An Apple a Day …

Baked Apple Bombs

• 4 large granny smith apples, peeled and cored
• 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 caramel candies
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup Demerara sugar
• Salted Caramel Sauce for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mix the granulated sugar, corn starch, apple pie spice and salt in a shallow dish.
2. Cut both pieces of puff pastry in half so you have 4 rectangles. Use a rolling pin to gently roll out any cracks or creases. Then lay them on a large parchment paper lined baking sheet.
3. Roll 4 peeled and cored apples in the sugar mixture and set one in the middle of each piece of puff pastry. Unwrap the caramels and stick 3 caramel squares down in the center of each apple.
4. To wrap each apple, pull the short sides of the puff pastry halfway up the side on the apple and hold them there with one hand. Then lift the longer sides up to the top and pinch the seams together on each side (over the short edges) to completely cover the apple. Pinch the excess puff pastry together at the top to seal, then arrange the flaps in a pretty way.
5. Then whisk 2 eggs with 2 tablespoons of water and brush the egg wash over each apple. Sprinkle the tops with Demerara sugar.
6. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP… Place the baking sheet with the wrapped apples in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to harden the puff pastry. This will ensure your puff pastry bakes in place and does not sag to the bottom. But don’t leave them in the freezer longterm. You don’t want the apples to freeze.
7. Once the puff pastry is hard, place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, until puffy and golden. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle the tops with extra caramel sauce if you like!

Irish Apple Cake

cake ingredients–

• about 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 Tbsp milk or cream
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• confectioner’s sugar for dusting

streusel topping–

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 6 Tbsp unsalted cold butter, cut in small pieces
• 1/2 cup sugar

custard sauce–

• 6 large egg yolks
• 6 Tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 C. whole milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Set the oven to 350F
2. Make the custard sauce ahead of time. Bring the milk to a simmer over medium heat. Meanwhile whisk the yolks and sugar until pale. Drizzle a little of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking all the time. Drizzle a little more, then transfer that back into the pan of hot milk and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Don’t overcook or it can curdle. Stir in the vanilla. Refrigerate the custard sauce until needed.
3. To make the streusel topping, blend the bits of butter into the flour, sugar, and oats until the butter is incorporated and the mixture has a coarse crumbly texture. Put in the refrigerator.
4. To make the cake, grease a 9 inch round springform pan.
5. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
6. Fold in the flour and milk or cream.
7. Spoon the batter in to the pan, and smooth out evenly. Top with the sliced apples, and then the streusel topping.
8. Bake for about 50 minutes to an hour, until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out without wet batter clinging to it.
9. Let cool a bit in the pan before removing. Dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

Crockpot Apple Chicken

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes
• Sea salt + cracked black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• ½ cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon curry powder (you can also use cumin if you don’t have curry)
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions:

1. Layer the sweet potato chunks and chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, red onion, apple sauce, cider vinegar, curry powder, and ginger.
4. Pour the mixture over the chicken and sweet potato chunks.
5. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the chicken and sweet potatoes are tender.
6. Serve alone or over rice.

Overnight Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

Apple Filling:

• 1 granny smith apple, cored, peeled, fine dice
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp light brown sugar

Monkey Bread:

• 3 cans 12 oz buttermilk biscuits
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 3 oz cream cheese
• 1 Cup light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Glaze:

• 1 Cup light brown sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter

1. Make the apple filling first by placing the butter and apples in a skillet over medium low heat. Add in remaining ingredients and let cook down for 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Take off the heat and let cool.
2. Working with one can of biscuits at a time, place all the biscuits on work surface and flatten out. Add in 1/2 tsp of the apple mixture with 1/4 tsp of the cream cheese in each. Fold biscuit in half, pinching to secure the edges and with hand, roll into ball. After all the biscuits are stuffed and rolled, roll them in the melted butter then into a separate bowl that has the brown sugar and cinnamon combined. Place into a bundt pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
3. Repeat this process until all the biscuits are done. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in fridge over night.
4. In the morning, take out the bundt pan about an hour before cooking to let it come to room temperature.
5. Make the glaze by placing the butter and brown sugar in a sauce pot and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. As soon as it comes to a boil, pour evenly over biscuits.
6. Bake in a preheat 350 degree oven for 45-55 minutes, until the outside is golden brown and the biscuits are cooked through. Let sit on counter top 10 minutes to let cool slightly and VERY CAREFULLY invert bundt pan onto serving platter, enjoy!

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