October, among other things, is both National Apple Month and National Dessert Month.
Apple pie, a treasured fall desert, is both. Apple pie, while thought to have originated in medieval England, quickly became a favorite American treat, as memorialized in the saying, “as American as apple pie.”
There are many different ways to make apple pie — different apples, different crusts, and different additions.
Starting with apples, my favorites apples for apple pie are Wolf River apples. Wolf River apples are huge, and are not the best for fresh eating, as they are a little sour and dry. This makes them perfect pie apples though, as they cook down without creating a lot of juice, and their slight sourness complements beautifully with the sweetness of the sugar.
As for crusts, I still have not found the perfect crust for me. In fact, I have terrible luck. I once tried a “no-fail” pie crust that failed. However, the crust that I usually use is the one I included in this column. This recipe has resulted in pretty consistently good results for me. Also, it makes just the right amount of crust for two apple pies.
In my most recent time making it, I used about half shortening and half butter, and I was satisfied with the results. So, for now I will continue using this recipe unless I find something better. Feel free to use whatever pie crust recipe is your favorite though; you can even use store-bought pie crust.
As for additions, the amount and kinds of sugar and spice are very optional. I like the rich flavor of brown sugar, but it can be overwhelming sometimes. It is totally fine to use only white sugar if you prefer. Also, I like to use about ½ to ¾ cup of sugar per pie, but again that is optional. It depends on personal preference and also on the type of apples used. The same with spice, I like cinnamon and sometimes use a tiny bit of cloves, but again, whatever you prefer.
Lemon pound cake muffins are a recipe I found in a Taste of Home magazine. Making them for this column was actually my first time making them, but I will definitely be making them again. Although they are called pound cake muffins, I consider them more a mix between pound cake and cupcakes. Too dense for a cupcake and not quite as dense as a pound cake, so actually calling them a muffin is actually pretty accurate.
They are really simple to make, and they use pretty normal ingredients. The hardest thing for me was mixing in the flour while being extremely careful not to overmix and then spooning the batter into the muffin cups since the batter gets really thick. These muffins are delicious, though. The slightly sweet muffins pair perfectly with the super sweet-tart glaze. They are perfect for a snack.
Francesca Ullmer, the second child of a large homeschooled family, is from the Krakow area. She enjoys baking, reading, knitting, raising goats, and entering numerous items in the Oconto County Fair.
APPLE PIE
Crust (makes enough for four pie crusts):
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup shortening or shortening/butter
1 cup water
1 egg
1 tsp. white vinegar
Apple Filling (for two pies):
5-10 apples
3/4 to 1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2-4 tbsp. cornstarch
Pinch of salt
Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening and butter, if using. Beat together water, egg, and vinegar. Pour into the flour mixture; lightly mix until crust barely holds together. Refrigerate until ready to use. Divide into four pieces. Roll out pie crust.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out 2 pie crusts and place in 2 ungreased pie pans, letting the excess crust hang over. Peel and chop the desired amount of apples into a bowl. Toss with the remaining ingredients. Divide between the 2 pie pans. Roll out the top crusts and place over the pies. Press the crusts together lightly and trim excess, leaving enough to decorate edges as desired. Using a serrated knife, cut several slits in the top crust to allow steam to evaporate. Brush entire top crust with milk or egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake for 30 minutes, then check and add more time as needed until crust is lightly browned and dry to touch. Let cool.
LEMON POUND CAKE MUFFINS
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp. lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream and extracts. Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda; add to creamed mixtures just until moistened. Batter will be thick. Divide batter between muffin cups; smooth tops. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan to a wire rack. Measure, then sift the powdered sugar; mix in the lemon juice. Drizzle the glaze over the muffins; serve warm or cooled.
