Top Ten Apple Desserts Apples are brilliant in a pie, of course, but what makes them such a classic for baking is that their warm, sweet fragrance is a natural in nearly any kind of dessert. We polled our staffers to find out which of Fine Cooking’s apple desserts were most memorable—their lists included everything from fritters to galette. Apple Galette with Heat the oven to 425°F. On a lightly and underneath and the edges of the Ginger Glaze floured surface, roll the dough to a 13-inch apples just begin to brown, 25 to 30 min- Yields one 11-inch round galette; serves square. Trim off the corners to make a utes. Slide onto a cooling rack. eight to ten. rough circle—it doesn’t have to be perfect. As the galette cools, put the jam, water, 1 sheet (about 9 oz.) frozen puff pastry, Slide the dough circle onto a ginger, and salt in a small saucepan over thawed parchment-lined or nonstick baking sheet. low heat (or in a glass bowl in the micro- 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and thinly Prick the dough all over. Arrange the apples wave) and heat gently until it just starts to sliced (no more than 1⁄8 inch thick) in neat concentric circles, just barely over- bubble. Stir to blend and remove from the 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into small lapping the slices, leaving about a 1-inch heat. Strain the jam glaze to remove the pieces border of pastry. Dot the apples with the ginger pieces, or just push the ginger 2 Tbs. granulated sugar butter and sprinkle with the sugar. aside. With a pastry brush or a small 2 Tbs. apricot jam PhillipsScottPhotos: 1 Tbs. water Fold the pastry edges up over the spoon, lightly glaze the apples and the 1 1 ⁄2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh ginger apples to make a 1-inch border. Bake until pastry edge. Serve the galette hot or warm. Pinch kosher salt the dough is medium brown at the edges —Martha Holmberg, Fine Cooking #54 1 www.finecooking.com © XXXX The Taunton Press, Inc. Copying and/or distribution of this article is not permitted. brown, about 1 minute. Take it off the heat immediately. Lay one-third of the bread in the buttered baking pan, scatter about one- third of the sautéed apples and drizzle on one-third (about 1 Tbs.) of the brown butter. Make a second layer of bread, apples, and brown butter, and finish with a layer of bread and brown butter; reserve the remaining apples. Browned Apple Bread Pour the milk and cream into a medium Pudding saucepan. Stir in the 3⁄4 cup brown sugar and salt. Heat over medium high, stirring Serves eight to ten. once or twice, until the sugar dissolves and Sautéed apples, brown butter, and brown the milk is hot; don’t worry if it looks like it’s sugar add extra flavor to this pudding. curdling. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 6 to 7 Tbs. unsalted butter; plus 2 tsp. the eggs, yolks, and vanilla. Gradually pour softened butter for the baking pan about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the 2 lb. Empire, Macoun, or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced eggs, whisking constantly, and then whisk 1 lb. loaf homemade-style sliced white in the rest. Gradually whisk in the sour bread (about 12 large slices), crusts cream to combine completely. trimmed, dried overnight Pour the custard over the bread, 2 cups milk pressing the bread down to fully moisten 1⁄2 cup heavy cream it. Lay plastic wrap on the surface of the 3⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar; plus pudding and let it sit, pressing on the 1⁄4 cup or more for the topping plastic frequently to submerge the bread, Apple Fritters Pinch table salt until the bread is thoroughly soaked, 30 Serves four. 4 large eggs plus 4 yolks, at room to 40 minutes. temperature While the bread soaks, adjust an oven This recipe is adapted from one printed 1 tsp. vanilla extract rack to the center position. Set a roasting in Orangeburg’s Choice Recipes, a cook- 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature book published by the Orangeburg, South pan, large enough to comfortably hold the Carolina, PTA in 1948. The light batter Butter a 9x13-inch shallow baking dish pudding, on the rack. Pour in hot water to works equally well with pears and plums. (with handles, if possible) with the 2 tsp. come one-quarter of the way up the sides. softened butter. Heat the oven to 350°F. 3 large tart eating apples, such as Granny Set a large skillet (preferably nonstick) Remove the plastic wrap. Arrange the Smith over high heat with 1 Tbs. of the butter. reserved apples on top and sprinkle the 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice 1 When the butter froths, add just enough top evenly with ⁄4 cup brown sugar (or 3 Tbs. granulated sugar; more for dusting apple slices to cook in one layer; sauté un- more, if you like). Set the pudding in the Peanut oil for frying til browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. roasting pan; if the hot water doesn’t reach 3⁄4 cup flour Transfer to a large plate and sauté the halfway up the sides, add more until it 1⁄4 tsp. table salt does. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted 2 eggs, separated remaining apple slices the same way, add- in the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 1⁄2 cup water ing 1 Tbs. more butter for each batch. The 1 tsp. unsalted butter, melted second (and third) batch will brown more minutes. Remove from the water bath and quickly, so you may need to lower the heat. turn on the broiler. Broil the pudding (the Peel and core the apples. Cut them into Reduce the heat to low and melt 4 Tbs. top should be about 3 inches from the slices about 1⁄3 inch thick and put them in butter in the empty pan, cooking it and heat source) until it’s lightly caramelized, a bowl. Sprinkle with 1 Tbs. of the lemon swirling the pan until the butter turns light 2 to 4 minutes. Serve warm. juice and the sugar. Toss well and let stand —Leslie Revsin, Fine Cooking #50 for 30 minutes. Pour 3 inches of oil in a stockpot or Dutch oven and set it over medium heat. Heat the oven to the lowest setting. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Lightly beat reached 365°F, drain the apple slices well on a rack set over a baking sheet. Put the the egg yolks with the remaining 1 tsp. and then drop several into the batter. Pick rack and the baking sheet in the oven to lemon juice and 1⁄4 cup of the water. Make a up the slices one at a time, allow excess keep the fritters warm while you fry the hollow in the center of the flour mixture and batter to drain off, and drop them into the remaining apple slices. When all the slices pour the egg-yolk mixture into it. Mix well. hot oil. Don’t crowd the pot and make sure are fried, sprinkle with sugar and serve im- Add the remaining 1⁄4 cup water and the the oil stays between 350° and 365°F. mediately. butter, beating hard and pressing the batter Cook until the batter is golden brown, —John Martin Taylor, Fine Cooking #20 against the bowl to break up any lumps. about 3 minutes. Remove the fritters from Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold the oil with a wire-mesh strainer and let them into the batter. When the oil has excess oil drip back into the pot. Drain 2 www.finecooking.com Photos: left, Ben Fink; right, Scott Phillips Make the pie dough: Whisk the flour, salt, You can make attractive designs by tracing and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or a pattern on top and then poking lots of in a mixing bowl. In the stand mixer (use little holes with the tip of a knife. the paddle attachment and gradually in- Freeze and bake later: Immediately crease from low to medium speed) or in wrap the pie tightly in plastic, making sure the bowl by hand with a pastry blender, there are no gaps to allow air or moisture cut the butter into the flour until the butter inside. Store in the coldest part of the starts breaking into smaller pieces. Cut freezer (generally the top). in the shortening until the biggest pieces When you’re ready to bake the pie, of both fats are the size of peas. With the position an oven rack on the bottom rung. mixer running, sprinkle in the water and mix Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with until the dough just holds together. There foil and set it on the rack. Heat the oven should be some visible bits of butter. Cut to 350°F. the dough in half (each piece should be In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk 1 about 9 ⁄2 oz.), pat each half into a flat disk, with the cream or milk. Take the pie from wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at the freezer, unwrap it, and brush the top least 1 hour. with the egg glaze (you won’t need to use Poach the cherries: Combine the all of it).