Hamptons Recipe Box: All About Apples

In Hamptons Recipe Box, we’ll be sharing recipes from for our foodie readers to enjoy. You’ll find great ideas from professional chefs, longtime family traditions and more. Today’s recipe comes from Dan’s Papers’ Art & Production Manager Genevieve Horsburgh.

This week is dedicated to one of my favorite fruits – the apple. Apple mania has hit my house with a delicious bang. I love this time of year – fall always means apple picking in my foodie brain.

This fall, I took my apple picking obsession upstate to the Catskills, where my cousin swears by an orchard that is situated high atop a mountain in the middle of nowheresville. I can’t remember the last time I saw so many apples on the trees. The branches of these apple trees were so completely covered with the ripest apples I’ve ever had the chance to pick – the hard part was only picking what you needed – and not running off with an entire branch. And not only were there enough apples to feed a small country for a couple years, there were freshly made Apple Cider Doughnuts – an apple-licious tradition that I’ve only enjoyed upstate.

So in the spirit of apple picking, I’m sharing two delectable recipes with you all, both of which come from my Grandmother’s recipe box.

Easy Apple Cake
2 cups peels and finely diced apples
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup chopped walnuts

Mix apples with sugar. Allow to stand for 15 minutes; then add oil and egg, stir well.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; add to apple mixture. Add vanilla and nuts, and mix until batter is well combined. Pour into a greased and floured 8-inch square baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 40 minutes, or until toothpick, when inserted, comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, and then turn cake out on rack. Dust with confectioner’s sugar (or serve with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce…YUM)

Harvest Apple Pie

Flaky Crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup butter-flavor shortening
1 egg
¼ cup cold water
1 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar

Apple-Cider Filling:
6 medium apples
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon shortening
3 tablespoons apple cider or apple juice

Glaze:
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon sugar

For crust: In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar and salt. With pastry blender (or the two fork method) cut in shortening to resemble coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, beat together egg, water and vinegar until well mixed. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture until dough forms a ball; divide dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerated for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the filling, peel and thinly slice apples. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut shortening into sugar mixture until coarse crumbs form. Add apples and apple cider, combine gently.

Preheat your over to 375-degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll one half of dough 1-inch large all around than your 9-inch pie plate. Spoon filling into crust.

Roll your remaining dough as you did the first one. Carefully place on top of pie filling, and crimp the edges to seal them. Cut small slits on the top of your pie to allow some steam to seep through.

For the glaze, brush top crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 25 minutes, then cover the rim of your pie with foil so that it does not burn. Bake for another 20-25 minutes, until pie is golden brown. Cool for an hour before serving.

More from Genevieve Horsburgh:
Quinoa Pilaf
Honey Balsamic Chicken
Stuffed Shells and Pasta Sauce
Chocolate Bliss Trifle
Oreo Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes

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