Fall

(Classic) Apple Pie

By in Fall, Fruit, GF Sweets, Pastries, Sweets, Thanksgiving 3 Comments Tags: , , ,

When I hear the word pie the first flavour that comes to mind is apple. It”s just a classic. And, also happens to be James” favourite. This is actually the recipe I used the first time I made apple pie by myself, many moons ago when we were newlyweds. But somewhere along the way, I forgot about the plain ol” apple pie. I got so excited about trying new recipes and different techniques that I forgot all about the original.

Finally I got my butt in gear and decided it was time for something classic and comfortable. So I whipped up this pie a couple of days before James left on a business trip, to make extra sure he would miss me while he was away. ;) It turned out just as wonderful as I remembered it. The filling is perfectly sweetened and lightly spiced, and the crust is buttery and flaky. There”s really no need to look any further for a classic apple pie recipe. Of course I”ll always try my hand at different variations and styles, but when I want a classic, you can bet this is the recipe I”ll be making.

Apple Pie

To make this gluten-free make a double recipe of this gluten-free pie crust instead of the recipe below.

Crust

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup cold butter, cut up

  • 5-7 tablespoons ice-cold water

Filling

Which apples are best in a pie? Check it out here.

  • 6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples (a mix of apples is extra yummy)

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the crust: In a large bowl, stir together flour and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender, 2 knives, or using fingers, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (and butter is approximately the size of peas). Slowly add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing flour mixture lightly with fork  after each addition. Continue this process until the dough is evenly moistened and clings together when pressed into a ball. Divide the dough in half and flatten each into a 1/2 inch thick round. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes, while you prepare filling.

For the filling: Place apples, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg in large bowl; toss until evenly coated. Set aside.

To assemble: Remove 1 dough round from the fridge. Place on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, lightly flour the top of the dough as well. Roll out dough with a rolling pin, lifting the dough from the parchment and giving it a slight turn after each roll, until you have an even circle that extends approximately 2 inches past an overturned 9-inch pie plate.

Transfer dough to pie plate and press evenly onto bottom and up the side of the pie plate. Trim off excess dough with a sharp knife. Pour in apples and any accumulated juices, spread evenly.

Roll out remaining dough, as directed. Place the dough over the filling and trim it 1/2 inch past the edge of the pie plate. Fold the dough under the bottom crust, pinching together to seal. Flute the edges. Cut slits near centre of the pie, to allow steam to escape. Bake at 400°F for 45-50 minutes, or until crust is browned and filling is bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature (but not hot, or filling will be runny).

*For a golden brown top with a sparkly finish, brush the crust with an egg wash and sprinkle with sugar, just before baking.

Makes: 8 servings

Adapted from Kraft.

Apple Oat Scones

By in Breakfast, Fall 3 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Ok. So it”s pretty obvious that I”ve been on a no-processed-sugar kick lately. It”s true. I”ve also been on a whole wheat flour kick, although a bit more quietly. Does this mean I won”t be sharing sugar laden sweets on the blog anymore? Absolutely not. There”s no way I”m going to be trying to healthify a cupcake. Cupcakes are not meant to be made with whole wheat flour and maple syrup. You”d just end up with a weird muffin that was trying too hard. No, I will enjoy them for what they are – a very special treat. And when I do, I will most definitely be sharing them with you.

But, it is true that my family is cutting way back on our consumption of white flour and granulated sugar, so you”ll be seeing a lot more of these sugar-free/whole wheat recipes popping up on the blog. But only if they”re truly delicious. Because who can keep up with eating healthy if it”s a chore? Not me.

These Apple Oat Scones make a delicious and satisfying breakfast. A crisp exterior gives way to a soft and slightly chewy interior with bites of apple and cinnamon, all lightly sweetened with maple syrup. They”re hearty yet light. And, served with a cup of tea or coffee they make a for perfect fall breakfast.

Apple Oat Scones

  • 1/3 cup greek yogurt (plain yogurt or sour cream will also work)

  • 1/3 cup milk

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • 1 2/3 cups whole wheat flour

  • 1 1/3 cups rolled oats

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 12 tablespoons (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut up

  • 2 medium-sized apples (not too tart), diced

  • additional maple syrup, oats and cinnamon for topping

Whisk together yogurt, milk, vanilla and syrup in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

Combine flour, oats, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Toss in butter, quickly breaking it up with your fingers until the butter is approximately pea sized (or use a pastry cutter). Rub the mixture between your palms to flatten the butter into sheets.

Stir yogurt mixture into flour mixture just until combined. Stir in apples. Dump mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet that has been lightly floured (mixture will be quite sticky). Pat into a 6×8 inch rectangle (wetting your fingers with water will help with this). Cut into 12, 2 inch squares. Separate the squares, spacing them out on the baking sheet. Brush scones with a bit of maple syrup, sprinkle on some oats and cinnamon to garnish. Bake at 400ºF for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Makes: 12

Highly adapted from Martha Stewart.

Pumpkin-Spice Cheesecake Mousse

By in Creamy, Fall, Sweets 2 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

I don”t know what”s with me this year but I”m especially obsessed with pumpkin. Hopefully you are too because it may take a little bit longer before it”s out of my system. I should probably back off soon though because I think the rest of my family may be needing a break. That being said, there were no complaints when I served up this Pumpkin-Spice Cheesecake Mousse. I mean, who would complain about that?

This recipe is so smooth, luscious, creamy and decadent. But it has a secret. It”s light! (er) Greek yogurt replaces whipped cream and pure maple syrup replaces sugar. Yes, it uses full-fat cream cheese, because in my opinion “light” dairy just means it”s that much more processed, so I always opt for full-fat. But if light”s your thing, feel free to use that. ;)

This is perfect on its own but can be used in so many adaptations to make it even more special. For a little added crunch you could serve these with gingersnaps or a sprinkling of maple roasted pecans or some gingerbread granola. Serve it in one big bowl and let people scoop their own and choose their toppings, or prepare them how you want and serve them in individual dishes. You could even turn them into a parfait by layering them with gingerbread. Really, the sky”s the limit!

Pumpkin-Spice Cheesecake Mousse

You can replace the spices for 1.5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice if you wish.

  • 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese

  • 3/4 cup maple syrup

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree

  • 1/2 cup greek yogurt

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Slowly beat in maple syrup, scraping down sides of bowl to ensure even mixing. Beat in spices and pumpkin puree. Beat in yogurt. Pour into a large bowl or individual serving dishes and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

Makes: 10-12 servings

Cinnamon-Honey Marshmallows

By in Candy, Fall, Sweets 14 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

Cinnamon Honey Marshmallows

Ever since my kids and I were sick, I’ve been avoiding processed sugar like the plague, because of it’s annoying habit of lowering immunities. I always like making things processed-sugar-free when I can anyways, because it’s just plain healthier all around.

Last week was bitter cold and snowy. We are in full fledge winter over here. And, the only way I can get on board with that is by making it extra cozy in the house. So after the kids come inside from playing in the snow, I can’t help but make some warm beverages to warm up their sweet frosty little cheeks.

Because of all this hot beverage drinking, I got a major hankering to make some homemade marshmallows. But on my quest to keep things healthy I wanted to avoid sugar and corn syrup. And that’s why these marshmallows are made 100% with honey. The sweetener you’re even recommended to have when you’re sick!

I’ve seen several versions of this recipe and many of them complained that, while delicious, they didn’t really hold up to roasting – that they turned to liquid as soon as any heat hit them. The major difference between those recipes and this? It had double the amount of honey and no complaints of turning into liquid. So, I decided to give it a go and was rewarded with a marshmallow that compares to all those sugar-filled marshmallows but with a wonderful honey flavour. It roasts beautifully, and while it does soften quicker than store-bought marshmallows, it doesn’t liquify and the taste is far superior.

To keep them from being sticky, and instead of coating them in the typical icing sugar, I decided to coat them in cinnamon. Since they’d be destined for our mugs I knew the cinnamon would add a comforting warmth. The cinnamon is quite strong when you eat the marshmallows straight up, but I actually really like it. And, melting on top of a latte or hot chocolate, they’re divine. They would also make delicious fall flavoured s’mores. And, I’m definitely planning that for my next batch, because there will be many more batches to come.

Cinnamon-Honey Marshmallows

For a lighter honey flavour use a mild honey, such as clover.

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1.5 tablespoons unflavoured gelatin
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ground cinnamon, for dusting

Place water in a mixer bowl, sprinkle gelatin over. Allow to sit until softened, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, place honey and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and let cook until the syrup registers 240ºF on a candy thermometer (the soft-ball stage*). Turn the mixer onto medium-speed and slowly drizzle honey over the gelatin mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl occasionally to make sure it is mixing evenly. Once it’s evenly mixed together add vanilla, turn the mixer to high-speed and let it beat for 10 minutes, until mixture is light and fluffy and has doubled in volume. Meanwhile, prepare an 8×8 inch square pan – grease it lightly, top with parchment paper and grease again. Spread marshmallow mixture into prepared pan. Let sit, uncovered, at room temperature overnight (or at least 4 hours, until dry).

Once ready, dust work surface with cinnamon and flip pan over to release the marshmallows. Peel off parchment paper. Grease a knife or cookie cutter and cut into desired shapes. Coat lightly in cinnamon, brushing off excess. Now they’re ready to be put into your favourite hot beverage, roasted over a fire or eaten straight up!

*If you don’t have a candy thermometer you can test the honey for the soft-ball stage. To do this, drop a small amount of honey into a bowl of cold water, it should form into a ball, when you remove the ball from the water it should flatten out naturally in your hand. This is when you know it’s done and should remove the honey from the heat.

Adapted from Deliciously Organic.

Apple-Cinnamon-Raisin Oatmeal

By in Breakfast, Fall, GF Mains, Gluten Free 1 Comment Tags: , , , ,

Hello friends! I kind of disappeared off the face of the earth for a little bit there didn”t I? The wonderful thing about fall and your son being in preschool is that you get all sorts of wonderful bugs brought back to your home. Let”s just say that food has been the last thing on my mind and health has been at the foremost. Probiotics are being consumed daily and I have a newly spurned desire to make sure, even more, that what we”re eating is not only tasty but nourishing for our bodies too. And a healthy day starts with breakfast!

This oatmeal was actually Max”s idea. I was going to make our usual Banana Walnut Oatmeal when he protested that today he wanted Apple Oatmeal! So I decided to take my go-to and give it an apple-cinnamon spin. It was a hit and it will now be going into our morning oatmeal rotation.

Apple-Cinnamon-Raisin Oatmeal

Use gluten-free certified oats to make this gluten-free.

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 cup milk (or almond/coconut milk)

  • 1 small apple (or 1/2 large), peeled and diced

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • pinch nutmeg

  • pinch salt

  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

  • 1 cup rolled oats

  • 1/3 cup raisins

Place water, milk, apple, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and maple syrup in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Stir in oats and raisins. Simmer over medium heat for 8 minutes or until desired thickness. Top with additional milk, cinnamon and apple slices before serving, if desired.

Makes: 2-3 servings

Pumpkin Chai Latte

By in Beverages, Fall, Warm 3 Comments Tags: , , , ,

pumpkin chai latte

Pumpkin Spice Latte’s are all the rage these days, every year you see new recipes for homemade versions popping up everywhere. I’m sure if you’re a fan, you’ve already found your favourite homemade version, so I’m not going to venture there. But, I do enjoy a good pumkin-y warm fall beverage and since I don’t drink coffee everyday (as much as I’d like to) I wanted to do something with tea instead, and a Pumpkin Chai Latte seemed like the logical step.

The thing I love about recipes like this, is they help you use up those little bits of extra pumpkin that there always seem to be after a pumpkin baking session. It feels like a special treat yet you’re helping to reduce waste, always a good excuse right? Plus, it’s virtually guilt-free so you can enjoy it as much as you like.

I made this a couple times until I got it just right for me, but feel free to adjust the amounts of spice and pumpkin to your liking. As it is, it’s lightly spiced so that it complements the more delicate flavours of tea. I know I’ll be enjoying this often over the coming months and I hope you do too!

Pumpkin Chai Latte

Use your preferred milk alternative to make this dairy free.

  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • pinch ground cinnamon
  • pinch ground ginger
  • small pinch ground cloves
  • crack of freshly ground black pepper (or a small pinch of pre-ground pepper)
  • 1 black tea bag

Mix together all ingredients, except for tea, in a small saucepan. Bring to just barely a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, drop in tea bag and let steep for 4 minutes. Remove teabag and serve immediately. Garnish with a sprinkling of cinnamon, if desired.

Serves: 1

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