Mini Apple Pies

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Happy Wednesday! I have been baking up a storm the past couple of weeks, but have not been able to post for a while.  But I couldn’t wait on this one. I just had to share this fun recipe.

I love Apple Pie.  And if you are a faithful reader than you know that I love little individual servings. Well here is a cute little Mini Apple Pie. Warm, delicious and oozing with apple goodness.  No need to dirty a pie plate, or wrestle with making beautiful edges, which by the way, I have never done successfully.  I simply cut out circles out of the dough, fill them with the apple filling and press the edges together with a fork.  So easy.  These would be so fun for a dinner party, baby shower or just when you are craving a good ole’ fashioned apple pie but don’t want to bother with actually making one.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Have a great week!

xoxo,

Steph

Mini Apple Pies

makes about 16 or so

*You can either make your own pie dough, or buy a box of pre-made dough from the store. Take your pick. Either way, it is delicious!
If you make your own, to make around 16 mini pies, use a recipe for a double crust pie.

For the apple filling:
3 small granny smith apples, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the egg wash:
1 egg
splash of water

Sugar for dusting the tops of the pies

For the icing:
1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
dash of milk

1. In a small bowl, mix the cubed apples, flour, sugar and cinnamon until each apple is evenly coated. Set aside.
2. Roll out the dough to about 1/16 in thickness. Use a 3 inch circle cookie cutter and cut out the dough circles. You will need two circles for every pie. Place the circles onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Scoop about 1/2 tablespoons of the apple filling into the center of the dough circle. Make the egg wash and using your fingertip, brush a light layer onto the very edges of the circle. (this will ensure that the top circle will stick to the bottom circle.) Place another dough circle on top, over the apple filling. Lightly press down around the edges.
3. Using the prongs of the fork, press along the edges of the pie to seal the edges.
4. Brush a light layer of the egg wash on top of the pies. Sprinkle with sugar. (I like to use turbinado sugar, you can find it in any grocery store labeled as raw sugar.)
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden.
6. To make them extra fancy, drizzle a little icing over the tops.  Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Baked on April 20, 2010 | Recipe Card: apples, desserts | 14 Bites 

Chocolate Covered Apple Bites

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Oh how I’ve missed baking.  I think of something that I want and I usually go to the kitchen and bake it.  It’s been a hard struggle not to be able to do that!  So when my Mom came and stayed with me for a couple of days I took full advantage of her baking ability.  These little cuties were her idea.  There are just as delicious as they are cute.  Strawberries aren’t the only fruit you can cover in chocolate.  We attempted covering them in caramel first, but that proved to be impossible.  If anyone knows any good tricks, let me know, because they tasted fantastic, but the apples were much too moist to hold the caramel on.  It just dripped off onto the wax paper and all that was left was a soggy apple.  But the chocolate stayed on perfectly. And the flavor combination was amazing. Give them a try!  

Chocolate Covered Apple Bites

You will need:
melon baller
4 inch lollipop sticks
granny smith apples
chocolate of your choice
chopped nuts, nonpareils, sprinkles, toffee bits (optional)

1. With a melon baller, scoop little balls out of the apple. Pat the apple pieces dry. Place a lollipop stick into each apple ball and dip in melted chocolate. Roll apples in nuts, sprinkles, nonpareils or toffee bits, if desired. Place on parchment paper until set.

Enjoy!

Baked on April 28, 2009 | Recipe Card: Fruit, apples, desserts | 22 Bites 

Simply Applesauce


Were you wondering where I’ve been? Well, I’ve been here. I’ve made some pretty delicious treats too, but no photo’s. As soon as I get my camera back, I will make them again and you will definitely see them right here. But until then, here is something you don’t want to miss out on. Homemade Applesauce. I had never even thought of making applesauce from scratch. But when my Mom had an over abundance of fresh apples picked right off the tree, she quickly started making batch after batch of homemade applesauce. I was lucky enough to have been right by her side and she taught me a thing or two about it. And when I took my first taste, I had never tasted anything so delicious. I will never buy store bought applesauce again. There is no comparison. And the only hard part if peeling the apples. Luckily, I have a Pampered Chef apple peeler/corer/slicer. It is a life saver for sure. So when life hands you apples, make applesauce!


Mom’s Homemade Applesauce  

6 cups peeled,cored and sliced apples
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1. Place sliced apples in a large soup pot. Add the sugar and lemon juice and mix well to coat the apples. Cover.
2. Cook on medium heat for about an hour, or until apples are soft and well cooked.
3. Depending on how you like your applesauce, (I like mine chunky), use a potato masher and mash the apples to the desired consistency. (You can also use a food processor to get a more smooth consistency.)
4. Place in freezer bags and take out and move to refrigerator as necessary. (Mom’s trick to keep it fresh)

Baked on October 16, 2008 | Recipe Card: apples | 22 Bites 

Apple Pie Puffs A La Mode


What a weekend. My husband participated in his first Triathlon. That was fun! I was so proud of him. Now of course he wants to do more. I thought I might give it a try too, but then he told me what you have to do. Run nonstop for 3 miles…get on your bike and ride 10 miles..strip down and swim 350 meters. I’m not sure I could handle that quite yet. Maybe someday. I’ve been working out with my friend every morning at 6:00 am. Not much progress, and I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s because I then come home and bake and eat. I’ve been trying to be better though. Sundays are my favorite baking day. I just have to have a really good dessert after dinner. Last night was no exception. I decided to experiment with puff pastry. I wanted an apple pie, but didn’t want to make pie dough. I had some puff pastry on hand so I decided to make these little apple pie puffs as I like to call them. A yummy filling of sauteed apples with butter, cinnamon, sugar and apple pie spice. Load it in some puff pastry and they come out beautiful! You must have ice cream on top, it’s the only way to eat them. I drizzled some caramel sauce to top it all off. Delicious! Have a great week everyone!!

Apple Pie Puffs
recipe by Stephanie
serves 6

1 sheet puff pastry from 17.3 ounce box
3 apples (I used gala), diced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice

For the top:
2 tablespoon melted butter
sugar for sprinkling

1. Saute apples with butter, sugars, cinnamon and apple pie spice until soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Using thawed puff pastry dough, roll out onto a floured work surface and roll dough into about a 12X18 inch rectangle. Cut into 6 equal rectangles. Scoop apple filling onto the middle of the rectangle. Fold dough over and press down on all 4 sides to seal. Repeat with all rectangles. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush tops with the melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes. Top with ice cream and eat while hot.

Baked on September 8, 2008 | Recipe Card: Dessert, apples | 20 Bites 

Baked Apple and Cinnamon French Toast Cups


Oh my goodness.  I am still licking my fingers on this one.  Delicious.  Masterpiece.  That’s all I can say about this amazing treat.  Oh how I wish that I could take all the credit for this one.  It was inspired by Jenny at Picky Palate.  She made some bread pudding cups a while back.  I decided to call it French Toast Cups because it has all the ingredients I use in my french toast plus apples.  Yum.  My kids licked the plate clean.  And let me tell you, that does not happen very often unless it is made of all sugar.  Apples have been on my mind lately.  I have been racking my brain trying to come up with some creative recipes using them, and then I remembered Jenny’s Bread pudding recipe and I decided to do something similar but with my own spin.  The sauteed cinnamon apples were the perfect addition.  Of course topped with a sugar glaze, it is the perfect treat or breakfast or brunch or whatever you want to eat it for!  I hope you all have a lovely week and I will be back soon with some amazingly delicious recipes!

Baked Apple and Cinnamon French Toast Cups
recipe by Stephanie
inspired by Jenny
makes 6 french toast cups
4 slices whole wheat bread, cut into cubes
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
dash of ground nutmeg
For the apples:
1 large apple of your choice, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1. In a medium skillet, saute apples with butter and cinnamon for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg until well combined. Add bread cubes and mix together until all the bread is saturated.  Add the apples and mix until well distributed.
3. Using a regular size muffin tin, scoop bread evenly into 6 of the muffin cups.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until set and lightly golden brown.  
4. Mix 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 1 tablespoon milk until smooth.  Drizzle on top of french toast cups.  Enjoy!!
These would be perfect for a bridal or baby shower!  Your guests will be begging for more!!!

Baked on August 26, 2008 | Recipe Card: apples, breakfast, brunch | 23 Bites 

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