---Thin rings of apples dipped into sweet/cinnamon/nutmeg batter, then fried. Best served hot! Down South they use sweet-tart apples such as Granny Smith, Jonathan, McIntosh, Rome and Gala.

Fried Apple Fritter Rings

PREP Heat inch of canola oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat (or preheat a deep fryer to 375 deg).

BATTER Whisk well cup self rising flour, 1/2 tb sugar, tsp cinnamon, Pinch ea k/salt, fresh grated nutmeg. Add cup of buttermilk or whole milk, beaten egg.

ASSEMBLY Working in batches, batter single slices •4 to 5 apples, peeled, cored and sliced about 1/4 inch thick, let the excess drip off and place into the oil. Don't overcrowd pan. Brown a minute or so, turn and brown the other side. Transfer to a rack to drain and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar, cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar.

SERVE piping hot immediately.

Chef's Tip: To minimize browning on apples while you are cutting them, hold them in a solution of 3 parts water to 1 part lemon juice. Drain well and pat dry. If you prefer more puff to your fritter, just use less buttermilk or milk to form a thicker wet batter. If substituting all purpose flour - add 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder and increase salt slightly to 1/8 teaspoon.

[Liz]

Can you believe a Ruth Chris recipe? Makes 4 individual or one lge tart.
Save extra crumble for topping breakfast quick-breads or rolls.

RUTH CHRIS APPLE CRUMBLE TART

Apple Filling: melt butter on med. Add sugar, cinnamon, vanilla. Stir/dissolve sugar. Add apples. Cook/stir 5 min. Add cornstarch/cold water slurry. Cook/stir 8 min. Offheat, cool in an ice bath.

FILLING ING 2 pounds apples, peeled and cored 1 tablespoon salted butter, softened 3/4 pound sugar 3 tablespoons cinnamon 1/2 ounce vanilla extract 1 1/2 ounces cornstarch 1 fluid ounce cold water

CRUMBLE TOPPING mix 3/4 lb sugar, lb flour. Slowly add 3/4 lb butter cubes; work into popcorn-size crumbles. Undermixed topping will be powdery; overmixed will be one big clump.

ASSEMBLY Put 4 mini-springform pans on parchment-lined pan and spray; add/press in pie dough to form crust. Add heaping cup apple filling. Bake 325 deg 25 min. Remove to counter. Top w/ tb crumb topping. Bake 15 min. Topping will be golden and filling bubbly. Let cool 1 hour.

FINAL Warm tart in microwave to reach internal 140 deg. Add scoops vanilla ice cream. SERVE drizzled w/ caramel sauce, mint sprig garnish.

[sockmonkey]

*** Fried Apple Fritter Rings ***

Once I had some curly fry sliced apples dipped in batter dusted with cinnamon, and powdered sugar..outstanding.

[Liz]

Yummy...great idea.

[Ellendra]

I finally found my apple crumble recipe! Thank goodness I had shared it with someone online, or it might have been lost for good!

Filling:

4-6 cups apples (more if desired)
2 tablespoons molasses
1 cup water (or apple cider)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup brown sugar (you can adjust this up or down depending on the sweetness of the apples)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup melted butter

Slice and core the apples. Whether or not to peel them is up to you. Some varieties have peels that soften when cooked, others turn tough and leathery. I leave the peels alone, mainly because I like skipping steps if I can get away with it :)
Lay the apple slices in a greased 9×13 cake pan. When all the apples are sliced, mix the molasses, lemon juice, and water, and pour over apples.
Combine brown sugar, spices, and pecans. Sprinkle evenly over the apples.

In a bowl, combine sugars for the topping. Add vanilla and mix well. Combine flour and salt and mix, a little at a time, in with the vanilla/sugar mix until it no longer forms clumps. Sprinkle as evenly as possible over the mixture in the pan. Pour melted butter on top. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, or until top starts to brown. Enjoy hot or cold.

[jetson]

yum

[leaning conservative]

Thank you!

[pugmama]

Liz-that tart looks wonderful. Going to try it as individual tarts. Thanks.