Apple Pie from Scratch

Old-Fashioned Apple Pie made from scratch is a delight to the pallet. No canned filling, no pre-made crust unrolled from a tube, just the labor of love. When you bite into this pie I hope you remember the bygone days when Grandma had a fresh baked pie cooling on the window ledge that you could smell from most anywhere. Then came the cutting, then a bite -WOW is that wonderful.  Enjoy

Plain Pie Crust (Pastry)

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup salad (cooking) oil

3 tablespoons cold milk

Stir flour and salt together; measure in the oil from measuring cup and add milk to oil. Do not mix. Gently pour into flour mixture mix until well moistened. (Do not over-work the dough as it will toughen). Then form it into a ball.

Spread a large sheet of wax paper on to counter, placing the ball in center. Cover with a second sheet of wax paper and roll out larger then pie plate.

Peel off the top paper and pick up the dough with the bottom sheet of wax paper and turn it into the pie plate. Peel off the wax paper as the crust falls into the pan. Work to release entrapped air. Prick the entire bottom of the crust with a fork releasing any air; and flute edge

INGREDIENTS:

Filling

1/2 heaping cup of sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

8 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples (6 large)*

2 tablespoons butter

Pre Heat oven to 400°F.

Filling:

In a small bowl, mix sugar, 1/4 cup flour, the cinnamon and nutmeg. In a large mixing bowl, peel and core the apples, cutting them into concistant size wedges. Cut in half if they are too long. Stir in sugar mixture and well mixed coating all the apples. Spoon into pastry-lined pie pan. Cut butter into small pieces and dot over filling.

Prepare a second batch of pastry as above. (Preparing them separate keeps them from drying out) Place it on top over filling; cut several slits to allow steam to escape. Press on rim to seal; flute as desired.

BAKING:

Place a large foil covered tray in the oven under the pie to catch any dripping.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes at 400°F or until crust is brown and the apples are soft.

 

* For this pie we used Jonathin apples as their flavor is mildly sweet with a tart tang and subtle hints of spice. They will cook down some and leave a space over the filling.

Key Lime Cheese Pie (cake)

Well I'm still picking key limes and continue to scour uses for them. Well we tried key lime pie, but then my wife loves cheesecake, so adding some key lime juice to the mix and using a pre-made pie crust yields a dessert that is creamy, a bit tart and is very enjoyable with fresh made whipped cream as a topping.

INGREDIENTS:

1 9" graham cracker pie crust
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup key lime juice (about 12 to15 limes)
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp sour cream

PREPARATION:

Set out three packages of cream cheese and three eggs, so that they reach room temperature before making the cheese pie. (Leave them out overnight and make the pie the next morning). Roll the limes under the heel of your hand first then juice them. It will break the pulp up releasing additional juice.

In large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar, gently beating until smooth.
Add vanilla and key lime juice and gently beating.

Break the eggs into a separate mixing bowl and beat with a fork. Add the eggs to the large bowl and beat until just combined. Gently mix in sour cream with a spoon. Pour into the prepared crust.

BAKING:

Bake at 350°F for about 40-45 minutes. A little jiggling in the center says it's just done!
Turn off oven and leave cheese pie undisturbed for 30 minutes.(In the oven)
Remove cheese pie (cake) from oven and let it cool to room temperature on wire rack.

Refrigerate several hours before serving.

TOPPING:

Now is a good time to put that ICI cream whipper to work. Whip up a pint of fresh whipped cream!

Lemon Meringue Pie (from scratch)

Happy Thanksgiving!

To celebrate the day, “from scratch” Lemon Meringue pie. Our lemons are just starting to ripen, so what better way to enjoy the holiday. No mixes, no pre-made crust. Everything fresh.

INGREDIENTS:

4 egg yolks
1½ cups sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1-1/2 Cups water
3 tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 baked 9-inch pie crust, cooled (see recipe over)

PREPARATION:

Filling:

Grate the lemon peal and juice the lemon. In a 2 cup measuring cup, beat egg yolks slightly with fork; set aside.

In medium saucepan add the 1½ cups of sugar and 1/3 cup of cornstarch. Stir in gradually 1½ cups water to the mixture, stirring constantly. Cook and stir over medium heat till the mixture thickens and comes to boiling. Reduce the heat; boil for 1 minute more, stirring constantly.

Slowly stir half of hot mixture into beaten egg yolks, then immediately return to remaining hot mixture in saucepan. Bring to boiling and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, continue stirring until smooth. Blend in butter letting it melt followed by grated lemon peel. Slowly add lemon juice while stirring constantly. Pour hot filling into cooled pie crust.

Meringue:

4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar

In a mixing bowl combine the first 2 ingredients and beat with electric mixer till frothy. Gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar, beating the meringue till stiff and glossy peaks form and all the sugar is dissolved.

Spread the meringue over the hot lemon pie filling; carefully seal all around the edge of the pastry so there will be no shrinking.

BAKING:

Bake the pie at 400° till peaks are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

Pie Crust

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup salad (cooking) oil
3 tablespoons cold milk

Stir flour and salt together; measure in the oil from measuring cup and add milk to oil. Do not mix. Gently pour into flour mixture mix until well moistened. (Do not over-work the dough as it will toughen). Then form it into a ball.

Spread a large sheet of wax paper on to counter, placing the ball in center. Cover with a second sheet of wax paper and roll out larger then pie plate.

Peel off the top paper and pick up the dough with the bottom sheet of wax paper and turn it into the pie plate. Peel off the wax paper as the crust falls into the plate. Work to release entrapped air. Prick the entire bottom of the crust with a fork releasing any air; and flute edge

BAKING THE CRUST:

Bake at 475deg. until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Check often while baking pricking the bottom if it starts to rise.

Medieval Seed Cake

Click to Enlarge   .

Strange name, it is actually a type of bread that hails from the Middle Ages and the recipe is adapted from the 17th Century cook book “Book of Cookrye and The English Huswife”.



Many years ago we were invited to a party where the theme was the Medieval times and each guest was to bring a “dish” appropriate to the time period. Well with research this gem was discovered. We made it, it was a hit and has been a staple in our home ever since.

INGREDIENTS:

2-½ cups all-purpose flour
1/4 pound (1 stick) butter
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp double acting baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 egg
1 tbs. caraway seed
3/4 cups milk

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350 deg.

Coat the sides and bottom of an 8 in. round cake pan with 1 Tbsp of softened butter and set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream ¼ pound of softened butter and sugar together by mashing and beating them against the sides of the bowl with a large spoon until they are light and fluffy. Beat in the caraway seeds followed by the egg. Add the flour mixture ½ a cup at a time alternating with 1/3 of the milk; beating by hand (not power) well each time ‘till all the flour mix and milk have been beaten in and the mixture is smooth. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

BAKING:

Bake in middle of oven at 350° F for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake rest for 5 min. in the pan then turn it out on a cake rack to cool completely.

Turn it right side up and center on a round “Bread Board” appropriate to the time and serve uncut with an old fashioned bread knife.

Strawberry Shortcake

The first dissert and one of our favorites!
INGREDIENTS:

2 lb.of fresh strawberries
¼- ½ cup sugar
Heavy whipping cream
ISI Cream Whipper & 1 N2O cartridge **

PREPARATION:

Depending on the size, add ½ pint or 1 pint of heavy whipping cream to the whipper. Put the top on tightly and tighten the nozzil. Insert the cartridge in the holder and screw it in place releasing the gas into the whipper. Shake it several times. Put in the refrigerator ‘till needed.

Wash the strawberries and remove the stems. Slice into thin (1/4" to 1/8") slices. Put into a large bowl. Add ing sugar (1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of sugar; try one of the berries to see how sweet they are - use the lesser amount if thay are sweet and more according to the sweetness), at a time as each layer is sliced. Chill several hours for the sugar to disolve and sweetern the berries. Juice should form in the bottom of the bowl. Mix the strawberries before serving

“Drop” Baking Powder Biscuits *
PreHeat the oven to 425ºF.

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup milk
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ cup shortening (e.g. Crisco )

Add flour, shortning, baking powder, salt and milk to a mixing bowl. Stirr until the dough is soft and evenly moistened. Divide it into 4 or 6 equal portions and drop each from a spoon onto a greased cookey sheet.
Bake at to 425ºF for 12 to 14 minutes until the biscuits are medium golden brown,.

To serve, break one biscuit per person in half into a bowl. Ladle strawberries over the biscuit. Spray whipped cream all over fron the Whipper..

* From an old (1960’s) Betty Crocker recipe
** If you don’t have access to a whipper, alternately whip the cream with a mixer. We don’t add anything to the heavy cream as the flavor is just right as is.