My sons class is making a cookbook

[LaceyEx]

That's why they call you "The Keeper". Yum

[buckhead]

Cakes, Frostings, Fillings, etc. 015 (Apple Cake 05 - Christmas Apple Ring Cake - Becky Hewell)

Cake:
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs beaten until fluffy
1 stick butter or margarine
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
1 cup chopped nuts
3 cups chopped apples (added last)

Combine all ingredients, except for the apples until well blended then fold in the apples. Pour batter into a ring or tube pan (for a wreath shape). Bake at 325°F for one hour; check to see when done by using a toothpick. When toothpick comes out clean the cake is ready. Apply icing.

Icing:
1 stick butter or margarine
1 cu s, Frostings, Fillings, etc. p brown sugar
¼ cup cream or evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cook in saucepan until bubbles in center. Pour over cake and top with halved maraschino cherries (green and red for a festive touch) and pecan halves.


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Pies, Cobblers, Crisps, and Crusts 707 (Apple Dumplings 07 - Quick Apple Dumplings)

1½ cups sugar
2 cups water
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, divided
¼ cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup sugar
2 (15-ounce) packages refrigerated piecrusts
8 medium Braeburn (or Golden Delicious or Granny Smith) apples, peeled and cored
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, cut up
vanilla ice cream (optional)

1. Bring 1½ cups sugar, 2 cups water, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in ¼ cup butter. Set syrup aside.
2. Combine 2/3 cup sugar, remaining ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and remaining ¼ teaspoon nutmeg.
3. Cut piecrusts in half, and roll into 8-inch circles. Place 1 apple in center of each circle. Sprinkle each evenly with sugar mixture; dot evenly with 3 tablespoons butter.
4. Fold dough over apples, pinching to seal. Place in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Drizzle with syrup.
5. Bake at 375°F for 40 to 45 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Yields 8 servings


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Pies, Cobblers, Crisps, and Crusts 011 (Apple Pie 01 - Apple Cider Pie)

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/3 cup ice water
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chilled stick margarine or butter, cut into small pieces
¼ cup vegetable shortening

Filling:
2 cups apple cider
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1¼ teaspoons pumpkin-pie spice
7 Braeburn apples, peeled and quartered (about 3 pounds)
cooking spray
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon sugar

1. To prepare crust, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1/3 cup flour and ice water, stirring with a whisk until well-blended. Combine 1-2/3 cups flour and salt in a bowl; cut in margarine and shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water mixture; toss with a fork until moist. Divide dough in half. Gently press each half of mixture into a 4-inch circle on heavy-duty plastic wrap, and cover with additional plastic wrap. Roll one half of dough, still covered, into a 12-inch circle, and chill. Roll other half of dough, still covered, into an 11-inch circle; chill.
2. To prepare filling, bring cider to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat. Cook until reduced to ½ cup (about 20 minutes). Cool completely.
3. Preheat oven to 450°F.
4. Combine cooled cider, 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, and pie spice in a large bowl. Cut each apple quarter crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices. Stir apple slices into cider mixture.
5. Remove 1 sheet of plastic wrap from the 12-inch circle; fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray, allowing dough to extend over edge of plate. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap. Spoon apple mixture into crust, and brush edges of crust lightly with water. Remove 1 sheet of plastic wrap from the 11-inch circle, and place on top of apple mixture. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap. Press edges of dough together; fold edges under, and flute. Cut 6 (1-inch) slits into top of pastry using a sharp knife. Combine egg and 1 tablespoon water. Brush top and edges of pie with egg mixture, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Place pie on a baking sheet, and bake at 450°F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (do not remove pie from oven), and bake an additional 45 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Yields 10 servings

[7G9C4J2]

This is a favorite that we've made many times, and it's always popular with a crowd. The pastry is a good easy one to handle, and it goes together pretty quickly.

Apple Slab Cake
• 4 Cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ lb. shortening (2 sticks, 16 TB. or 1 Cup)
• 2 large egg yolks, beaten
• 30 crushed vanilla wafers (about ¾ Cup)
• 1 Cup sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
• 3 lbs. apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 3 Cups powdered sugar
• enough water to make a thick glaze (a tablespoon or two)
Put beaten egg yolks in a 1 cup measuring cup and fill with water to the 1 cup line. In a roomy bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening. Add the egg yolk/water mix and stir just until incorporated. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside.

Preheat oven to 450°. Divide the dough in half. Roll half out to fit a 16½ x 12½ inch cookie sheet. Place rolled-out dough on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with half of the vanilla wafer crumbs. Spread half of the apple slices on top of crumbs. Sprinkle the rest of the vanilla wafer crumbs on top of the first layer of apple slices. Top with the rest of the apple slices. Sprinkle cinnamon/sugar/nutmeg on top of second layer of apple slices. Roll out second half of dough large enough to cover bottom layer of dough and apple filling. Lightly moisten perimeter of bottom layer of dough with water. Place second layer of dough on top of bottom layer of dough and apples. Seal the two layers of dough and crimp. Make a few small slits in the top crust to let steam escape. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes. The apples will still be slightly firm. Combine the powdered sugar and water to make a glaze. Pour the glaze over the cake while the cake is still warm but NOT hot, at least 30-45 minutes after taking out of the oven.

Prep. time: 90 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 24
From Penzey's Catalog, fall 2006