Apple Cheddar Turnovers

There is nothing like fresh picked apples, cold, crisp and delicious.  Pair those crisp fresh picked apples with a sharp cheddar cheese, makes a nice snack doesn't it?  Well how about wrapping fresh apples in a flaky cheese speckled pie crust, now we're talking heaven!  These easy to make Apple Cheddar Turnovers are a fantastic take with you pie.  Pack them in lunches or serve them warm with a big glass of milk.  Apples and cheddar never tasted so good!

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 Ingredients

For the crust...

2 cups all purpose flour

6 oz. (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

6 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

1/4 teaspoon salt

6-7 tablespoons cold water 

For the filling...

3-4 medium apples, I used northern spy, but any good baking apple will work.  Peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch chunks.

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup all purpose flour   

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 egg beaten in a bowl.

Makes 6 generous sized turnovers  

1.  To make the crust, combine flour, grated cheese, salt and the cold butter bits in a medium sized bowl.  With a pastry blender or a fork, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

2.  Add the cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until mixture starts to come together.  Don't add more water than you need, it's ok to have some loose dry crumbs in your bowl.  Gather together to form a ball.  Divide dough into 6 equal parts, approximately 4 ounces each.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

3.  To make the filling, combine the  apple chunks, sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl.  Mix to combine well.  Set aside.  Preheat the oven to 400°.

4.  Remove one dough ball from the refrigerator and on a lightly floured table, roll dough to about a 7 inch circle.  Scoop out about a 1/3-1/2 a cup of apple filling in the lower center of the circle.  With a pastry brush, brush beaten egg around edge of circle.

Fold over top half of pastry to meet the bottom edge of the circle.  Press the edges together and crimp with a fork or your fingers.

Continue on with the remainder of the dough and apple mixture.  Place turnovers on a parchment lined baking pan.  Make 3 small slits in the top of the turnover to vent.

5.  Bake in the preheated oven at 400° for 15 minutes, rotate the pan and turn down the oven to 350° and bake for 20 minutes longer or until nicely golden brown and bubbly.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer with a spatula to a wire rack to cool until desired eating temperature.  Enjoy!

 

Molasses Spice Cookies

October in Maine is the most beautiful time of year for me.  I love the cool crisp days, the fall colors and baking in a warm kitchen.  It seams to me that ginger, cinnamon and cloves are a fall kind of spice.  These warm spices combined with molasses make the most, soft and chewy, delicious cookies ever!  Molasses Spice Cookies are fall comfort food at its best.

 

 Just a couple of welcoming doors in Mid-Coast Maine, adorned in fall colors.

                 

♥♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥♥

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 large egg

1/4 cup molasses

1 cup sugar, plus more for topping

1 1/2 sticks butter, melted and cooled

3 tablespoons minced candied ginger

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

1.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves, set aside.

2.  In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer, fitter with a paddle attachment, combine the egg and molasses on low speed.  Add the sugar and candied ginger and beat on medium speed until well combined.

3.  On low speed, add the flour mixture slowly and mix until thoroughly combined.

4.  With a small 1 1/2 inch scoop, or use a heaping tablespoon, scoop dough and form into a ball, roll in a bowl of sugar to coat the whole ball.  Place on a dinner plate. Scoop, roll and coat the rest of the dough placing each ball on the plate.  Refrigerate the plate of dough balls for at least an hour.

 5.  Preheat the oven to 350° Position 2 racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and place the dough balls 2 inches apart on the parchment lined pans.

6.  Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes, then rotate the pans from top to bottom and turning each pan.  Bake another 7 minutes or until dark golden, puffed and crackled on the top.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy! 

 

Gingerbread Baby Cakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

I remember making Gingerbread cupcakes as a child in grade school,  proudly carrying  my box of freshly made cakes to a special school day function and being able to say, “I made these myself”.   Gingerbread always sparks a warm and cozy feeling in me.  A hot cup of tea with a slice of spicy Gingerbread by a warm fire… ok, I want some now!

These lovely moist and delicious Ginger Baby Cakes have an unusual ingredient, Cola, the caramel flavor compliments the molasses and brown sugar and when topped with a Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, they are pure Heaven!  This recipe makes 1 dozen personal sized cakes.  Double the recipe and it makes one 8 inch 3 layer cake.

Ingredients

For the cake...

1/2 cup cola

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup molasses

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 stick plus 4 Tbs. (12 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted

2 medium eggs

candied ginger for garnish, optional

1.   Preheat oven to 350°  Butter a medium sized cupcake pan (12 cupcakes) and lightly flour.  Dump excess flour out of pan.  

2.   Bring cola to a boil in a heavy medium sized saucepan.  Remove from heat;  whisk in baking soda, then molasses.  Transfer to a large bowl and cool to room temperature.

 

3.   Whisk sugar, melted butter and eggs into molasses mixture, blend well.  Measure into a sifter, the flour and the next 6 ingredients.  Whisk dry ingredients slowly into molasses mixture.  Blend until smooth. 

4.   Scoop batter into cupcake pan, filling 3/4 full.

5.   Bake cupcakes for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Remove pan from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.  Carefully remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the frosting...

8 ounce package of full fat cream cheese, room temperature

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted

1 lemon, grated

1.  With an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix butter on medium high speed about 2 minutes.  Beat until butter looks white.  Remove from bowl and set aside.

 2.   In the same bowl, beat the cream cheese, until smooth, add the butter and mix together until smooth and creamy.  Add lemon zest and confectioners sugar and mix until creamy, don't over mix.

3.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.  Dice optional candies ginger and sprinkle on top for garnish.

For more yummy recipes click the link below

Lavender and Lovage