Fourth of July & Apple Pie

I hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day! We enjoyed beautiful weather with cool breezes down by the San Diego shoreline of La Jolla. La Jolla's meaning �The Jewel� is so befitting for this glorious town. Only a forty-five minute drive from Temecula, the crystal aqua ocean is so dazzling, like a clear and perfect gem with coves cut out so perfectly along the coastline and the quaint backdrop of shops, restaurants and homes.

We shopped a little and walked around town being serenaded by reggae music coming from a second story caf� and watched the hustle and bustle of tourists while we ourselves enjoyed art galleries and chic boutiques..like Armani Exchange, one of the few clothing stores open for the day.

That evening we headed back home for our own festival of sorts with an all American dinner and dessert, ending the evening with a view of Temecula�s own fireworks extravaganza.


And without further ado.. a showstopper in it's own right!

Apple Pie

This is a simple pie with my favorite pastry dough recipe from Dorie Greenspan. I really think the two crusts that I continually use are Dorie�s and Nick Malgierri�s. I always have perfect results with these two recipes!

Dorie Greenspan's Pie Crust
Crust Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons chilled non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Crust Preparation
Mix flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening; pulse until coarse meal forms. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk and wrap in plastic. Chill 2 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.


Apple Pie Filling
8 Red Apples (I used Mac Intosh)
3 tablespoons Turbinado sugar
� teaspoons cinnamon
� cup Mighty Mango Naked Juice (you can sub with juice of your choice)
� stick butter
Bowl of cold water with a few tablespoon lemon juice;
I egg yolk and 1/8 cup cream for brushing dough.


Directions
Make crust and set aside in the refrigerator till your ready to fill. Keep remaining scraps to make dough strips for the top of your pie.

Peel and core apples. Keep in bowl of lemon doused water till time to slice.
Slice apples1/8 of an inch thick. In large mixing bowl add apple slices, sugar, cinnamon and mango juice. Stir to coat apples well. Fill pastry shell with apples. Cut slices of butter and dot apple pie filling.

Use extra dough to make strips for lattice. If you don�t want to do this you can roll out another sheet of pastry to cover the pie filling. Brush outer dough with egg yolk mixture. Place either strips or another sheet of dough cut to fit over pie filling. Pinch to seal edges. If you completely covered the pie make some vents on top of the dough to release steam while baking. Brush the top of the pastry dough with remaining egg mixture and sprinkle with Turbinado sugar.

I cover the top of my pie with foil for the first 15 minutes so it doesn�t get too brown. I would rather the apples cook all the way through on a lower temperature and longer cook time. Uncover the pie for the last 40 to 45 minutes.

Bake at 400� for 50 minutes to an hour.
Check periodically.
Serve warm with ice cream!

Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Raspberry Sherry AlmondCoffee Cake

I have had so much fun working on this video.
I do have to say, there were a lot of cuts.. and second, third and fourth takes, but for now I'm happy with the outcome and look forward to future "DMC Video Productions!

I haven't learned yet how to fade out the music.. so it just cuts off at the end of the video, but my husband and I loved the music choice for this recipe and laughed a lot at some of the words. Cake, and sweets in general create a "love hate" relationship with me.. am I the only one? :)

So I hope you enjoy my first video, but more than that enjoy a yummy slice of cake with a cup of your favorite beverage.

Raspberry Sherry Almond Coffee Cake
Recipe adapted from Ina Gartens Sour Cream Coffee Cake



Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cream sherry
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt


Streusel
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4-teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup chopped almonds
1 � cups cleaned and dried raspberries

Sherry Sugar Syrup
� cup granulated sugar
� cup brown sugar
� cup water
2 tablespoons cream sherry

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch bunt or tube pan.
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sherry and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.


For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the almonds and then gently fold in raspberries so not to crush them.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a spatula. Spread streusel. over batter. Spoon the rest of the batter to cover streusel in the pan.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Syrup Preparation
Meanwhile heat sugars, water and sherry in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium high heat till sugar dissolves. Lower heat to a simmer and cook till syrup thickens, around 15 minutes. Consistency should be thinner than honey, syrup will continue to thicken as it cools. Take off heat and transfer to a porcelain or glass container to cool off.

When cake comes out of the oven, let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake onto a serving plate.

You can drizzle syrup over the coffee cake or have it on the side to allow for individual preference.


Ciao and Buon Appetito!
Laurie