Tag: applepie

Baking · Reading

A – Apple Pie

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1886 illustration of A Apple with children dancing around an apple pie
apple pie on wooden pie rest sitting on gray granite counter

For many years, during the children’s librarian portion of my career, I collected alphabet books. This A to Z selection of titles included an eclectic mix ranging from Anno’s Alphabet: An Adventure in Imagination by Anno Mitsumasa ©1988 to Antler, Bear, Canoe: A Northwoods Alphabet, written and illustrated by Betsy Bowen ©2002. These picture books, while certainly appropriate learning tools for children, could also be appreciated by the adult reader due to the intricacies found on each page. Interestingly, my collection did not include the popular 19th century edition by Kate Greenway but as the first dessert baked at Solstice Place was an apple pie, I will give a nod to her 1886 original wood engraving A – Apple Pie.

Baking

A was an apple pie…

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photo from the University of Minnesota shows two frames on the left red and yellow honeycrisp apples on the right honeycrisp apples on the tree with green leaves

A Minnesota agricultural development and everyone’s favorite apple, Honeycrisp!

For decades, I only enjoyed this tasty fruit as a hand-to-mouth delight. I never thought to move it into the kitchen for baking. That is, until this year, when Honeycrisp kept showing up as I investigated single layer cake recipes good when eaten fresh but also easily frozen for delayed desserts.

So, after an orchard visit on Wednesday that included the purchase of a peck of apples at the Pepin Heights Store and Richard’s request for a pie, I can attest that Honeycrisps bake up nicely. The fruit’s natural sweetness allows the baker to reduce the amount of refined sugar. The slices cook up to that perfect texture – holding their shape without being too firm and soft without being mushy.  Likewise, the French Apple Cake with apples chopped into 1/4-to-3/8-inch cubes delivered a simple rustic confection, especially when flavored with dark rum.

Yumm!

Photo credit: University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Sciences