Stayman-Winesap Apple Butter

Ingredients:
10 Stayman Winesap apples, sliced
1 cup apple cider
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 stick cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a 4 quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 10-12 hours. Vent by placing the lid on askew and cook on low for an additional 10-12 hours or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the cinnamon stick then pour the mixture into the food processor and puree. Cool completely and refrigerate up to 3 weeks or ladle when warm into prepared jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace and process in a hot water canner for 10 minutes.

Note: A great source for canning information is the Blue Book guide to preserving. I highly recommend it for learning how to can.

My thoughts:

Stayman-Winesap apples are my absolute favorites. When I was growing up my grandpop could buy a bushel and store them on his (enclosed) basement steps. This year I decided to follow in his footsteps and we bought a bushel of apples at our local farmers market. Stayman-Winesaps normally show up on "cooking" and "baking" apple lists but I like them out of hand and spread with peanut butter or topped with sharp cheddar. I'd be content with that but since I have so many, apple butter seemed to be the thing to make. I came up with the 24 hour slow cooker fruit butter method a few years ago and it is by far many favorite method. No stirring, no scorching, no hands-on work needed except for the apple slicing (made easy with an apple slicer) and it makes your house smell amazing for a whole day. I made a batch of pear butter (recipe to come) at the same time and it really felt like fall. Try apple butter on muffins, rolls, toast, pancakes or as an ingredient in sauces, sandwiches, or baked goods. So versatile and so delicious.


Yield: about 5 8oz jars.

Apple Cider Jelly Candy

Ingredients:
1.75 oz powdered fruit pectin
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup*
3/4 cup apple cider
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

extra sugar for dredging

Directions:
Warning: this is a two day project. Oil a flat sided loaf pan. Whisk together pectin, apple cider and baking soda in small pan. Cook on high heat. At the same time, bring the sugar and corn syrup to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. When it reaches boiling, add the pectin/cider mixture. Cook for about 1 additional minute stirring constantly. Pour into the prepared pan and allow to cool, loosely covered with plastic wrap, overnight. The next day invert the pan on to a plate full of sugar. If you have trouble unmolding the candy, use a knife to loosen it from the perimeter of the pan and carefully slide your fingers underneath the candy to gently peel the candy out of the pan. Press both sides of the candy into the sugar. Use a pizza cutter to cut the candy into 1/4 inch slices, then cut each slice into cubes. Roll each cube in sugar.

*I use HFCS-free corn syrup.

My thoughts:

Last winter I had this dessert plate at Woodberry Kitchen which had a variety of miniature sweets including one that seemed to be a homemade apple cider jelly candy. Every since then it has been on my "to make" list. I had to wait until I could buy apple cider at the farmers market but it was worth it. This might be my new favorite fall candy, it tastes just like cider in solid form.

Apple Cider Glazed Butternut Squash

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeds removed
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons apple cider
salt
black pepper
olive oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the insides with olive oil. Place the squash open side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the squash is softened and easily pierced with a fork. Meanwhile, mix together the melted butter and apple cider. Sprinkle with salt, paprika and pepper. Drizzle with the melted butter and apple cider mixture. Serve hot.

Yield: 2-4 servings

My thoughts:

Despite my recent revelation that I prefer acorn squash (Is it possible that I have only ever eaten butternut until now? Or do I suffer from some sort of winter squash specific amnesia?)this is still perfectly delicious. I am not one for sweet dishes served as part of a main meal but I do feel that butternut squash benefits from splash of sweetness. The apple cider does the trick, it adds just a bit of fruity sweetness without taking it to a near candied level. The smoked paprika, salt, pepper and butter add a complementary savory note to form a uniquely satisfying seasonal dish.

Apple Cider Doughnuts

Ingredients
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3/4 cup milk, at room temperature
1/4 cup apple cider, at room temperature
1/4 cup warm apple cider (about 110 degrees)
3 1/4 cups flour
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoons salt

apple cider frosting
3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup apple cider


canola oil for frying


Directions:

for the frosting:
Beat all ingredients together until a spreadable icing forms.

For the doughnuts:
In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm cider in the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Add the flour, remaining cider, milk, butter, egg yolks, sugar, and salt until you have a soft, elastic dough that comes together easily into a ball.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it has doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.



Flour a clean work surface. Place the dough on the surface and roll it out. Roll until it is about 1/2 thick. Cut out doughnut shapes. Do not reroll to dough.



Place them on a parchment or silipat lined cookie sheet, cover again with the tea towel and let them rise 15-30 minutes. They should look puffy but don't need to have doubled.



Meanwhile, heat (to 350) about 3 inchs of oil in a heavy pot. Fry the doughnuts (2 or 3 at a time works well) flipping at least once to insure that they are golden brown on all sides, about 2 minutes.



Drain on paper towel lined plates or baking pans. Repeat for remaining doughnuts. Frost cooled doughnuts if desired. Eat the same day they are made.



Yield: about 12 doughnuts

My thoughts:

Cider doughnuts are an Autumn classic found at apple orchards and farmers markets all over the US. Traditionally cider doughnuts are cake doughnuts (doughnuts made with baking powder rather than yeast) but I vastly prefer the texture of yeast raised doughnuts. For that reason I came up with this recipe that has the subtle sweetness of the traditional cider doughnut but instead of being dense and cakey, they are light and fluffy.

Doughnut making is so rewarding, hardly anyone makes doughnuts at home anymore so it seems like an especially special treat. The dough is very easy to work with and it is almost magical how they transform from cut up dough to doughnuts in just a couple of minutes in the pan.

The flavor of these doughnuts is wonderful, the doughnut itself is just barely sweet but full of cider flavor and the sweet icing complements them perfectly. You could also dip them in granulated or confectioners sugar if you want to skip making icing but you'd be missing out.

Apple Cider Spiked Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup apple cider
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Madeira
2 cinnamon sticks

Directions:
Place the cranberries, apple cider, sugar and cinnamon sticks in a medium saucepan and, stirring occasionally, cook for 20 minutes over medium high heat to reduce and thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the Madeira. Remove the cinnamon sticks and serve.

Spring this recipe!

My thoughts:

We created this cranberry sauce recipe to reflect the other flavors in the food we were serving: the apple cider and Madeira were also present in the turkey, and the gravy. This created a sort of flow of flavors in the meal. Even though each dish had very different tastes, they all had similar notes of flavor.

Apple Cider Basted Roast Turkey

Ingredients:
1 16 lb turkey*
1 cup apple cider
� cup Madeira
2 cups chicken or turkey stock
1 large onion, cut into 8 pieces
1 bunch parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450. Combine the broth, Madeira, apple cider and pour on the bottom of the roasting pan. Scatter the onion chunks on top of the broth/cider mixture. Meanwhile, rinse the turkey off with cold water. Place on the rack and position in the roasting pan. You can rub the turkey with a tablespoon of oil and salt and pepper if you desire. Stick the bunch of parsley inside the empty cavity of the turkey. Roast at 450 for � an hour then reduce heat to 325 and continue to roast for about 2 � hours, basting with juices from the pan every � hour, or until the juices run clear and the leg is easily moved. You may choose to tent the breast of the turkey about � an hour in for tender meat. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes before carving. Remove stuffing balls if necessary and reserve juices to make gravy.

*you could use this same recipe using a chicken, just reduce the cooking time accordingly.

Spring this recipe!

My thoughts:

This recipe not only produces a moist and flavorful turkey with beautiful brown skin, but its drippings produce moist stuffing and an excellent base for homemade gravy. It also roasts for only about 3 hours, not bad for a 16 lb turkey.

Apple Cider and Madeira Turkey Gravy

Ingredients:
Juices from the turkey*, strained for lumps
� cup flour
� cup Madeira
1 cup apple cider
1 cup chicken or turkey stock

Directions:
In a large sauce pan, over medium heat, whisk together the juices, cider, Madeira, and stock. Whisk in flour then bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until thickened. If it is overly thick, you can thin it out with a bit more stock.

*You could, of course, follow the same instructions with a chicken to make chicken gravy.


Spring this recipe!

My thoughts:

We created this gravy to accentuate the flavors we roasted the turkey with and we were rewarded with a very rich and surprisingly savory gravy. Yummy over turkey, stuffing or mashed potatoes.

Butternut Squash Muffins

Ingredients:
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 cups cooked butternut squash*, drained and cooled
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 3 loaf pans or line 3 dozen muffin wells**. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, allspice, cloves, salt,baking powder and nutmeg. In a large bowl, beat together oil, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and mix thoroughly. Stir in squash, apple cider and ginger. Incorporate the flour mixture one cup at a time until thoroughly combined and lump-free. Pour into prepared tins and bake 15-20 minutes for muffins and up to 1 hour for bread. A toothpick insert in the center muffin or bread should come out clean.


*cut in half, brush lightly with oil and roast on a pan for about 1 hour or until soft, remove from skin.
**we made 2 dozen muffins and one loaf of bread.

My thoughts:

These are an excellent alternative to the more ubiquitous pumpkin breads and muffins. Not that they aren't good on their own merits but butternut squash has its own subtle flavor that is exceptional in muffins and quick breads and often over looked.

Apple Cider Cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 2/3 cup flour
1 cup pasturized apple cider
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line 12 cupcake wells. In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, beat well. Add the baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir. Add the flour alternatly with the apple cider until throughly combined. Pour into prepared cupcake pan, filling each cup 3/4 way full. Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the center cupcake comes out clean.

Great with caramel frosting.

My thoughts:

It's apple cider time again. We bought a jug yesterday and I thought it would be fun to do something with it besides just drinking it. I had heard of (but never have had the good fortune to taste) apple cider doughnuts and felt the next logical evolution of apple cider baked goods should be cupcakes. They are suprisingly light and fluffy. I was worried that you wouldn't be able to taste the apple cider but you really can and tell that it is apple cider (which I like) and not apple juice (which I don't).