Tag Archives: Fruit

Apple Bundles


Apple Bundles

The Pastry
4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups chilled solid shortening, cut into chunks
1/2 tsp almond extract
3/4 cup ice water (more, as needed)
The Apple Filling
8 small, tart apples (2 1/2 inches in diameter),peeled and cut into quarters
1 cup packed light brown sugar (divided)
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
2 tbsp whole milk or half and half
The Sauce
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup hot water
3 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into chunks
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp Apple Brandy (or, use Apple Juice, or, 2 tbsp water plus 1/8 tsp almond extract)
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Position rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish or coat with spray.

To make the pastry: in a large bowl stir together the flour and salt. Add the shortening. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir the almond extract into 3/4 cup of ice water. Drizzle this over the flour mixture. Toss with a fork or mix with your fingers until well incorporated and the mixture holds together. If needed, add a bit more ice water a tbsp at a time over the mixture until it holds together when pressed with your fingertips. It should not be dry. Knead until smooth. Divide dough in half. Shape dough portions into 3 x 8 inch logs. Roll out one of the dough logs between sheets of parchment or waxed paper until 12 inches wide and about 12 1/2 inches long. You may have to patch the dough to make the edges of the rectangles even. Roll out any creases on the underside of the dough. Peel off the top sheet of paper gently, then pat back into place. Flip the dough, and peel off the bottom sheet. Trim if necessary, to remove uneven edges. Using a sharp knife or a pastry wheel, cut the dough in half lengthwise and crosswise to form 6 inch squares. Repeat the process with the second dough portion.

To assemble the Apple Bundles peel the pastry squares from the paper one at a time and lay on a clean sheet of parchment or waxed paper. Center a portion of the apple mixture up in the center of each pastry square. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of brown sugar on each and top with a piece of the butter. Put more apple on top and pull the 4 corners of the pastry up and around the apple filling. Pinch the 4 seams together firmly so the apple is secured within. Trim away excess dough from the sides. Repeat with the remaining pastry and apples. Arrange in a baking dish.

You can use dough scraps cut into simple shapes to decorate the top of your bundles. Using a pastry brush, evenly brush each of the bundles with milk.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the bundles are browned and the apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Cover with foil if you notice the dough is browning too rapidly during the final 10 to 15 minutes of baking (also, sprinkle with some Demerara sugar for an extra special effect) .

To make the sauce, stir together the brown sugar, hot water, butter, lemon juice, Apple Brandy or Apple Juice along with the cinnamon in a 2 quart saucepan. Stir over medium heat, bringing to a gentle boil. Continue to boil gently, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. The sauce will be of a thin consistency. Drizzle half the sauce over the bundles as soon as you remove them from the oven. Allow them to stand for an hour prior to serving. Place the remaining sauce in a small dish to serve with the Apple Bundles.

Yields 8 servings

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Pavlovas

Pavlovas

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
6 large egg whites
1 tsp. white vinegar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup whipping cream
Fresh raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and/or sliced strawberries, peaches, plums, apricots, kiwi or whatever fruit you like
Additional sugar for tossing with fruit (optional)

Preheat oven to 250° F and line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment. Set aside about a tablespoon of the sugar, and stir the cornstarch into the rest.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar mixture, beating until the mixture holds stiff, glossy peaks. Beat in vinegar and vanilla.

To make one large Pavlova, spoon the meringue onto the baking sheet and spread out with the bottom of a spoon to form a 9″-10″ circle with a slight indent in the middle and raised edges, like a nest. To make individual Pavlovas, spoon 8-10 mounds of meringue about an inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until crisp but still soft inside. If the meringues aren’t crisp, turn the oven off and leave them inside for another hour.

Transfer Pavlova(s) to a rack and cool completely. Beat the cream with the remaining tablespoon of sugar until soft peaks form. Mound into the middle of the cooled Pavlova(s) and top with fruit.

Serves 8-10

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Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Crispas


Fruit Salsa
4 Granny Smith apples – washed, peeled, cored and diced
2 pounds strawberries, sliced
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons blackberry preserves

In a large bowl, combine apples, strawberries, sugars, and blackberry preserves. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Cinnamon Crispas
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
non-stick butter flavored cooking spray
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray one side of each flour tortilla with cooking spray. Cut into eight (or more) wedges and place in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar to coat.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes before serving. Crispas will continue to get crunchier as they cool. Serve with fruit salsa.

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Mandarin Salad Margherita with Wasabi Dijon Dressing

Mandarin Salad Margherita with Wasabi Dijon Dressing

Salad:
3 cups of salad greens (spinach, red lettuce, or your favourite mixture)
3 scallions (green onions), diced
1 small white onion, diced fine
1 small red onion, diced (or if particularly sweet sliced into bite-sized pieces)
1 six oz can of mandarin orange slices, drained
Wasabi Dijon Dressing
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoon wasabi paste

In a salad bowl, combine all salad ingredients and toss to mix thoroughly. Serve with dressing on the side.

For dressing in a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, mustard, and wasabi paste. Drizzle in olive oil while whisking to emulsify into the consisting you prefer. Stores well for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Serves 2, generously.

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Blueberry Buckle

Blueberry Buckle

Base:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I find the smaller, wild blueberries have more flavour)

Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp chilled butter, diced

Preheat oven to 375F. Spray 9″ springform pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a small bowl, prepare the topping by combining all ingredients and using a fork or pastry blender, cut in butter until coarse crumbs form (it should look like wet sand). Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl. combine yogurt, egg substitute and oil. Mix to combine, then stir the wet mixture into the flour bowl until just moistened. Spread batter into springform pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle blueberries over, and then sprinkle topping over blueberries.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Please on wire rack and cool for 15-20 minutes. Remove springform collar and slice into 8 pieces. Serve warm.

Serves 8.

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Weekend French Toast

Weekend French Toast

12 pieces sliced white bread
8 oz egg substitute
1/2 cup non-fat skim milk
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp real vanilla extract
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

For best results, if possible, place bread out on a baking sheet several hours prior to making French Toast to let it dry out. Alternately, place in toaster on lightest setting (bread should not brown).

In a large, shallow container, incorporate all ingredients (except bread) with a whisk until brown sugar is completely dissolved.

Place a large frying pan over medium heat and spritz with cooking spray. Take one piece of bread at a time and dip in egg mixture, turning over quickly so bread does not go soggy, and place in skillet. Do not dip more bread than you can fry at one time. Process in batches, cooking about 3 minutes on the first side (or until browned), and 1-2 minutes on the second. Respray pan between batches.

Discard left over egg mixture.

Serve with bacon (or turkey bacon, or soy substitute), fresh fruit (strawberries are exceptionally sweet right now, but blueberries, or even nectarines would be nice), and if desired, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

Serves: 4

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