Desserts

For the dough:  Combine the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor.  Turn the machine on and pulse to combine the dry ingredients well.  Add the cheese and butter to the machine.  Pulse the mixture until the cheese and butter are in pea sized pieces and the mixture resembles very coarse crumbs.  Add the ice cold water and mix for 10-15 seconds until combined (do not over mix).  Place the mixture into a large bowl. Using your hands, press the dough together until it forms a ball. Once the mixture has come together, remove from the bowl and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.  Place in the refrigerator for at least 1.5 hours and up to 3 days. 

For the caramel sauce:  In a medium saucepot, combine the water and sugar. Place on medium heat.  Do not stir.  Once the mixture comes to a boil it will begin to reduce. Do not stir with a whisk or a spoon as the mixture will crystalize. Once most of the water has evaporated, the sugar syrup will begin to turn brown.  Once the sugar syrup becomes dark, golden brown, remove from the heat and add the cream and salt.  Whisk the sugar and cream mixture until well combined. Cool slightly in the pot and then transfer to a plastic container with a tight fitting lid.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
For the filling: Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well until the apples are well coated with the sugar, flour and cinnamon.

To assemble the tarts:  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove dough from the refrigerator.  On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the dough until it is 1/8” thick.  Cut out a 7” diameter circle from the dough.  Repeat until you have 6 circles of dough.  Place the circles on a parchment lined baking sheet. 

Divide the apple mixture among the circles of dough, placing the mixture in the center, leaving a ½” border of dough. Reserve the remaining liquid.  Gently fold the dough edges toward the center, slightly overlapping the apple mixture.  Repeat until all the tarts are complete.  Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and spoon the reserved liquid over the apples.  Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees, and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.  Remove the tarts from the oven and cool for at least 15 minutes.

To Serve:  Heat caramel sauce in the microwave.  Place the tarts on dessert plates.  Drizzle caramel sauce over and around the tarts.  Serve with ice cream or whipped cream if desired. 

1. Microwave juice, flax seed, and apples on low/defrost for 10 minutes, stirring once.  This will soften the flax and “set” the apples so that they won’t fall apart.  Set aside to cool.

2. Whisk eggs, sugars, and extract together, beat in melted butter.

3. Mix flour, oats, salt, spices, baking soda and baking powder. 

4. Toss in apples/flax until coated, then add egg/sugar mixture until dough comes together.

5. Preheat oven to 375 deg F.  Spray 2 cookie sheets with non-stick spray, or use parchment to line. 

6. Portion cookies onto baking sheets, using a large spoon or ice cream scoop.

7. Cut eyes, nose and mouth shapes from the remaining apple if desired.

8. Flatten cookies with the bottom of a drinking glass, and arrange the monster faces.

9. Bake for 18-25 minutes, until centres are set and edges are just beginning to brown.

Heat 2-3 inches of canola oil in a heavy saucepan.  Bring the oil to 375° F.   Working one at a time:  fully submerge each cherry into the batter and scoop it out with an ice cream scoop that is slightly larger than the cherry.  Drag the scoop against the rim of the bowl to scrape all of the batter from the bottom of the scoop.  Carefully roll/scoop the batter ball into the hot oil.  Fry 3-4 cherries at a time, rolling them and gently pushing them under with the skimmer.  The batter will darken and the cherries inside will begin to hiss and pop.  At that point, fry for about one more minute, remove to the rack and sprinkle with Cinnamon/Sugar.  They will be HOT so cool them for about 10 minutes, then enjoy.  These do not keep well.

Cherry:
Step 1) Wash, pit, roughly cut enough cherries to cover the bottom of a saucepan, about 2 cups.

Step 2) Add 1/4 cup of water, a Tbsp of lemon juice, and a tiny pinch of salt.  Mash the fruit with a potato masher over a low heat.  Allow the liquid to reduce by a third to half, taking care not to let it scorch.

Step 3) Add 1/4—1/2 cup honey or sugar to your preference.

Step 4) Pass the syrup through a fine mesh strainer; chill. 

Apricot:
Wash and pit apricots.  Puree in food processor.  Continue as for cherry syrup, Step 2).

Peach:
Score the seam of the peach and drop into boiling water.  Remove within 1 minute and slip the skin off.  Cut slices of peach from the pit into sauce pan, continue as for cherry syrup, Step 2).
 

*For the apples:
Make three lengthwise, ¼-inch slices through two of the apples--leave the core for now. Heat canola oil in a skillet over very low heat; then gently warm both sides of centre slices for about 2 minutes. Do not let them brown; when they turn glassy they are done. Cool these slices, then cut the centre core out with a cookie cutter or knife. The slices will now hold their shape when baked.

Line a 10 inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper. Spray the side ring of the pan with cooking spray and put the pan together. Evenly space apple rings onto parchment paper

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together

Beat the eggs for two minutes with an electric mixer. Meanwhile, grate the remaining apples/side cuts on the large hole of a box grater, skin on: enough to total 2 cups, loosely packed.

Add sugar and  lemon zest;to mixer, beat for another two minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Slowly drizzle in canola oil with mixer running until it emulsifies. Gently stir in apples.

Gently sift dry ingredients over the eggs/apples and fold until just combined. Drop batter in large spoonsful over arranged apples in springform pan and smooth evenly with your fingers.

Bake 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick in the centre comes out clean. Pour chocolate drops over the baked cake, wait five minutes, and spread them into an evenly melted layer.  (It’s important to use a quality chocolate for rich flavor and even melting.)  Remove outer ring before chocolate completely cools. Cool cake until chocolate has hardened and then remove bottom of pan.  When cake is completely cool, invert and peel off parchment. Dust with large granule sugar and serve.
 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shred the apples on the large holes of a box grater. Add the water and apples in a saucepan and heat through. Stir in molasses and baking soda; set aside to cool. 

Sift flour, spices, and baking powder until well mixed. Beat eggs with mixer for 2 minutes. With mixer running beat in sugar, then drizzle in the oil and extracts. Stir in cooled molasses/apple mixture.

Sift dry ingredients over wet in 3 batches and gently fold together. Generously spray mini loaf pans, muffin tins, round cake pans, or 9 X 13 glass pan. Bake 25-50 minutes depending on the pan you use. Begin checking at 20 minutes until a toothpick in the centre comes out clean.

*NOTE: The spice amounts listed here are negotiable. If you prefer a milder gingerbread, reduce the spices by half.
 

FOR THE PASTRY:
Blend flour, salt, and margarine* by hand or food processor.

Whisk the egg yolk and milk together, then gently add it to the dough.

When pastry dough starts to come together, divide it in two with one portion slightly larger than the other. Let it rest for half an hour, covered, in the fridge.

Prepare your baking sheet. Butter, spray, or use parchment on a generous 12” x 17” rimmed baking sheet.

Roll the larger portion of dough onto a large surface dusted with flour or with icing sugar. You need to roll it more thinly than a pie crust, about 1/8 “ thick, so be patient! Transfer it carefully to your pan, taking care not to stretch it.

Roll out the top pastry after you have layered the filling.

*Note: you may use butter for this pastry, but it rolls out more easily with the softer texture of margarine.
 

FOR THE FILLING:
Peel, core, and quarter the apples.
(You may toss them with a bit of lemon juice or apple juice to keep them from browning if you wish, but drain the juice before slicing.)

Either run the quarters through the food processor, about 1/8”- 1/4” slices, or else slice by hand.

Layer the corn flake cereal and then the apples over the bottom crust. Mix white sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle evenly over the apples. Preheat your oven to 400 F (375 F convection.)

Roll out the top crust and fold it carefully onto the apples. Pinch/fold/patch the top and bottom crusts together, fancy or rustic to your liking.

Brush with beaten egg white.

Slice large diagonal vents in the top.

Bake for 25-45 minutes in the top third of the oven. Check frequently and rotate if necessary.

Sift icing sugar and add milk, juice, or water until it is blended but not too runny. Drizzle it onto the finished pastry.
 

Make syrup by combining sugar, water and lemon juice. Pare pears, remove core. Place in an ungreased, 2-quart casserole. Pour syrup over pears. Bake covered at 350° F (180° C) until tender 45 to 60 minutes. Meanwhile make raspberry sauce. Drain juice and rub berries through a fine sieve, pressing with a wooden spoon to get all of puree. To make chocolate curls, have bar at room temperature, and use a potato peeler. Refrigerate. To serve pears, cool 30 minutes after baking. Pour hot raspberry sauce over pears. Garnish with chocolate curls.

Cake preparation: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and lightly flour one 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Set aside. If you would like to make a layer cake, use two 8 or 9 inch round pans.

In a large mixing bowl, combine apples and sugar. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine all of the dry ingredients. Add flour mixture to apple mixture. Add milk and stir just until combined. Add nuts or cranberries. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool down for 15 minutes before removing from pan. Let cake completely cool before frosting.

Frosting preparation: In a mixing bowl, using and electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Scrape bowl. Add butter and beat until mixture is very smooth and free from lumps. Add vanilla and brown sugar. Beat for five minutes until frosting is light and fluffy and the sugar has completely dissolved.

Use the frosting to decorate the cake once it has cooled. Sprinkle the top of the cake with reserved nuts or cranberries for garnish. Refrigerate after frosting.

Combine apricot pieces and lemon juice. Cream shortening and sugar, beat in egg and stir in apricots. In separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; add to first mixture alternately with milk. Add chopped nuts with the last portion of flour. Fill greased muffin tins two thirds full. Sprinkle a little granulated sugar on top of each muffin. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350° F (180° C).