Apple Pandowdy

Dutchess of Oldenburg apples are an early ripening heirloom variety

Apple Pandowdy

I grow heirloom apples. One variety that ripens very early is the Dutchess of Oldenburg. This particular apple is the size of a crabapple, but it has the genetics of a MacIntosh. So even though it requires harvesting, peeling and coring a large number of the apples to make anything, the end result is well worth the effort.

Because the apple variety is several hundred years old, I decided that it was best used in a traditional American recipe, using traditional American tools. Apple pandowdy baked in a cast iron skillet was the logical - and tasty - conclusion.

What is a pandowdy? It's basically a one-crust pie. The filling is heaped into the skillet, and pie pastry is latticed over the top. When the pandowdy is scooped out, the flaky crust mixes into the filling, absorbing all of the spicy and fragrant juice. Because apples are high in pectin, you don't need to add any thickening agents such as corn starch or Clear-Gel. However, if you like a really firm filling, you are free to do so.

You don't need a cast iron skillet for this recipe. If you have a traditional casserole dish (or if you sprang for one of those Copper Chef square pans) you can use these deep dishes to make your pandowdy. The beauty of cast iron is that it distributes heat evenly so your filling and crust aren't overbaked in one area and undercooked in another.

Pandowdy baked in a cast iron skillet

Pastry:

1 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

6 tbsp. vegetable shortening

2 - 3 tbsp. ice water

Filling:

1 gallon (8 cups) apple slices

3/4 c. light brown sugar

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

To make pastry: whisk together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, add shortening one tablespoon at a time, cutting in thoroughly until mixture resembles small pebbles. Add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, and blend until dough holds together. Remove pastry from bowl, shape into a ball and flatten into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour before rolling out.

While your pastry chills, prepare the apple filling. Place sliced apples in large bowl and add lemon juice. In small bowl, mix together brown sugar, spices and salt. Add to apples; use a wooden spoon to stir and coat apples with sugar, spices and lemon juice.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a deep casserole dish or a seasoned cast iron skillet with nonstick spray. Add apples to skillet; heap excess in the middle to avoid having the filling spill over the edges.

Remove pastry from refrigerator, unwrap, place on lightly floured surface and roll out to 1/8" thick. Cut into strips 1/2" wide; create a lattice over the top of the filling.

Bake the pandowdy for 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is a golden brown.

It's The Berries! Black Raspberry Crisp

Thanks to the unusually warm winter we had, my raspberry crop was a solid 2 weeks early. I grow two varieties: Fall Gold, which offers a small crop each summer followed by giant crop in September, and Bristol. Bristol is by far the better berry for cooking. This dark purple berry is sweet with a hint of tartness, holds its shape very well and each bush provides at least two quarts of berries. Luckily, these berries also freeze well, so I used part of the crop right away and bagged the rest.

Raspberry crisp a luscious fruit dessert that is incredibly simple to make. In addition, because the fruit provides most of the sweetness, it uses very little sugar. In fact, this recipe lends itself well to sugar substitutes such as Truvia.

I recommend using real butter to make the crisp topping. Butter adds a toasty flavor to the crust, which contains oatmeal. It also helps the crisp to bake to a beautiful golden brown. You'll want to use a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter with the dry ingredients. Cutting in the shortening coats the flour and oats without activating the gluten. The end result is a crunchy crisp streusel topping.

Raspberry Crisp
2 quarts fresh raspberries
1/4 c. granulated sugar or sugar substitute for baking
1 tbsp. corn starch
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Mix together 1/4 c. sugar and corn starch. Gently coat berries with the sugar and starch mixture.  Spray a 2 quart casserole pan with nonstick cooking spray and fill with berry mixture. Drizzle with lemon juice. Allow to rest at room temperature while preparing the topping.

Topping
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. quick cooking oats
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar or sugar substitute for baking
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1/2 c. butter, at room temperature

Whisk together the flour, oats, sugars and spices. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously cover the berry mixture with the topping. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until topping is lightly browned.  Allow to cool before serving; this allows the berry juices to thicken slightly. Serves 6 to 8.

   

Three Step Barbecue Baked Beans

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer, and the celebrations normally include a cookout. Baked beans are a traditional side dish for these occasions. If you prefer foregoing the canned beans soaking in a fat and sugar-laden sauce, then you'll love making these quick to fix barbecued beans.

I start with a mixture of dried navy, red and pinto beans. Dried beans are available in bulk at most grocery stores, and are easily stored in airtight canisters. They are also very economical, and useful for making soups and other meals as well.

Dry beans, however, normally need hours of slow cooking. This breaks down their outer starchy shell and makes them edible. The quick way around this is to use a pressure cooker.

The final step is to add flavor. You can make your own barbecue sauce if you wish, but I like to use my favorite bottled variety, and cut it with a small amount of either full flavored ginger ale (Vernors is tops for this), cola or lemon-line soda. You can use sugar-free for this if you like, as it is only for flavoring purposes.

Three Step Barbecue Baked Beans
4 c. dry beans
8 c water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. pork sausage (ground or link)
2 c. bottled barbecue sauce
1/2 c. ginger ale, cola or lemon-lime soda

Soak dry beans in salted water for 8 hours or overnight at room temperature. Drain beans.

Place beans in pressure cooker. Add 8 cups fresh water, and seal lid. Bring to high pressure and cook for 45 minutes.  Allow pressure to reduce slowly for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain beans in colander.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. If using ground sausage, brown slightly and drain excess fat. Toss beans and sausage together to mix thoroughly, and spread evenly in casserole dish.

Mix barbecue sauce and soda together. Pour over bean and sausage mixture, stirring well. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Sauce should be thick and bubbly, and sausage cooked through. Serves 6 to 8.

NOTE: This recipe can be cooked on the grill in a cast iron pot. Just be sure to use indirect heat and stir periodically to keep the beans from scorching.

Roast Asparagus

You can find fresh asparagus at the grocery store or at many local farm markets

Roast Asparagus

One of the first crops to emerge and be harvested in the spring is asparagus. This delectable and succulent perennial vegetable is all too often steamed or boiled beyond recognition and then swathed in a coating of butter or Hollandaise sauce.

As much as I love anything that uses real butter, I also love keeping some of the crunch in my asparagus. That's why one of my go-to preparation methods for this veggie is roasting.

Roasting asparagus is a fast, simple and reliable. There are only two caveats: first, make sure the asparagus spears you use are fairly uniform in diameter, and second, be sure the oil you use holds up well in high heat. Virgin olive oil is one of the better choices for use.

After roasting your spears, season lightly with salt, lemon juice and / or chopped fresh chives (also available in the kitchen garden at this time of year).

Roast Asparagus
1 lb. asparagus spears, with the woody bottom of the stems trimmed off.
1/3 - 1/2 c. virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cover a lipped baking sheet with a sheet of aluminum foil. Evenly coat the foil with the olive oil. Place into the oven for 8 - 10 minutes or until oil is sizzling.

Toss asparagus spears onto heated baking sheet; the spears will begin to sizzle. Use tongs to swirl and coat with hot oil. Return to hot oven and roast 6 - 10 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the fattest spear.

Hot Cross Buns for Easter brunch

Hot cross buns are an Easter tradition

The hot cross bun is a traditional end-of-Lent snack. Slightly sweet laden with dried fruit and topped with confectioner's icing, hot cross buns are a nice transition from Lenten austerity to Easter abundance.

Hot cross buns are made with a rich yeast dough. Using the microwave oven and electric mixer simplify preparation. The traditional recipes use dried currants and raisins, but you can create your own flavor combinations with other dried fruits, such as cranberries, chopped dried apricots and even dried blueberries.

Hot Cross Buns
1 pk. (1/4 oz, or 2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1 c. whole milk
3 tbsp. butter
1 egg
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
3 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. dried fruit
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 c. flour, salt, cinnamon and allspice. Add dried fruit, dredging to coat the pieces with the flour mixture.

Place milk and butter into a microwave-safe cup or bowl. Heat for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on high, until milk is very warm and butter is melted.

Place 1 c. flour, granulated sugar and yeast into large mixing bowl. Using the paddle attachment, mix together at slow speed. Add hot liquid, incorporating well before increasing mixing speed. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, then add egg. Continue beating on medium speed for 3 more minutes.

Lower mixer speed, and add the remaining flour mixture. Beat until a sticky ball is formed.

Remove dough and place on floured surface. Knead with floured hands until dough loses its stickiness and gloss. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a moistened towel or cling wrap and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).

Punch down dough. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape dough into 12 2" balls and arrange on baking sheets. Using kitchen shears, cut a cross shape into the top of each ball. Allow to rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1/2 hour.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake buns for 15 - 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before piping confectioner's icing into cross.

Confectioner's Icing
1 c. confectioner's sugar
1 to 2 tbsp. water, milk or cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Sift confectioner's sugar into small bowl. Stir in extract and liquid, 1 tsp. at a time, until icing is of spreading consistency. Cover until ready to use.

NOTES:

If you prefer a bun that is browned, combine 1 egg yolk with 2 tbsp. water and brush the buns with the egg mixture before baking.

Cut homemade marshmallows to fit your graham crackers

for perfect S'mores.

Homemade Candy: Marshmallows

Just in time for Easter, here's a recipe for ersatz Peeps. Even though you won't be able to create 3-D marshmallow confections, you will be able to make fresh, melt in the mouth marshmallows. These can be cut into Easter-themed shapes using cookie cutters, dipped in chocolate or colored and flavored using essential oils or extracts.

Homemade marshmallows are confectionery blank slates, ready to be modified to fit the occasion.

This recipe does demand a little precision when making the sugar syrup. Have a candy thermometer on hand, or if you are skilled at this, do the "firm ball" test by dropping half a teaspoon of the hot syrup into a cup of cold water. If the syrup forms a ball that you can lift out of the water and squish between your fingers, then the syrup has reached the "firm ball" stage and is ready to use.

It is also helpful to use a stand mixer that has a whip attachment. As the syrup is mixed into the softened gelatin, air is whipped into the marshmallow mixture. This is what gives it the light and airy texture that characterizes marshmallows.

Finally, if you plan on cutting the marshmallows into shapes, spread the mixture onto prepared baking sheets to a thickness of 1/4" to 3/8". This should accommodate most cookie cutters and allow the marshmallows to be shaped cleanly. If you cure the marshmallow mixture in a 13 x 9 baking pan, it is best just to cut the mixture into cubes. They will be too thick to cut with cookie cutters and end up looking like little mushrooms.

Marshmallows
3 pks (1/4 oz ea) unflavored gelatin
1/2 c. cold water

2 c granulated sugar
2/3 c light corn syrup
1/2 c. water
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract, OR 1/4 tsp. essential oil flavoring
paste food coloring, if desired
1 c. confectioners sugar

In the large mixing bowl of your stand mixer, dissolve the gelatin in 1/2 c. cold water. Allow to soften for at least 15 minutes.

Combine 1/2 c water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Cover with cling wrap and heat for 2 1/2 minutes on high power.

Carefully remove the cling wrap from the hot sugar mixture and stir mixture gently with a wooden spoon. Cover with a new piece of cling wrap, return to microwave oven and heat for an additional 2 minutes. By this time, the syrup should be bubbling and all sugar should be dissolved.  Test the temperature using a candy thermometer, or do the "firm ball" test. The syrup is done when it reaches 240 degrees or creates a firm ball when a small amount is dropped into a cup of cold water.

Using the whip attachment, begin slowly beating the softened gelatin. Slowly pour the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture, increasing the mixer speed to high or whip speed. Whip gelatin mixture for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mixture becomes very thick and glossy. Add flavoring and coloring and beat an additional 1 minute.

Prepare a baking sheet or 13 x 9 baking pan by lining with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the marshmallow mixture onto the foil, using a moistened spatula to spread evenly. Allow to cure uncovered for 4 hours at room temperature. The mixture will firm up considerably and lose much of its gloss.

Sprinkle cured marshmallow mixture with 1/3 c. sifted confectioners sugar. Use the foil to lift marshmallow mixture out of the pan, then invert onto surface coated with confectioners sugar. Sprinkle bottom of marshmallows with 1/3 c. confectioners sugar. Cut into cubes or use cookie cutters to create shapes; roll cut edges in confectioners sugar.

Store marshmallows in airtight container at room temperature.

Homemade Candy: Gumdrops

Homemade Candy: Gumdrops

Looking forward to Easter means buying or making candies and confections to fill the baskets. 

One of the easiest candies that a home cook can make is the gumdrop. This confection doesn't require precise temperature regulation when the sugar and water mixture are heated, it uses very basic ingredients and the ability to create unusual flavor combinations is endless. 

To keep things simple, you can mold the gumdrops in a square baking pan. However, if you have chocolate molds on hand, you can use these to shape your gumdrops. Many candy molds are available in holiday themes, so to fill April's Easter basket, choose a set of molds that is appropriate to the season. The mold cavities should be about 1/2" deep and the mold itself flexible; even with cooking spray or parchment paper, gumdrops can be sticky.

One final note: use essential oil flavoring instead of extracts. Not only do the essential oils hold up better when added to hot syrup, they don't impair the ability of the gelatin to gel. The alcohol in an extract can make the gelatin runny.

If you're making citrus flavored gumdrops, add some Tart and Sour flavor enhancer. This is a combination of citric and malic acid. A little goes a long way to create a sweet, tart gumdrop. If you are going for sour, add up to 3/4 tsp. of this product.

Gumdrops

1 oz unflavored gelatin powder (4 pks, 1/4 oz each)

1/2 c. warm water

Dissolve gelatin powder in warm water. Set aside

2 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. water

1/2 tsp. essential oil flavoring

1/2 tsp. Tart and Sour flavor enhancer, if desired

Additional granulated sugar for coating gumdrops.

Place sugar and water into a 3 quart saucepan. Place over medium heat, and warm until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer, lower heat, and allow to simmer for  minutes to make a light syrup. Remove from heat.

Stir dissolved gelatin into hot syrup. Add flavoring, flavor enhancer and food coloring if desired.  

Line a 9" square pan with parchment paper, and then spray with nonstick cooking spray. Pour gelatin mixture into pan, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Alternately, spray several chocolate molds with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon hot syrup into the mold cavities, allow to cool and then cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

The next day, uncover gumdrops and cut into squares. Remove using parchment paper from pan. Add 1/2 c. of granulated sugar to a large plastic sealable foodsaver bag. Toss in several of the gumdrops, and shake to coat with sugar. Place on sheets of parchment paper to crystallize for 24 to 48 hours.  Store gumdrops in airtight containers out of high heat.