Five Spice Cider Jelly

A jelly that tastes like Christmas? Yes, please.

I am back! I was planning to save this recipe for a time closer to the fall, and real Christmas, but after the 50 hours of airports, planes, delays, and lost bags that I had, I wanted a little more comfort food in my life. Apple five spice jelly on toast? VERY comforting, especially when you add in a rainy night, blankets, a cup of tea, and watching cheesy 80s movies with Butchie. We didn't bake on Monday night. Just caught up, laughed, and watched movies, that took every ounce of my reserve to stay awake through after a long trip back.

Oregon was a fantastic time. Getting too or from was less than ideal. My luggage never made it me at all. In fact, I hadn't seen it until yesterday. Good thing I am the same size as my sisters and that my littlest sister was VERY excited to dress me up. She chose excellently. But, there are some articles of clothing that ought not be shared, so, oh darn, you just have to send three sisters on shopping trips! The man at the make up counter (wearing false eyelashes and splendid eye make up. I mean phenomenal) truly understood my pain. His incredibly sincere gasp and utter dismay at having lost ALL my make up was just what I needed, and gave my sister a good laugh. United Airlines customer service may not understand how infuriated I was, but a MAC employee knows this pain, especially when I told him I was there for my sister's beauty pageant. Horror.

Having gotten a new dress and make up I was ready to go support the star of our family that night. My sweet-hearted sister was A-MAIZE-ING. (Um, yes, that was a not so inside joke. We all happen to laugh greatly at the movie Grown Ups). She sang and played the piano and was the only beauty queen not prancing around in next to no clothing, which as a big sister, I really appreciate! She had all the right attitudes about the pageant, and I'm very proud of her resolve after not winning "I'm no beauty queen, I'm just beautiful me." They're song lyrics, and to counter her I'll rearrange some other lyrics : Don't be a queen, just be a beauty. And that she is. Watching her sing and play piano for Taylor Swifts Back to December in a beautiful ball gown will always be a treasure memory of her.

The trip was wonderful, despite leaving me dead tired, after too many flight cancellations and delays, I wouldn't trade a moment of it. Well, I might trade the moment when my sister went to hit me with a pillow, lost her grip and socked me in the eye. No, not even that. It's too funny to tease her about! It was a wonderful time.

Cheers to my sisters and to some lovely comfort food after a long trip!

Five Spice Cider Jelly

1 quart apple cider

1 package (1-3/4 ounces) powdered fruit pectin

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

5-1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon five spice powder (cassia cinnamon, cloves, star anise, anise seed, and ginger)

7 half pint jars, lids, and rings

Preheat oven to 200. Place jars, lids and rings on a cookie sheet in the oven, and leave for at least 20 minutes.

In a large sauce pan combine the apple cider, pectin, and lemon juice, over high heat. Stir constantly. When the mixture boils, quickly stir in sugar. Continue stirring until the mixture boils for 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Skim off any foam that may have formed on the top of the jelly. Stir in the five spice powder before you pour the hot jelly into sterilized jars. Be sure to leave a fourth of an inch from the top unfilled.

Put lids and rings onto the jars, wiping off any jelly that may have gotten on the sides. Seal firmly and invert, lid side down on the counter for one hour. Return to right-side-up and store.  Once opened keep refrigerated. 

Apple Upside-Down Cake

Warm apple cider cinnamon sugar caramelized apple slices adorn the upside-down top of a light and airy vanilla cake. 

It was a very very busy weekend around my house this weekend. Nonstop action. I woke up and went straight to work with party prep for my third annual argyle party. All of Saturday was spent in the kitchen, or the grocery store (with a car that was finally dug out of the snow!).  Now, last Saturday waking up and baking a cake didn't go so well. My judgement making an apple butter cinnamon coffee cake was not at it's best. This weekend I avenged myself and made some better choices.....such as waking up completely before sticking a cake in the oven. Funny how much that can help the baking process!!! 

So this was my first experiment baking with my apple cider sugar. Complete success. I love the extra X factor that using a flavored sugar adds to an upside down cake. Instead of a basic buttery sugar goodness, this was complex. It tasted of caramelized buttery apple cider on top of the average goodness. The slight hint of cinnamon was the perfect addition. I don't think I can go back to making upside down cakes with....well....BORING sugar again. I'm over it. Sugar shouldn't just be sugar. Sugar can be so much more! And it will be. From now on. No more boring sugar. New edict. Decision made. Have I mentioned how much I am loving condiment year? Best theme year yet. 

Apple Cider Sugar Upside-Down Cake

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoon butter melted and cooled

1 cup apple cider sugar

1/2 cup vanilla sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 granny smith apple

3 eggs

1 cup all purpose four

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350. Put the 1/3 cup butter in a 9 or 10 inch round cake pan** with a minimum three inch side. Place in the oven to melt for about 5 minutes. Add the apple cider sugar. Stir into melted butter and bake for another 5 minutes. Thinly slice the apple. Arrange apple slices on top of the butter apple cider sugar mixture. 

Separate the eggs, putting the white into a stand mixer bowl on a medium speed and the yolks into a small bowl. Whisk the melted butter into the egg yolks. In another bowl sift together the dry ingredients. Set aside. 

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold in the remaining sugars into the egg whites, then fold in the egg yolk mixture, and finally fold in the flour mixture gradually. Pour batter over the apple slices to cover evenly. 

Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, roughly 40 minutes. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before running a knife around the edges to loosen the cake and invert onto a serving plate. 

Serve warm, cut into wedges.

**Do not use a springform pan! The butter will run out the sides and be a horrid mess. To make a 9x13 cake double the apples, butter and apple cider sugar, and then make one and a half times the cake batter.

Five Spice Apple Butter

Slow cooked apples, cider, brown sugar and spices caramelized into a rich brown butter should be a staple spread for any kitchen. 

Lately things around the little Cherry Tea Cakes world (which we now call a home office) have been a bit busier than normal. Ever have that moment when you realize: Huh, I have a small business. Last year, this was a hobby, but according to the IRS, I have now learned that it's actually a sole proprietorship...well, at least it is if I want the tax write offs (and I do!). I thought this was just simple and cute, and a fun way to donate money to charity, but it turns out I also "make" enough money that it's a small business, despite the fact that I actually make nothing. So, this week has meant more time with spreadsheets and painkillers than cookies and cakes. Yesterday I got an EIN from the IRS and opened a business banking account on my lunch break, somehow it was not as satisfying as eating a cheeseburger. Odd.

So this week necessitates the kind of baking that requires next to none of my time. Apple butter may take hours to make, but it really only takes fifteen minutes of my time. It's perfect. Fills my home with that warmth, and beautiful smell of slow cooking apples and spices and lets me have a few more hours with my precious spreadsheets and forms. Oh. The. Joy. It also gave me time to work on my donations for a fellow bloggers charity auction (details to come soon), so there is a bright side.

Traditionally apple butters are made with cinnamon, and occasionally another spice or two, but I went the "creative" (or simple) route with Chinese Five Spice powder: cassia cinnamon, cloves, star anise, anise seed, and ginger. I'm in love with the complexity it adds, and the depth of the flavors. I highly recommend it, especially if having a house full of warm apple spices sounds just as good to you on a cold winters day as it does to me.

Best of luck on your weeks. I'm now once again behind on projects and deadlines and have to run over to my new bank to tie up loose ends. Don't be jealous.

Can be used for:

• apple butter cinnamon coffee cake
• apple butter vinaigrette

Five Spice Apple Butter
(about 2 pints)

3 lbs. apples, all but one peeled, all cored, quartered and sliced
1/2 cup apple cider
brown sugar
1 tablespoon chinese five spice (cassia cinnamon, cloves, star anise, anise seed, and ginger)
2 one pint jars, lids, and rings

In a large pan, cook apples and cider over a low heat until soft. about 20 minutes.

Using a food mill, blender, food processor, etc, puree the apples. Measure the amount of puree and add half as much brown sugar. Add the five spice powder. Return to the pan and cook over a low heat, uncovered, until thick and bubbly, roughtly one and a half hours. Stir occasionally.

Preheat oven to 200.

Place jars, lids, and rings,  on a cookie sheet in the oven for 10 minutes to sterilize. When ready remove from oven and pour hot butter into the jars, tightly sealing with lids and rings. Invert (lid side down) on the countertop and leave to rest for at least one hour (this will seal the jars). Flip right side up and store in a dark cool cupboard or pantry. Refrigerate after opening.

Apple Cider Buttermilk Pancakes with Apple Caramel Syrup

The combination of sweet apple cider and tangy buttermilk make these golden pancakes an addictive treat. Topped with homemade apple caramel syrup that can be canned for future use. 

Happy 2011! As promised this year is "condiments" year and I'm starting out with my little brain child: apple cider caramel syrup...but what's syrup without a pancake right? 

I've never been much for following a recipe. I see the recipe and think, "To heck with that. This sounds so much better!" That's how both these little recipes came about! I love it.

I started out to make Apple Caramel Jelly, and ended up with Apple Caramel Syrup instead. I'm not particularly sad. It just means a second attempt will be made, and until then my pancakes are going to be very tasty! I also canned the syrup, so I have a nice stock pile for the remainder of the year! Delightful!  

In case the idea of canning just scared you, don't worry! You don't have to can the syrup. I just did because it was supposed to be jelly. (And since I was trying to go old school without fruit pectin and cook it by hand, and am not as of yet particularly adept as understanding the "set tests" I failed and stopped the cooking a good bit too soon). Canning is actually beautifully easy, none of those water baths and boiling jars are actually necessary. Thank you modern sciences for improving canning so wonderfully! If you have a dishwasher and an oven you are ready to go....well and jars, and lids, and something to can! 

But I have something for you to can right here! 

Apple Cider Caramel Syrup

1 quart apple cider

5-1/2 cups sugar

7 half pint jars and lids

If canning, heat your oven to 200 degrees. On a cookie sheet place your clean jars and lid pieces.  Put in oven until ready to use.

Place a small plate in your freezer.

Start with an even layer of 3 cups of sugar in a heavy-duty pan, such as a deep skillet. Heat the sugar over moderate heat, until it begins to melt.  Continue cooking over very low heat, stirring as little as possible, until the entire mixture has becomes a dark amber liquid. Meanwhile begin the apple cider mixture.

In a large stock pot, combine the apple cider and remaining sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. 

Add in caramel sauce. The caramel will seize up.  Return the juice to a low boil and continue to stir until the seized caramel liquefies into the sauce.  Continue to cook until the sauce feels slightly thickened. Pour a teaspoon of sauce onto the small plate in your freezer. If, after a minute, the apple caramel mixture feels like a syrup to the touch and appears decently thick, you are ready to can it. If not, continue to cook testing every few minutes.

When ready remove the tray of jars and lids from the oven.  Ladle or pour the syrup into the jars leaving only a ¼ inch gap at the top. Put on lids tightly, and carefully, and then place, lid side down on the counter to cool (this is seal the jar and sterilize the air left inside). Allow to cool completely before turning right side up and storing.

If using immediately put into a storage container and allow cooling slightly before eating.

Store opened unused syrup in the refrigerator.  

Apple Cider Buttermilk Pancakes

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon vanilla sugar or 1 tablespoon sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons powdered buttermilk**

¾ cup apple cider

1 egg

½ cup butter, melted

In a bowl combine the flour, vanilla sugar, baking powder, salt and buttermilk. Combine cider, egg, and melted butter in a separate bowl.  Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Pour batter by ¼ cupfuls onto a lightly greased hot skillet, griddle or pan. Flip when bubbles appear on top of pancakes and finish cooking. 

** I use buttermilk powder in the pancakes, which is something I highly recommend owning, as buttermilk will often go bad before used fully, and the powder has a higher variety of uses! I bought mine in the baking section of my local grocery store. 

Apple Cider Curd Crostata

Apple Cider is reduced down to make a lovely curd is baked into a tart for a unique, flavorful, and perfect for a holiday treat. 

Sadly the vacation is over. Time to go home after 8 glorious days in the UK. Such lovely days of freedom...I am not in the least bit excited to go back to work tomorrow morning....mostly because it means waking up, and that is not an exciting prospect. In just a little while Brandon and I will be heading to the airport to fly back state side. As if we weren't sick of each other after 8 days solid....now we get to sit next to each other for 8 hours solid. Lovely. I ran out of things to talk about five days ago! This should be interesting. 

Here is another one of my daring bakers tarts I made! I'm madly in love with apple cider curd. It's rather lovely and has such a beautiful texture. Mmmm. I miss it. I think I'll make some more when I get home....after a nap. 

Cheers!

Pasta Frolla

scant 3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

a pinch of salt

½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 T. vanilla sugar

1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten in a small bowl

Put sugar, flour, salt, and lemon zest in a stand mixer and stir a few times to mix. Add butter and beat using a wisk attachment until the mixture has the consistency of coarse meal.

Switch to using the dough hook attachment and continue to incorporate the liquid into the solid ingredients. Continue lightly just until the dough comes together into a ball.

Shape the dough into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours or overnight.

While the dough is chilling make the apple cider curd.

Apple Cider Curd Recipe:

3 large eggs

2 cups cup apple cider

3/4 cup light brown sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

In a sauce pan, boil apple cider until it has reduced to a half cup of liquid.

In a stand mixer beat together eggs and brown sugar. While continuing to mix, very slowly pour the reduced apple cider down the side of the bowl.

Return the mixture to the sauce pan. Cook stirring constantly until the mixture becomes thick. This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove lumps.

Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Cover immediately and refrigerate.

To Assemble and Bake:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Roll out a batch of the pasta frolla, reserving one fourth of the dough to make the lattice topping and cover the base of the tart pan.

Spread the prepared apple cider curd to fill the crostata

Roll out the reserved dough and cut into long strips creating a design, or cut using cookie cutters into shapes.

Bake for 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Enjoy!  

Apple Rosette Crostata

A tart shell filled with apple cider curd and topped with lovely slices of apples glazed with apple jelly. A beautiful treat that is surprisingly easy to assemble. 

The 2010 November Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Simona of briciole. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well, and what a lovely challenge it was! 


I have been wanting to make a "flower tart" for about six months now. That just shows you how long my baking wants list is. Ice Cream year has gotten me a bit behind on making anything that is not ice cream. I promise next year is going to go much much better. 


I actually had to make these last Saturday, as today I am enjoying one of my last days in London. We just got back from Edinburgh this morning, and are heading over to Borough Market, a little foodie heaven. I've never been so excited for market day! I hear Jamie Oliver shoots there! It would be just a little too perfect to get to see him after the lovely culinary trip I've had....but more on that later when I'm home and have all the time in the world to tell you about my trip. 


Until then enjoy this lovely tart. If you have a mandolin this apple adornment won't take you any more than five minutes. It's absolutely easy and looks so beautiful it's hard to believe it was so easy! 


Enjoy! 

Pasta Frolla

scant 3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

a pinch of salt

½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 T. vanilla sugar

1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten in a small bowl

Put sugar, flour, salt, and lemon zest in a stand mixer and stir a few times to mix. Add butter and beat using a wisk attachment until the mixture has the consistency of coarse meal.

Switch to using the dough hook attachment and continue to incorporate the liquid into the solid ingredients. Continue lightly just until the dough comes together into a ball.

Shape the dough into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours or overnight.

While the dough is chilling make the apple cider curd.

Apple Cider Curd Recipe:

3 large eggs

2 cups cup apple cider

3/4 cup light brown sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

In a sauce pan, boil apple cider until it has reduced to a half cup of liquid.

In a stand mixer beat together eggs and brown sugar. While continuing to mix, very slowly pour the reduced apple cider down the side of the bowl.

Return the mixture to the sauce pan. Cook stirring constantly until the mixture becomes thick. This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove lumps.

Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Cover immediately and refrigerate. Allow to chill in the refrigerator until the crust is baked.

To Bake the Crostata Crust:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Roll out a batch of the pasta frolla and cover the base of the tart pan.

Cut a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil large enough to cover the bottom of the crust and extend out a bit over the edges of the pan. Fill with pie weights or dry beans

Place the crostata shell in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the weights and parchment paper and continue baking the crostata shell until the border is light golden, about 5 minutes (watch carefully to avoid over-baking, which results in a hard shell). In the absence of weight, the crust may rise in the middle: if that occurs, gently push it back down with the back of a spoon.

Remove from the oven and let the crostata shell cool completely before proceeding.

Spread the prepared apple cider curd over the cooled shell.

To make the apple rosette topping:

1 apple

Lemon juice

¼ cup apple jelly

Using a mandolin slicer (or a knife) cut apples crosswise into the thinnest slices possible. Sprinkle with lemon juice to keep from browning. Cut slices in half and arrange, staggered and in circles, working your way inward until the entire crostata is covered.

Melt the apple jelly on the stove or in the microwave. Using a pastry brush, gently glaze the apples.

Refrigerate until ready to eat!

Enjoy! 

Pear and Apple Chips

Pear and Apple Chips are the perfect party chip for a fall evening! I served these for a wedding and they were eaten up in no time flat!

Congratulate me. I finally got around to posting one of the wedding recipes from the beginning of October! Woo hoo! I'm only a month late! 

And speaking of late, ya know what is truly sad? Missing the Ms. Punkin Chunkin pageant because the traffic for parking delayed us two whole hours (during which many men walked into the surrounded trees to use the facilities....they needed to walk about ten feet farther in), and then we got stuck in the mud and pulled out by a nice man in a John Deere, got stuck in the mud one more time....then finally made it into a parking spot. No joke! But still! So not fair! This was my year! I was gonna take the crown! For those of you who are just now realizing my adoration for some of life's funnier moments: Yes, there is a festival called Punkin Chunkin filled with flannel and pumpkins and yes, they hold a beauty pageant that I was registered to compete in. 

Punkin Chunkin is such a hilariously random event it's hard to put it into words. As the picture below shows, you'll find a large gathering of people launching pumpkins as far as they can. It's a glorious combination of Hick and Geek. Some of these pumpkins fly up to 5,000 feet, some only a few hundred. There are kids categories and adults, all trying to chunk that punkin as far as they can! And it all started a little something like this: 

"It all started back in 1986," said Ellsworth."We were playing around one day and somebody started talking about throwing pumpkins. There had been an article in a newspaper or on television about some people throwing pumpkins at Salisbury State. A physics class or something. One of us said that they could throw further than someone else and I threw my hat on the ground." 

That was the challenge that started it all. This isn't a competition for the faint of heart. They draw crowds up to 20,000, and if you can't handle being crowded in by 20,000 people all wearing flannel and beer hats in the shape of a pumpkin...this just isn't for you. But there is funnel cake. So it's a bit of a toss up (bad pun). 

Jamie Hyneman of the Mythbusters came, interviewed many of the teams for the Discovery Channels coverage of the event that you can see on Thanksgiving. Which really might be the way to go, all the chunkin and none of the blaring country music, kegs, flannel, pumpkin hats, tailgating......who am I kidding. That's totally the best part. People come and camp for a few days and just have a blast, with couches in the back of a pick up truck watchin' as the pumpkins fly, catapults collapse, and the occasional failed exploding pumpkin. 

Left collumn: the adress, a proud mother of a contestant, Jamie Hyneman shooting, droves of catapaults and quads, perfectly round pumpkins, a punkin chunkin beer container, and of course pumpkin funnel cake! Right side: FAIL!

I try to go every year....because really, red neck beauty pageants and pumpkin tossing is just about the funniest thing I can think of. I know you're jealous. First weekend in November head to Bridgeville, Delaware. Plan on it next year!

But if pumpkin isn't your thing, these apple and pear chips will be! 

Apple or Pear Chips

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups vanilla sugar (or white sugar plus a tablespoon of vanilla)

5 small apples, preferably a crisp, flavorful variety like Royal Gala or Honeycrisp or

5 bosc pears

In a small pot, combine the water and sugar and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Set aside to cool.

Using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut each one into rounds about 1/8 of an inch thick. Remove any seeds as you cut and submerge the apples slices in the syrup and allow them to sit for at least four hours, completely covered by syrup, in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove some of the apples from the syrup and lightly dry them with paper towels. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet

Bake in the oven until crispy, about 1 hour. Apples  and pears will crisp further as they cool. 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Apple Donuts

The beautiful fall flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, and apples coming together into a wonderful cake doughnut perfect for the season! 

Alright, I've been getting far too behind at life. But when you think about it, how could I not? The last month...actually just the last two weeks. I mean, how on earth could I not get behind when our office manager gets fired in a big way, me and the boyfriend call it quits, our office had a board meeting....in which we had to smooth over all the byproducts of the office manager's mess, I catered a wedding, and then a breakfast, and went out of town for three days, and to top it all off my car is in the shop. Life. Is. Awesome. 

Actually life really is good. I can't complain. I mean, let's just look at that list the other way: I have a job, I have been loved, I have a semi-successful blogging life, I get to travel, I have good food and I have a car. Honestly, that pretty well puts me about the top of the ladder as far as I can see. I have a nice little life, even if it is a bit full. 

I have been promising wedding catering posts. I have been promising posts about my recent trip (and that is going to be one AMAZING post!). I have two other posts that I still haven't gotten to, but since every one of those sentences started with "I have" I'm just going to go ahead and say it means I have a lot to be thankful for! 

These little doughnuts are coming from the breakfast I did last week. They are chock full of yummy apples, and pumpkin and cinnamon and nutmeg, or in other words, chock full of YUM! I took a large parcel of them with us on the road trip. It was so hard not to eat them all in one sitting! I hope you like them too! 

Pumpkin Apple Cinnamon Cake Donuts

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

½ teaspoon Vietnamese cinnamon

½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup peeled, cored and chopped apple

1 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons Vietnamese cinnamon

apple cider or water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 12 doughnut molds.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, pumpkin and oil. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stirring just to moisten. Fold in apples. Spoon batter into doughnut molds filling roughly half full.

Bake for roughly ten minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool, and decorate accordingly.

To make the apple cinnamon glaze mix powdered sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Add cider or water until you reach the desired consistency. Dip each doughnut in and allow glaze to set.

Enjoy! 

Caramel Apple Toffee Pastries

This was the winner of Iron Chef Apple and is one of my favorite fall desserts! How could you ever go wrong with caramel, apples, and especially toffee? The phyllo that wraps it all up adds the perfect bit of crunch!

One line reminder to vote for Cherry Tea Cakes in the Express Night Out Best of DC Food Blogger Vote through September 30th! See instructions here! 


Sorry for being late with this post. I came off of a long day at work after a night full of red eye flights, airports, and next to no food or sleep..,oh, and did I mention food poisoning? As it is, I am taking a detox day. Fruit juices and salad only to get my body back to normal...and to make it worse with the sleep deprivation, from what I read online...you shouldn't have caffeine when you are getting over food poisoning. Worst. Monday. Ever.

Butchie had to put up with me without sleep, without food, and trying to recover on our weekly baking night. And MAN was I on one! I have next to no filter when I'm that tired and hungry. [It's fabulous--she was smiley and punchy and rude and maybe now I will never let her sleep again. --B.] Never ask me what I really think in that state. I answer as honestly as I usually do, but with less tact and diplomacy.

So I asked Butchie what she wanted to make and she answered just as bluntly honest: apples! If you want to hear some gushing on how great fall boots, fall sweaters, fall scarfs, and all flavors are--note the trend--then you should talk to Butch. She has an endless supply of enthusiasm for fall. [How could you not? Gorgeous yellow leaves, pears everywhere, perfect snuggling temperature, fireplaces with ACTUAL FIRE IN THEM. Plus, Halloween! This year I was thinking I'd go as a sexy autumn leaf. Now that Halloween is just an excuse for ladies to be as close to publicly naked as possible. --B.] Anyway, this is a good recipe for us: I have an infinite amount of enthusiasm for toffee, and even though I do not care about autumn or its apples, basically at all, Butchie makes up for it. [Maybe I'll go as an apple. --B.]

There are two ways you can make this dessert: make it all, or buy it all. We made toffee and caramel from scratch, but you can buy it too, and these pastries are still very good. I am all about lessening the chemicals I can't pronounce in my diet, so I go the scratch route...plus, c'mon, homemade caramel? Way better!

Caramel Toffee Apple Pastries

3 large baking apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped

1/2 cup caramel, store bought or see the recipe below

1/2 cup toffee bits, store bought or see the recipe below

16 sheets phyllo dough

Preheat oven to 375. Spray two muffin tins with cooking spray. In a medium mixing bowl combine the chopped apples, caramel and toffee bits. Set aside.

Lay phyllo pastry sheets flat on a work surface and cover with sheet of plastic wrap. Place a slightly damp kitchen towel over the plastic wrap. Removing one sheet of pastry at a time spray completely with cooking spray top with another sheet of phyllo pastry and spray with cooking spray. Repeat until four sheets of phyllo are stacked. Cut the stacked pastry into 6 equal squares. Press each stack into a muffin tin.

Place 1/4 cup of apple mixture inside each phyllo lined muffin tin, pour a little of the caramel over the top, and pinch the corners together to form a pouch. A ring of aluminum foil can be placed around the pinched dough to hold them together if desired.

Repeat with remaining sheets and apple filling. Wrap and refrigerate any remaining phyllo.

Spray tops with cooking spray. Bake 12-15 minutes or until pastries are golden brown.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Eat immediately, as they will not remain crisp for more than an hour.

Toffee Bits

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 tablespoons water

Place all ingredients in a pan and bring to a hard boil, cook until a candy thermometer reads hard crack. Poor onto a greased sheet of aluminum foil. Allow to set, chop.

Caramel Sauce

3/8 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/8 cup light corn syrup

3/8 cup whipping cream

Combine sugar, water, and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to a boil without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 10 minutes, until caramel has reached a dark amber color. Remove from heat, carefully and immediately add cream--it will bubble and clot. Stir sauce over low heat until sauce is smooth.