"Boscoe Bakes"... Zesty Apple Crisp

I've loved apple crisp since I was a little kid, and that's a long time since I'm 6'5". Maybe it was the apples that triggered the tall gene, I'll never know for sure.  One thing I do know, is that I became fanatical about perfecting the balance between the sweet crunchy topping (YUM) and the tart, semi firm composition of the luscious apple filling. I didn't want the topping to be too crunchy or overly sweet, and I wanted the apple filling to be just a tad tart and not mushy or too hard. So after years of experimenting with apple varieties, sugar, flour and or oatmeal toppings, wiping out countless apple orchards and playing around with the tartness and mouth feel components, I came up with the following recipe. I found that Granny Smith apples were the perfect starting point. They were firm, tart and held up nicely under fire. A topping made with flour, sugar, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg seemed to marry nicely with the apples, and a touch of zest added a special touch that made for a very harmonious union.  This delicious dessert is simple to make, elegant enough for company and guaranteed to disappear. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream or lots of home made whipped cream. It is also wonderful at room temperature or even cold. If I have it made up in my freezer, I often serve this dessert with home made apple crisp ice cream. Now that's really taking it over the top, but the extra effort is certainly well worth the accolades you'll get in return. The recipe for this yummy dessert follows, and I'll post the recipe for my apple crisp ice cream in the near future. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

12 Granny Smith apples

1 zest of one orange

1 tablespoon dark rum

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon (heaping) cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:

Peel, core and slice the apples. Cut slices into 1-inch chunks. Toss the apples with the zest, rum and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the apple mixture into an ungreased 13x9 inch baking dish. Using a pastry blender or your food processor, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until they resemble coarse bread crumbs. If doing this in your food processor, take care not to over blend. Scatter the topping evenly over the apples. Tap the dish a couple of times on the counter to settle in the crumbs.  Bake for 50 - 55 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the juices are bubbling. Check apples with a skewer for your desired level of  firmness.   

"Boscoe's Bakes"... White Chocolate Orange Cranberry Oatmeal Crisps

Yesterday my friend Deb from Smitten Kitchen provided me with the inspiration I needed to decide which cookie to bake for a friend. She posted her fabulous experience making crispy oatmeal cookies from a recipe provided by Cook's Magagzine. http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/05/crispy-salted-oatmeal-white-chocolate-cookies/#more-497  and was completely in awe with the results. Having made these wonderful cookies previously, but not with white chocolate,  I decided to add the white chocolate and include minced cranberries and orange zest as well.  The results were absolutely wonderful.  With each crunchy bite, you encounter smooth white chocolate married to cranberries with a lovely citrus touch. These highly addictive cookies are great plain, or make a wonderful dunking companion with coffee or milk. I doubled the recipe, only used 4 cups of oatmeal and added 1 cup of "real" white chocolate chips, 1/2 cup of minced orange flavored cranberries and 2 teaspoons of orange zest. The combination of white chocolate, cranberries and orange zest.......Priceless!

"Boscoe Bakes" Cranberry Apple Pandowdy........."Welcome Y'all.... Comfort Food"

For those of you who don't know what a "Pandowdy" is, I'll conduct a brief "Pandowdy 101" and make it as brief as possible (ya, right!) The rest of you "pandowdies in the know", take heart......... I've included pictures of this marvelous creation in its' various stages of evolution for your viewing pleasure. Feel free to nod, ooh, aw, and lick your chops.  You know this is going to be good! Quite simply, the "Pandowdy" actually takes its' origin from the word "dowdy" which is "a woman who is unfashionably or unattractively dressed. So in order to achieve this social faux pas using fruit, you must "dowdy" it up! Quite simply, half way through the baking process (see picture), remove the pandowdy from the oven, and then ignoring all "fashionable and attractive fruit etiquette" score the crust into squares. Then either using a spoon, or pastry brush, submerge or "paint" each square with the succulent brewing juices, and then return this masterpiece to the oven to complete the "dowdiness" process. I guess this would be similar to throwing a gallon of "complimentary" paint on someone in their prom dress, and then hitting it with a hair dryer to complete the effect!  Once this comes out of the oven, let it rest for 20-25 minutes, and then serve it with your choice of heavy cream, flavored whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. So....... there you have it. My recipe for this disheveled but disarmingly decadent dessert, follows. Enjoy!  

Boscoe's Cranberry Apple Pandowdy

I start with the basic "Apple Pandowdy" recipe from "The All New All Purpose "Joy of Cooking" on page 894. I quadruple the recipe (i.e. 16 medium apples, etc.) and add one 12 ounce bag of whole (fresh or frozen) cranberries. Additionally, I include the zest from one orange and a tablespoon of good dark rum. These additions add vibrancy and zest, while comfortably pairing the fruit with the complimentary spices. 

"Boscoe Bakes 911"...........Blueberry Orange Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I received a 911 call from a friend in need.  He was informed that he had to fill in for a regular meeting coordinator this evening, and didn't have anything to provide that would go along with the coffee service.  Usually the hostess would bring or bake something delicious, and in her absence, she told him to call me!  Suddenly I'm in love with this women........but we'll save that for another time.  So, I quickly got to work and prepared an old time favorite.  This delicious coffee cake is loaded with blueberries and is companioned with a lovely orange sour cream cake. The orange zest adds just enough color to offset the deep, dark blue provided by the blueberries, and the Grand Marnier fine tunes the orange accents. Preparation is a breeze, and I guarantee you won't have any leftovers.  See for yourself.......

"Boscoe's" Blueberry Orange Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) at room temperature
  
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
  
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
  
• 1 cup sour cream
  
• 1 tablespoon GOOD vanilla extract
  
• 2 teaspoons Grand Marnier
  
• Zest of one orange
  
• 2 cups all purpose flour
  
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 lb 5 oz of home made blueberry pie filling, or 1-21 oz can blueberry pie filling
  
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  
• 2 teaspoons (generous) cinnamon
  

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine butter, sugar, eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, Grand Marnier and orange zest. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrap down sides and mix again for 1 minute at medium setting. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Add to butter mixture and blend until just combined. Spread half of the batter into a greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Spread blueberry filling evenly over batter. Cover blueberry filling evenly with remaining half of batter. Mix together the sugars and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the coffee cake. Bake in 350 F oven for 65-70 minutes.

"Boscoe Bakes... "Signature" Carrot Cake"............One That Almost Got Away!

I am constantly cooking or baking something, and usually forget to methodically plan out the "camera" thing in the scheme of things. Several wonderful dishes have come and gone, and you, my cherished comrades, are none the wiser. It seems I always remember the "Kodak" moment once it has actually come and gone, or just barely get the tail end of it. AND as I may have said before, I am NOT a trained photographer and only know from past experiences that Food Stylists are an expensive and necessary evil if you want your finished product(s) to sizzle. So please forgive my previous faux pas and bear with me as I take a crash course in "Food Styling and Camera Awareness 101". AND while we are on the subject, I am pleased as punch to share with you the TOP SECRET recipe for my "Signature" Carrot Cake.  This recipe has been a cherished favorite for several years, and I've only once before shared this with somebody VERY special! So that means that while I may be commiting heresy according to my friends, it's my way of making up for all the times I made something wonderful and forgot to tell you about it. Enjoy, and this is a reposting of my original, which I promptly deleted while editing for "pictorial" inclusions.......

Ingredients:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
  
• 1-1/2 cups vegetable oil (safflower or corn) or 1 cup of oil and 1/2 cup applesauce
  
• 3 large eggs - at room temperature
  
• 2 cups of grated carrots
  
• 1 cup of undrained crushed pineapple
  
• 2 teaspoons of GOOD vanilla extract
  
• 1 teaspoon GOOD dark rum
  
• 2 cups sifted all purpose flour
  
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
  
• 2 "generous" teaspoons cinnamon
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 cup chopped toasted nuts - walnut or pecan pieces
  
• 1 cup raisins, dried "orange" cranberries or a mixture of both
  

Prepare the Cake:

In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the sugar, oil, eggs, carrots, pineapple and extracts. Mix on medium speed 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add to wet mixture. Mix on medium speed 2-3 minutes until thoroughly incorporated. Fold in nuts and fruit if desired. Mix on low for 1 minute or until gently incorporated. Scrape mixture into an oiled and floured 13x9 inch pan and bake at 350 F. for 60 minutes, or into 2-9 inch oiled and floured cake pans and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on rack for 20 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. 13x9 inch cake can also be left in pan to cool completely.

Orange Butter Cream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1-4 oz stick unsalted butter at room temperature
  
• 1-8 ounce package of cream cheese at room temperature
  
• 1 pound of sifted confectioner's sugar
  
• Zest of 1 orange
  
• 4-5 teaspoons of Grand Marnier or fresh squeezed orange juice
  

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Mix till thoroughly incorporated and creamy. Add the zest and mix in completely. Introduce half of the sugar and mix at medium speed till completely blended. Add remaining half of sugar and 2-3 teaspoons of Grand Marnier or orange juice. Blend together thoroughly. Add remaining Grand Marnier or orange juice if desired and mix completely. Frosting is ready for use, or can be refrigerated. Refrigerate any remaining frosting in closed container. Frosted cake should be kept refrigerated until desired. Let cake sit at room temperature for 45 minutes before serving.

The Verdit Is In..........Dorie's Banana Cake and Modified Cheesecake Declared Winners

Tonight I hosted my weekly get together with good friends who have lovingly dubbed this gathering "The Pastry Meeting." And tonight, the Classic Banana Bundt Cake by Dorie Greenspan and my modified White Chocolate Cheesecake from Taste of Home were displayed and digested with mucho gusto.  In fact, at the end of our meeting, the few pieces remaining brought on a "bartering" session which actually got rather colorful!  Comments on the Banana Cake were rich with praise for a very banana flavor, superb texture and perfect moisture. I made Dorie's cake as per her recipe, with one addition.  I added the zest of one lemon. The cheesecake ellicited remarks about the lovely hint of orange, rich texture and creamy decadence.  Even though I personally didn't care for the little remnants of white chocolate chips in the final product, most in attendance loved it!  So, I'll make it again, this time with the white chocolate melted before incorporating, and see what happens.  Either way, both of these cakes were definite winners and will reappear in future episodes of "The Pastry Meeting."

Press Release: My Inspiration...."Geraldine The Cookie Maven".....Revealed... First "Signature" Cake Unveiled

For Immediate Release "Lights, Cameras.......Action"......... My "inspiration", Geraldine the self professed "cookie maven" who knighted me "The Cookie Doctor", has agreed to go public.  And she has requested that I name a "piece" in her honor.  Well, needless to say, I immediately agreed that this request should be honored ASAP, but then wasn't quite sure what piece I should grace with her name.  At first, I thought it only befitting that I choose one of my "signature" cookies for this honor.  But suddenly it dawned on me that the wonderful coffee cake I was actually making as we spoke, would indeed be the perfect choice. (People always call when I start my mixer!) This cake has "royalty" written all over it.  It is a lovely, rich sour cream coffee cake that highlights cranberry and orange, is enrobed with strawberry preserves and delicately crowned with almond icing. It also shares some of the same ingredients that comprise one of my favorite cookies, so this honor is very fitting indeed.  Well folks, without further ado....... I am honored to present to you my First "Signature" Piece....."Geraldine"

                           "Geraldine"

A Cranberry Orange Sour Cream Coffee Cake

For the Cake:

• 3/4 cup of unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups of granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons of pure almond extract
• zest of one large orange
• 3 Cups of all purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups of sour cream
• 1-16 ounce can of whole cranberries

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup of Dickinson's Strawberry perserves
• 2 teaspoons of pure almond extract

For the Icing:

• 1 cup of confectioner's sugar 
  
• 4 teaspoons of water
• 2 teaspoons of pure almond extract

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350'. Butter and flour a 10 inch bundt or tube pan. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add eggs, one at at a time, and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add extract and zest, mix to incorporate.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture with half of the sour cream and mix well.  Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and sour cream and mix until incorporated.  Do NOT overmix.  Dough will be somewhat sponge like in consistency. Spread approximately 1/3 of the batter into the pan and top with 1/3 of the cranberry sauce.  Be careful to spread cranberry sauce into middle of the pan, avoiding contact with sides and center of pan. It might make cake removal difficult. Repeat twice more. Bake cake for 65-70 minutes, or until cake tested inserted into center comes out clean.

While cake is baking, heat preserves in pyrex measuring cup in microwave oven until bubbling, approximately 2-1/2 minutes on high.  Add almond extract and mix thoroughly.  Set aside.  

When cake is done, cool in pan for 20 minutes. Reheat strawberry almond glaze till very hot and viscous. Line a large baking sheet with wax paper or freezer wrap.  Remove cake from pan and place on wire rack. Place on top of covered baking sheet. Brush on hot glaze and cover cake completely. Use all of the glaze to ensure cake is thoroughly enrobbed.  Let cake cool 5-6 hours. 

Combine icing ingredients, mix until desired consistency and drizzle over cake in a decorative fashion. Let cake rest at least 1 hour before serving.