Mangia Bene Pasta
Apple Dessert Recipes
Italian Apple Cake
"Torte di Mele"
(Serves 6 to 8)
2 medium-size apples
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
4 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur or almond extract
Confectioners' sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
Do not peel the apples. Cut them into 1/2 inch cubes and discard the cores.
Place apples in a bowl. Drizzle lemon juice over them and toss to coat.
Add raisins, coconut, walnuts, and granulated sugar to the apples. Mix to combine.
In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, combine the eggs and sugar until slightly thick and light yellow.
Beat in the melted butter and amaretto.
Add the flour mixture and beat just enough to combine.
Stir the apple mixture into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown.
Transfer cake to a rack to cool.
Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.
Italian Apple Crumb Cheesecake
Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Apple Mixture:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 pounds Macintosh (or similar) apples
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Crumb Topping:
1-1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Cheesecake:
16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
To make the crust:
Combine the melted butter, crumbs, and sugar.
Press into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. Set aside.
To make the apple mixture:
Peel and core the apples; cut the apples into 1/2-inch dice
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat.
Add the brown sugar, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
Cook until the apples are soft but still holding their shape. Set aside to cool.
To make the crumb topping:
In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients and set aside.
To make the cheesecake:
Using an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time and then add the cream.
Continue beating until the mixture is thick and creamy.
Gently stir in the cooled apple mixture by hand.
Pour the cheesecake batter into the spring form pan.
Spread the crumb topping over the top.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Allow to cool to room temperature before removing the sides of the pan.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Apple Fritters
(Serves 4-6)
3 firm crisp apples
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup rum
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup flour
3/4 to 1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vegetable oil for frying
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Peel and core the apples.
Cut the apples horizontally to make 1/2 inch thick slices.
In a shallow bowl, combine the granulated sugar, rum, and lemon juice.
Put the apple slices into the mixture and turn them several times to coat them
Set aside for 1 hour.
Put 1 cup of water in a shallow bowl and gradually add the flour, shaking it through a strainer.
When all of the flour has been added, the batter should have the consistency of pancake batter.
If the batter is too thin, add a little more flour, if it is too thick, add more water.
Stir in the vanilla extract.
Pour enough oil into a wide skillet to come 1/2 inch up the sides. Put over high heat.
Take the apple slices out of the bowl and pat them dry with paper towels.
When the oil is hot, dip the apples in the batter and place into the skillet without crowding.
Fry to a golden brown on one side, then turn and fry the other side.
Transfer to a wire rack to drain.
When all the slices are cooked, dust them with confectioners' sugar and serve hot.
Italian Pear and Apple Tart
4 tablespoons melted butter
6 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 egg
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup milk
2 pears
2 apples
1/2 cup fine macaroon crumbs
Confectioners' sugar
Whipped cream for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a bowl, combine the butter, 4 tablespoons sugar, egg, flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and
milk.
Pour into a greased 9 or 10-inch tart pan.
Peel and core the pears and apples. Cut into thin slices.
Alternate layers of the pears and apples over the cake batter.
Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with the macaroon crumbs.
Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the fruit.
Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Dust top with confectioners' sugar.
Serve topped with whipped cream, if desired.
Apple Pie with Streusel Topping
Makes 1 (8 to 9-inch) pie
Single Crust Pastry:
1-1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
4 ounces unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar.
Add the butter cubes and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal.
Add water, a little at a time, through the feed tube with the machine running.
Add water until the dough is just moist enough to hold together.
Form dough into a ball.
Flatten to a 1/2-inch thick round on a floured surface.
Roll out to a circle 1 inch larger than pie pan.
Transfer pastry to pie pan without stretching.
Turn under edges and crimp.
Refrigerate while preparing filling and topping.
Apple Filling:
4 cups apples (peeled and cored), cut into coarse 1-inch chunks
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
Combine apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and lemon in a bowl.
Toss lightly to mix.
Pour into pastry-lined pie pan.
Dot with butter.
Add Streusel Topping.
Streusel Topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Confectioners' sugar (optional)
In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Cut in butter until crumbly.
Stir in nuts.
Use your hands to form a crumb consistency.
Sprinkle evenly over apple filling.
To Bake:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Bake 40-45 minutes until filling bubbles near center.
Remove and cool to room temperature before serving.
Sprinkle top with confectioners' sugar before serving, if desired.
Caramel-Apple Coffee Cake
Makes 2 (8-inch) round coffee cakes
Cake:
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups apples, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
Caramel Topping:
2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups pecans, chopped and toasted
To make the cake:
Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.
Grease 2 (8-inch) round baking pans.
In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
Stir until just blended. Batter will be stiff.
Fold in apples and pecans.
Divide batter evenly between prepared baking pans.
Bake 45-50 minutes until tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Allow to cool 10 minutes then remove from baking pans.
Transfer to wire racks and allow to cool 20-30 minutes.
To make the caramel topping:
Place all ingredients, except pecans, in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.
Cook 3-5 minutes until mixture has a pudding-like thickness.
Remove from heat.
Spoon warm caramel topping evenly over coffeecakes.
Sprinkle with 1-1/2 cups pecans.
Apple Crostata
Crust:
1-1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening (Crisco)
Ice water
Crunch Topping:
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
3 medium-size apples (we like McIntosh)
1/4 cup sugar
1 heaping tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
3-4 tablespoons apricot preserves
Egg wash: 1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
To make the crust:
In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar.
Pulse in butter and shortening until mixture looks like cornmeal.
Add just enough water until dough starts to come together.
Flatten into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate about 30 minutes.
To make the crunch topping:
In a bowl, combine all the topping ingredients.
Work the mixture together with your fingers to create a crumbly texture.
Set aside.
To make the apple filling:
Peel, quarter, and thinly slice apples.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Add the apples and gently toss to coat them with the mixture.
Preheat oven to 375° F.
On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle.
Spread the apricot preserves over the center, leaving a 3-inch border.
Place 3/4 of the crunch topping over, still leaving the border.
Lay the apple slices in concentric circles, adding layers until all the apples are used.
Sprinkle with remaining topping.
Gently fold the dough border up and around the edges of the filling.
Carefully slide the paper with the crostata onto a baking sheet.
Brush the top of the dough with the egg wash.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and cover dough with foil to prevent burning.
Return to oven and bake additional 15 minutes.
Transfer crostata with paper to a wire rack to cool.
Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.
Baked Apples with Amaretti Cookies
(Serves 4)
4 large crisp tart apples
18-20 (1 inch diameter) amaretti cookies *
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup water combined with 1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
4 to 6 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
Cream or half and half
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Core the apples from the stem end but do not go all the way through the bottom.
Pierce the apples' skin all over, using a fork or knife tip
Crush the amaretti cookies to a coarse consistency.
Mix half of the cookie crumbs with the soft butter.
Divide the butter mixture into 4 equal parts and fill each apple cavity.
Put the apples in a baking dish.
Pour the wine mixture over them.
Place the baking dish on the uppermost rack in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Combine the remaining cookie crumbs and walnuts in a small baking pan.
Put the cookie crumb mixture in the oven 10 minutes before the apples are to be removed.
Remove apples and crumb mixture from the oven.
Transfer the apples to serving dishes.
Drizzle some of the liquid in the baking dish over the apples.
Place the chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave 45 to 60 seconds to melt.
Stir the chocolate until smooth.
Stir in a tablespoon or more cream until the chocolate is of pouring consistency.
Drizzle some of the chocolate sauce over the apples.
Top each apple with some of the cookie crumb-walnut mixture.
Serve warm.
*Note:
Crumbled biscotti may be substituted for the amaretti cookies.
Use about 6 (4 to 5-inch) biscotti