| Apple Fritters |
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| Recipes |
APPLE FRITTERS
Serves 8 |
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2 egg yolks
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons brandy
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
2 egg whites
4 Macintosh apples, or similarly juicy variety such as Ida
Red, cored
3 tablespoons sugar, for garnish (optional)
1/4 cup maple syrup, for garnish (optional) |
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| 1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk to
combine the egg yolks, milk, brandy, and melted butter. Sift
in the flour, sugar, and salt. Combine well using a whisk, and
chill for at least 1 hour. |
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| 2. Heat oil in a large nonstick or
cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Beat the egg whites until
stiff but not dry, using a whisk. Fold egg whites into the
batter using a rubber spatula. |
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| 3. Slice apples into 1/4-inch-thick
slices; discard the first and last slice of each apple. Dip
the apple slices into the batter to coat. Remove with a fork,
and gently place in the heated oil. Cook in small batches
until deep golden in color, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.
Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate. Serve immediately with a
sprinkling of sugar or a drizzling of maple syrup. |
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| Rustic Apple Tart |
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| Recipes |
Rustic Apple
Tart
Makes 6 |
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2 tablespoons all-purpose flour,
plus more for dusting
2 pounds Rome, Empire, or any good baking apples, peeled
and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
Juice of 1/2 lemon (2 tablespoons)
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons Homemade Applesauce (recipe follows), or
good-quality prepare applesauce
1 large egg |
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1. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a
baking sheet with a Silpat; set aside. Roll out dough to a
1/8-inch thickness. Cut out six 6-inch rounds. Transfer
rounds to prepared baking sheet. Reserve dough scraps for
another use.
2. Combine apples, sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon,
and salt in a medium bowl. Toss to combine. Sprinkle each
dough round with sugar. Place 1 tablespoon of applesauce
in center of each round. Mound apples over applesauce,
leaving a 1-inch border. Fold dough up and over apples,
making a crease or fold every 1 to 2 inches to enclose
fruit and prevent juices from seeping out. Refrigerate for
30 minutes.
3. Lightly beat egg to make egg wash. Brush edges of dough
with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until apples
are tender and crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. |
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Applesauce
Makes 1 1/2 cups |
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1 1/2 pounds apples cored, peeled
and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon (2 tablespoons)
Pinch of salt |
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| Combine apples, water, sugar, lemon
juice, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Cook, stirring and mashing with the back of a wooden
spoon, until apples are soft and water is evaporated, 10
to 15 minutes. |
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| Perfect Pie |
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| Recipes |
Handmade Pastry
Makes 1 nine-inch double-crusted pie |
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| For a fruit pie that is to be filled
quite high, divide the dough slightly unevenly, using the
larger piece for the top crust. Keep all ingredients cold. |
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2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more
for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small
pieces, chilled
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled
6 to 10 tablespoons ice water |
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| 1. Place flour, salt, and sugar in a
large bowl; whisk to combine. Add butter and shortening to the
flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or two table knives, cut
in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles
coarse meal. Gradually add ice water, mixing with a large
fork, using just enough so the dough holds together. |
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| 2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly
floured work surface. Divide dough in two. Place each piece on
a sheet of plastic wrap. Grasping the ends of the plastic wrap
with your hands, press the dough into a flat disc with your
fists. Wrap in the plastic, and chill for at least one hour. |
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Perfect Apple Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie |
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Handmade Pastry
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3 pounds apples such as Rome, Cortland, or Granny Smith, or a
combination, peeled, cored, and cut into 3/4-inch wedges
(about 8 cups)
1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon ground spices (combination of cinnamon,
ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and clove)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (or orange juice)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (or orange zest), optional
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons heavy cream |
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| 1. Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly
floured surface, roll one disc of dough into a 12-inch round
that’s 1/8 inch thick. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Set aside
in the refrigerator. |
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| 2. In a large bowl, combine apples,
sugar, flour, spices, lemon juice, zest, and salt; toss to
combine. Pour into lined pie plate. Dot with butter. Roll
second disc of dough into a 12-inch round that’s 1/8 inch
thick. Lay dough over fruit. Cut vents into top crust. Trim
edges to 1 inch over pie pan, and seal, crimping edges with
thumb and forefinger. Chill for 30 minutes. |
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| 3. Remove pie from refrigerator. Brush
crust with heavy cream, and sprinkle with sugar. Place on a
baking sheet; this will catch any juices that may overflow
during baking. Bake until pastry is golden and juices in
center of pie are bubbling, 45 to 60 minutes. Cool for 1 hour
before serving. |
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| Spun Sugar Caramel Apples |
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| Recipes |
SPUN SUGAR CARAMEL
APPLES
Makes 6
6 medium McIntosh apples, washed and stemmed
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
Spun Sugar (recipe follows) |
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| 1. Line a baking sheet with parchment
paper; set aside. Prepare an ice-water bath. Insert one
6-inch-long 1/4-inch dowel into the top of each apple. Place
cream, sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a heavy-bottomed
saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue
cooking until the temperature registers 245° on a candy
thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat, and briefly
plunge the saucepan into ice water to stop the caramel from
cooking. |
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2. Dip one apple into the caramel, and
coat the top and sides with caramel using a spoon. Transfer to
prepared baking sheet to cool. Repeat with the remaining
apples.
3. Dip a whisk or fork into the sugar syrup, and wave back and
forth over an apple to draw out long, fine, threadlike
strands. Gather the ends of the strands to form a weblike
shape around each apple. Repeat with remaining apples, and
serve. |
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SPUN SUGAR
Makes about 2 cups
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon corn syrup |
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| 1. Cover the work space with parchment
paper and the floor with newspaper. Prepare an ice-water bath. |
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| 2. Place the sugar, 1/2 cup water, and
the corn syrup in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat.
Stir occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Raise heat to
high, and bring mixture to a boil. Continue cooking until the
temperature registers 310° (hard-crack stage) on a candy
thermometer. Remove from heat, and briefly plunge the saucepan
into ice water to stop the cooking. Let stand to thicken
slightly, about 1 minute. Use immediately. |
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