Molly Oneills Apple Cake Food

APPLE COFFEE CAKE WITH CRUMBLE TOPPING AND BROWN SUGAR GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter.
• In a large bowl, cream together the remaining stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after the addition of each. In a separate bowl or on a piece of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the apples. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading out to the edges.
• To make the topping, in a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.
• To make the glaze, in a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly. Serve warm.

SPICED APPLE PIE

Steps:

• For the filling: Cut the apples into 1/4-inch slices and place them in a large bowl. Toss with the lemon juice to keep them from browning. Add the brown sugar, cornstarch, Warm Spice Blend, kosher salt and cinnamon and toss to combine. Mix in the boiled cider syrup and vanilla. Cover the mixture and let it sit at room temperature while you make the pie dough.
• For the pie dough: Add the flour, granulated sugar and kosher salt to a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse to incorporate so that about three-quarters of the mixture is mealy and the rest has some slightly larger, pea-sized bits of butter. Combine the ice water and cider vinegar in a measuring cup. Drizzle the water and vinegar into the food processor and continue to pulse just until the mixture comes together to form a dough. If it seems dry or is having a hard time coming together, add a bit more water, a few drops at a time, until it comes together.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and use your hands to press on any stray crumbs. Divide the dough in half, then divide one of the halves in half again so that you have 3 pieces of dough. Pat each piece into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to roll out for the pie.
• For the assembly: Flour a work surface and roll out the largest disc of dough into a circle just larger than 12 inches. Place it in a 9-inch pie plate and refrigerate. Roll out the 2 remaining dough discs to about 10 inches each. Cut the dough into 2-inch-wide strips for making a lattice top. Set the strips aside.
• Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven (with a pizza stone if you have one) and preheat to 400 degrees F.
• Fill the pie crust with the apples (it will seem like a lot but they bake down!) and pour the juices over it. Distribute the butter over the top. Weave the dough strips together over and under to form a lattice crust over the top. Pinch the edges to seal, trim, fold the edges over and crimp. Give the edges a little hug to make sure they are sitting snugly on the rim of the pie plate; otherwise they could fall off in the oven. Freeze the pie for 15 minutes.
• Brush the lattice with the egg wash, then sprinkle with the turbinado sugar and flaky salt. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake until the internal temperature reaches 195 degrees F, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Serve the pie with large dollops of whipped cream.
• Layer the cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a medium glass jar and tighten the lid. Shake to combine. Keep on hand to add to your favorite desserts and beverages -- or just toast with butter!

APPLE PANCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• In an 8-inch nonstick skillet over low heat, combine the brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch kosher salt. Melt together and whisk to combine. Turn the heat up to medium and bring the mixture to a boil. Allow to boil vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully add the apples and toss around until the apples are fully coated in the caramel. Reduce the heat to low and allow to bubble for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the apples begin to soften and appear translucent. Place the skillet onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (to catch any bubbled-over caramel) and bake for 5 minutes while you prepare the batter.
• In a large 8-cup liquid measure or large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar until frothy. Add the buttermilk, flour, vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and the nutmeg if using. Whisk to combine until no longer lumpy.
• Open the oven and carefully remove the pan. Pour the batter into the skillet over the apples, swirling around the perimeter and ending in the center. (Beginning on the sides and working inward gives the pancake better structure instead of just pouring all of the batter in the middle. This will also ensure that the pancake "souffles" evenly). Place back into the oven to bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the sides have risen and the edges are dark. Remove from the oven and allow to settle for a minute or two. Carefully invert on a plate. Sprinkle with flaky salt and serve immediately.

MOLLY O'NEILL'S APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9 1/2-by-12-inch baking pan and set aside. Cut the apples into quarters, peel, core and then slice as thinly as possible. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples and toss to combine. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar and toss, cooking until the apples are barely limp, about 5 minutes.
• Carefully remove the apples and set aside. Return the skillet to the heat and cook until the juices begin to turn gold. Remove immediately and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining sugar and the flour with the baking powder. In a second bowl, beat the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter with the lemon zest. Add the milk, the salt and the lightly beaten eggs and yolks to the butter mixture, stirring with a fork to combine. Beating constantly with a fork or whisk, add the sugar and flour mixture until combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, top with the apples, drizzle the honey-hued juice over the apples and bake for about 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake can be removed dry. Serve immediately, with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or mascarpone cheese if desired.

ZUCCHINI CAKE WITH GINGER AND HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, orange juice, zest, ginger and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the flour and stir until just combined. Fold in the zucchini and hazelnuts.
• Butter and flour a tube pan. Scrape the batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Slice and serve.

SWEET POTATOES BAKED WITH LEMON

Steps:

• Rinse the potatoes under warm water. Place in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are just tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain and let cool.
• Combine the sugar, ½ cup water, nutmeg, lemon zest and salt in a medium saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes. Add 5 tablespoons butter and stir well. When the butter has melted, remove from the heat and beat in the lemon juice. Set aside.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Peel the sweet potatoes and slice into 1/2-inch disks. Use the remaining tablespoon of butter to grease a shallow baking dish. Lay the sweet potatoes in the dish in a single layer and pour the lemon syrup on top. Bake until bubbling hot, about 30 minutes.

OLIVE-OIL-AND-APPLE-CIDER CAKE

Steps:

• Place the apples and 1/2 cup apple cider in a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the apples are falling apart. Mash the apples with a fork to make a coarse applesauce.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Brush a bundt pan or 10-inch tube pan with a light coating of the olive oil. Dust the pan with 1 tablespoon of the flour and tap out any excess.
• Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside. Stir together the remaining cider and 1/2 cup of the applesauce.
• In a large bowl, whip the eggs with the sugar until tripled in volume, about 8 minutes. Fold in 1/3 of the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in half of the cider-applesauce mixture. Gently fold in the olive oil, deflating the batter as little as possible. Alternate the remaining dry ingredients and the cider mixture, ending with dry ingredients. Gently pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Put the cake on a rack to cool completely. Serve with applesauce or fruit compote and whipped cream, if desired.

INDIVIDUAL GINGERBREAD-APPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter 8 cups of a muffin tin. Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the apples and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar and stir until melted. Divide the mixture among the muffin cups and set aside.
• Cream the remaining 1/4 cup butter with the sugar. Mix in the egg. Slowly mix in the boiling water and then the molasses. Sift the dry ingredients together and then stir them into the batter.
• Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake until the top springs back when touched, about 25 minutes.
• Using a serrated knife, cut off just enough of the top of the cakes to make them level. Turn the cakes out of the tin. Immediately place on plates with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of creme fraiche and serve.

MOLLY O'NEILL'S CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir in the almonds. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, yolks, sugar and orange zest. Add the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Coat your hands with flour and shape each piece into a log about 12 inches long. Place the logs on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
• Bake until lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees. While the logs are still warm, cut them on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place cut-side down on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets and bake until firm, about 20 minutes. Place on a rack and let cool completely.