Four Fun Fall Apple Recipes

Apples have long been a traditional sign of autumn. They are a pleasant representation of the end of summer. A new season begins, children return to school, leaves change color, apples fall from the trees and we celebrate Rosh Hashanah, Halloween and Thanksgiving. What better way to start a new season then with a bright red, shiny, crisp, sweet apple.

Children on their way to school will love the Apple Scones with Apple Cream Cheese Spread for breakfast, packed in a lunchbox or as an after school snack. Halloween brings out the ghouls with a sweet tooth for Candy Apple Ghosts and Thanksgiving isn't complete without Apple Sweet Potato Pie.

Apple Scones

2 ½ cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

3 teaspoons Baking Powder

¼ cup Brown Sugar

3 teaspoons Cinnamon

1 Braeburn or Gala Apple, peeled and chopped

4 Tablespoons Butter, room temperature

½ cup Evaporated Goat Milk

3 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

1 Egg

In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter using fork or fingers until it resembles small crumbs. Add apples and mix well. In a measuring cup, measure milk, add vanilla and egg and mix. Add milk mixture to flour mixture. Mix well and remove from bowl onto floured counter. Knead for 30 seconds to a minute. This will be a bit difficult with the apples, just keep pushing them back in.

Flatten to half inch thickness, shaping into large circle. Using a sharp knife, cut into eight triangular wedges. If you want smaller scones, divide dough in half and make two smaller rounds before cutting. Place on baking sheet and bake in 350 oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Serve with Apple Cream Cheese Spread.

Apple Cream Cheese Spread

4 ounces Homemade or Unsweetened Applesauce

8 ounces Cream Cheese, room temperature

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

¼ teaspoon Cinnamon

Wisk all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Spread on Apple Scones. (This is also good spread on the Zombie Bread in my article on Halloween Finger Foods).

Candy Apple Ghosts

13 ounce jar Marshmallow Crème

½ teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

2 pounds Confectioners' Sugar

2 Tablespoons Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder

Solid Vegetable Shortening

Cold Water

Braeburn or Gala Apples, push popsicle stick through stem end

In a large, heavy pot, melt marshmallow crème and vanilla on lowest heat. Stir constantly to avoid sticking or burning. When crème is melted and smooth, remove pot from heat. Pour in the confectioners' sugar and mix as much as possible. When you can no longer mix with the spatula, mix and knead by hand. Coat cutting board with vegetable shortening and turn sugar mixture out onto board. Knead and mix the sugar into the crème until smooth and elastic.

If dough is overly dry and breaks easily, add teaspoons of water one at a time. Keep board well greased with vegetable oil to prevent sticking. Remove a handful of the mixture and set aside before adding shortening. Continue working with the mixture until it is smooth and pliable and does not break easily when kneading. The shortening will help with this as it is absorbed into the dough. Lightly cover dough with a thin layer of shortening and tightly with plastic wrap and place in a zip lock bag.

To the remaining piece of marshmallow and sugar mixture, knead in cocoa powder adding minimal amount of water if needed and keeping board coated with vegetable oil. Knead and mix until smooth and fully blended. Wrap with plastic wrap and zip lock bag. Allow both dough mixtures to sit overnight.

Keeping board well greased, flatten out a piece of dough to an eighth inch thickness. Work fast in order to prevent the dough from getting to warm. If dough becomes to sticky or unmanageable, place in refrigerator. Place flattened out dough over apple and wrap dough around to seal. Use cold water as necessary to smooth out cracks or wrinkles.

Using small pieces of the cocoa dough, shape two eyes and press them onto dough covered apple. Extra candy dough was added at the bottom of the ghost in the photo. If the dough begins to slip off the apple, it is being handled too much and getting too warm. Readjust the dough and place the apple in the refrigerator for a few minutes. An upside down egg carton works well for holding them up with the popsicle stick. When complete, refrigerate to harden and allow to dry.

Apple Sweet Potato Pie

1 pound Braeburn or Gala Apples

1 pound peeled Sweet Potatoes

1 cup Sugar

½ cup Brown Sugar

2 cups Evaporated Goat Milk (to make a pareve pie use Mocha Mix brand non-dairy creamer)

2 Eggs

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

½ teaspoon Ginger

½ teaspoon Cinnamon

¼ teaspoon Nutmeg

¼ teaspoon Cloves

2 9" Pie Crusts, homemade or store bought, prepared in pans

Boil whole apples and whole sweet potatoes together until soft, 15-20 minutes. Drain and cool enough to work with. Push through food mill or colander to make a puree and removed seeds and skin. If you do not have time for this, you can substitute 16 ounces canned sweet potato puree and 16 ounces unsweetened applesauce.

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until mixed thoroughly. Pour into prepared pie crusts. Bake in 425 oven for 15 minutes. Lower oven to 350 and bake an additional 30-60 minutes. After 30 minutes check pies every 5-10 minutes until done. Knife will come out clean when finished. Remove from oven and cool. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.