Freezer Apple Pie Filling

At the bakery I tried making my Dutch Apple Pies, but the convection ovens wouldn't cooperate.  The crust would over bake and the apples would be undercooked.  I had to come up with a way to offer delicious apple pies.  After much research and recipe testing I combined a couple I found on allrecipes and came up with this one.  It works great!  

This doesn't have to be frozen, but it does help to have it in the fridge and cooled down before placing into the unbaked pie shell.  If you pour the hot pie filling into the unbaked shell, it will melt the butter of the crust and make a big giant mess.  I love this pie crust, but anything you love will work.  

Apple Pie Filling

5 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup butter, cubed

4 cups apple juice

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon allspice

Place all apples into a large bowl.  Juice lemon over the apples and toss so they are coated well.  Add cubed butter to the apples and set aside.

In large pot, whisk together apple juice, sugar, salt, allspice, cinnamon and cornstarch.  Bring to a boil and whisk until thickened and "clear".  The cornstarch will make this gelatinous.

Pour the hot juice mixture over the apple slices.  Toss and stir well to coat.  Taste.  Add more salt if needed.  

Pour apple pie filling into quart jars, freezer zip lock baggies or other freezer containers.  Label and date.  Cool in fridge then store in freezer.   

If using immediately, put mixture in metal bowl and an ice bath to cool down before using.  

You may store this in the fridge for up to 1 week.  

You can use this apple pie filling in muffins, apple pies, puff pastry, cupcakes, oatmeal...etc.  

**NOTE:  You will not use all the juice mixture when ladling into the pie crust.  Scoop mostly apples into the crust and then ladle in about 1/2 cup of juice mixture over the apples before placing a crust or crumble topping.  

Easy Cream Scones

When I started working at the Daisy, I had to learn to make their cream scones.  They were really easy and kind of reminded me of a biscuit.  We changed up the scones everyday.  Every day we had to have a dried cherry scone but the other scone could be anything.  We made Bacon Cheddar, Strawberry Chocolate Chip, Raspberry Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Orange, Provolone Pesto, Pepperoni Pesto, Triple Cheese...the possibilities are endless.  You can make these smaller, bigger, round, triangular, rectangular...whatever floats your boat.  Have a tea party and make these scones.  You won't regret them.  Don't forget to make some of Nana's Lemon Curd to serve along side!

Easy Cream Scones
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 to 1-3/4 cups heavy whipping cream

mix-ins...can be anything...choose about 1/4-1/3 cup total of whatever you want to mix in. If you choose a fresh berry, chop them into cubes and freeze solid, then quickly fold into the dough. Fresh berries will get slimy and mushy when folding.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In large mixing bowl, sift together flour, powder, sugar and salt.

Using a fork, make a well in the center of flour mixture and pour in cream.  Using fork, stir together and combine the cream and flour.

Flour your surface and place dough ball.  Carefully knead and fold dough 5-7 times.  Then add in your mix-ins.  Fold carefully 3-4 more times.  Pat out a circle or rectangle about 1" thick.  Then cut out your scones.  Choose whatever shape you like.

Place scones on baking sheet, brush tops with egg white and sprinkle with coarse sugar.  If you are doing cheese scones, omit sugar and sprinkle more cheese on top.  Get creative.  Make these your own.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.  If your scones are smaller, they will bake faster, so shorten the baking time.

* For Gluten Free scones, substitute my gluten free flour blend for regular all purpose flour and then add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum when sifting your dry ingredients.

Have fun!  Mommy loves you!

Macarons - Italian Meringue Method

I have tried making French macarons so many times using so many different recipes that I eventually gave up.  Then one day I was chatting with a baking buddy on periscope and she suggested trying the Italian method.  I was surprised to hear there was a different method...I didn't even know there was anything other than the French.  So after googling and searching youtube I found a great tutorial by Janelle Estep.  I tried it and it worked!!!  I was so happy!  Nana was making fun of me since she happened to be at our house that day.  I was literally doing a happy dance in the kitchen!  I bought a digital scale and thermometer because this made it so much easier to make them.

So far we've made Pumpkin Pie Spice, Chocolate Ganache, Blackberry, Raspberry Chocolate, Chocolate Pecan Praline and Strawberry Chocolate. 

Here's the recipe:

Italian Macarons

150 grams almond flour

145 grams powdered sugar

105 grams egg whites - divided (about 3 eggs)

120 grams granulated sugar

40 grams water

In a fast food processor or magic bullet, blend almond flour and powdered sugar until powdery (about 15 seconds) then sift to remove any large nut bits.  Pour into a bowl.  Add 50 grams of the egg whites and make a paste. ** ADD COLOR IF DESIRED.  You will need to add more than you think because the egg whites will lighten it.  Set aside.  This is called "the mass".

Next in a sauce pan, heat water and sugar to 230 degrees F.  DO NOT STIR.  This will create sugar crystals and ruin your syrup.  It will go fast.  Simultaneously put the remaining 55 grams of egg whites into the Kitchenaid mixer with whip attachment and whip to soft peaks.  Add 1 tablespoon sugar and continue to whip.  The sugar syrup should be ready at this time.  Slowly pour the syrup down the side of the bowl into the egg whites.  Turn up the mixer to whip to stiff peaks.  

Meanwhile, line 2 baking pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

Add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites to the "mass" and don't worry about the egg whites getting too broken down.  Just try to loosen up the "mass".  Now add another 1/3 egg whites and carefully fold them into the batter.  Add the remaining 1/3 egg whites and fold until no more whites are streaking through the batter.  It's very important to NOT overmix at this stage.  It will create hollow shells.  

Use a pastry bag fitted with a round tip.  Be sure to twist the end of the bag where the tip is to keep the batter from leaking out while filling it up.  Place bag into a tall glass to help you.  Then spoon half the batter into the bag.   Pipe round mounds onto the parchment lined baking pans.  Try to get 24 onto the pan.  This will yield 12 cookies.  

Refill the remaining batter into the bag and continue piping round mounds.  Gently tap the pans on the counter to release some of the air bubbles in the cookies.  Let these rest on the counter for 45-60 minutes.  DO NOT BE IMPATIENT!!!  They will not form the proper feet if they are not hardened on top.  Bake at 300 degrees F for 17 minutes.   Remove from oven and cool.  Once cool, match up the shells and then fill them with whatever you like...if you choose to fill with preserves or curd, be sure to pipe a ring of buttercream or ganache to keep it from leaking out.  Twist the lid onto the bottom and chill.   These can be frozen in plastic containers for 3 months.  

YUMMO!!!

Chocolate Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

Nana has suffered with psoriasis since she was a little girl.  She has learned to deal with it over the years, but recently it has become more troublesome.  I told her about our friend Amanda and how she has suffered with it and linked it to a gluten allergy.  So Nana went gluten free for 3 days and then tried to eat a bagel and almost scratched her head off.  So she is now eating a diet free of gluten.  Oatmeal doesn't seem to bother her, so I made these muffins for her.  They were super yummy!

Chocolate Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins
3 cups oat flour (I just use quick cooking oatmeal and give it a whirl in my magic bullet)
2-1/2 cups cornstarch (or if you have gluten free all purpose baking mix, you can use that too)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups buttermilk (or soured milk - 2-1/2 cup milk with 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar)
1 cup honey
1-1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 eggs
*optional, 1 cup dark chocolate chips (I used Hershey's Special Dark)

Sift together oat flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.  Add buttermilk, honey, applesauce and eggs.  Stir until combined.  Add chocolate chips to batter and stir.  They do not sink while baking.  I'm guessing it's the thickness of the oat flour.

Divide among muffin pan and bake at 375 for 13-17 minutes.  Baking times vary due to ovens, so just keep an eye on them.  Use a toothpick to see if they are done.

This is a huge batch and it made 43 muffins.  I freeze some and give some to Nana.  It's a great treat and delicious breakfast muffin.  I smear a bit of peanut butter on top, but Nutella or almond butter would be delicious too!