Fruit Desserts – Page 3 – First Look, Then Cook

Apple-Phyllo Strudel

Published on October 19, 2011 by Dawn4 Comments

When fall arrives, fortunately apples come with it, and in Washington State, we are talking a lot of apples, all shapes, colors, and varieties. Growing up I was never too fond of apples desserts, but the older I get, the more I like them. I remember my grandmother’s apple crisp – I loved the crisp topping, but never wanted to eat any of the apples.

The first time I really enjoyed an apple dessert was when I was studying abroad during college. We had two weeks off for spring break to travel, and that’s exactly what we did. We probably went to 10 countries in 14 days, and it was awesome. The motto for the trip was to experience all the “specialties of the region.” Mostly that meant food, although it included activities as well. It was on that trip that I had my first apple strudel, and it was amazing – the crust was so flakey, and the apples were so cooked that they almost melted in my mouth. The strudel was warm, and just incredible, especially for someone who wasn’t fond of apple desserts. It was not served with ice-cream, unlike the american apple pie.

The other week we were invited to a traditional October-fest, and the host asked me to bring something Bavarian. I went to Epicurious, and this was what I chose. It was pretty easy to make, and came out delicious. The dried cherries were a really nice addition. It was not as good as I remember in Austria, but definitely worth making – especially if you are not fond of apple desserts…yet.

Ingredients

6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
6 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1/2 cup amaretti cookie or graham cracker crumbs

Preparation

Heat oven to 350°F. In a 12-inch nonstick pan over medium heat, cook apples with dried fruit, sugar and cinnamon until tender, about 10 minutes. Let cool, reserving liquid for optional sauce. Layer 2 phyllo sheets on top of each other. Coat top of phyllo layer with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1/3 of cookie crumbs. Layer 2 more sheets of phyllo on top, coat with cooking spray, then crumbs; repeat once more. Spread apple mixture on top; roll up from the shorter end. Coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place strudel on sheet and bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool. Cut into 8 pieces. Place a slice on each plate;

Optional sauce: Mix yogurt with reserved liquid and drizzle over slices.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Apple Phyllo Strudel

Sticky Toffee Banana Pudding

Published on October 12, 2011October 16, 2011 by Dawn10 Comments

I am having another one of those weeks where every minute of every day is taken up by meetings. Those are the kinds of weeks that cause me to fall behind on my blog, because after I get home and spend a little time with my family, I am right back at the computer trying to catch up on the real work that happened during the day. I often wonder if life was a lot simpler before we became constantly connected. I wasn’t in the workforce for very long before the email boom hit, but I distinctly remember having to write memos when I needed to communicate something. I had to print them off, then send them off to different people. Mail was a big thing, you usually checked your mailbox at least a few times a day.

This was also before blogs existed, and the only way to look at beautiful food pictures was to read a magazine or a book. I remember spending hours sitting in a bookstore flipping through the pages of cook books – only wanting to buy ones with lots of pictures, although one of my favorites is still The Fanny Farmer Cookbook – which has no pictures what so ever. I got very good at imagining what things would look like. Occasionally I find recipes to make without any pictures – and I usually make the dish first, and then look online to see how mine compared.

I found this recipe in Bon Appetit, where there was a beautiful picture that made my mouth water. I love banana bread, so this just sounded heavenly. Well, I was right – this was pretty amazing, and the toffee sauce was so smooth and delicious – fortunately I had a lot leftover so I was able to enjoy it in yogurt for the rest of the week. This was definitely a special dessert, one in which I ate while typing away at my computer, trying to catch up on the days work. Wouldn’t it taste just a little better without the distraction of work? Well, let me just catch up on everything, and I will let you know…

Ingredients

Toffee Sauce

1 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons (or more) heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Banana Cake

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 to 3)
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sliced bananas (optional)

Preparation

Toffee Sauce

Bring 1 1/4 cups cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to boil in heavy small saucepan over medium heat, whisking until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook at gentle boil until sauce coats spoon thickly and is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, whisking occasionally, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Whisk in 3 tablespoons or more cream to thin sauce to desired consistency.

DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm slightly before using.

Banana Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8x8x2-inch nonstick metal baking pan. Dust baking pan with flour, tapping out excess.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in mashed bananas, rum, and vanilla (batter may look curdled). Add dry ingredients in 4 additions, beating just to blend after each addition. Spread batter evenly in prepared baking pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 38 minutes. Spread 1/2 cup toffee sauce evenly over cake. Return cake to oven and bake until sauce is bubbling thickly, about 6 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 30 minutes. Cut around cake in pan. Cut cake into 9 squares or 12 rectangles. Serve cake slightly warm or at room temperature with toffee sauce and top with sliced bananas, if desired.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Sticky Toffee Banana Pudding

Blueberry Cake

Published on September 25, 2011 by Dawn8 Comments

I know that blueberry season is over, but this cake is just too good not to share. This summer when we were back east visiting my family, my mother served her blueberry cake for dessert one night. This blueberry cake is always a huge hit – especially the cinnamon sugar topping that is spread thick and evenly over the top before baking. For me, that is the best part. It is super sweet and crunchy, and just plain wonderful. My younger daughter is definitely the sweet tooth of the family – the more sugar the better. Where as my older one is pretty balanced, everything in moderation. Would you believe that this topping was too sweet for my younger one?? She made me cut off the top every night this was served – and my older one was right there begging for the leftovers – it was hilarious – complete role reversal.

But, there was something about this cake that never hit me until this visit. It is completely dairy free – and it is amazing. So, what did I do with that bit of information? I made another as soon as we got home, and my trying-to-be-dairy-free-husband who is obsessed with cinnamon, was so happy. It was so nice to be able to make a dairy-free somewhat decadent dessert for a change that he could enjoy as well as the rest of the family – that is, except the topping, that my younger one gladly gave to her older sister. If only her older sister would remember that the next time she doesn’t like something sweet…

Ingredients

Cake

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
1 cup oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 cups frozen blueberries (can be fresh, then frozen just to mix in)

Topping

3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preparation

To make the cake, beat the eggs in a mixer until foamy. Add the sugar, orange juice concentrate, oil and vanilla and beat well. Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add to the egg mixture, and mix until combined. Fold in berries. The batter will be thick. Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 baking pan. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together to make the topping. Pour evenly over the top of the cake.

Bake at 350 for approximately 55 –60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the loaves is removed clean, about 45-50 minutes.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Blueberry Cake

Plum Kuchen

Published on September 15, 2011 by Dawn1 Comment

What a week, and it isn’t over yet…ugh. I am staring at the mound of bills and papers on my desk at home, just wondering when I am ever going to get through everything – let alone the emails in my inbox that just keep piling up. If I owe you a mail, I am not ignoring you, I swear. I hate these types of weeks. After a week like this, I need an entire day just to bake. It is the only way I can get through it. I have already decided what I am making this weekend…and I can’t wait. The swimming pool closed last weekend, which means fall is here – and fall baking is my absolute favorite.

Last weekend my neighbor dropped off a huge bag of plums from their tree. I am pretty sure they are not bakers – and they do not know I have a blog – but I figured I had no excuse not to make something with all those plums. I saw a recipe a while ago in Cooking Light for Plum Kuchen, and made it soon afterwards – and it was surprisingly delicious. I don’t even like plums, but the cake had a layer of caramelized sugar around it, and the plums basically baked right into the batter. It was pretty awesome. I even made it for my family when I was visiting them back east, and everyone seemed to love it (or else they were just happy to have me bake). I barely made a dent in the plums they gave me, so can you guess what I am baking this weekend?

Ingredients

6 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
7 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
Cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds plums, quartered and pitted
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cardamom in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Cut in 4 tablespoons butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Combine milk, vanilla, and egg in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, and stir until just combined.

Spoon batter into a 9-inch round metal cake pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange plums in a circular pattern over batter.

Combine remaining 2/3 cup granulated sugar, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, lemon rind, and allspice in a small bowl, stirring well. Place remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 30 seconds or until butter melts. Stir into sugar mixture. Sprinkle plums evenly with sugar mixture. Bake at 425° for 35 minutes or until browned and bubbling. Cool in pan 1 hour on a wire rack. Cut into wedges.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Plum Kuchen

Strawberry Cobbler

Published on September 11, 2011 by Dawn6 Comments

Today is such a significant day – not for food, but for life. This day 10 years ago was one of the saddest days I can remember, and what followed in my life a few days later changed my life forever. I remember getting into my car a little after 6am PST to drive to the gym before heading to work, and they were talking about how an airplane just hit the World Trade Towers. I was shocked, and immediately called my husband to turn on TV. Both of us very naively just assumed it was an accident – but then not too long afterwards, it happened again. I knew then it was not an accident.

At this point I was at the gym watching for myself on the television screens. I was in awe, I loved those buildings, I had visited the top deck many times, and it was one of my favorite places to visit in NYC. I kept thinking about the people inside, and how they were all going to get out. I thought about the people I knew that worked around that area, hoping they were safe. When the towers came down, it just about killed me. What killed me more though was how little people understood out in Seattle the true magnitude of what had happened. Most of the people I worked with had never visited these buildings. I barely made it through the day, it was all I could think about – and that lasted all week. I walked around in a haze, my heart going out to all the people who lost someone, and to the people of NYC whose city was invaded.

Saturday of that week, I learned that I was pregnant with my first daughter. Unfortunately I wasn’t even happy about it at the time, I was just too consumed with what had happened that week. Eventually my mind shifted to our new baby, and away from the World Trade Towers, but it took a while. When she was born, it was love at first sight – and to this day, I am reminded of the wonderful gift I received that week, when so many people were suffering.

This recipe was all her idea – I wanted to make a cobbler, but she wanted a strawberry dessert – so she convinced me to try a strawberry cobbler. I looked for a recipe, but found nothing, so instead, I used one from the Mixed Berry Cobbler in Bon Appetit and adapted it heavily. This was outstanding, one of the best cobblers I have ever made. I loved the strawberry color all baked into the crust – it was sweet, and delicious, the perfect summertime dessert. I am reminded daily of the wonderful gift I received that week – although my heart goes out to the people who continue to suffer…

Ingredients

Filling

1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
7 cups (1 3/4-2 pounds) fresh strawberries (halved if large)

Dough

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for surface
1/4 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½” cubes
1/2 cup chilled whole milk plus more for brushing
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Preparation

Filling

Position a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 400°. Whisk sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Add strawberries to bowl and toss to coat. Transfer berry mixture to a 2-quart baking dish about 2″ deep. Set aside to macerate while making dough.

Dough

Whisk 1 1/3 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter; using fingertips, rub in butter until coarse meal forms. Add 1/2 cup milk and stir just until dough forms. Gather dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Gently knead 5 or 6 times, then pat or roll dough into a 9×6″ rectangle. Cut dough in half lengthwise, then crosswise 3 times, forming 8 rectangles. Arrange biscuits 1/2″ apart over fruit. Brush tops lightly with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until fruit is bubbling and biscuits are just cooked through and golden all over, about 35 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes; serve with vanilla ice cream.

DO AHEAD: Cobbler can be made up to 3 hours ahead. Rewarm at 350° if desired.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Strawberry Cobbler

Cherry Hand Pies

Published on August 21, 2011August 22, 2011 by Dawn12 Comments

So remember when I posted this, I mentioned I had saved some cherries to make something else as well? I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit, right around the time that we were picking all the cherries, so I was super excited. I just love puffed pastry…it is so easy to work with, and everything comes out looking so impressive when in reality it was actually pretty simple. I decided though that it was time to try a new puffed pastry…and I am so glad I did.

I mentioned a while ago that my husband has eliminated dairy from his diet. It actually has been easier than I thought – although I am still eating dairy. I have been trying to make more dairy free desserts – but I just love baking with butter, and I have not eliminated it from the house. Since there are still three people in the house that eat dairy, sometimes he just has to go without the baked goods. The other week I was in Whole Foods though, and I noticed a puffed pastry that was dairy free – I was very intrigued, because to me puffed pastry is really just about the butter – but how can puffed pastry be bad? I was about to find out. I decided to try these Cherry Hand Pies using the dairy-free dough because I knew the cherries would be amazing, and balance out any strange taste the puffed pastry ended up having. Well – I was shocked – I couldn’t tell the difference whatsoever – these were fabulous – and I didn’t miss the butter flavor at all! Best of all, my husband was extremely appreciative – so much so that he ate three the night I made them. So – if dairy is not your friend, you must go to Whole Foods and find this product – you will be so happy you did!

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
2 cups fresh cherries, stemmed and pitted, or about 12 ounces frozen pitted cherries, unthawed
2/3 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
11.4-ounce package all-butter puff pastry (preferably Dufour), thawed in refrigerator
Flour (for dusting)
1 large egg white
1 1/2 teaspoons raw sugar

Preparation

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir cornstarch and 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl to blend. Combine fresh cherries and next 4 ingredients in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cherry juices are released, about 5 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture; bring to a boil, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to an 18×15″ rectangle. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into nine 6×5″ rectangles. Whisk egg white and 1 tablespoon water in another small bowl for egg wash.

Working with 1 pastry rectangle at a time, place on a work surface and brush edges with egg wash. Scoop 3 tablespoons cherry mixture onto one side; fold dough over filling so that short ends meet, forming a 5×3″ packet. Crimp edges with a fork to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut a few slits in top of pie to vent. Place on prepared baking sheet; repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Brush tops with egg wash, then sprinkle with raw sugar. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake pastries until tops and bottoms are golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely.

DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Cherry Hand Pies

Cherry Crisp

Published on August 6, 2011 by Dawn6 Comments

We have a love-hate relationship with our cherry trees. I remember when we found out we would have cherry trees in the back yard of our house – we were elated. We couldn’t believe we would actually get cherries to pick, it just seemed too easy. Cherries are one of the most expensive fruits in the store – I figured there had to be a catch.

The first couple of years I think we got about 5 cherries combined from our two trees. I knew it couldn’t be that easy – it finally made sense that they were so expensive. Then a couple of years later, something happened – we got cherries, lots of cherries – so many, we didn’t know what to do with all of them – and we couldn’t keep up – the crows and birds moved much faster than we did, and by the time we thought they were ripe enough to pick, there were not many left. We couldn’t believe it. And boy what a mess they made – there were cherry pits everywhere – all over the yard, the garden boxes, it was just a mess. The next year we were determined to get enough cherries so I could make some crisp – so we were out there, the second we saw the cherries getting ripe, and we picked a lot – and I baked a crisp. The next day, the crows and birds had a party, and the season was over.

This year we had pounds and pounds of cherries – and we decided to share them with the crows and birds – every night we would pick some and they would eat some – and it actually worked out pretty well. We were all happy, and we tried to keep up with the mess they made, so we didn’t curse them as much. We actually got a crisp out of it – and something else, so stay tuned – aside from all the freshly picked ones we ate. We even invited some neighbors over to enjoy the bounty. It was a great season. I found this crisp recipe from Sugarcrafter – and it was delicious. Thanks for a great recipe, and thanks birds and crows for not eating them all this year!

Ingredients

Filling:

4 cups fresh cherries, pitted
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour

Topping:

3/4 cup quick cooking oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup flour
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 stick butter, melted

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8×8″ baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix together the cherries, sugar, and flour. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the topping ingredients. Pour the filling into the baking dish, and then sprinkle the topping mixture over the top. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Cherry Crisp

Blueberry Crumble Pie

Published on July 30, 2011July 31, 2011 by Dawn11 Comments

I have been longing to make a homemade crust lately. The last time I used a prepared crust, I just wasn’t happy with how it turned out – yes, it significantly cut down on the amount of time to make the pie, but it just wasn’t that good. Also – I found a new gadget that I just love, and it makes rolling out pie crust so easy, you almost want to make one from scratch, just so you can use this thing. I found it at Whole Foods one day, and decided that for $6, I have nothing to lose. A prepared pie crust can cost up to that, so I figured I would be getting my money’s worth.

I tried it out for the first time during Thanksgiving – and it was awesome. It made the most consistent homemade pie crust I have ever made, and it was so easy to get it into the pan. No more worrying about folding it over, or rolling it, – I just unzipped the thing, and flipped it over on top of the plate. This was my second or third time using it, and it worked like a charm. When I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit, I decided it was time to make another crust. Then I remembered my new gadget, and I was all over it. This pie was excellent – not too sweet, not too tart, just perfect – and the crumble on the top was such a nice change from another pie crust. So – no need to be afraid of pie crusts any longer – just get yourself a pie crust bag, and you will be making perfect pie crusts in an instant! And no, I swear they are not paying me to say this…

Ingredients

Crust

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for surface
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ cubes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling and Topping

2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 cups (1 pound 10 ounces) fresh blueberries
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly

Special Equipment: Use a 9″-9 1/2″-diameter glass or metal pie dish. You will need pie weights or dried beans to bake the crust.

Preparation

Crust

Pulse 1 1/4 cups flour, butter, and salt in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces remaining. Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water over mixture. Pulse until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, use the heel of your hand to smear each portion of dough twice in a forward motion to distribute butter. Gather all 4 dough pieces into a ball. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill dough until firm, at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD Dough can be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 13″ round. Transfer to pie dish, gently pressing dough onto bottom and up sides of dish. Fold overhang under and crimp edges decoratively. Pierce bottom of crust in several places with a fork, then chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Line a large baking sheet with foil and place on a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°. Line crust with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove parchment and pie weights. Bake until crust is pale golden, about 12 minutes longer. Transfer crust to a wire rack; let cool.

Filling and Topping

Whisk 2/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add blueberries and lemon juice; toss gently to coat and evenly distribute. Let filling stand, tossing occasionally, until berries release their juices, 20-30 minutes.

Whisk flour, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Add melted butter; mix topping with fingertips to blend.

Assembly

Preheat oven to 375°. Spoon blueberry filling into crust, then sprinkle topping over. Bake pie until filling is bubbling and topping is golden, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cover with foil after 30 minutes if browning too fast.

Let pie cool on a wire rack.

DO AHEAD Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Blueberry Crumble Pie

Apple Crisp with Oat Streusel

Published on July 17, 2011May 21, 2012 by Dawn5 Comments

I know it is not apple crisp season, but here in Seattle, it is. We have had a few days of summer so far, but today we have fast forwarded to fall. I am seriously starting to worry that it may not break out of the 70s this summer. I am trying to find the good in this, and cooking and baking is all I can find, besides all the money we are saving by not watering outside. When the weather is like this, all I want to do is stay home and create yummy treats in the kitchen.

Apple crisp is one of my husband’s favorite desserts. I didn’t make this one completely dairy free, but I didn’t use too much butter, so it seemed to be fine. I actually found some dairy free earth balance sticks today at Whole Foods, that I am excited to try – I will let you know what I think. So, I saw a recipe in Bon Appetit for an Apple Pie with Oat Streusel – but in order to cut down on the amount of butter, I decided to just make an apple crisp with the oat streusel – and boy was it amazing. There was so much topping, it really didn’t need a crust at all. I had a bunch of apples already in the house, so I used quite the variety – and it definitely worked – the apples were a nice caramel flavor, and the topping perfectly crisp. The girls and I had some with whipped cream, but it definitely didn’t need it. A perfect dessert for a not so summer day…

Ingredients

Filling

3 pounds Pippin apples or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into scant 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Generous pinch of salt

Topping

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
7 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

Preparation

Filling

Toss all ingredients in large bowl. Let stand while preparing topping.

Topping

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix together first 6 ingredients. Add butter, using your hands until the mixture is crumbly. Add oats. Transfer filling to a greased 9×9 baking dish. Sprinkle topping evenly over.

Bake crisp until topping is golden, about 40 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake until apples are tender when pierced with small sharp knife and filling is bubbling, covering pie loosely with foil if topping and crust are browning too quickly, about 30 hour longer. Serve warm or at room temperature.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Apple Crisp with Oat Streusel

Mango-Coconut Sherbet

Published on June 18, 2011 by Dawn6 Comments

My family goes a little nuts over mango. Ok, yes, I have my own obsessions that are slight oddly: fennel, cucumbers in cocktails, cream cheese frosting – but mango? Definitely not one of my must haves in life. I actually love the flavor of mango – I just hate cutting them up. I hate that strangely shaped pit – and I also hate it when you cut the mango too close to the pit, and the mango gets a little fibrous – almost hairy.

For a while I was getting mango in our CSA basket, and I dreaded the day I actually had to slice them open. I swear my girls (even my husband) would circle like vultures, trying to get as much mango as they possibly could – making it almost a competition between the three of them. I always had to tell them to go sit down and let me slice in peace – the last thing I wanted was to slice one of their hands instead. I finally stopped getting them, it was getting too dangerous.

I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, and I have to say, I do love a good mango sorbet. The fact that this had coconut milk in it made it that much more interesting to me. I pretty much love anything with coconut milk – yes, I guess another one of my obsessions. I had to buy some mango to make this, but I told my family that these were off-limits. They waited patiently all week for them to get ripe, and for me to make the sherbet. Well, I think it was worth the wait – this was pretty spectacular. I swear I could have just stopped before putting the mixture in the ice-cream machine – it was so smooth and delicious – tasted just like a mango smoothie – but the final product was excellent. I served it two ways – with shredded coconut on top, and with grated lime peel. Both were delicious. If you are looking for a light dessert this summer, definitely mark this one down. If I ever happen to have some spare mango lying around, I know exactly what to do with it – right, who am I kidding?

Ingredients

2 cups cubed peeled ripe mango
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, toasted

Preparation

Combine cubed mango, sugar, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and coconut milk in a blender; process until mixture is smooth, scraping sides as necessary. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer, and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions to soft-serve consistency. Spoon sherbet into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze 2 hours or until firm. Sprinkle each serving with coconut.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Mango-Coconut Sherbet

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