INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
12 ounces unsweetened apple juice concentrate
6 cups thinly sliced apples
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Whisk together the cornstarch, cinnamon and 1/4 of the apple juice.
In a saucepan over medium heat, simmer the apples in the remaining apple juice until tender. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened.
Pour into bottom crust and cover with top crust. Bake for 45 minutes.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
This recipe really lets the pumpkin flavor come through without drowning it in “pumpkin pie spices”. The crust is the only spiced component to the cake.
4.25 oz. gingersnap cookies (about 17 two inch cookies) broken into pieces
2 oz (1/2 c.) pecans
1 T. Sugar
2 pinches salt
.5 t. cinnamon
4 T. melted butter
1 c. pumpkin purée, canned or fresh (run through food processor if stringy)
1 c. sugar
2 c. heavy cream, chilled
1 lb. cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
24 pecan halves, toasted
Heat the oven to 350 F.
Line a 9″ cake pan with parchment.
In a food processor, process the cookies with the pecans, sugar, salt, and cinnamon until the cookies become fine crumbs, about 20 sec.
Add the butter and pulse about 10 times, just until incorporated.
Press the mixture into the pan, flattening and pressing up the sides with a flat-bottomed, straight-sided drinking glass.
In a small saucepan, combine the pumpkin and sugar.
Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a sputtering simmer, stirring constantly, about 5 min.
Turn the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture has darkened and thickened to the consistency of applesauce, about 5 min.
Using a stand mixer w/ wire whisk, beat pumpkin.
Add the softened cream cheese and beat until smooth.
Add the eggs and yolks.
With mixer running, add chilled cream.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Place cake pan in a roasting pan, add hot tap water to come half way up the cake pan.
Bake the cheesecake at 350 F for 1 hour.
Turn off the oven without opening the door and let the cheesecake cool for 1 hour.
Transfer the cake to a rack (the center will still be jiggly) and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
Garnish with pecans before serving.
Serve with whipped cream.
Lemon Cheesecake
A few years ago I started baking cheesecakes in cake pans instead of springform. Not for lack of supplies–I own five springforms–but for how much it simplifies the water bath. No need to wrap the pan in two layers of heavy-duty tin foil.
Line the pan with parchment (when I’m really overachieving I do the sides as well as the bottom) and start with the crust. The one time I sprayed the pan and then the liner with nonstick spray was the one time it came apart a bit on me. The liner stuck to the pan with the addition of the spray.
Refrigerate the cake in the pan covered with nonstick tin foil, then when thoroughly chilled turn out onto a flat surface (a cutting board works well) and invert back onto the serving platter.
Cookie-Crumb Crust
5 ounces Nabisco Barnum’s Animal Crackers or Social Tea Biscuits
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and kept warm
Filling
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (8 3/4 ounces)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese , (three 8-ounce packages), cut into rough 1-inch chunks and left to stand at room temperature 30 to 45 minutes
4 large eggs , room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
Topping
1 cup lemon curd
First, so you don’t get animal cracker crumbs in the cheesecake, process 1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest in food processor until sugar is yellow and zest is broken down, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl if necessary. Add remaining 1 cup sugar, pulse once or twice to combine. Transfer lemon sugar to small bowl.
FOR THE CRUST: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. In food processor, process cookies to fine, even crumbs, about 30 seconds. Add sugar and pulse 2 or 3 times to incorporate. Add warm melted butter in slow, steady stream while pulsing; pulse until mixture is evenly moistened and resembles wet sand, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer mixture to 9-inch cake pan; using bottom of ramekin or dry measuring cup, press firmly and evenly into pan bottom, and sides. Bake until fragrant and golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 30 minutes. When cool set cake pan in roasting pan.
In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on low to break up and soften slightly, about 5 seconds. With machine running, add sugar mixture in slow steady stream; increase speed to medium and continue to beat until mixture is creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Reduce speed to medium-low and add eggs 2 at a time; beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping sides and bottom of bowl well after each addition. Add lemon juice, vanilla, and salt and mix until just incorporated, about 5 seconds; add heavy cream and mix until just incorporated, about 5 seconds longer. Give batter final scrape, stir with rubber spatula, and pour into prepared cake pan; sit cake pan in a roasting pan. Fill roasting pan with enough hot tap water to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake one hour. Turn off oven and allow cake to rest in water bath in oven for 1 hour. Transfer cake pan to wire rack; run small paring knife around inside edge of pan to loosen sides of cake and cool cake to room temperature, about 2 hours. Refrigerate overnight.
5. TO FINISH THE CAKE: When cheesecake is cool, carefully turn out onto nonstick tin foil. Invert onto serving plate. scrape lemon curd onto cheesecake; using offset icing spatula, spread curd evenly over top of cheesecake.
CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour (11 oz)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar (5.25 oz)
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar (4.75 oz)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
12 oz. pkg. semi sweet chocolate morsels
15 caramel squares, cut into 8 pieces
4 oz pecans (1 cup)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In large mixer bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract; beat until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture. Stir in semi sweet chocolate morsels and caramel bits. Drop by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 11 minutes. Makes about 5 dozen 2 1/4 inch cookies.
Apple Pie Hubbub with Cinnamon Streusel Topping
This is adapted from the September ’96 issue of Bon Appetit.
Crust:
6 oz (1.5 sticks) butter, softened
1.5 oz (6 tbs) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
7 1/4 oz (1.5 c) flour
Filling:
2 lbs baking apples, peeled, cored, cut into .5″ slices
1/4 c sugar
3 tbs butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
Topping:
4.5 oz (1 scant cup) flour
1/2 c light brown sugar
1 c rolled oats
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1 tsp cinnamon
5 oz (1 1/4 sticks) chilled butter, cut into small pieces
For crust: Preheat oven to 350F. Combine first four ingredients in large bowl, beat until fluffy. Add flour, beat just until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Press dough over bottom and up sides of 9″ pie pan. Freeze until firm, about 10 min.
Bake crust 10 min. Using rubber spatula, press up sides of crust if beginning to fall. Bake until crust is pale golden, about 20 min. longer. Cool completely on a rack.
For filling: Toss apples with remaining ingredients. Transfer filling to crust, mounding in center.
For topping: Mix all but butter in medium bowl. Using fingertips, rub in butter until moist clumps form. Sprinkle topping over filling, pressing gently to compact.
Bake until topping is golden and apples are tender, covering crust edges with foil if browning too quickly, about one hour. Cool to room temperature.
Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Topping
Pie Crust:
2 cups flour
1 cup cake flour
1 cup Crisco shortening
1 whole egg
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup ice water
Cut the shortening into the flour. Beat together the rest of the ingredients and add to the flour mixture. Mix just until incorporated. Form into a disk and wrap in plastic and chill. Roll out and line pie dish.
Filling:
¾ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs
2 cups pumpkin pulp or canned pumpkin
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
Blend all together and pour into 9-inch pastry lined pie dish. Bake at 400 degrees for about an hour. Cool and then add the pecan topping.
Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Topping, continued
Pecan topping:
2/3 cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons syrup
1/3 cup chopped pecans
Cook the sugar, milk and syrup just until sugar is melted, add the pecans and cool. Pour on top of the cooled pie. Serve with whipped topping or ice cream.
Individual Peach Upside-Down Cake
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 medium peaches, peeled
1-ounce finely chopped crystallized ginger, approximately 3 tablespoons
2.5 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 1/2 cup
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped cream or ice cream, for serving, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Divide 2 tablespoons of the butter between 4 (6-ounce) ramekins. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and set aside. Evenly divide the brown sugar between the ramekins; sprinkling it into the bottoms of the dishes. Cut each peach into 12 to 14 pieces. Lay the peaches on top of the sugar; evenly dividing them between the dishes and sprinkle with the ginger. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together the sugar, buttermilk, vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir just until combine. Pour the batter over the peaches; dividing the mixture evenly between the dishes. Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake reaches an internal temperature of 190 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
Remove from the oven to a rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each dish and turn upside down onto a serving plate. Repeat with each cake. Serve immediately with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
Carrot Cake
The original recipe, at 24 servings, is 10 WW points per serving. The changes below will reduce it to 7 points.
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces) (8 oz white flour, 4.5 oz WW pastry flour)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 pound medium carrots (6 to 7 carrots), peeled
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces) (1 cup/7 oz)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (3 1/2 ounces) (3 oz)
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil , safflower oil, or canola oil (1 cup oil, 1/2 cup pureed carrots)
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13 by 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment and spray parchment.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in large bowl; set aside.
3. In food processor fitted with small shredding disk, shred carrots (you should have about 3 cups); transfer carrots to bowl and set aside. Wipe out food processor workbowl and fit with metal blade. Process granulated and brown sugars and eggs until frothy and thoroughly combined, about 20 seconds. If using carrot puree, add it now. With machine running, add oil through feed tube in steady stream. Process until mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 20 seconds longer. Scrape mixture into medium bowl. Stir in carrots and dry ingredients until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Pour into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time. Cool cake to room temperature in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours.
Frost with Cream cheese frosting.
Concord Grape Pie
Filling:
3 ½ cup seedless grapes (all kinds)
½ cup sugar
3 – 4 tablespoons flour
dash of cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
Slip skins off fresh grapes. Cook pulp to a boil. Separate the seeds by pressing pulp through a sieve. Mix skins and pulp together. Can freeze this mixture and use throughout the year.
Mix sugar, flour and cinnamon together. Add to grapes.
Pastry:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup Crisco
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup cold water
1 tablespoon half and half
1 teaspoon sugar
Mix flour and salt. Cut in shortenings until like cornmeal. Add cold water and form a ball. Let rest 20 minutes. Roll out and place in pie pan. Add filling. Cover with top crust. Use pastry brush to lightly brush on half and half. Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Turn oven down to 350 and continue baking for 30 – 40 minutes until crust is golden brown.
Award Winner’s Chocolate Pecan Pie
This is one of the winning recipes from a pie contest I saw on the Food Network and was a huge hit at thanksgiving. For some reason I managed to take a picture of the unbaked pie, but not the finished product. It looks even better baked!
Unbaked pie shell
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 TBS melted butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
2 cups pecans, toasted, chop 1 cup
½ cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350.
Toast pecans on cookie sheet.
In a large bowl lightly beat eggs. Stir in sugar, corn syrup, melted chocolate, butter, vanilla and salt.
Into prepared crust layer chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped pecans, then carefully arrange 2nd cup of pecans in pan. Slowly pour egg mixture over pecans, deflecting with a spoon to prevent moving pecans.
Bake for 15 min at 350. Cover edge with foil or pie shield. Bake for another 40 min. until knife inserted in center comes out clean.