Brandied Apple Cobbler Food

BRANDIED APPLE RINGS

Steps:

• Place apple rings in a bowl and pour in enough water to cover. Add lemon juice to water.
• Bring sugar and 3 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan; cook and stir until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Add apples to sugar-water mixture and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until apples are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack apple rings into hot, sterilized jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Keep syrup in the saucepan.
• Bring the syrup back to a boil and add brandy; cook and stir until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle the syrup over apple rings, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top.
• Run a knife or thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 15 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

APPLE COBBLER

Steps:

• Simmer raisins and Calvados in a small saucepan over medium heat until liquid is reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let macerate, covered, 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.
• While raisins macerate, peel and core apples, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Toss with lemon juice.
• Melt butter in skillet and sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over it. Add apples along with raisins and Calvados (skillet will be full). Cook apples over medium-high heat, without stirring, until juices are deep golden and bubbling, 18 to 23 minutes (don't worry if juices color unevenly). Transfer skillet to oven and bake, uncovered, 20 minutes.
• Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt, then add 3/4 cup cream and stir just until a dough forms. Gather dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Gently knead 6 times, then pat dough into an 8-inch round. Cut out as many rounds as possible with lightly floured cutter. Gather scraps and pat out, then cut out more rounds. (You will have about 12.)
• Arrange biscuits on apples about 1/2 inch apart and brush tops with remaining tablespoon cream. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar and bake until biscuits are puffed and golden, about 15 minutes. Cool in skillet 20 minutes before serving.

BRANDIED APPLE COBBLER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Generously butter shallow 5-to 6-quart baking pan.
• Spread apple slices in bottom of pan; sprinkle with walnuts, raisins, currants and dates.
• Drizzle with 1/2 cup applejack or Calvados.
• Combine flour,sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl.
• Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Blend in half-and-half to form thick, smooth batter.
• Drop by heaping teaspoons on top of apple mixture to cover completely.
• Blend brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, coriander, salt and nutmeg and sprinkle over batter.
• Bring apple cider to boil; gently pour over cobbler.
• Place cobbler on foil-lined baking sheet.
• Bake cobbler until tester inserted in center comes clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours, depending on juiciness of apples.
• Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.

BRANDIED APPLE CHALLAH FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil; set aside. Slice the challah into eight 3/4- to 1-inch-thick pieces. Whisk the eggs and half-and-half in a large shallow dish, then whisk in the granulated sugar, salt and vanilla until the sugar is dissolved and the custard is smooth. Put the confectioners' sugar in a fine-mesh strainer.
• Add 4 slices of bread to the custard and let soak, turning once, until saturated but not falling apart, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the soaked bread, letting the excess custard drip off, then immediately dust with some of the confectioners' sugar. Cook until the bottom of the bread is golden, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and dust with more confectioners' sugar. Continue to cook, flipping twice more and dusting with more confectioners' sugar each time, until both sides are browned and caramelized, about 5 more minutes; add 1/2 tablespoon more butter when the skillet is dry. Transfer to the baking sheet. Add 1 more tablespoon butter to the skillet and repeat with the remaining bread, custard and confectioners' sugar; add 1/2 tablespoon more butter to the skillet when needed. Transfer the baking sheet with all the French toast to the oven and bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, wipe out the skillet and add 4 tablespoons butter; increase the heat to medium high. Add the apples and cardamom and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned in spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the honey, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the brandy and carefully tilt the pan or use a long lighter to ignite. Cook until the apples are glazed and soft but not falling apart, 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and swirl to melt and slightly thicken the sauce.
• Divide the French toast among plates. Spoon the apples and sauce on top.

APPLE COBBLER WITH OATMEAL

Steps:

• For best results with this recipe, use apples that hold their shape when baking and aren't too tart.
• Do not use Macintosh apples (too soft) or Red Delicious (too bland).
• I prefer Cortlands or Empires.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees- if you have a convection oven, do NOT use the convection feature- the dessert will be dry and overcooked on top.
• Use the regular baking feature.
• This recipe isn't good for microwave use.
• Peel and core the apples, then cut them into eighths or into large cubes.
• Distribute the apples evenly into a medium-sized ungreased baking dish (I like the white Corning/Pyrex oval dishes) and sprinkle the white sugar and cinnamon over top.
• Distribute 1 tbsp of the margarine in dollops throughout the top of the apples (no need to try to stir it in).
• In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine the remaining margarine, the oats, brown sugar and flour using your hands or a pastry whisk until it forms a crumbly, dry-ish mixture.
• (Note: if you like lots of crumble topping, feel free to double the ingredient quantities for the toppping).
• Pour the mixture over top of the apples and spread it out evenly so that all the apples are covered and the edges and corners hidden.
• Pat the mixture down lightly so that it looks sort of like a crust.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the crumb top has darkened to a golden brown colour.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
• Spoon out portions into large bowls and serve with ice cream, thick sweetened yoghurt or milk.

CARAMEL APPLE COBBLER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°.
• Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; add the apples.
• In a saucepan, bring the heavy cream, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brandy, 2 tablespoons butter, the vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil, whisking.
• Lower the heat to medium and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes; pour over the apples.
• In a food processor, combine the flour, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the cinnamon.
• Cut the remaining 1 1/2 sticks butter into 1/2-inch pieces; add to the flour mixture and pulse until coarse crumbs form; stir in the nuts.
• Scatter the topping over the apples and bake until golden, 1 hour.
• Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Serve with the whipped cream.

RON'S BRANDY APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: In a large bowl, sift together flours, sugar, salt, baking powder, and mace. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until pea-size clumps form. In a small bowl, whisk together brandy, vanilla, and whole egg. Pour into flour mixture and blend with a fork until mixture is moist and holds together.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface. Divide in two. Sprinkle with just enough flour and sugar to coat. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap. Flatten and form two disks. Wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour before using.
• Make the filling: In a large bowl, sift together sugars, flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and mace; set aside. Place apples in another large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together brandy and vanilla; pour over apples. Add 3/4 of the flour mixture to the apples; toss to combine.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter and flour a 12-inch pie plate; set aside. Place two large sheets of plastic wrap on top of one another on a work surface. Sprinkle with enough flour and sugar to lightly coat. Place 1 disk of dough on plastic wrap, and lightly sprinkle with flour and sugar. Cover dough with 2 large pieces plastic wrap. Roll out dough between plastic wrap to a 14-inch circle. Peel off top layers of plastic wrap and flip dough over into prepared pie plate. Carefully peel off remaining layers of plastic wrap. Using scissors or a sharp paring knife, trim edges to 1 inch. Reserve trimmings.
• Sprinkle reserved flour mixture into pastry-lined pie plate. Fill with apple mixture, mounding in the center; dot with butter. Roll out second disk of dough between plastic wrap following the same process as above. Lay over apples. Cut vents into top crust. Trim edges to 1 inch and seal crimping edges with thumb and forefinger.
• Divide beaten egg yolk in half. Add enough red food coloring to half the yolk to create desired shade of red; set remaining yolk aside. Gather reserved pastry trimmings together and roll 1/8 inch thick; brush with colored yolk. Cut out into leaf shapes.
• Brush top of pie with reserved egg yolk and attach decorative shapes. Sprinkle with sugar.
• Place pie on a baking sheet. This will catch any juices that may overflow during baking. Loosely cover pie with parchment-lined aluminum foil. Transfer pie to oven and bake for about 1 hour. Reduce temperature to 375 degrees and continue baking for another hour. During the last 10 minutes of baking, remove foil so that the pie has a nice golden color. Serve pie warm.

BRANDIED PEACH COBBLER

Steps:

• For filling, in a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients except cooking spray. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring often. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F and spray an 11x7x2 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• For topping, in medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oil and milk; blend well. Fold in pecans. Pour peach mixture into baking dish. Evenly drop topping mixture by rounded tablespoons over peach mixture. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Serve cold or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.