Apple Cider Doughnuts

Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine

Prep Time:

50 min

Inactive Prep Time:

2 hr 0 min

Cook Time:

20 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

12 doughnuts

Ingredients

• 2 red apples, such as Cortland or McIntosh
• 2 1/2 cups apple cider
• 3 1/2 cups all-pourpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

Core and coarsely chop the apples (do not peel). Combine with 1 1/2 cups cider in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cover and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the apples are tender and the cider is almost completely reduced, about 5 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor until smooth. Measure the sauce; you should have 1 cup. (Boil to reduce further, if necessary.) Let cool slightly.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

Beat 2/3 cup granulated sugar and the shortening in another bowl with a mixer on medium speed until sandy. Beat in the egg and yolk, then gradually mix in the applesauce, scraping the bowl. Beat in half of the flour mixture, then the buttermilk and vanilla, and then the remaining flour mixture. Mix to make a sticky dough; do not overmix.

Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper and pat into a 7-by-11-inch rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: Simmer the remaining 1 cup cider in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup. Whisk in the confectioners' sugar until smooth and glossy, then set aside. Mix the remaining 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a shallow bowl; set aside for the topping.

Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until a deep-frythermometer registers 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Cut the chilled dough into 12 rounds, using a floured 2 1/2- or 3-inch biscuit cutter, then cut out the middles with a 1-inch cutter (or use a doughnut cutter). Slip 2 or 3 doughnuts at a time into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side, adjusting the heat as needed. Transfer to the paper towels to drain.

Dip one side of each doughnut in the cider glaze, letting the excess drip off; dip just the glazed side in the cinnamon-sugar or roll all over in cinnamon-sugar, if desired. Serve warm.

Apple Bread

This recipe is based on one I found on foodgeeks.com. I wanted mine to be a bit healthier, so I made some adjustments. It is not a "dessert" bread, but is still sweet, filling and yummy.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup oil (I used olive oil)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups apples, diced (mine were decent size chunks)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl, mix together oil, applesauce, eggs, sugar, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture gradually. Add apples.

Bake in 2 regular loaf pans (greased and floured) for 70 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in the pan.

Yield: 2 loaves

Apple Pancake

So it's apple time! And I wanted to make some kind of appley breakfast recipe. Doug has always loved the apple pancake from the Original Pancake House.  I found a copy-cat recipe and with some minor alterations, it was fabulous.


INGREDIENTS:

5 tablespoons butter
2 baking apples (peeled, cored, and sliced thin)
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 eggs
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, add flour, milk, vanilla and eggs. Mix well.
3. In another bowl, mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and remaining cinnamon. Toss with apples.
4. Put butter into a 10 inch Pyrex deep dish pan and put in the oven.
5. When the butter is completely melted, remove from oven.
6. Pour the batter into the Pyrex dish and put back in the oven for 20-25 minutes. The edges will begin to puff.
7. Remove the half-way cooked batter from the oven and now add the apple mixture all over the top of the batter.
8. Put it back in the oven for another 20-25 minutes.

Serves: 4

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

It's fall! You know what goes best with fall? Pumpkin baked goods!  HOWEVER. Since we are still in the midst of a national canned pumpkin shortage, apples to the rescue! Elise and I made these scrumptious muffins this afternoon and they are a keeper. I used the All-Star Muffin base recipe from my KAF Baker's Companion, with the suggested variation of apple and cinnamon.


INGREDIENTS:
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
8 tbsp butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream (or 1 cup plain yogurt + 1 tsp baking soda)
3-4 tart apples (I used Granny Smith)
1/4 cup cinnamon sugar (1/2 cup sugar to 1 tbsp cinnamon) plus extra to sprinkle on top

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel and grate apples.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with a handheld mixer until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add the vanilla and sour cream and combine.

Add the dry ingredients and mix until halfway combined. Then add apples and cinnamon sugar. Mix just until combined.

Fill lined muffins cups and sprinkle a bit of cinnamon sugar on top. Bake for 18 - 24 minutes, or until a toothpick  inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Using my Pampered Chef large scoop, this made 32 muffins.

Danish Pastry Apple Bars II

This is a double pastry apple pie type of recipe that I found on AllRecipes.com. The almond flavor of the glaze is wonderful with the apples and the cornflakes turned into a kind of chewy sweet goo. The recipe says it serves 36, but I think that's a bit much. Just however many you usually feed with a 9x13 pan dessert.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 egg yolk
2/3 cup cold water
1 cup cornflakes cereal
10 apples - peeled, cored and sliced
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a cup, beat egg yolk, stir the cold water into the yolk. Gradually stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture until dough can be packed into a ball. On a clean dry surface, roll out 1/2 of the dough large enough to cover the bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch pan. Lay the dough in the pan.
3. Place the cornflakes over the dough in the pan. Arrange apple slices over the top of the corn flake layer. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the apples. Roll out the second half of the dough to cover the entire pan. Lay over the filling and pinch the edges of the two crusts together. Beat the egg white until foamy, and brush onto the top crust.
4. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Drizzle with glaze while still warm.
5. To make the glaze: In a small bowl, beat the confectioners' sugar with the milk and almond extract until smooth.

Apple-Raisin Oven Pancake

I got a couple free recipe books in the mail, and tried out this oven pancake recipe for breakfast. It was very yummy! Doug thought it would be even better with a cream sauce of some kind. Maybe I'll try this one from Paula Deen? :)

INGREDIENTS:
1 apple, cored, peeled and sliced
1/3 c. raisins
2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 eggs
2/3 c. milk
2/3 c. flour
2 tbsp butter, melted
Powered sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine apples, raisins, brown sugar and cinnamon. Put into a greased 9 inch pie plate.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Increase oven temp to 450 degrees.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, milk, flour and butter. Pour over apple mixture. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden. Pancake will puff up and fall slightly when removed from oven.

4. Sprinkle with powered sugar and slice into wedges. Serve warm.

Servings: 6

Crock Pot Apple Butter

I have been wanting to try this recipe for awhile, and finally got the chance. It took about 13 hours, but was easy and made the whole kitchen smell great! It tastes just like the Amish stuff I remember.


INGREDIENTS:
5 1/2 lbs apples, peeled and finely chopped (I use 3-4 different types of apples)
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (2 to 3)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place apples in a large bowl.

2. Combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt.

3. Pour over apples and mix well.

4. Place in crock pot, cover and cook on high for 1 hour.

5. Decrease heat to low; cover and cook on low for 9-11 hours or until thickened and dark brown.

6. Stir occasionally.

7. Uncover and cook on low for 1 hour longer.

8. If desired, whisk until smooth.

9. Spoon into freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch head space.

10. Cover and freeze.

Makes 4 pints

Apple Crumb Pie

2/3 c. granulated sugar
2 T. flour
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. EACH: cloves, salt, and nutmeg
6 c. coarsely diced, peeled tart apples
1 Unbaked 10-inch Pie Shell
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. firmly-packed brown sugar
6 T. butter
1/3 c. chopped nuts (like roasted pecans)

Combine: 2/3 c. sugar, 2 T. flour, the spices and salt. Toss together with diced apples until well-mixed. Spoon into pie shell. Bake in preheated 400 oven for 25 mintues.

Meanwhile, blend 3/4 c. flour with the brown sugar until well blended. Cut in butter until mixture looks like coarse meal. Stir in nuts. Take Pie from oven and sprinkle with butter-sugar mixture. Return to oven and continue baking 30-35 minutes, or until browned and apples are tender.

** I don't always like pie crust, so sometimes I just spray a baking dish and put the apples in to bake that way and make a crisp.