Smolak Farm’s World Famous
Apple Crisp
Ingredients:
4 cups peeled, sliced apples
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º. Spread apples evenly in greased 13”x 9” x 2” baking dish. Pour water over apples. Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir lightly to mix. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over apples. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
Mom’s Apple Cake
Mix Together:
6 apples, Mom uses McIntosh apples
1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar
Sift Together:
2 -3/4 cups flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Mix Together:
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2- 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.
Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean.
Waldorf Salad
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
2 apples peeled, cored and cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. sugar
Directions:
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice and sugar.
Mix in the apples, celery, grapes and walnuts. Serve on a bed of fresh lettuce.
Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Ingredients:
12 cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced (14 cups)
2 cups sugar
1- 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Directions:
1. Place apple slices in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, cloves and allspice.
2. Cover; cook on high-heat setting for 4 hours. Stir. Uncover and cook on high-heat setting 2 to 2-1/2 hours more or until apples are very tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Cool mixture at least 1 hour or cover and chill overnight. Process with an immersion blender or run mixture through a food mill*.
3. Ladle apple butter into half-pint freezer containers, leaving a 1/2-inch head space. Seal and label. Store 3 weeks in refrigerator or for 1 year in freezer. Makes 4 half-pints.
NOTE
Mixture may also be processed, 1/2 at a time, in a blender or food processor. Mixture processed this way will be slightly lighter in color and thinner in consistency.
Harvest Apple Bake
Ingredients:
Cinnamon Butter (recipe follows)
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1- 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 slightly beaten eggs
1 -1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups peeled and chopped tart cooking apples
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
1. Prepare Cinnamon Butter; chill.
2. Grease a 9-inch pie plate. In mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
3. Add eggs and vanilla; stir till well mixed. Add apples and nuts; stir till well combined. Spoon into pie plate.
4. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or till browned and top feels firm. Serve warm with Cinnamon Butter on top. Makes 8 servings.
Cinnamon Butter
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
In small mixing bowl, beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add powdered sugar, cinnamon, milk and vanilla. Beat till combined. Cover; chill till firm. Makes 1/2 cup.
Apple Dumplings
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 -1/4 cups shortening
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon vinegar
8 small cooking apples (about 2 pounds)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup butter, cut up
2 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup whipping cream
Directions:
1. For pastry: In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are the size of small peas. In a small bowl, combine egg, the 1/4 cup cold water and vinegar. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture until all of the dough is moistened. Form dough into a ball. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. (Dough will be slightly sticky.)
2. Divide dough in half. Turn one portion dough out onto a well-floured surface. Roll to form a 12×12-inch square. Using pastry wheel or sharp knife, cut into four 6-inch squares.
3. Peel and core 4 apples. Place an apple on each pastry square. Fold corners to center over apple. Pinch edges to seal. Place dumplings in a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Repeat with remaining pastry and apples.
4. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until apples are tender and pastry is golden brown. Cool at least 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, for caramel sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, 2/3 cup whipping cream, and corn syrup. Bring to boiling, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to medium. Boil gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Transfer to a bowl; cover and set aside to cool slightly. Makes 8 servings.
Serve warm dumplings with caramel sauce and whipped cream.
Apple Galette
Ingredients:
1- 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) plus 2 tablespoons cold butter
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/2 cup walnuts
2 pounds tart apples (3 to 5), such as Pink Lady or Granny Smith
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large egg, beaten to blend with 1 tablespoon water
Directions:
1. In a food processor or large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Cut 1/2 cup butter into pieces and add to flour mixture; pulse motor, cut in with a pastry blender, or rub in with your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal. With motor running (or stirring with a fork after each addition), add egg yolk and 3 to 4 tablespoons cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time; process or stir just until mixture comes together in a ball. Form dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill until firm but still pliable, about 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, spread walnuts in a baking pan and bake in a 375° oven until barely golden under skins, 6 to 8 minutes (leave oven on). Coarsely chop nuts.
3. Peel and core apples; cut each into eight wedges. In a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. When it’s foamy, add apples and stir often until slightly softened and brown at edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle brown sugar and nutmeg over fruit and stir until liquid is syrupy and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Stir in walnuts. Remove from heat.
4. Unwrap dough. On a lightly floured surface, with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll into a round about 15 inches in diameter. Line a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet with cooking parchment (or butter the sheet well) and carefully transfer dough round to sheet (edges will hang over sheet).
5. Pour apple mixture onto center of pastry, mounding wedges in a circle about 8 inches wide and 2 inches high. Gently fold edges of dough over apples, pleating as you go, leaving an opening about 4 inches wide in the center. Brush pastry all over with beaten egg.
6. Bake in 375° oven until pastry is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced, 40 to 45 minutes (35 to 40 in a convection oven). Transfer galette (with parchment, if using) to a wire rack to cool. Transfer to a large plate, gently pulling parchment from under tart. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.
Chunky Apple Bars
Ingredients:
Filling
4 cups apples (your favorite), cored and coarsely chopped (about 2 large apples)
1/4 cup water
1 Tbs. honey
1 tsp. cinnamon
Crust
3/4 c butter, softened
2 Tbs. cane sugar
2 cups oatmeal (regular or quick cooking)
1-1/2 cups white flour
1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 9×13 pan.
To make filling, combine apples, water, honey, and cinnamon in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes, until apples are slightly soft. Remove from heat.
For crust, in large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add oatmeal, flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Mix well.
Reserve 2 cups for topping. Press remaining oat mixture in bottom of prepared pan, and bake for 12 minutes.
Spread cooked apple filling over baked crust. Sprinkle reserved oat mixture over top.
Bake 15-20 minutes, until top is nicely browned. Cool. Cut into bars.