apple, goat cheese, and honey tartlets

Ingredients

2 packages frozen puff pastry (4 sheets), thawed
1 egg, beaten to blend

6 ounces soft goat cheese (about 3/4 cup packed)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
3 medium Gala apples, peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup honey (preferably dark), divided
1/2 teaspoon (scant) ground allspice

Instructions

1 Day Before- Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep frozen. Do not thaw before continuing.
1. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Roll out each puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 11-inch square.
3. Using 5-inch-diameter cookie cutter or bowl, cut out 4 rounds from each pastry sheet, forming 16 rounds total. Divide 8 pastry rounds between prepared baking sheets; pierce rounds all over with fork. Using 3 1/2-inch-diameter cookie cutter or bowl, cut out smaller rounds from center of remaining 8 rounds (reserve 3 1/2-inch rounds for another use), forming eight 5-inch-diameter rings.
4. Brush outer 1-inch edges of 5-inch rounds on baking sheets with beaten egg; top each with 1 pastry ring. Freeze at least 30 minutes.

Day Of

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix cheese, lemon juice, and salt in bowl; spread mixture inside rings on frozen pastry rounds. 3. 3. Overlap apple slices atop cheese.
4. Mix butter and 1/4 cup honey in small bowl; brush over apples. Sprinkle with allspice.
5. Bake until apples are tender and pastry is golden, about 35 minutes.
6. Place tartlets on plates. Drizzle 1 tablespoon honey over each and serve warm or at room temperature.

*From Epicurious.com

apple pie

Ingredients

For the crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces nd chilled
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

For the pie:
2 pounds (4 to 6) McIntosh apples, peeled, cored, and slice 1/4-inch thick
1 1/2 pounds (3 to 4) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 recipe Double-Crust Pie Dough, bottom crust fit into pie plate
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Instructions 

Make the crust:

1. Process the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Scatter the shortening over the top and process until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and, using short pulses, process the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. Stir and press the dough together, using a stiff rubber spatula until the dough sticks together. If the dough does not come together, stir in the remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it does.
3. Divide the dough into two even pieces and flatten each into a 4-inch disk. Wrap the disks tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Let the chilled dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling it out and fitting one of the pieces into the bottom of a pie plate.

*The dough can be refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Let the frozen dough thaw on the countertop until malleable before rolling.

Make the pie:

1. Roll one dough disk on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Fold dough in quarters, then place dough point in center of 9-inch pie pan. Unfold dough. Gently press dough into sides of pan leaving portion that overhangs lip of pie plate in place. Refrigerate while preparing fruit.

2. Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position, place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 500°F. Toss the apples with cup of the sugar, the flour, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and spices, and set aside.

3. Roll out the top crust to a 12-inch circle. Spread the apples in the unbaked pie crust bottom, mounding them slightly in the middle. Loosely roll the top crust around the rolling pin, then gently unroll it over the apples. Trim all but 1/2-inch of the dough overhanging the edge of the pie plate with scissors. Seal the edge by pressing the top and bottom crusts together, then tuck the edges underneath. Crimp the edges, and cut four vent holes in the top. Brush the crust with the egg white and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.

4. Place the pie on the heated baking sheet and lower the oven temperature to 425°F. Bake until the top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet, reduce the oven temperature again to 375°F, and continue to bake until the juices are bubbling and the crust is deep golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes longer. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool to room temperature before serving.

*From America's Test Kitchen

apple crisp

Ingredients

3 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 tbsp. flour
4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

For the topping:
3/4 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened

Instructions

1. In a large bowl mix apples with flour, cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg. Pour into ceramic baking dish.
2. Soften butter in microwave.
3. Mix together the dry topping ingredients with the butter using a fork. Pour the topping over the apple mixture.
4. Cover the baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. In the last 10 minutes, take off the lid to brown the topping.
5. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

curried butternut squash bisque

Ingredients

2 large butternut squashes, peeled and seeded

2 large onions

2 apples, peeled and cored

3 tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper

2-4 cups chicken broth

1/2 tsp. curry powder

1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Cut butternut squash, onions, and apples into 1-inch cubes. Put them on a sheet pan and toss with olive oil, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Roast for 35-45 minutes.

3. When vegetables are done put them in a large dutch oven. Add chicken broth, curry powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, and heavy cream. Using an immersion blender, puree the ingredients. Add more chicken broth or water until you achieve the desired consistency.

4. Heat on the stove until the soup is warm throughout.

*Adapted from Ina Garten

green apple and goat cheese salad

Ingredients

baby spinach leaves
1 Granny Smith apple
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup goat cheese

For the vinegarette:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. cider-vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, and mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Core the apple and slice into matchsticks.
3. Toast the walnuts.
4. Assemble and enjoy!