RECIPE: Caramel Apple Pie

Hello darlings, Henrietta here with a new recipe for you to try! I recently found this delightful looking concoction on a wonderful blog called Orange and Black - the Spirit of Halloween. The author of the bog had discovered it in the Apple a Day Cookbook by Janet Reeves. I must confess this is one cookbook that isn’t in my collection but I do love apples so it seems time I found a copy! The recipe sounded delicious and many of the blogs followers had tried it with success so I made up my mind to do so as well.

The perfect opportunity came when the Princess invited Priscilla and I over for dinner and a spooky movie last week, after our visit to Balls Falls. We volunteered to bring desert and agreed this pie would be the perfect thing. Priscilla whipped up the pie in no time (I was having quick nap after our long flight home) and we took it with us, baking it while we dined on a lovely feast set out by the Princess. 

As we sipped tea and talked of our days adventure, the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caramel and apples came wafting through the castle and beckoning us back to the kitchen where the pie was cooling. It was irresistible! I’m embarrassed to say we could wait no longer and sliced the pie up before it was properly cooled. The result was steaming clumps of apple, caramel and pastry. We should have waited longer and let it set but it was delicious all the same. It’s a lovely pie, and surprisingly not too sweet. The Princess declared it the best apple pie she had ever had and even had seconds. Priscilla and I agreed – it’s our favorite new recipe for Fall.

Here it is then, with a few alterations by Priscilla – Caramel Apple Pie.

Ingredients you will need for the pie:

·         Pie pastry to line a nine inch deep dish pie pan

·         Four cups of apples, peeled, cored and sliced

·         One and a half cups of brown sugar

·         One half of a cup of softened butter

·         One half of a cup of all purpose flour

·         One eight a teaspoon of salt

·         Two teaspoons of cinnamon

·         One half of a cup of chopped pecans

Instructions for the pie:

1.       Start by preheating your oven to a toasty three hundred and fifty degrees.

2.       Then line a sturdy nine inch deep dish pie pan with your pastry. Trim and finish the edges of the pastry. I haven’t included a pastry recipe because I find each cook has his or her own favorite – but if pastry isn’t your strong point feel free to buy a frozen pie crust, I won’t tell.

3.       Arrange the apple slices in the pastry-lined pan.

4.       Sprinkle the apples with the pecans and salt. Set aside.

5.       In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, butter, flour, salt and cinnamon until a paste-like consistence forms.

6.       Pat the brown sugar paste mixture on top of the apple slices to form a top crust.

7.       Place pie on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for fifty minutes.

8.       Remove pie form oven and transfer onto a cooling rack.

9.       Let sit to cool until just warm (at least 45 minutes). I know it’s a chore but do try and wait if you can. We let our enthusiasm get the better of us and sliced it early but the result was mounds of pie instead of slices!

10.   Serve with freshly whipped cream or a rich vanilla ice cream.

Let us know how your pie turns out and if you agree it’s the perfect desert for a crisp cool day.

Click here to buy The Apple a Day Cookbook



Click here to visit Orange and Black: The Spirit of Halloween

RECIPE: Pumpkin Waffles with Apple Topping

This is a lovely treat on a smokey fall day! Quite appropriate for breakfast, they also make a fine change of pace for supper with some lovely farmers sausage links on the side.

If you don't have a waffle iron, the batter works just as well for pancakes in a skillet. Henrietta prefers them topped with butter, a dollop of whipped cream and pure maple syrup that's been warmed and spiced a little (all the spices used in the batter work nicely). Priscilla prefers therm served with a topping of apples that have been peeled, cored, sliced and cooked in a skillet and that's how it's done below. If you haven't any apples or maple syrup, Aunt Ruby suggests a drizzle of corn syrup can also be quite nice.

Ingredients you will need for the waffles:

• Two cups of flour
• One and one quarter teaspoon of baking powder
• One heaping teaspoon of dried ground cinnamon
• One scant quarter of a teaspoon of dried ground nutmeg
• One quarter of a teaspoon of salt
• Two fresh chickens eggs, lightly whisked
• One and a half cup of fresh cows's milk
• One cup of cooked, well-mashed pumpkin
• One half a cup of packed brown sugar
• Three tablespoons of butter that has been melted
• One tablespoon of solid butter
• One teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Two good-sized baking apples that have been cored and sliced
• One half cup of apple cider

Instructions for the waffles:

1. Begin by getting down a good, large mixing bowl. Into that, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. Into a smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and pumpkin. Then add in one third of a cup of the brown sugar, the melted butter and the vanilla extract. Stir well to combine.
3. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the large bowl of dry ingredients and then stir very gently - just until moistened. You want a fluffy batter so be careful not to over mix it. Set the mixture aside for a few minutes and lets get to the stove!
4. Preheat your waffle iron and while you are waiting, set a large skillet over medium-high heat. In the skillet place the solid butter and warm just until melted. Take care not to burn or brown it. Then add the sliced apples and the remaining brown sugar (no one wil be the woser of you sprinkle a bit more in, dear) and cook them just until tender being sure to stir regularly so they don't stick.
5. Pour in the apple cider and cook the mixture for a few minutes more until the cider becomes syrupy and the apples are softened right through.
6. Cooking the waffles depends on the sort of waffle iron you are using (See HINT below) so be sure and check the manufacturers directions before starting. Generally each waffle will need about one half a cup of batter but take care not to remix or restir the batter before pouring it as the waffles will not be as light and fluffy if you do.
7. When the waffles are golden yellow, serve them smothered in the warm apple mixture and there won't be a discontented tummy at the table.

Enjoy!

HENRIETTA HINT: Whether they are cast iron, Teflon coated, fireplace, stove top, Belgin style or modern and electric, waffle irons are a fun and fascinating thing to have in the kitchen.Some of them require greasing before use - either by brushing on a shortening or spraying with a no-stick cooking spray, though this may not be needed depending on how much fat or oil is in your recipe. The best designs allow steam to escape to avoid soggy waffles. It's always best to have two irons if possible so that you can be serving form one while the second one cooks. It's always best no matter what kind you have to read the directions provided by the manufacturer and adjust the recipe you are using to match. I always make a little extra batter than I think I will need because the first couple of waffles inevitable come out wrong as I adjust the amount of batter and cooking time.