Easy Cranberry & Apple Cake

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and medium-diced
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 1/8 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add the flour and salt.
4. Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a tooth-pick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Apple Phyllo Triangles

Cook Time: 15 mins / Servings: 4

These apple and raisin treats are made with phyllo dough pastry triangles that house the sweet fruit filling inside. Pre-made phyllo dough, which can be found in the freezer section of most supermarkets, makes the preparation of these tasty morsels so easy. These little turnover-like pastries can be ready, start to finish, in just 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium baking apple, peeled and chopped (1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 sheets phyllo dough
• 2 tablespoons margarine, melted
• Nonstick spray coating

Directions:

1. For filling, in a small mixing bowl combine apple, raisins, sugar, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. Lightly brush 1 sheet of the phyllo dough with some of the melted margarine. Place another sheet of phyllo dough on top of the first sheet, then brush with margarine. Top with the third sheet of phyllo. Do not brush with margarine.
3. Cut the stack of phyllo sheets lengthwise into four strips.
4. For each triangle, spoon one-fourth of the filling about 1 inch from one end of each strip.
5. Fold the end over the filling at a 45-degree angle. Continue folding to form a triangle that encloses the filling, using the entire strip. Repeat with remaining strips of phyllo and filling.
6. Place triangles on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray coating. Brush the tops of the triangles with the remaining margarine.
7. Bake in a 375 degree F. oven about 15 minutes or until golden. Serve warm or cool.
8. Make-Ahead tip: Prepare phyllo triangles but do not bake. Cover and chill up to 4 hours. Bake and serve as above.

Apple OvenCake

Serves 4 / approx. 190 calories per serve

Approx. macronutrient breakdown: fat: 8.0g / carbs 26g (15g sugar) / protein 4.3g

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup spelt flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup soy milk
• 2 tbsp macadamia spread, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Apple Mix:

• 1 Granny Smith Apple, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, brown sugar and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk egg, melted macadamia spread, vanilla and soy milk in a small bowl until well combined. Add to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Allow to stand for 30 minutes.
3. In the meantime, spray an oven proof pan with oil and layer the thinly sliced apple in a circular pattern on the base. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar (add a little more sugar if you think neccessary.) Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until starting to soften.
4. Turn the oven down to 160 degrees C and remove the pan. Carefully pour the pancake mixture over the apples and return to oven. Cook for a further 25-30 minutes, cover if it starts to brown too quickly.

Blackberry and Apple Yorkshire Pudding

Makes about 12 small puddings

Ingredients:

• 25 g butter
• 140 g golden caster sugar
• 4 apples (I used Bramley apples), peeled, cored, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1 egg white
• 2 eggs
• 140 g plain flour
• 200 ml milk
• 150 g blackberries
• 2 tbsp oil

Method: 

1. Preheat oven to 200C.
2. Heat the butter and 100 g of the sugar in a pan, add the apples and cook over a high heat for 3-4 minutes until slightly caramelized and just starting to soften. Do not overcook them, they should stay quite firm with a bite left in them. Set aside.
3. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy, then whisk in the rest of the sugar, the whole eggs, the flour and the milk. Stir the apples and the blackberries into the batter. Meanwhile add a splash of oil to each hole of your baking tin and place the tin in the oven over a high heat. The oil should be really hot before you pour the batter in.
4. Spoon a large ladleful of batter into each hole. Put the tin in the oven and leave for 15 minutes, without opening the door, until puffed up and golden. The secret here is not to open the door during the baking time, otherwise you loose the height.
5. Remove from the oven and carefully place each pudding onto a plate. You can serve immediately or leave them to cool down.

Cinnamon Apple Pizza Recipe

10 Servings / Prep: 10 min. Bake: 15 min. + cooling

Ingredients:

• 1 tube (12.4 ounces) refrigerated cinnamon roll dough
• 1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions:

1. Set cinnamon roll icing aside. Separate dough into individual rolls; roll out each into a 4-in. circle. Arrange on a greased 12-in. pizza pan, overlapping edges. Bake at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes.
2. Spoon the apple pie filling over rolls to within 1/2-in. of edge. Combine the brown sugar and butter; sprinkle over pie filling. Bake 6-8 minutes longer or until the crust is golden brown. Cool. Drizzle with the reserved icing. Yield: 10-12 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 208 calories, 5 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 3 mg cholesterol, 309 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein.

Apple Yeast Sugar Tart

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups (245g) all purpose flour, sifted
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup (120ml) warm whole milk
• 2 tablespoons (28g) softened unsalted butter
• 2-3 eating apples - I used Gala apples
• 1/3 cup (67g) demerara sugar
• 1/2 cup (120ml) thick cream*

Method:

1. Place flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a bowl. Whisk egg with milk and mix into flour mixture. Work in butter and knead to a smooth, thick batter - I used my Kitchen Aid with the hook attachment. Place in a buttered bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a draught-free place for 30 minutes. Knock back dough, then press it into a 22cm buttered pie plate or loose-bottomed plan pan, cover with plastic and allow to recover for 30 minutes (it will have puffed slightly).
2. Preheat oven to 225 degrees C/437 degrees F. Peel apples, cored them and cut into eighths. Press apple slices into the dough, and sprinkle with the demerata sugar. Place pie plate/flan pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 200 degrees C/395 degrees F. Spoon cream over apples and bake for 20 minutes. The top should be slightly caramelized and the tart light and spongy. Eat warm.

*I used honey cream and whipped it to soft peaks before pouring.

Serves 4

Easy Cranberry & Apple Cake

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and medium-diced
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 1/8 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add the flour and salt.
4. Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a tooth-pick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Caramel Apple Cookies

Makes about 1 dozen

Ingredients:

• 2 boxes Jiffy Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup (2 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 2-4 tablespoons milk
• Food coloring (optional)

-

• 5 oz. caramel bits
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add 1 box of the muffin mix and beat together until combined. Stir in the egg until just combined, then add the remaining box of muffin mix. Beat the mixture until it comes together. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is barely sticky and a little wet. If necessary, add a little extra flour. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes or the refrigerator for at least an hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with Silpat mats or parchment paper.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out chilled dough to about 3/8-inch thick. Cut out cookies using a round cutter or biscuit cutter. Place 2-3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes. For “apple:” make the “sticks” by rolling tiny bits of the leftover dough into the right shape and place them on prepared cookie sheets. With the remaining scraps of dough, then roll it out to about 1/4-inch thick and cut out mini apples. Position the apples over the bottom ends of the “sticks” and bake for 7-8 minutes.
4. Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating.
5. To decorate: Melt half the caramel melts (about 5 oz.) in a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon of water. Drizzle the melted caramel over the cookies, then coat the “apples” so they look like dipped caramel apples. While the caramel is still wet, place the apples on top of the cookie.

Caramelised Apple and Ginger Shortcakes

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 20g butter
• 2 granny smith apples, covered, cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup cream
• 100g mascarpone

Ginger Shortcakes:

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 100g butter, chopped
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Line an oven tray with non stick baking paper. To make the shortcakes, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, ginger, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the milk and egg and stir until just combined.
2. Roll or pat out onto a lightly floured surface to a 2cm thick disc. Use an 8cm round pastry cutter to cut 8 discs from the dough. Place on the lined baking tray. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large frying pan over high heat until foaming. Add the apple and cook, turning occasionally for 5 minutes or until apples caramelize. Add brown sugar and cinnamon, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Add the cream and stir until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
4. Using a small serrated knife, split each shortcake in half. Dollop with mascarpone, top with apples and drizzle with caramel sauce. Top with remaining cake half, dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

Apple Pie Smoothie

Yield: about 3 1/2 cups, 1-2 servings.

The chia seed helps to thicken the smoothie and give a nice texture. If you do not have it, substitute with ground flax seed, or omit entirely and just add slightly less water.

Ingredients:

• 1 apple
• 2 small carrots
• 1 small zucchini
• juice of 1 small lemon
• 8-10 drops stevia liquid (plain or English Toffee flavor), to taste
• optional: 1-2 tbsp natural sweetener such as honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, yacon syrup, etc…
• cinnamon, to taste
• 1 tbsp sesame tahini (or other seed/ nut butter)
• 1 tbsp finely ground chia seed
• water

Directions:

1. Coarsely chop the apple, carrot, and zucchini and place in blender with remaining ingredients and about 1/2-1 cup of water. Blend on high until totally smooth, adding more water as necessary.
2. Serve with a dusting of cinnamon and a slice of apple.