Here is my new favorite dessert! This tasty dessert will satisfy your autumn sweet tooth any time. They are simple, puffy and delicious. No need to buy puff pastry from the store, you can make the buttery, flaky puff pastry with the three simple main ingredients: butter, cream cheese and flour. There is something about simple, delicious dishes that are just that … simple and delicious… and this dish is surely just that… My recipe came from this blog (source).
RECIPE
Ingredients
1-2 apples, firmer baking apples (I used Cortland)
1 pkg cream cheese (220 gr)
2 sticks of butter (220 gr)
1 1/3 cups flour (220 gr)
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp apple pie spice or cinnamon
1/2 cup powdered sugar
handful of chopped nuts
Directions
Have all ingredients at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Combine the cream cheese, butter, flour, salt and sugar. Put the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Take the cold dough out of the fridge, cut it in half. Put one half back in the fridge to keep it cold while you are working with the other half of the dough..
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin about 2-3 mm thick. Cut out round shapes with a cookie cutter. My cookie cutter is 2 1/2 inches in diameter but you can use whatever size you have. Cut the circles big enough so they can fit the apple slices or vice versa cut your apples so they can fit in the circle.
Place the apple slices on half of the cut out shapes and fold the other half of the circle over the apple slice. Put the prepared pieces on the pre-oiled cookie sheet.
Bake for 18 – 20 minutes in the preheated oven.
Repeat with the other half of the dough.
Make the sugar coating. Add 1 tsp apple pie spice or cinnamon to the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Put the apple turnovers into a bigger bowl and toss them with the sugar/cinnamon mixture. I did this when they were still warm. I found that when done while hot, the sugar sticks better but please feel free to experiment.
This morning, I was craving something delicious made with apples … most likely because yesterday we went out to an orchard to pick some apples. Of course, we have a lot of apples now. Then I remembered I could easily make Dutch baby and put apples in it.
Dutch baby is made with three basic ingredients: milk, eggs and flour and seasoned with vanilla and apple pie spice. I also added apples to satisfy my autumn cravings. Watch it poof up in the oven and wow your friends and family with this tasty filling breakfast. I served it with caramel sauce that further satisfied those ‘autumnish’ cravings … Oh and I still have raspberries growing in my back yard so I had to use some raspberries too.
RECIPE
Serves 4 people
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole milk milk
5 eggs, lightly beaten
4 Tbsp butter, divided.
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon or apple pie spice
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp sugar
2 larger apples peeled, cored and sliced (sour, baking apples like Granny smith, Fuju, Harlson are the best)
caramel sauce, whipped cream, maple syrup, all optional
nuts for serving
Directions
You will need a 2 inch deep oven proof skillet that is 10″ in diameter or something similar in size to bake this dish.
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Have an oven rack in the middle position.
Mix flour, milk, eggs, salt, vanilla, 3 Tbsp melted butter, cinnamon and sugar until no lumps remain. You can use an electric beater for 1 minute but it can easily done by hand too. Let it rest for 1 hour if possible. (The batter can be made the day before and stored in the fridge, just let it warm up to room temperature and mix the batter to get some air in).
Caramelize the apple slices on both sides for 10 minutes with a little butter. Set aside.
Heat the baking dish for 5 minutes in the pre-heated oven. Put 1 tablespoon butter in the hot baking dish and bake for 5 minutes or until the butter is melted. Be careful not to burn the butter.
Take the baking dish out of the oven. Pour the batter in and place the dish in the oven. (IMPORTANT !!! Do not open the oven door before the dutch baby is done). BAKE for 20 – 30 minutes or until the top is nice and golden brown. The pancake will puff up but will settle after 5 – 10 minutes.
Serve with the prepared apples. You can add powdered sugar, ground walnuts and caramel sauce – of course all optional.
Lovage is an old European folk remedy but has been forgotten. I would like to bring some attention to this valuable plant with this recipe. In the old days, it was used like parsley is used today, it grew in the gardens of everyday folks. It has an unusual flavor, more like citrusy celery. I used my Potato leek soup recipe (source) but added lovage instead of kale at the end as lovage wonderfully enhances the flavor of the potatoes. Of course, it is a great plant to use to get the body ready for the colder months.
Lovage (Levisticum officinale) can be used for medicine and culinary purposes. It has been around for thousands of years. The Greek physician, Hippocrates (460 – 370 BC), made it popular by adding it into the culinary world. He did so after using it successfully during the epidemics of his time. Lovage offers numerous health benefits. It is a warming, sweet, bitter and aromatic plant. I have it growing in my garden right now, a small little shoot grew very quickly into a large plant.
twincitiesherbs.com
RECIPE
Ingredients
8 medium sized Russet or Yukon potatoes (about 1.5-2 pounds)
3 medium sized leeks, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp butter
2 large slices of bacon or to taste (optional)
stock (vegetable or chicken)
1 tsp of sweet Hungarian paprika (make sure it is authentic)
1/2 tsp of fennel seeds
1-3 thyme springs
2 dried bay leaves
handful of chopped up lovage
1/2-1 cup of cream
salt and freshly ground pepper
crushed hot red pepper flakes to taste
Parmesan cheese to serve
Preparation
Wash and slice up leeks. Slice leeks thin with a sharp knife. Use more the white part (cook the greenish part in the stock or discard). Put the sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water for 1/2 hour. This will get all the dirt out of the leeks. Clean well. Strain the liquid using a colander or pat dry.
If you decide to keep the peel on the potatoes, clean and soak potatoes in some cold water for 1/2 hour. Scrub off any dirt. If you decide to peel potatoes, you can skip this step and just peel and slice the potatoes thin.
Sauté leek slices in some butter for about 10 minutes or until you can smell the aroma of the leeks. Add 1 tsp of paprika and fennel seeds to activate for 1 minute and stir. Add 1/4 tsp cold water, stir.
Fry up some sliced bacon if you decide to use it.
Add potatoes and bacon to the leeks. Pour in the stock enough to barely cover the vegetables. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Start heating the soup carefully until it starts bubbling but not boiling. Quickly, turn the heat down and slowly cook for 1/2 hour.
Clean and cut up lovage.
When soup is done, add the lovage. It doesn’t need to cook.
Add cream, salt, black pepper, hot red pepper flakes.
I have been making lasagna recently quite a bit. It is not too hot outside yet so I can turn the oven on but we want something on the lighter side too … so this dish seems to fit the bill. Of course, you can make it any time of the year. Lasagna is an Italian specialty. Traditionally, it is made with layers of tomato sauce based ragu, cheese and béchamel sauce. In this dish, I replaced the meat with spinach, mushrooms and cheese. I served it with red wine that seemed to compliment it very nicely.
Spinach is a great vegetable for the spring, it is hardy and nourishing for the liver.
Of course, an important part of the lasagna is the pasta. The best is if it is home made but good, high quality packaged pasta will do too.
Also, the cheese is also important. Try to get the best quality you can afford. Honestly, when I was in Italy, the first thing that I noticed was how tasty the cheese was in their dishes. I like to use a mixture of cheeses, here I used fresh mozzarella cheese balls, feta cheese and Parmesan cheese.
I make my own Italian seasoning but of course any store bought mix would work too. I think this is a nicely balanced mixture of spices grown in Italy. They are carefully selected herbs so one herb will not overpower the other. Also, they all are carminative therefore will help with digestion. Historically, we can thank the ancient Greek doctors who added these herbs to dishes so people can get their benefits all year along.
The warming, aromatic oregano is the key ingredient in pasta dishes. I like to use it because it gives a nice, distinctive flavor to Italian dishes. The sweet fennel seeds are acrid and compliment the strong aromatic oregano in the dish. The delicate basil is probably the most loved and popular spice used in Italian cooking. If you can, try to use the fresh plant instead of the dried. Its aromatic flavor is a nice addition to any Italian dish. The pungent chili pepper is not a big part of the Italian cuisine but Italians enjoy adding a little to their pasta dishes. The oregano and the fennel seeds both can offset the heat of some stronger spices.
Italian seasoning
2 TBSP (6 tsp) dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil or handful of fresh basil
2 tsp ground fennel seeds
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp hot red pepper or to taste (optional)
RECIPE
Serves 6-8 people
Ingredients
lasagna pasta (I used 10 strips)
16 oz spinach (frozen is fine too)
4-8 oz chopped up mushrooms
olive oil
2 slices of bacon, sautéed (optional)
1 cup of tomato sauce – divided
8 oz of Parmesan cheese, divided
16 oz fresh mozzarella balls
8 oz (200 g) of feta cheese
1 Tbsp of Italian seasoning plus more for the top
handful of fresh basil leaves (if you have them)
3 cloves of garlic
1 egg, lightly beaten
Bachamel sauce ingredients
5 Tbsp of butter
1/2 cup of flour
2 cups of milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg
Rosso Piceno wine. Bottled by Saladini Pilastri 2018 (optional) It is the best and not expensive!
parsley leaves (chopped)
Directions
Start boiling the water for the pasta (omit if your pasta does not need to be boiled).
Preheat the oven to 400 F and have the rack in the middle of the oven.
Start boiling the water for the pasta. Prepare according to instructions.
Making the filling: In a pan, sauté bacon (optional) and mushrooms in a little oil for 5- 10 minutes. Transfer into a larger bowl. Meanwhile wash and take stems off the spinach. (If using frozen spinach of course no need to do it). Sauté in a little oil and water. Remove and try to drain off water. Chop spinach well and transfer into the bowl. Add mashed feta cheese, mushrooms, 1 egg, garlic, 1 Tbsp of the Italian seasoning (see recipe above). Add sautéd bacon if used. Mix. set aside.
Preparing the béchamel sauce. It is not too hard, just follow these steps. I used a whisk. Use a double boiler. In the top pot, warm up 5 Tbsp of butter on low heat, when melted increase the heat to medium high and add the flour slowly, stirring continuously. Then start adding the milk very slowly, stirring after each addition and wait for a minute to let the flour mixture soak up the milk. When you start seeing bubbles, it is done. Remove it from the heat. Grate some nutmeg, add 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and 1 egg. Mix well.
Assembling the lasagna: Put half the tomato sauce on the bottom of a 3 Qt size baking dish. Place 1 layer of the pasta strips on the bottom of the pan. Put the filling on top of the pasta, followed by the fresh mozzarella balls (cut up if using the larger balls), pour the béchamel sauce and top it all with another layer of the pasta. Spread some pasta sauce and the shredded Parmesan cheese on the top.
Turn the oven heat down to 375 F and put the dish in the oven. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until the top is nice and golden brown.
Serve hot with a little grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley on the top. I really enjoyed a glass of red wine with the dish. It felt like I was in Italy! I would recommend a bottle of red wine if you are looking for one to try (please see details above in Ingredients).
This delicious dish is very easy to make. I probably should have called it the bachelor/bachelorette sauerkraut dish … but it is not just for the bachelors/bachelorettes, it is the perfect dish whenever you want to make something quick but tasty and healthy. Of course, you can never go wrong with sauerkraut, it is so healthy.
It is a super easy recipe but I would like to note a few things. The onion has to be finally chopped and the dish needs to be cooked well otherwise it will have a raw taste.
There are two types of sauerkraut. One is preserved with vinegar and the other is processed with salt. I prefer the salted version as it is less acidic and is better for health. This version acts as a probiotic and supports gut health and digestive functions. Of course, the vinegar version would be fine to use, too.
RECIPE
Serves 6-8 people
Ingredients
1 onion, finally chopped
oil (sunflower, lard)
4 large slices of bacon, chopped into small pieces (optional)
1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
2 cup cold meat stock
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp mustard
couple of cloves garlic, crushed
2 lbs of sauerkraut, rinsed
few springs of thyme or 1 tsp thyme
red chili pepper (optional)
1 lb of kielbasa or sausage
sour cream to serve
rice or potatoes to serve
bread
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Chop the onions making sure they are finally chopped. Also chop the bacon. Sauté onions in some oil for about 5 minutes on medium high heat. Add the bacon (if using) and continue sautéing for another 5 minutes.
Add the paprika and garlic for 1 minute. Stir. Add the cold stock, stir.
Rinse sauerkraut with water, strain.
Add the sauerkraut, mustard, red chili pepper (optional) and caraway seeds. You can add the meat too. Stir. If the meat is already cooked, you do not have to add it at this point. Although I personally like it if any meat is cooked in the dish regardless whether it is precooked or not. If you don’t include it at this step, just add it at the end.
Cook for 50 – 60 minutes until the sauerkraut is well cooked.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with sour cream and your choice of bread, potatoes or rice.
In the summer when we were hiking in the Julian Alps in Slovenia, we found a quaint little restaurant that served simple and very tasty dishes. When we went hiking, we treated ourselves to a delicious lunch every time. Here, I found this interesting soup with sauerkraut, potatoes and beans.
Jota, the Slovenian soup with sauerkraut, potatoes and beans is just a simple dish that can warm your body and soul on a cold winter night or a cool, rainy day in the mountains in the summer.
RECIPE
Ingredients
oil
1 large onion, diced
2 strips of bacon
2 cloves of garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp of sweet paprika powder (optional)
1 tsp caraway seeds, 2 bay leaves, 1 Tbsp black peppercorns (optional)
2 cups of uncooked kidney beans or 30 oz canned kidney beans
meat stock
1 fresh tomato, diced or canned
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 pound potatoes (diced)
1 pound sauerkraut (drained and rinsed)
1 heaping Tbsp of flour
sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
eggs or sausage
twincitiesherbs.com
Method
Clean and soak the beans overnight or for at least 8 hours. Rinse soaking water off. Add fresh cold filtered water, bayleaves and cook the beans for 1.5 hour or until soft but not mushy. Set aside.
In a large pot, sauté onion and bacon for 10 minutes. Add paprika, stir and add garlic, stir. Add a tomatoes, tomato paste, stir and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse sauerkraut. Add potatoes, sauerkraut, caraway seeds, bay leaves, pork and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes or until potatoes and sauerkraut are very tender and the mixture is thick.
At the end, in a small bowl put 1 Tbsp of flour, mix it with some cooking liquid until smooth. Add into soup and cook for 5- 10 minutes.
If you like your soup to have a thicker consistency, you can take out the potatoes and put them in a blender with some of the cooking liquid.
Add the cooked beans with some of its liquid and warm up the pot so the beans are warm. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with bread, sour cream, eggs/sausage.
This can be served right away but will taste better the next day or even just a few days later.
My recipe today is potatoes with rosemary … yes that is it, just the two main ingredients plus the garlic, oregano and the salt. They should complement many winter meat or vegetarian dishes easily. I like using them in cooking because they both taste great and are good for digestion. I get very excited about rosemary in general as it has such rich and colorful history steeped in the culinary world, legends and folklore.
Rosemary is such a culinary delight, a popular plant in the kitchen especially during the colder months. Chefs use it in a wide variety of dishes from soups, bean dishes to meats particularly for lamb and chicken. It is not just used for enhancing the flavor of a dish but it also helps digestion. Also, it can preserve food, an important consideration in the old days before refrigerators were invented so I can imagine that rosemary was essential in a Medieval kitchen…
The aromatic rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) has been around for thousands of years. It is native to the Mediterranean region. Its Latin name is derived from the words ‘ros’ which means dew, and ‘marinus’ that means sea and as its name suggest it can in fact survive on the spray of the sea air. Persian doctors valued it as one of their best remedies. It has also been recognized as a powerful medicine in the Mediterranean countries. Rosemary along with the other digestive remedies of the region like thyme, oregano, fennel have been used in the culinary world for their medicinal values. Earlier, the ancient doctors started using them in dishes so people could get their benefits on a daily basis. So yes we can thank these wise doctors for all these fabulous dishes.
Ancient cultures thought of rosemary as a protective plant that could ward off evil. If we look at all the benefits that rosemary has, this statement would become more clear and less mysterious. Its health benefits come from its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-cancer abilities. It is also a restoring remedy as it can improve heart, liver, gallbladder, brain and kidney functions, circulation, digestion and the nervous system. It brings warmth to a cold, debilitated body. In the 13th century, Queen Elizabeth of Hungary claimed that rosemary wine was the secret to her long life and cured her paralyzed legs.
I’m now sitting here at my desk with a bunch of rosemary and sniffing its aromatic oils…
RECIPE
Ingredients
2 lbs of red potatoes
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp dried oregano
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
leaves of 4 stalks of fresh rosemary or 2 tsp of dried rosemary
1/4 cup of oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 475 F.
Soak the potatoes in cold water so the dirt can come off easily. I like to leave the peel on but if you prefer, you can peel the potatoes without soaking. If using fresh, take the rosemary springs and pull the rosemary leaves back on the vine to get the leaves off. Cut the potatoes into cubes (halves and quarters) and put them in a larger bowl with the oil, crushed garlic, oregano, salt and the rosemary. Toss until the potatoes are well coated.
Oil a baking sheet and spread the potatoes on it.
Bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are golden and tender. Flip the potatoes twice during baking to ensure even browning.
It is December now and I am already missing the plums from this summer. Then I happened upon this recipe (source of the recipe) … a dish with pork baked in prune sauce! I really like to prepare meats with fruits and the prunes work nicely with the pork here. Oh and that savory aroma of the prunes cooking with the shallots!!! … I decided that I will be making this recipe for Christmas Eve. I believe it would be perfect for this busy night. It can be marinated ahead of time and then just has to be cooked on the 24th … and after eating this dish I might have visions of sugar plums dancing in my head…
I really like simple meals that have an interesting flavor and this dish does just that. The pork is first marinated in a mustardy sauce and further baked in a savory plum sauce to perfection. The moist pork works nicely with the sweet prunes along with pungent spices and results in a unique sweet and savory flavor. Of course, it needs to be served with some nice wine or grape drink.
I made a few minor changes to the original recipe. I added a little red hot pepper, of course it is optional but for me, some spiciness was missing. I felt that the sweet pork along with the sweet sauce needed a touch of spiciness to balance the dish out. Not sure if it is authentic but this was more to satisfy my personal taste.
Also, I served this dish with brussel sprouts in addition to the potatoes. I served brussel sprouts but any other bitter green leafy vegetable like kale, lettuce would work well. Also, the recipe calls for 2 cups of chicken stock. You can do half white wine and half chicken stock if you wish.
If you can’t find tenderloin or just don’t want to spend so much money, sirloin is a nice alternative. Sirloin, a different part of the pork, is not as tender, will require longer cooking time and more cooking liquid. (I cooked it for 15 minutes longer and added an extra 1/4 cup of chicken stock). Honestly, they both taste nice though. Of course, if you want to impress your guests, or just treat yourself to something special, the tenderloin is more superior in flavor so go for the tenderloin!
A few words about the pork. It is sweet and salty. According to Ancient Chinese Medicine, pork is great for the fall and the winter as it is moistening. In fact, pork is moistening for the lungs, kidneys, and the spleen-pancreas. In Europe, it is a popular meat during the cold months especially during Christmas time.
Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1 pork tenderloin (approx. 1.25 pounds) or sirloin 2 TBSP brown sugar 1 TBSP Dijon mustard 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided 2 cloves of garlic, minced + 4 whole cloves, peeled and slightly smashed 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (or 1/2 tsp dry) 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 10 dried plums (prunes), chopped in half 2 smaller shallots or 1 bigger one, peeled and thinly chopped 2 cups chicken or pork broth or 1 cup of chicken/pork stock and 1 cup of white wine 1 TBSP red wine vinegar fresh parsley
DIRECTION
Marinade: In a small bowl mix sugar, Dijon mustard, 2 tsp olive oil, thyme, sale, pepper and 2 cloves of garlic. Put the mixture on the tenderloin, evenly spreading it all over the pork. You can put the pork in a zip lock bag or a marinating dish with a lid. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Take the pork mixture out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
Prune sauce: In a pan with oven proof handles, gently heat 2 tsp of olive oil, add shallots and stir. Cook until it start becoming soft and you can smell its aroma – about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, the chopped prunes and stir … Now if I may, I would like to invite you to stop for a few seconds and smell the aroma of the shallots, the garlic and the prunes, it is amazing … after 1 minute add the chicken stock, vinegar and hot pepper (optional). Cook for 5- 10 minutes.
Place the pork in the middle of the pan. Put the pan into the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. Cook for an additional 20 – 25 minutes basting 2-3 times or until the meat is 160 F.
When meat’s temperature reached 160F, take the pan out of the oven and cover. Let it rest here for 10 minutes before you start slicing them.
Serve sliced with potatoes, brussel sprouts and some wine. Drizzle the sauce on the top.
Apple pie is a special American dessert. I have always wanted to make it ever since I took the first bite of my mother-in-laws home-made pie like 25 years ago but I was somehow afraid of making it. I even gifted a pie form for my husband’s birthday 15 years ago to make sure that I make it. Ok so a few years ago I ventured into making one from a recipe I found online. I thought all apple pie recipes were the same … hmmm not true it didn’t turn out good, in fact it was terrible. Then, I found Martha Stewart’s pie recipe … and it was a huge success. I felt such a great accomplishment after I made it. Here I have the full proof Martha’s apple pie recipe so you don’t have to hunt for a good one.
The apple pie is an important part of the Thanksgiving dinner for many people. The delicious savory apple filling is wrapped in a flaky buttery crust and is served with whipped cream. I used Martha Stewart’s basic apple pie recipe and added cranberries. I think the tart and sour cranberries elevate the pie to another level. If you prefer to leave out the cranberries, add an extra apple to the filling so instead of using 6 apples and 1 cup of cranberries, use 7 apples.
According to Martha Steart, there are three basic rules for making a fabulous apple pie: Use the best ingredients, keep the dough cold and when you handle the dough less is more. Have fun making the pie, it is so worth it!
As Martha Stewart says you should get the best ingredients for your pie in other words your pie will be only as tasty as the ingredients are. The most important part of the pie at least as far as taste goes is the apples. When I go to the farmers’ market to get my baking apples, they always give me a mixture of apples. In fact, the lady at my favorite stand always gives 7-8 different apples. So how do you select the right apples?
Basically you want baking apples that are firm and keep their shapes while baking. The best apple for this is the Granny smith. If you like your pie more tart you can just use this variety. OK I know some people want more of a sweet apple pie. There are many other apple varieties that would make the pie sweeter like Cortland, Braeburn, Regent, Harlson. And I always like to add one very sweet one like Fuji, Honey crisp. Once you decide on the type, make sure they are also tasty. It is hard to describe but they should have a zesty flavor. When you try it you know what I mean! Sorry to say but supermarket apples often don’t have this. I personally like to get local apples for this purpose.
The other important part of a good pie is the crust. Of course keeping the surface cold is extremely important … but so is the quality of the flour you use. I would stay away from low quality flours that need to be enriched and have other additives in them. I buy only organic flour that fits this criteria. I used Bob’s Red Mill flour in this recipe but King Arthur’s flour is good too.
The third most important ingredient would be the shortening. The shortening is also crucial for a successful pie crust. Often people use butter flavored sysco shortening because it gives nice results. Well it is a good choice but I am not a fan because it is not that good for health. It is better to get a nice high quality butter or better yet lard if you have access to it. My mother-in-law always made her pies with lard and she honestly made the best pies.
Pie is a cold weather dessert. It is made starting September when the weather gets cold in the Northern hemisphere because it needs to be cold when handling the dough. The work area needs to be cold when you are working the dough to get the scrumptious flaky buttery crust. The pros use special board to work on that keeps the dough cold. If you don’t have these special tools, no worries. I just open the kitchen window and let the kitchen cool off a bit. It seems to be working fine.
Try to become familiar with the recipe. This is more of a challenging recipe as there are are many steps and specific instructions. I think the video (see below) is very helpful to watch for technique although the video is sometimes a little too cautious. For instance, you can handle the dough by hand. The recipe of the video and the one I’m presenting here are not exactly the same. Make sure you follow the recipe here to stay constant. The recipe is from her cook book, Martha Stewart Cooking School.
Ingredients
Crust
2 1/2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour (leveled with a knife)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 sticks of cold unsalted butter in 1/2 inch pieces
5-7 Tbsp of icy cold water
For the filling
6 baking bigger sized apples at room temperature (Granny smith, Cortland, Empire ) (about 2-2.5 pounds) (Martha uses 3 pounds of apples)
1 cup fresh cranberries, optional. Replace with another Granny smith if not used.
juice of 1 lemon or orange (Martha uses lemon juice)
1 Tbsp orange peel (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon or 1 tsp apple pie spice
If you use cranberries, use 3/4-1 cup of sugar. If not using cranberries, use 1/2-3/4 cup sugar. + Little more for the top.
2 Tbsp corn starch or 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp dried ginger (ground) or omit is not using cranberries
Put 1/2 cup of water in the freezer or you can use ice cubes in water. This will be used for the dough in the next step.
Making the dough. Mix flour with the sugar and the salt. Cut the cold butter into the flour with your finger tips, pastry cutter, knives or a food processor. If you are using a food processor, pulse for 10 seconds at a time, paying special attention not to over-process the dough. Stop when coarse crumbs form. The mixture should have pieces ranging from coarse crumbs to the size of small peas. Take water out of the freezer. Add 5 Tbsp of ice water slowly, 1 Tbsp at a time and mix until dough just holds together when pinched. Add more water only if needed. The mixture should retain a crumbly texture at his point; it should not be sticky. Again do not over-pulse the dough. If you are not using a food processor, you do not have to worry about over-processing that much, you’ll be most likely ready to stop. Do pay a close attention though what the dough should be like.
the crumbly dough
Shaping and chilling the dough. After making the dough, now it will be divided into two parts. Make sure the dough has all the loose pieces incorporated. Wrap each piece tightly with a plastic wrap and refrigerate at least for 1 hour or overnight. You can make this the day before and keep it in the fridge. This will help the crust to be flaky.
the dough wrapped in plastic
Preparing the filling. Wash, peel, core, and cut apples into 1/2 inch-thick slices. I like to use a mixture of baking apples for a more interesting flavor. I used 4 granny smith, 2 Cortland and 1 sweeter honey crisp apple. Add the orange/lemon juice and coat the apples well. Don’t add anything else to the apples until ready to assemble the pie. When ready add 1 cup of cranberries to get a more interesting flavor or add another apple instead. Then add everything else and mix. I happen to have an apple corer gadget. I have to say it was helpful for coring the apples but if you don’t have one, you don’t need to rush out to get one.
Assembling the pie. Your working area is supposed to be cold for this part. I just open the kitchen window while I’m doing this step and it should be cold enough.
Take the dough out of the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough until 1/8 inch thick. I check the diameter by putting the bowl above the dough. I just eye it to see if the dough is large enough in diameter to cover the bowl. The finished dough should be about 13 inch big in diameter.
The chilled dough
Roll the dough around the rolling pin and unroll it over a 9 inch glass plate, pressing gently to fit into pan. Fill it with the apple mixture from above. Roll the other disk of dough in the same manner.
rolled out dough
Drape over the bottom part. Use kitchen shears to trim overhang of both crusts to 1 inch. Press edges to seal. Fold overhang under and crimp edges: With thumb and index finger of your other hand, gently press dough against index finger of other hand. Continue around pie. Make several 3 inch slits in the top crust. This will allow the liquid to evaporate. I have a special clay bird that does this job. If you use the clay bird, you will not have to do this. If using the bird, cut 3 small slits in the middle of the pie, making an opening for the bird. Gently place the bird in and try to wiggle it around the apples. You can find these birds (see picture) at Williams Sonoma in the US -if anybody is interested.
Refrigerate the pie for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 F.
Finishing the crust for baking. Whisk egg yolk and cream in a bowl; brush over the top of crust. Sprinkle the top with sugar.
Baking the pie. Place pie in preheated oven. Put a baking pan underneath to catch any liquid that escapes during the baking. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 F. Continue baking until top and bottom crust are golden brown and juices are bubbling in the center for 70 to 85 minutes. Check on the pie after 1 hr and see if it is getting brown too quickly and needs to be covered with aluminum foil.
When ready, take the pie out and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 4 hours before serving. If you are not eating it all the same day, leave it on the counter loosely covered. Do not store in the refrigerator, the dough will get soggy.
According to my mother-in-law, a good cranberry sauce should have whole cranberries and a nice sauce, so as to not be mushy or dry. I created this cranberry sauce keeping this in mind. It is gently infused with oranges and pungent spices and is slowly baked in the oven. In addition, the alcohol will elevate it to another level that gives an unexpected kick to the sauce. It will go nicely with any savory fall or winter dishes. You don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving, go ahead and you can try it now!
I really like how this cranberry sauce turned out. Here is my little story… As a foreigner I did not grow up eating cranberries so I have been relying on the Joy of Cooking cookbook for the recipe. I was contemplating whether to make some changes to the basic recipe or just let the cranberries be what they are and enjoy their true taste.
I started experimenting. First, I put the oranges to the test. Why add oranges, another bitter fruit?!? OK orange peels are bitter but are also sweet. I found that the sweet oranges paired nicely with the sour cranberries. Perhaps because their common denominator is the bitterness ?!?
In the culinary world, it is well known that pungent spices offset the sour flavors so I also added cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice. They bring a little warmth to the sauce, too. In addition, the allspice gave a nice citrusy flavor. They balanced out the sauce nicely and resulted in a pleasant sweet and sour dish. Again, I can’t imagine the sauce without them.
Oh and the sugar! Most recipes use sugar for cranberry sauce; after all it is a sour dish and sweet can offset sourness. I have nothing against sugar if used well in a dish, meaning it does not overpower the foods that it is added to. I am excited to say that I was able to reduce the sugar a bit in this recipe just by adding the seasonings. Not bad ehhh …
There is more! I used to cook the sauce in a pot that yielded a rather mushy appearance. It did not bother me, I did not even realize I did not cook the cranberries properly. To make sure the cranberries stayed whole, my mother-in-law used to prick each berry one by one with a needle so they didn’t burst open in the pot. I have recently learnt from a chef that slowly cooking them in the oven would give very nice results and the berries stay whole. I would like to mention that of course cranberries carefully made in a pot can stay whole as well.
I think my recipe made the cranberries more suitable to eat with savory foods, it has a pleasant flavor without overpowering the cranberries. You can keep it in the refrigerator for at least 1 week. The flavors come together while the sauce sits in the fridge. Hope you will enjoy it! Of course, there are many other techniques to cook cranberries that yield beautiful results too.
Cranberry sauce recipe
Serves 2-3 people.
Ingredients
1 cup of fresh cranberries (frozen is fine just make sure they are fully defrosted)
heaping 1.5 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp dried ginger (cut and sifted) or 2 tsp fresh ginger (chopped)
1 orange (chopped up peel and the juice) Chop up the orange peel into very small pieces it tastes great in the sauce or 2 Tbsp dried orange peel and 1/3 cup of orange juice
If you don’t have orange juice you can use 1/3 cup of other juices or even water and maybe even a little orange essence
1 cinnamon stick
3 pieces of all spice berries
1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
few pink pepper corns
1 Tbsp of spirit of your choice: whiskey, fruit brandy (optional)
touch of freshly ground black pepper and salt to be added at the end
Directions
Wash cranberries, discard any with blemishes. Combine all ingredient in a baking/glass dish and wait until cranberries start releasing their liquid for about a half an hour. Set oven to 250 F and slowly bake for about two hours. Cranberries are ready when nicely cooked but not raw or mushy.
When done take the dish out of the oven and remove the larger spice pieces (cinnamon, allspice, pepper corn).
Add the salt and the pepper.
Serve at room temperature.
You can triple this recipe for Thanksgiving for 9- 10 people.
Twin Cities Herbs 