easy as apple pie

happy SEPTEMBER!!

(can you believe it’s already september?! where on EARTH did this summer go?!?!)

so, given it’s the first monday of september, it’s time to unveil the theme for the month…. drum roll, if you please…

BACK.TO.SCHOOL.FAVES!

(creative huh? bet you NEVER would have guessed that! but here at simpletosucculent, we’re gonna take it one step farther – showing you some fun new ways to look at old faves, and some really adult ways (think delicious cocktails!) to spice up your back.to.school memories!)

so this week, our focus is apple pie, the simpletosucculent way…

(1 – apple ‘cobbler’ with cinnamon whipped cream, 2 – apple tart with dried cranberries, 3 – individual caramel apple pies, 4 – old fashioned double-crust apple pie with cinnamon ice cream)

got no time? if so, apple ‘cobbler’ with cinnamon whipped cream is ready in a jiffy

wanting an easy way to impress dinner guests? apple tart with dried cranberries is so elegant looking

got an hour to spend? individual caramel apple pies are so fall.ish

really want your house to smell warm and delicious? old fashioned apple pie with cinnamon ice cream is the most succulent way to round out your meal

apple ‘cobbler’ with cinnamon whipped cream

– 1 store.bought apple pie

– 1 cup heavy whipping cream

– 1/4 cup powdered sugar

– 2 tsp ground cinnamon

– 1 small block of sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 4 sticks

1) heat the store.bought apple pie in the oven until hot in the middle (~15 minutes)

2) meanwhile, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and cinnamon with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form

3) spoon large dollops of apple pie into serving bowl, top with a spoonful of cinnamon whipped cream, and garnish with a cheddar cheese stick. enjoy!

apple tart with dried cranberries

– 1 package frozen puff pastry

– 2 large apples, cored and sliced

– 3/4 cup brown sugar

– 2 tablespoons cornstarch

– 1/2 cup dried cranberries

– 1 egg, beaten

1) preheat your oven to 425 degrees

2) unroll the sheet of puff pastry, and place on a greased baking sheet. prick the entire sheet with a fork, leaving a one-inch border around the entire rectangle (this way the edges will rise and the center will stay flat – giving you a nice crust around your juicy fruit).

3) in a small bowl, toss the sliced apples with 1/2 cup brown sugar, the cornstarch, and the dried cranberries. place this mixture on top of the puff pastry sheet.

4) sprinkle the last 1/4 cup brown sugar on top of the fruit, and brush the outer edge of the puff pastry with the beaten egg. bake for ~15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the fruit is soft. enjoy!

individual caramel apple pies (with dulce de leche ice cream)

– 20 caramels, unwrapped

– 1/3 cup half and half

– 1 package refridgerated pie dough

– 3 apples, cored and cubed

– 3 tablespoons cornstarch

– 3 teaspoons cinnamon

– 1 cup flour

– 1 cup brown sugar

– 1 stick butter

– dulce de leche ice cream

1) preheat your oven to 375 degrees

2) make your caramel sauce – in a small skillet over low heat, melt the caramels and the half-and-half together until smooth

3) in a small bowl, mix together your apple cubes, cinnamon, cornstarch, and 3/4 of your caramel sauce. set aside

4) unroll the pastry, and cut to fit into individual pie pans. press firmly into pie pans and fill with the apple mixture

5) make your crumb topping – in a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, and butter with your hands until it resembles wet sand. generously sprinkle over the apple pies

6) bake until topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly and thick. top with a spoonful of dulce de leche ice cream, drizzle with the remaining caramel sauce, and enjoy!

old fashioned apple pie with cinnamon ice cream

for pie crust:

– 2 1/2 cups flour

– 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cubed

– 1 tsp salt

– 1 tbsp sugar

– 6 to 8 tbsp ice water

at this point, stop mixing!

to make crust:

1) in the bowl of a food processor, mix together the flour, butter, salt, and sugar until the butter is the size of small peas. slowly add in the water, one tbsp at a time, until the dough just begins to come together.

2) remove dough from food processor, flatten into a small disk, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

3) when ready, roll out dough into two large pieces. place one in the bottom of your pie pan, and reserve the other piece for your top crust.

for filling:

– 8 apples, cored and very thinly sliced

– 1 cup white sugar

– 5 tbsp cornstarch

– 1 tbsp cinnamon

– 1/2 stick butter, cubed

yummmm butter......

to make filling:

1) mix apples, sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon together in large bowl

2) mound the apples in the bottom crust (there will be LOTS of apples! this is what you want! they will cook down a ton!). dot with the cubes of butter, and cover with the top crust, squeezing the edges together to make a pretty outer edge. cut slits in the top so the steam can escape.

3) bake at 425 for about an hour, covering the pie when the top crust starts to get too brown

for cinnamon ice cream:

– 1 cup sugar

– 1 1/2 cups half and half

– 2 eggs, cracked into a bowl

– 1 cup cream

– 3 tsp ground cinnamon

– 1 tsp vanilla

to make cinnamon ice cream:

1) in a small sauce pot, cook the sugar and half.and.half over medium heat until the sugar is melted and the mixture is quite hot

2) remove from heat, and slowly pour into your eggs, making sure to go slowly so you do not scramble your eggs!

3) pour the half.and.half and egg mixture back into your sauce pot, add the cream, and cook over medium heat until thickened and glossy

4) remove from heat, stir in the cinnamon and vanilla, and let cool

5) when fully cool, pour into your ice cream freezer and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions

6) top your pie with generous spoonfuls of the cinnamon ice cream and ENJOY!

(check back on wednesday for a simpletosucculent apple cider,

and get REALLY EXCITED for next monday’s buffalo.macaroni.and.cheese!!!)