Apple Raspberry Crisp from Bon Appetit

Apple Raspberry Crisp

I made this in April. It's now November. And I'm finally posting it. Yeah, I'm a bit behind.

But now it's perfect for fall!

This is sooooo easy to make. I just love crisps warm from the oven. Sooo delicious. I brought this to a morning meeting at work.

I got a lot of liquid at the bottom of this crisp. There is 1 Tablespoon of flour in the fruit; when I make it again, I think I'll increase the flour just a bit if I'm using frozen raspberries again. Or, I will thaw the raspberries and drain the juice. A couple of reviewers on Epicurious got a lot of liquid too.

Apple Raspberry Crisp 
Adapted from Bon Appetit

Fruit Mixture:
1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon flour
2 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples (about 5 large), peeled, quartered, cored (recipe calls for them to be thinly sliced, but I diced mine into cubes)
1 cup frozen unsweetened raspberries (unthawed) (I used Trader Joe's) (next time, I think I might thaw the raspberries and drain some of the liquid)

Topping:
1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Fruit Mixture: Mix the 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 Tablespoon flour in a large bowl. Add the apple slices and raspberries and toss them in the flour. Put fruit in a greased 8 x 8-inch baking dish (my dish was a bit bigger).
3. Topping: In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (oats, cinnamon, salt, brown sugar and flour). Add chilled butter and rub in with fingertips until moist clumps form. Sprinkle topping over filling.
4. Bake until apples are tender and topping is golden brown and set, 1 hour or so. Cool at least 20 minutes before eating. Eat warm or room temperature.

Apple Crisp

Apple Crisp

This is the "Scheduled For Thanksgiving Day But Turned Out To Be A Post-Thanksgiving Apple Crisp."

I planned to make this at my parent's house on Thanksgiving Day. After cooking the turkey, I planned to place a fresh apple crisp in the oven and the whole house will begin to smell of apples, cinnamon and sugar. Cue the Hallmark Channel-like food memories. But I was 3/4 of the way to my parent's house and realized I left the topping I made in advance in the freezer.

(Don't worry, I did remember to bring a beautiful Kings Hawaiian Paradise Cake to Thanksgiving so we were fine!)

Thus, this became a Monday Morning Meeting Apple Crisp!

I used Martha Stewart Living's Apple Crisp recipe. I wanted one with oatmeal (you know, so we can pretend it doesn't have a stick of butter..."Hey, it has Apples and Oatmeal! Can't be that bad....")

If you can remember to bring the supplies, this is a easy recipe to bake during a dinner party! The house will smell awesome. You can bring a bag of apples, peel and chop them on your host's kitchen, toss with some cinnamon sugar, and top with your pre-made oatmeal and butter topping.

I brought this to the meeting yesterday, and six of us ate 90% of it in one hour. Luckily, Thanksgiving eating has expanded our tummies! :)

It's very versatile...next time, I think I'll use a mixture of apples and pears...and maybe toss in a few cranberries!

Recipe: Apple Crisp
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Topping:
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (one stick) unsalted butter, diced into cubes
1 cup old fashioned oatmeal (not quick cooking)

Apple Filling:
3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and cut
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Make the Topping: In a large bowl mix together flour, sugars, and salt. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingers until the mixture has pea-sized butter pieces. Add the oatmeal to the bowl and use your hands to squeeze the mixture together until large moist chunks form. Place the topping in the freezer to chill while you prepare the filling.
3, Make the Apple Filling: Peel, core and cut apples into chunks. Place in a large bowl and toss with lemon, cinnamon, and sugar.
4, Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Place the apple mixture in the baking dish (including any juices) and top with the oatmeal topping. It's best to place the baking dish on a parchment lined baking sheet in case juices overflow. Bake until the top is golden brown and you can see apple juices bubbling underneath. Depending on the size of your pan, this could be from 50-65 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving so the juices have a chance to firm up. Serve by itself or with whipped cream or ice cream. It's great served warm from the oven or microwaved it a bit before serving.

Moosewood's Fresh Apple Spice Bundt Cake - I Like Big Bundts 2013 - Day 4

Moosewood's Fresh Apple Spice Bundt Cake

Day 4 of I Like Big Bundts

Welcome to Day #4 of I Like Big Bundts 2013! Days and days of daily Bundts as we countdown to National Bundt Day on November 15, 2013. I truly love big Bundts. Cake is delicious, and frosting is not. Thus, the Bundt is awesome.

Today's bundt is from the Moosewood cookbook Moosewood Restaurant Favorites: The 250 Most-Requested, Naturally Delicious Recipes from One of America's Best-Loved Restaurants - if it made the cut into the top recipes of a 40 year old restaurant, then you know it's a keeper. I remember using the Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen in my undergrad years (the vegetarian years). I've never been to New York's Moosewood Restaurant, and hope to one day experience all their yummy delights.

This recipe is called "Sara's Fresh Apple Spice Cake" in the book (page 333). She brought it to her interview at Moosewood in 1973 and got the job.

The recipe doesn't call for a particular variety of apple so I found some Gala Apples on sale and picked them up. I peeled them, but you don't have to if you want more of a rustic touch.

You can serve this with a dusting of powdered sugar...or just plain. If you want to go crazy, you can serve it with some whipped cream or ice cream too.

Ah, fall. Days might be getting dark while you are still at work, but you get to eat lots of cinnamon spice and apples. So it's not all that bad.

See you tomorrow for another Bundt for...I cannot lie, I Like Big Bundts! - mary

I Like Big Bundts 2013 (so far)
Day 3: Butterscotch Bundt Cake
Day 2: Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake Bundt
Day 1: Orange Marmalade Jubilee Bundt

Recipe: Moosewood's Fresh Apple Spice Bundt Cake

Adapted from Sara's Fresh Apple Spice Cake from the book: Moosewood Restaurant Favorites: The 250 Most-Requested, Naturally Delicious Recipes from One of America's Best-Loved Restaurants

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
2 cups (380 grams) lightly packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
3 cups (420 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour or 2 cups white and 1 cup whole wheat flour (I used all white flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons apple juice, milk, buttermilk or water (I used water)
3 cups chopped apples (I used Gala apples because they were on sale!)
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, or almonds) (I did not include nuts)
Powdered sugar (optional topping)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Prepare a Bundt pan by greasing and flouring it, or spraying it with Pam with Flour.

3. Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat the oil and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

4. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. 

5. With the mixer on slow speed, add the dry ingredients and  apple juice or water and vanilla.

6. Fold in the chopped apples and nuts (optional). Batter will be thick. 

7. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 50-70 minutes (depending on your oven) until the cake is golden brown, pulling away from the sides, and a toothpick comes out clean. 

8. Let it on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then invert from pan and let cool completely. 

9. Sprinkle the top with sifted powdered sugar when the cake is cool (optional). Enjoy!

Any Day All-Occasion Apple Snack Cake (Flo Braker)

Flo Braker’s Baking For All Occasions

I love snack cakes as much as I love Downton Abbey. I'm a bit late to the party and have been watching marathons of the first season. Oh, that Thomas...you are vile. And Bates and Anna? So perfect...if it weren't for that crazy pesky wife. Anyway, Miss Patmore might not make this, but you can make a quick cake any morning.

This recipe is from Flo Braker’s Baking For All Occasions - pick up the book, it is filled with lots of yummy recipes.

This cake uses oil and no butter, even for the topping. Mix most of the dry ingredients together with oil and then pull out some of it. Add nuts (I used chopped walnuts from Trader Joe's) and some cinnamon to finish off the topping.

In the headnote, Flo says you can add a cup of fruit or veggies to the mix...it's very versatile. I shredded an apple (skin on).

Any Day All-Occasion Apple Snack Cake
(adapted from Flo Braker’s Baking For All Occasions)

2 1/3 cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur all-purpose unbleached flour)
3⁄4 cup sugar (150 grams)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon - divided (I used Penzy's cinnamon)
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar (200 grams)
3⁄4 cup vegetable oil (I used Wesson's canola oil)
(I added 1 cup shredded apple with skin on)
1 cup chopped walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts (I used Trader Joe's Walnut baking pieces)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg

Prep: Preheat oven to 350 F. Prep a 9 x 13 pan.
You don't need a KitchenAid mixer...just a couple bowls and a whisk.

1. Sift together the flour, sugar, salt and 1⁄2 tsp cinnamon into a large bowl.
2. Mix in the brown sugar with a whisk.
3. Stir in the oil. (By this point, my batter was a little dry and in crumbles - this worked out fine).
4. Crumb topping: Remove enough of the flour mixture to measure 3⁄4 cup loosely packed. Add the remaining 1 tsp cinnamon and blend well with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Set aside.
5. To finish the cake batter, stir in the baking powder and baking soda. Add the buttermilk and egg and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
6. Stir in your added fruit or veggies (if adding). I added one shredded skin-on apple.
7. Pour the batter into pan, then sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the batter.
8. Bake for about 35 mins until toothpick comes out clean.
9. The instructions say to depan the cake after 10-15 minutes and let cool completely. However, I just left it in the pan to cool off.

Barefoot Contessa's Apple Cake Tatin

Barefoot Contessa's Apple Cake Tatin

Apples.
Cake.
Caramel.
I'm there.

This is the Barefoot Contessa / Ina Garten's Apple Cake Tatin. Instead of the usual pie crust topping, she covers the apples and caramel with a cake.

I used these beautiful sweet/tart apples from Ha's Apple Farm (available at many So Cal farmer's markets). Ina's recipe calls for Granny Smith apples, but these worked fine and were delicious.

Caramelized sugar is made (I'm always amazed that water and sugar can be heated to make this!) and tops the cut apples. I judged it by color and didn't use the thermometer. The presentation of the cake is very pretty, no?

Um, how can you not want this?!

The "cake" part is very delicious. Soft and light...I like it much more than a traditional apple tatin, but then I love upside down fruit cakes!

This fall/winter, if you have a few extra apples, make this lovely cake. You won't be disappointed...nor will your guests!

Recipe:
Barefoot Contessa's Apple Cake Tatin

Apple Spice Bundt - Day #9 of Food Librarian's I Like Big Bundts 3

Apple Spice Bundt

I Like Big Bundts - Day #9

An apple a day. Or at least an Apple Bundt a Day.

It's Day #9 of my I Like Big Bundts extravaganza - 30 days of bundts leading up to National Bundt Day! Thanks for following along. I love, love hearing that you are planning to make a bundt for National Bundt Day (November 15th). What are you planning on making? Remember, I'm doing a round-up and sending you a special something if you bake along with me.

As you know, I bring in my baked goods to the library and that has established a lot of goodwill! :) I'm very lucky to work with a great group of people.

The other day, I was writing my To Do list: Apples, buttermilk, Brita filter, Dog toy. 

Then, magically, my co-worker Ruth Ann came up to me with a 3-pound bag of apples from Oak Glen (near Los Angeles). Amazing!

I immediately went back to my list and wrote "George Clooney."

Sadly, he hasn't popped by the library yet. But the apples were put to good use.

This is a Martha Stewart recipe. I've made it before and it is a great Bundt. Definitely something to keep in your recipe book. It is made with veg oil and no butter so the cake is dairy-free (dairy in the caramel sauce).

A caramel sauce is poured over the top. I didn't let it go very long because last time I made this, I let it go too long and ended up with a crazy tough caramel that would have ripped out fillings. So, the sauce should be somewhere in-between. Martha's website also has a video of Dorothy Mae Brown making the cake on her show. She's a sweetie.


I'm keeping "George Clooney" on my list...just in case...

Recap of I Like Big Bundts 3:
Day #1: Buttercake Bakery's Marble Bundt Cake
Day #2: Lemon Bliss Bundt
Day #3: Double-Chocolate Bundt Cake with Ganache Glaze
Day #4: Spice Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Vanilla Bean Glaze
Day #5: Gingery Pumpkin Breakfast Bundt
Day #6: Maida Heatter's Budapest Coffee Cake Bundt
Day #7: Dark Chocolate Bundt
Day #8: Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt

Recipe: Click here for Martha Stewart recipe

Bundt Pan: Traditional 12-cup Bundt Pan

Brown Sugar Bundt Cake - Tuesdays with Dorie

 Brown Sugar Bundt Cake

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, Peggy from Pantry Revisited chose Brown Sugar Bundt Cake on page 179 of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Dude, it's a Bundt. You know I'm there. I love all of Dorie's Bundt recipes...and this one is no exception. I brought this into the library while it was still warm...and everyone could smell the lovely brown sugar!

Instead of using pears, I used granny smith apples. I also skipped all the nuts and the raisins to make it co-worker friendly. Super easy to make and no frosting. Ah, this is why the Bundt is the greatest baked good on the planet! Darn, I Like Big Bundts. :)

Thanks Peggy for a great pick! Check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers and see their creations!

Recipe:
Peggy from Pantry Revisited blog,
or, Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours (page 179)
My notes: I used 2 granny smith apples instead of pears. I skipped all the nuts and raisins.

Apple & Special K Granola Muffins

As part of the FoodBuzz Featured Publisher program, I get offers of free product to try. With a few clicks on the mouse, something edible is sent to me in the mail. I'll take it.

I received Special K Low-Fat Granola and Special K Fruit Crisps.

I decided to adapt an Everyday Food recipe and put this granola in a muffin.

The Special K Low-Fat Granola has, I feel, a long list of ingredients and lots of sweeteners which include (in order): Whole grain oats, sugar, corn syrup, oat bran, rice, honey, soluble wheat fiber, modified corn starch, soy grits, molasses, corn flour, natural flavor, salt, acacia gum, soy protein isolate, oat fiber, evaporated cane juice, malt flavoring, high fructose corn syrup...[and vitamins].

I also made a yogurt parfait with blueberries and granola. The cereal provided a nice crunch. I also had it in soy milk and it was yummy. I usually make my own granola (oats, nuts, dried fruit and a touch of maple syrup) so I'm not sure I would buy this product.

The original Everyday Food recipe calls for pears but I subbed shredded apple. I also subbed the low-fat yogurt with non-fat Greek yogurt.

For the topping, I just put straight Special K Granola on top (the recipe has a crumble mixture you can make instead).

The muffin tasted like a Muffin. Not a mini-cake. But a muffin. The granola provided a nice crunch and made the topping very easy to make. By the way, here is my Homemade Granola recipe.

Recipe:
Apple & Special K Granola Muffins
Adapted from the Pear & Granola Muffin by Everyday Food

Click here for the printable recipe

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour (I didn't have any wheat flour and used all AP flour. I would like to try it with whole-wheat)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt (I used non-fat Greek yogurt because I had it on hand)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup granola (I used the Special K Low Fat Granola)
2 cups shredded apple, with skin on (I used Fuji apples)

Topping:
3/4 cup granola
(See the Everyday Food recipe for alternative topping)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray or place paper liners in a 12-cup standard muffin tin.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, yogurt, and butter. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Add egg mixture to well, and mix in flour mixture until just combined. Gently fold in the granola and shredded apple.
4. Fill each cup 3/4 full. Sprinkle with granola. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from tin. Serve warm or at room temperature.

FTC Disclosure: I received two products free from Special K. No payment was made for this post. The opinions expressed are my own.

Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake

Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake

The other day I asked my friend what food should I wave in front of her in case she falls into a coma. You know, just regular lunch time conversation. Hey, come on, it can happen...look at soap operas!

She instructed me to wave little squares of Scharffen Berger chocolate in front of her.

Dear friends, please take note. Please present the following to me should I have a medical emergency (Treats listed in no particular order):

a. Fresh lemon tartlets
b. Mochi (especially kinako and pink with white beans)
c. Wasabi mashed potato salad from Delica in San Francisco (I also think the powerful smell of wasabi might help wake me too)
d. Carnitas burritos. Hello, wouldn't you wake up for this?
e. Pumpkin bread
f. Kettle Corn (only made a Farmer's Market, not from the store. Dude, I'm in a coma and only want the best :)
g. This Gingerbread Apple-Upside Cake

Nancy of The Dogs Eat the Crumbs mentioned this cake to me and she had me at Ginger. I'm all about the Ginger. And Apples. And Cakes without Frosting. And Cakes that are upside down.

I found that Smitten Kitchen adapted the recipe. She cut the molasses and added honey in the cake, and caramelized the sugar for the topping. I just cut the molasses some, but followed her technique for the topping. That change added a really nice caramel flavor to the apples.

After pouring the brown sugar/butter topping on the bottom of the pan, Fuji apples were placed on top.

This has a LOT of batter. The recipe calls for a 10" pan. I baked it in a 9 x 3 inch pan, and I think it would go way up to the top (if not overflow) a 9 x 2 inch pan. So, if you don't have the recommended 10" pan and use a 9 x 2, I wouldn't add all the batter (make a little mini cake to go along with this cake!)

I actually made it twice. The first time I put it into a 10" cast iron skillet, added all the batter and it way, way overflowed. Luckily I had some foil under the skillet!

Because I was using a 9" pan, I had to bake it a lot longer than the recipe...65 minutes.

This cake is delicious! It takes like fall on a plate. I loved the gingerbread cake so much I could just eat that without the apples...but that would be silly because the apples rock it too.

Recipe:
My adaptation - click here for printable recipe
Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake
Adapted from Karen Bates at the Philo Apple Farm via the New York Times (published: October 27, 2009) and Adapted from Smitten Kitchen's Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake (blog post: Monday, November 23, 2009)

Topping
2 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing pan (This is different than NY Times and Smitten Kitchen's versions)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
Pinch of salt
4 apples (about 1 3/4 pounds), peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch wedges

Batter
1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2/3 cup molasses (This is less than NY Times version)
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Note: This has a LOT of batter. The recipe calls for a 10" pan. I baked it in a 9 x 3 inch pan, and I think it would go way up to the top (and might overflow) a 9 x 2 inch pan. So, if you don't have the recommended 10" pan and use a 9 x 2, I wouldn't add all the batter (make a little mini cake to go along with this cake!)

Make the topping: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 10-inch cake pan (I used a 9" x 3 cake pan). Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar and simmer over moderate heat, stirring until thick. I forgot to add the salt but Smitten Kitchen says to swirl it in. The New York Times recipe doesn't caramelize the sugar and butter in a pot; I really liked the nice caramel flavor. Remove from heat and pour into the bottom of your cake pan. Make circles of overlapping apple slices on top of the caramel.

Make the batter: Using a mixer with paddle attachment, beat 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter and the sugar on medium-low speed. Increase the speed to high and cream until light and fluffy.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg, molasses, honey and buttermilk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Alternate mixing the flour and molasses mixtures into the butter mixture, adding the next once the last has been incorporated.

Pour the batter into the pan. New York Times says to bake for 45 to 50 minutes (in a 10" pan) or until a wooden tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. (It took me 65 minutes in a 9 x 3" pan.) Let cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a platter.

NY Times suggests serving warm or cool with very softly whipped cream. (I didn't top it with anything...and it was still delicious!!!)

You may be interested in:
Smitten Kitchen's recipe (adapted from NY Times)
New York Times recipe ("Ginger-Apple Upside-Down Cake" Adapted from Karen Bates at the Philo Apple Farm, Published: October 27, 2009)

Pumpkin-Apple Spiced Bundt Cake - Day #3 of I Like Big Bundts

Day 3 of I Like Big Bundts: 30 Days of Bundt Cakes

Thanks to my friend JustJenn of JustJennDesigns (check out her great stationery!) for making the logo!

It's Day 3 of I Like Big Bundts: 30 Days of Bundt Cakes...and today it's a yummy fall treat! For those just joining me on this crazy baking endeavour, I'm making 30 days of Bundts leading up to November 15th - National Bundt Day.

And, please people, I'm not just doing this for my health! ;) I'm hoping to inspire you to make a Bundt cake! Let me know if you do...Mary Ann of Meet Me in the Kitchen and Maria of Two Peas and their Pod both made Bundts this weekend!

I met Amy of StreamingGourmet at the Foodbuzz Open House and BlogHer Food in San Francisco. She is posting 31 days of pumpkin recipes on her blog! You have to check it out and I'm sure you'll get lots of ideas.

I, of course, was drawn to the Bundt cake: Pumpkin-Apple Spiced Bundt Cake!

I used two cups of granny smith apples...diced into small bite-sized pieces.

Don't worry if the mix gets a bit curdled. It'll all come together in the end.

See? All came together! Yum. Fall in a Bundt pan.

Apple and pumpkin. Friends forever.
This cake is delicious.
Hands down.
Make this cake!

It is light, moist, full of fall flavors and Not. Too. Sweet. With "only" 1 cup of sugar, the flavors of the pumpkin and apple aren't overwhelmed by sweetness.

See you back here tomorrow and every day from now til National Bundt Day (November 15th) for another Bundt! - mary the food librarian

Recipe:
Pumpkin-Apple Spiced Bundt Cake
from StreamingGourmet blog

I Like Big Bundts recap:
The Beginning: The Food Librarian cannot tell a lie, I Like Big Bundts
Day 1: Pumpkin Spice Bundt with Buttermilk Icing
Day 2: Chocolate-Cinnamon Bundt Cake with Mocha Icing

(Edited to fix the name of Amy's blog! Sorry about that. Her great blog is called StreamingGourmet. Check it out!)