It's Apple Time!

I have the good fortune to live just down the road to what I consider the most family-friendly apple orchard I have ever visited... Treworgy's Family Orchard! You see, so many businesses tout the word family in order to gain your business and trust and I honestly have only come across a handful that live up to that reputation. And every single one of them are here in New England. That says something about us Yankees right there! Two of these businesses are here in Maine, with Treworgy's topping that list by a long shot!

Being a father, I honestly look for places to take my children because there are so few fun places to enjoy the outdoors. And I mean that! For the past 20 years, we have NEVER had a babysitter...not even for 1 minute. The closest we have ever come is dropping my son off at a classmates home at the local Ronald MacDonald house because she is sick and just completed a bone marrow transplant. She requested Thomas to visit and Thomas is ALWAYS requesting to visit with her. Other than that, I am more of a Dad than many fathers I have met, some may say overbearing or overprotective. My answer? "And?????....."

　

I had the good fortune to have had a sit down with the CEO of this true child-friendly place. Jonathan Kenerson.

I could take forever and relate the entire stock of produce this family business offers for self picking, but I would much rather tell you what a great place it is to bring your children.

Gary Treworgy began this orchard in the late '80s with the good ol' Yankee stand-by, the Mac apple!. It has steadily grown, with a "thankee m'am"a few years into it(I dare you to tell me what a thankee m'am is)but soon recovered with obvious fervor, Yankee ingenuity and their obvious devotion to family. Over the years, they have included livestock of all kinds, games, a vast array of Maine-made gifts and edibles as well as, probably, the best cider I have ever tasted. No, they don't make their own cider in-house, Instead, they use their "family value" system of their business model by partnering with another local apple orchard, Rowell's.

Setting aside the hay rides, their famous corn maze and a host of varied entertainment venues each and ever year, Treworgy's is famous for ice cream and apple cider donuts. I just can't find one fault with this.....well, yes I can actually., but I shouldn't call it a fault. It is wishful thinking on my part and many others. After bringing up my take on what they should do in their kitchen for the hundreds of people to visit daily, Jonathan was all too quick to jump up, beckon me into his kitchen and without a word, he put his money where his apple pie hole is. One look around and I was as mum, as they come. They do the best they can do with what the have. After all, it isn't easy to fit a dozen or more people in that kitchen on any given day, my living room is larger than that! Case closed, but it doesn't keep me from thinking about it every single time I go pickin'.

Someday, I think it would greatly benefit them and everyone else to have an array of real New England apple dishes, i.e. brown Betty's, Crisps, breads, cobblers, slumps, grunts...to name a few....AND APPLE PIE!

I have included apples extensively in my newest cookbook entitled The Sweet Fight, due out by Christmas, 2017. My incentive for all the info and recipe utilizing apples? My heritage, the apple cider that has run in my veins for almost 400 years and Treworgy's Family Orchard. So they hold a special part of my cookbook.

In the meantime, if Treworgy's won't cave and make some great Yankee apple dishes, then here are a couple of my all-time favorites that you can start making after a trip to Treworgy's.
　

　

　

 

 

Sticky Apple Coffee Cake

Simple, sweet and sticky...just what a good coffee cake should be. With apple season in full picking mode, this is the perfect time to pick, prepare and place right next to a glass of cold milk.
　
Nonstick cooking spray

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup plain yogurt, sour cream or milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups diced apple
Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup diced apple
 

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Grease a 8-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on high until creamy. Add egg, yogurt and vanilla. Continue beating on high until well combined and smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking soda. Add to butter mixture and beat in until smooth. Fold in diced apple. Pour into prepared pan; set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, maple syrup until dry ingredients are wet. Gently mix in apples and sprinkle on top of cake batter. Bake 40-42 minutes, or until it bounces back when touched in the center. Remove from oven and serve hot or cool before serving.


　

Sweet Apple Baden Cake

Don't let the list of ingredients fool you. This recipe is simple, inexpensive and, by far, the most extraordinary apple cake you will ever have. I purposely made the cake slightly less sweet than ordinary 'coffee cake'-like desserts, because I wanted the apple to shine through, and it certainly won't let you down. Use your favorite sweet, hard apple here.

　
1 ½ cups flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup apple cider reduction*
½ stick butter(1/4-cup), melted
1 egg, beaten
1 large or two small Liberty apples, peeled, cored and diced
Topping:
1 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2-3 tablespoons milk
　

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Spray nonstick cooking spray into a 9-inch pie pan. You can opt for a 9-inch square pan if desired. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and cinnamon, mixing well. Stir in the apple cider reduction, melted butter and egg until just blended, lumps are fine. Transfer to the prepared pie pan. Evenly spread the diced apples over the top.

In a small bowl, combine all topping ingredients and even sprinkle over the top of the apples. Every bit of the topping must be damp so if you need more melted butter, add a tablespoon at a time, but it should be fine the way it is. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until firm in the center when touched. Remove to rack to cool for just a little bit, we want to serve this beauty warm. While waiting, make your glaze by combining all ingredients and mixing until smooth. Start out with 2 tablespoons milk and add more if needed to drizzle.

* I chose to boil apple cider until it reduced to make 1 cup. It is tremendously sweet and potent, perfect for this cake. If you don't have the time, nor inclination, I suggest 1 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed. Or maybe a cup of maple syrup is your thing? It is all good.

The Last Stand

I am referring to the deep fryers last stand before summer hits! I don't know about the rest of you, but my deep fryer stands alone when temperatures reach above 70, of course with the exception of fried clams that is.
So I wanted to give you a couple recipes that are perfect send-offs to frying in oil that I think just may have you hauling it out one or two more times even when your kitchen begs you not to.

Coconut Mandazi Donuts

These Swahili treats should rightfully be called Mamri's because of the addition of coconut flavoring. Although very lightly tinctured with the taste of coconut, I urge you to add a teaspoon of coconut flavoring for a more pronounced taste treat. Either way, they are light, fluffy and even with the little bit of spices I use, the flavor is spot on.

　

1 cup warm coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
1(1/4-ounce)package active dry yeast
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
1/4 teaspoon each dried nutmeg and allspice
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 quart canola oil
Powdered sugar for dusting

　

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together coconut milk, sugar and yeast. Let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes, or until yeast is frothing.

When ready, using either a mixer with a dough hook or paddle, add flour, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and melted butter. Mix until dough leaves the side of the bowl and is thoroughly combined. Cover with dry cloth and let rise until double in bulk in warmest part of kitchen. This will be anywhere from 1-2 hours.

Punch down, cover and let rise until 50% larger in bulk this time.

Heat 1 quart of canola oil(or your choice of deep fat fryer oil)in a large, sturdy pot until temperature reaches 350-degrees F. Follow manufacturer's instructions if needed.

Transfer dough to well floured work surface and knead for a minute, adding more flour if needed to prevent sticking. Divide into 8 equal sized balls. Flatten each ball so that they are 4-inches in diameter. Cut into 4 equal sized triangles and let rest 10 minutes.

Fry 4 triangles at a time until well browned on both sides, about a minute per side. Carefully lift from oil onto paper towel-lined platter(or use a rack placed over a large sheet pan)while continuing to fry remainder of donuts. Let oil reheat for a minute or so before continuing with each batch.

Dust with powdered sugar while warm or wait until they have cooled to room temperature, or colder, before dusting.

Makes 32 donuts.

　

　

Sticky Apple Twisted Sistah's

With the classic Koeksister as an influence, these deliciously sweet, sticky "donuts" are so amazingly addictive, even the heat of summer will not prevent you from making these. But instead of cold honey drizzled over each(as usually prepared for true Koeksisters), I have added the sweetness AND flavor of apple in every bite.



Dough:
1 cup warm apple juice
1/4 cup sugar
1(1/4-ounce)package active dry yeast
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon dried nutmeg
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 quart canola oil
Apple Glaze:
1 1/3 cups apple cider or juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch


In a large mixing bowl, whisk together juice, sugar and yeast. Let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes, or until yeast is frothing.

When ready, using either a mixer with a dough hook or paddle, add flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and melted butter. Mix until dough leaves the side of the bowl and is thoroughly combined. Cover with dry cloth and let rise until double in bulk in warmest part of kitchen. This will be anywhere from 1-2 hours.

Punch down, cover and let rise until 50% larger in bulk this time.

Heat 1 quart of canola oil(or your choice of deep fat fryer oil)in a large, sturdy pot until temperature reaches 350-degrees F. Follow manufacturer's instructions if needed.

On a well floured work surface, transfer dough and knead for 1 minute. Roll out dough until roughly 8 inches in width by 14-16 inches in length. Using a pizza cutter, or long, non-serrated knife, cut into 1/2-inch in width by 8-inch strips(obviously cutting from the long side).

Using 3 strips at a time, pinch one end of them together and braid until you reach the end. Pinch remaining end and cut in half, to form 2-four inch braids. Continue with remainder of dough strips. Let rest 10 minutes.

With a flat spatula, lift each off work surface and gently place in hot oil, cooking 3-4 braids at a time. Cook for about a minute. or until well browned on one side before carefully turning over to cook until browned on the other side.

Carefully lift from oil onto paper towel-lined platter(or use a rack placed over a large sheet pan)while continuing to fry remainder of donuts. Let oil reheat for a minute or so before continuing with each batch.

When done, make Apple Sticky Glaze by boiling apple cider over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/3 cup. Meanwhile, whisk cornstarch with 1 teaspoon water until smooth.

Whisk in cornstarch slurry to the third cup of reduced juice until thickened. Remove from heat and brush glaze over each Koeksister. Serve hot.

Makes about 10-12 Koeksisters

　

Apple Puff Fritters

The difference between these fritters and other, crispy classics is the puffy soft interior of each. Simple to make and a batter to do for, these fritters are great mouth poppers when seeing that apple fritter flavor. By using Apple Glaze, we are getting the sweetness of the usual powdered sugar glaze but an apple flavor boost.

　

Apple Glaze:
2 2/3 cups apple cider or juice
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
Fritter Batter:
2 medium apples
1 cup plain yogurt
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 quart canola oil

　

Make Apple Sticky Glaze by boiling apple cider over medium-high heat until reduced to 2/3 cup. Meanwhile, whisk cornstarch with 1 1/2 teaspoons water until smooth.

Whisk in cornstarch slurry to the reduced juice until slightly thickened; set aside and keep warm.

Peel, core and grate apples into a large bowl. You can also mince the apples to the size desired. Add yogurt and eggs, beating well.

In a separate bowl, blend flour, sugar and baking powder. Add dry to wet, stirring until completely incorporated.

Heat canola oil(or your choice of deep fat fryer oil)in a large, sturdy pot until temperature reaches 350-degrees F. Follow manufacturer's instructions if needed.

Carefully drop by 2 tablespoon measures into hot oil, cooking 3-4 at a time, and cook for about 30 seconds(see NOTE). Turn and cook for about a minute or more, until browned. Turn over once again to finish browning on the other side. Lift each out of hot oil, allowing excess oil to drain, and transfer to a rack or paper towel-lined pan. Let oil reheat for a minute before continuing with remainder of batter.

Toss Fritters into warm glaze, roll around until completely coated, repeating with all Fritters. Enjoy warm.

NOTE: You will want to do your first "flip" before the Fritters begin to brown too much because the batter inside the fritters will almost prevent itself from keeping the first, cooked side up out of the oil while cooking the underside(inertia). By only lightly cooking the first side. this will help the fritter to evenly brown on all sides. 

Foremothers, not Forefathers!

I don't think I have ever seen the word foremothers in print in any history book....ever! And what a shame. The work they did, along with the end result of cooking over a literal fire, must have been something to be proud of. (I know I hold them in the highest regard.) Using what little they had or could reap, the bellies of all family members were content and ready for each new day.

And if I could name just 2 desserts that screamed New England, they would be Brown Betty and Buckle. Of course Grunts, Cobblers, Crisps and Charlottes are at the top of the list, but because these two recipes have been almost entirely forgotten, they hold a sentimental place in my culinary thoughts.

My, the smells that must have been wafting through each household back "in the day" when our foremothers were cooking. And I am talking about the wealthy AND the backwoods, log cabins. The chatter that graced each table when they sat around enjoying not only the fruits of their labor, but as a family unit to boot harkens those days to my thoughts all the time.

And labor intensive they were. In order to make the Buckle, the wild berries needed to be hunted down(although I am sure most households knew where the picking was)and gathered. Making it home before eating them first must have been the hardest chore of all.

Once home, then the cooking began. But if you think I am frugal, households of old were much more careful with using ingredients, especially flour, sweetener and eggs. That is why Buckle is made with just enough batter to hold it all together.

As for the Betty, apples were plentiful in the countryside's of New England and most families had them on their own property. They weren't much to look at, with scabs covering half the skin, but once peeled, no one knew the difference.

So with wishful thinking and a salute to our forefath......err, foremothers, let's take a culinary trip back in time and enjoy age old recipes.

　

　

Real New England Apple Brown Betty

Brown Betty. Yet another New England original. The origin of the name Brown Betty is in dispute everywhere you look. Some say it is from some English teapot, while others ramble on and on. Again, this is one of those simple names with an equally simple beginning. The term brown obviously refers to the color of both the apples(when baked) and the bread topping. Breads in colonial America were brown because of the wheat used. So when you add them to this dessert, it goes without saying that the brown color seen throughout is par for the course. As for the name Betty. There can only be one answer. Like the dish itself, it came from whoever first made it, with word(along with the recipe itself)being shared and passed on. Simple, delicious and a great dessert that has withstood time and palates.

3 cups diced, firm apples
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup apple juice or cider
1 tablespoon molasses
Betty Topping:
3 slices bread, diced small
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons orange marmalade, optional *
Vanilla ice cream or whipped topping

Toss apples, raisins, cornstarch and cinnamon together well. Transfer to an 8-inch square baking pan. Whisk together apple juice and molasses and pour over the top. In a separate bowl, mix diced bread, cinnamon and marmalade so that all bread is moistened with marmalade, adding more if needed. Evenly sprinkle over the top of the apple mixture, loosely cover with tin foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the apples are softened and the topping is crispy. Remove to cool slightly before serving with ice cream or whipped topping.

* If you don't use marmalade or even your favorite preserves, you will need to substitute the same amount of melted butter or margarine.

Triple Berry Buckle 

Not at all what other sites tout as authentic Buckle. This is truly the way to do it, with just enough cake batter to hold together the rich, syrupy fruit that is bubbling up through the batter that "buckles" as it is cooking. Enjoy this classic New England dessert as it should be made.

3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon apricot preserves
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups(1 pound bag)frozen or fresh berries *
1 tablespoon cornstarch

　

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Mix flour, baking powder and brown sugar until blended well. Add milk, egg, preserves and vanilla, stirring until just combined: set aside. (Lumps are perfectly fine.) In another bowl, toss berries with cornstarch and transfer to an 8-inch square pan. Pour batter over the berries evenly without mixing. Bake 34-36 minutes, or until browned on top and the liquid is bubbling up as a syrup. You will not be able to test doneness by touching because of the berries. Remove from oven to cool slightly before serving hot or wait until completely cooled for an even sweeter dessert.



* Any combination of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries. As long as you use the correct amount, even one type of berry will work perfectly.

It's That Time Of Year Again

Apple Season is now upon us here in New England and what better way to get the apple rolling than some original, Yankee recipes using our favorite orchard fruit? Having spent a few hours at Treworgy's Orchard here in Levant, Maine, I came away with some fantastic apples and I highly urge all to take a trip, even if you have to drive a little ways. This place is perfect if you have little ones. Check them out at http://treworgyorchards.com/. Check out their corn maze this year, such fun.

Without going on and on(much like I did in my previous post), let's start peeling. And if you have any questions about certain apples for any recipe you are preparing, simply ask them. They are the single friendliest people as well as 100% child friendly, which is the mitigating factor for me visiting year after year.

Crunchy Apple Crisp Bites

These little treats are perfect for that after school snack, sitting on the deck at twilight or curled up watching your favorite movie. The coating is a little tricky but by placing some of the oat mixture in the palm of your hand, then an apple piece, topped with more oats, simply squash together with both hands while rotating the apple a couple of times.

 

1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon and nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
2 egg whites
1 firm apple, peeled, cored and quartered
Whipped topping

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. In a shallow bowl, combine sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the butter and mix until all dry ingredients are moistened. Add egg whites to a shallow bowl and whisk well. Cut apple quarters into 4 evenly sized pieces, about an inch on all sides. Add a quarter of the apple slices into egg whites, stir to coat. Lifting out one apple piece at a time, shake excess egg white off and dip in oat mixture. Press dry coating into all sides of apple firmly and place on a dry baking sheet. Continue until all apples are coated. Bake 13-15 minutes, or until apple is softened when pressed and the coating has become crispy, turning over halfway through baking to brown on all sides. Remove from oven and serve warm with whipped topping for dipping.

Enough for 2

Spiced Wine-Poached Apples

My favorite vehicle for these poached apples is a simply grilled pork chops and unpretentious, freshly cooked green beans. But if I were to enjoy these wine-infused apples as a dessert, the answer is yet another simple presentation.....ladled hot over real vanilla bean ice cream.

2 firm, tart apples, such as Granny Smith
1 cup red wine *
2 tablespoons chopped, candied or crystallized ginger
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Peel, core and cut apples in 8 wedges each. Place apples in a large bowl, add remainder of ingredients and toss to combine well. Cover and refrigerate for one hour, stirring frequently. Transfer apple mixture to a large skillet over low heat. Once the wine is hot and slightly simmering, let apples cook until they are crisp tender, about 15-17 minutes. Remove apples with a slotted spoon to enjoy over your protein or ice cream.

*Red Bordeaux, red Beaujolais or Pinot Noir are highly recommended for this recipe.
 

Grilled Pork with Golden Cider Gravy

Although hard apple cider is less sweet(ordinarily)than non-alcoholic apple cider, you can substitute one for the other in this recipe. Simply add a pinch or two of salt over pork before cooking if desired. The hard apple cider, I might add, will tenderize the pork much more efficiently than ordinary cider.

1(12-ounce)bottle hard apple cider
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4(6-ounce)boneless pork chops
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
2 tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into 10-12 wedges
1 cup cooked carrot slices
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 cups California style vegetables 

In a large, shallow bowl, blend cider and lemon juice. Add pork chops, cover with film wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Turn chops a couple times while marinating. Melt half the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple wedges and cook about 6-7 minutes, or until browned and almost completely tender. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, remove pork from marinade onto a plate; set pork aside. Transfer marinade to a blender or food processor with the cooked carrots, vegetable broth, maple syrup and cornstarch. Pulse on high until as smooth as possible. Transfer to a saucepan and boil over medium-high heat until reduced by half. Add reduced marinade to skillet with cooked apples and bring to a simmer while cooking pork.

Add remainder of butter to a large skillet over medium heat and cook pork until no longer pink in the middle. Heat California-style vegetables until hot according to package directions. Serve 1 pork chop per person, topped with a quarter of the cooked apples in Golden Cider Gravy and equal amounts of vegetables.

 

Baked Sour Apple Piroshki

Okay, okay! I know I have repeatedly 'repeated' that I would not use alcohol in recipes because of my love of everyone(especially children)enjoying my recipes. But I had a weak moment and being a Yankee, I adore anything apple. So, because I thought our beloved Apple Jack liquor would be far too potent for this Russian street food, I chose the deliciously different apple liqueur. For those of you who do not want any alcohol, simply replace with melted, whisked apple jelly or even mint jelly.

1 cup warm apple juice
1/4 cup brown sugar, divided
1(.25-ounce)envelope dry yeast
2 cups diced, sweet apples
1/4 cup apple liqueur*
2 1/4 cups flour, divided
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt
Nonstick cooking spray
1 egg, beaten

 In a large bowl, add apple juice, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and yeast. Stir well and let sit 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add diced apples and enough water to cover. Over medium heat, cook until apples are crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Remove, strain, transfer to a bowl. Stir in apple liqueur and refrigerate until needed.

After 10 minutes, stir 2 cups flour, oil and salt in the yeast mixture. Using a wooden spoon, continue stirring until it begins leaving the side of the bowl. Loosely cover with a cloth and place in a warm spot to rise for about an hour, or until almost double in bulk. On a well floured work surface, empty dough and knead for 2-3 minutes, or until elastic feeling and it is no longer sticky. Divide into 12 equal pieces. Grease a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Remove cooked apples from refrigerator and stir in apple liqueur; set aside.

Flatten out a dough ball until it is about 3 inches in diameter. Place a tablespoon of apple mixture in the center and pinch until it is sealed. Place, sealed side down, on prepared baking pan. Repeat with remainder of dough and apple mixture, leaving 3 inches between each filled dough ball. Brush the top of each with beaten egg and place in cold oven. Turn heat to 350-degrees F and bake 30-32 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. The filling may ooze out on top, but that is fine. Remove from oven to a plate or rack to cool slightly before serving or cool completely.
This is just the beginning. A couple more trips to Treworgy's over the next couple weeks will certainly result in more Yanked recipes.

   

A Cake with a Crust

Lets talk coconut flour for a moment. Many people opt for coconut flour because they are on a certain restrictive diet that prevents them from ingesting gluten. Fortunately, there is such a wide range of substitutions available, and easily attainable, it is getting easier and much more enjoyable for those of you seeking just such a change. But there is a downside of using any wheat substitution in desserts, and baking in particular. Dryness, reduced structural integrity and other substantive faults. That is why when using any gluten-free flours, you shouldn't use a complete replacement in many recipes, especially baked goods......until now!

I wanted to create a recipe, again, that used gluten-free flour in a cake but not diminish any negative aspects of a complete substitution, yet added SOMETHING to the overall taste. And I succeeded. Not only succeeded, but excelled. This cake would not be the same if I had used any other type of gluten-free flour because you can actually taste the coconut flavor in this flour. What is coconut flour?

nuts.com

Simply put, it is the last remnants of the coconut meat after the milk has been extracted from it. This is dried and ground to a fine powder that has almost supernatural absorption powers. Honestly, this stuff will soak in almost twice the amount of liquid than any other flour. There are pros and cons to this. The pro portion is that coconut flour makes a superb coating for fish or chicken when grilled or fried. The downside of using this flour is that many professional chefs and bakers double the amount of liquid in any given recipe it is used in, especially eggs. And the addition of extra eggs doesn't sit very well with many people, including yours truly.

I have found although, for example, if a cake recipe uses 2 eggs and any wheat flour, by substituting a 1/2-cup coconut flour, you don't need to add that extra egg. Use 1/4 cup buttermilk instead. This works out perfectly without adding even more cholesterol to your diet.

I have only given you the tip of the iceberg with regards to coconut flour. I highly suggest you take a peak here and find out more about this super versatile and ultra tasty flour. By the way, while you are there, take a looksy at their dried fruits and nuts. I placed my order this morning for some candied and dried goodies and I think once you spy the chocolate, you will be ordering to from nuts.com, New England's best and most informative website that indulges, yet cares. A perfect combination that defines us Yankees. Am I being compensated for this post? No! Am I touting yet another great New England company? Oh yeah! And by the way, all the links I have added are completely safe. Just a great way to say hi to a neighbor.

It's Just That Simple!™

　

　

Italian-Yankee Corn Cake

(And it's gluten-free!*)

This perfectly sweetened cake creates its own type of crust around the edges that crisp up as it cools, transforming it into a toss between a cake and a pie actually. It is recommended to slice it into segments before refrigerating, otherwise the caramelized crust will be next to impossible to cut. Classical Italian Corn Cake uses almond extract, but vanilla works equally as well if desired.

　
Nonstick cooking spray
Crisp Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons coconut flour 1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups small dice apple
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
Juice from 1 lemon
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries

　

Grease a 9-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Mix topping ingredients together until thoroughly combined; set aside. In a bowl, combine diced apple, orange juice and cinnamon; set aside. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. In a medium-sized bowl, blend cornmeal, coconut flour, sugar and baking powder until well blended. Stir in the milk, eggs, lemon juice and melted butter. It should be mixed just enough to wet all ingredients, leaving it somewhat lumpy. Fold in the raisins and transfer to prepared pan, leveling out the top. Evenly divide apple mixture, juice and all, on top of batter. Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over the apples and bake 36-38 minutes, or until the center of the cake is firm. Immediately remove from oven to cool slightly before serving hot, or cover and refrigerate to serve cold.

* But as I say with all gluten-free recipes and products, always ALAYS check the label.