Sweet Apple Pops Food

APPLE SPIDER WEB POPS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicon baking mat.
• Cut the apples lengthwise (stem to bottom) into 4 thick slices each. Remove any visible seeds and keep the core intact. The end slices will be rounded; cut a thin slice off so they lay flat. Poke a small hole in the bottom of each slice with a wooden ice-pop stick and push halfway into the apple.
• Combine the bittersweet chocolate and 1 teaspoon of the coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50 percent power for 30-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Add the white chocolate and remaining 1 teaspoon coconut oil to another medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50 percent power for 30-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.
• Dip half of the apple slices completely in the bittersweet chocolate, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Dip the remaining apple slices in the white chocolate. Let sit at room temperature so the chocolate thickens a bit, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Transfer the leftover dark and white chocolate to 2 separate small resealable plastic bags and snip a small corner off each bag. Pipe 3 to 4 dark chocolate concentric circles on the white chocolate-dipped apples and visa-versa. Drag a toothpick through the circles, starting the center and working your way out to create a spider web design. Refrigerate until hardened, 15 to 20 minutes.

APPLE PIE POPS

Steps:

• For the pie crust: Pulse the flour, shortening, sugar, vinegar and salt in a food processor until it looks like fine meal. Add the butter and pulse until it is in pea-size pieces. Sprinkle in 1/4 cup ice water and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Pinch the dough with your fingers; if it doesn't hold together, add up to 4 more tablespoons ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing and checking the dough after each addition. Divide the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pat each into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
• For the apple pie filling: Peel and core the apples; slice 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the sugar and lemon juice.
• Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apple mixture and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until very soft, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the flour, cinnamon and salt and cook, stirring, until the juices thicken, about 2 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Position 2 oven racks in the top and bottom third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Put the sugar in a shallow bowl and set aside.
• To assemble: Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into about 20 rounds with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, keeping the dough and rounds cool and rerolling scraps once if neccessary. Repeat with the second disk, for a total of about 40 dough rounds.
• Divide half of the dough rounds (about 20) between the baking sheets, leaving 1 inch of space around each. Dip the top 1 inch of a wooden ice-pop stick in the beaten egg and lay it on one of the rounds, positioning the tip in the center of the round. Repeat with the remaining sticks and dough rounds on the baking sheets. Dollop a generous teaspoonful of the cold apple filling in the center of each round, covering the tip of each stick. Brush the edges of the rounds with the beaten egg using a pastry brush. Put the remaining dough rounds over the rounds with the filling. Press the edges together gently to seal. Use a fork to crimp the rounds closed completely, making pops. Brush the tops with the remaining beaten egg and dust each pop with a generous pinch of sugar. Using a paring knife, make 5 small slits around the centers of each pop (they'll look like apple seeds).
• Bake, reversing the baking sheets top to bottom halfway through, until the dough is golden brown, 18 to 22 minutes. Let the pops cool on the baking sheets until cool enough to touch, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve the pops warm or at room temperature.