With apples aplenty, sweet wishes… and dreams of life in the Garden of Eden

The apple is the iconic fruit of autumn. It’s been with us since time began — at the center of the story of Adam and Eve and in all kinds of literature, from Greek mythology (golden apples) to fairy tales (how many kids were afraid to eat apples after seeing “Snow White”?).

Perhaps the most famous apple story is the legend of Johnny Appleseed. He was a real person, born John Chapman in 1774, in Leominster, Massachusetts. His mother died when he was young and Johnny used to find solace in the apple orchards near his home. As he grew older, he took a deeper interest in how the apples grew, what affected them and how to increase the crops, showing farmers how to plant and care for the trees.

By 1806, he was known far and wide as “Johnny Appleseed.” He was a businessman and a preacher who lived by the kindness of people who supported his travels. Although practically penniless, he amassed a large amount of land and left his sister 1,200 acres of apple trees (one of which is reported to still be alive in Pennsylvania!).

Next week, we will once again dip apple in honey to symbolize the Garden of Eden and the sweetness and hope for the year ahead.

I wish you all L’shanah tovah tikatevu.

Autumn Apple Challah (Pareve)

This is a fun activity for kids to help with on a cool autumn day. If you’ve gone apple-picking, use the apples they picked themselves!

2 envelopes yeast

1/2 cup warm water

3 extra large eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/3 cup Canola oil or corn oil

4 to 5 cups bread flour or unbleached white flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. salt

Apple Filling:

4 apples, peeled and finely chopped; a mixture of firm, sweet and tart such as Cortland, Braeburn, Honey Crisp, Macoun, Granny Smith and Fuji. I do not recommend using grainy apples such as Delicious or Golden Delicious.

1 to 2 tsp. cinnamon mixed with 1/4 cup sugar (cinnamon is to taste, use more or less)

1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup honey

Place the yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer or a food processor. Add the warm water and the sugar. Mix and let stand for 10 minutes until the yeast proofs and is bubbly. Add the eggs, oil, honey and almond milk. Mix well until completely blended. Slowly add the flour until you have a soft, but not sticky dough.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 5 to 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic and just a bit sticky.

Form into a large ball. Oil a large bowl and place the dough into the bowl and then turn so the oiled side is up. Cover with a dishtowel and place in a warm spot to rise for 60 to 90 minutes or until doubled in size.

Near the end of the rising time, peel the apples and chop them finely so that the pieces are about one-quarter inch. Toss with the lemon juice and then add the honey, cinnamon and sugar, and mix well. You should have about 4 to 5 cups of apples. Divide the apples in half for the two loaves.

When the dough has risen, take it from the bowl and place it on a floured surface. Cut the dough into two equal pieces and place one back in the bowl, covered, in a warm place.

Form the dough with which you are working into a rectangle about 12 inches by 10 inches. Don’t seek perfection, just a rough shape. Using a slotted spoon, drain some of the apples and place them on the top part of the long side of the dough in a line about three inches from the top. Roll the dough over so it covers the apples. Add more apples and roll some more. Continue until you have used up the apples.

Make sure that there is about a three-inch part of the end of the dough that has no apples. Seal this up and then gently roll the log of dough so that it becomes a bit thinner and longer. If any of the apples break through, just pinch the dough around them.

Coil the dough into a circle or into any shape you like and place on a well-oiled and floured cookie sheet. Or, you can place the coiled shape into a round cake pan. Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot to rise for another 60 to 90 minutes. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Brush the loaves with an egg yolk mixed with a tablespoon of water.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 50 to 65 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped. Makes 2 loaves.

Best Apple Cake Ever (Pareve)

My grandmother made an apple cake in a square pan lined with waxed paper. It had walnuts on top and I hated it. My mother made an apple cake that always had hard, almost raw apples in it. I hated that. Finally, I found this recipe that uses Cortland apples which break down into a soft, sweet part of this delicious cake. Even like Vietnamese Cinnamon for its very strong and sweet flavor.

7 to 9 large Cortland apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1-2/3 cups plus 5 tbsp. sugar

5 tsp. cinnamon (generous)

3 cups unbleached white flour

Generous pinch salt but less than 1/3 tsp.

3 tsp. baking powder

1 cup Canola oil

4 extra-large eggs

1/4 cup orange juice

1 Tbsp. vanilla

2 Tbsp. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon, mixed together.

Grease and flour a tube pan. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Peel and slice the apples. Place them in a medium sized bowl, add 5 tablespoons of sugar and all the cinnamon. Toss gently to coat and set aside.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour in the oil. Add the eggs, juice and vanilla and blend completely.

Sprinkle the mixed cinnamon and sugar over the bottom of the pan. Spoon one-third of the batter into the pan, making sure to cover the bottom completely. Spread half the apples over the batter and gently press them down. Spread another third of the batter over the apples. It’s OK if the batter is not completely spread evenly; it will fill in as it bakes. Repeat with the apples and end with the batter. Try to cover the apples completely.

Bake for 80 to 90 minutes. Check at 50 to 60 minutes. The cake should be brown on top, but not too dark. A tester should come out with cinnamon, but no batter. If the cake is getting too dark but is not baked enough, cover lightly with foil. When done, cool for at least 30 minutes before removing from the pan. Serves 8 to 12.

Cranberry Apple Kugel (Pareve)

Apples and cranberries are both New England treasures. I love the sweet smell of the cranberry bogs and the apple orchards and look forward to apple picking every year.

7 to 9 ounces fresh cranberries

2 tsp. cornstarch

3/4 cup water

2/3 cup sugar, more to taste

1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1-1/2 lbs. wide egg noodles (one and a half packages)

1/2 cup pareve margarine, divided

3 to 4 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced

3/4 cup sugar

1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon plus extra

5 large eggs

Optional Topping:

2-1/2 cups cornflakes

6 Tbsp. pareve margarine, melted

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 to 1 tsp. cinnamon, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and generously grease a 9×13 pan. Set aside

Place the cranberries, sugar, water and lemon zest juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix the cornstarch with 1 tbsp of cold water. Wait until the cranberries begin to boil and then add cornstarch mixture and stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Cook for another minute until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Set aside to cool. 

Cook noodles according to the directions. Drain well, add 1/4 cup pareve margarine and stir gently to melt. Set aside. Melt the remaining margarine and mix with sugar, cinnamon and apples.

Separate the eggs and beat egg whites until white but not at peak stage. Whisk the egg yolks until thick and slightly lightened, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks to the noodles and mix well. Add the apples and mix well. Gently fold egg whites into the apple/noodle mixture.

Spread half the noodle mixture into the pan. Add the cranberry sauce in dollops over the noodles. Use a spoon to swirl the cranberries into the noodles. Add the remaining noodles and smooth the top.

If you like, you can bake this now, or you can make the optional topping by mixing the ingredients together and spreading evenly on the kugel. You should lay a piece of foil lightly over the topping and bake covered for the first 30 minutes to avoid burning. Uncover and cook until cooked through.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until desired crispiness on top.

Apple Raisin Walnut Squares (Pareve)

This is a healthful take on a snack bar. You can leave out the flax or wheat germ if you prefer; just add a bit more flour instead. It is not super sweet and is a great snack for kids and busy parents, too!

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup ground flax seed or toasted wheat germ

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

2 extra large eggs

1/2 cup Demerara sugar plus 2 tbsp. for topping

3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

1/2 cup Pareve trans-fat free margarine, melted You can use any plant butter or regular butter if you like

1/4 cup corn oil

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 cups finely chopped, peeled apples Granny Smith or Honey Crisp work well

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 (8-inch square) baking pans. Combine the flours, flax or wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well.

In another larger bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, melted margarine, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla, maple syrup, apples, raisins, and nuts.  Add the flour mixture to the liquid, stirring just until thoroughly mixed.

Pour into the prepared pans. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until center tests done. Cool and cut into squares. Makes about 18 to 24 squares.

Apple Tart with Crumbly Streusel Topping (Dairy)

This delicious tart is made of three parts; the crust, filling and streusel topping. Serve warm alone or with ice cream. Great after a dairy holiday lunch.

Crust:

1 stick butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

Yolk of one extra large egg (save the white for an omelet)

1 Tbsp. heavy cream, ice cold

1-1/2 cups unbleached flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the softened butter and the sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the yolk and beat until fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the cream and beat until smooth. Add the flour and mix until a large clump forms. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a floured surface. Form into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

When cold, remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a well floured surface. Roll out to a circle about 14-inches in diameter. Roll the dough over the rolling pin and place evenly over a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Gently press the dough into the pan and then roll the rolling pin across the top of the tart pan to cut off the excess dough.

Streusel:

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 cup flour

6 Tbsp. ice cold butter or pareve margarine, cut up into cubes

Place the flour, sugar, cinnamon and butter into a bowl. Mash with a fork until uniform, small pieces form. Cover and refrigerate.

Filling:

1/3 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

4 large Cortland apples peeled, cut in half and evenly sliced, 8 slices per half

Mix the sugars cinnamon and flour together in a small bowl. Set aside. Peel the apples and cut them in half. Remove the core and slice the apples evenly. Place the slices in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture and toss gently. Place the apples into the prepared tart pan. Arrange them as you like or place them freely to fill the pan.

Remove the streusel topping from the refrigerator and mix with a fork. Sprinkle the topping over the tart.  Place the tart on a rimmed cookie sheet and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 70 to 90 minutes.

Turn the tart once or twice to ensure even baking. The apples should be bubbly and the topping golden brown. If the topping browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil and continue baking until the apples are bubbly. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes. Remove the rim of the tart pan and serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Serves 8 to 10.

Write: Columnist@TheJewishStar.com