Baked Apples

Oct 3, 2017

You can find a variety of apples in our produce section any time during the year, but Autumn is the time to take advantage of the season’s pick of baking apples.

Whether you prefer sweet or tart apples, choose a variety that holds its shape when baking. Good varieties include; Rome Beauty, Honeycrisp, Jonathan and Jonagold, and Granny Smith – the tried and true baking apple!

Baked apples are really quick and easy to make, and you can use a variety of stuffings – granola and cranberries; raisins and nuts; oats and brown sugar; Brie, honey, and pistachios – or top them with pastry!

Classic Baked Apples

Filled with fruit and nuts, brown sugar, and spices, baked apples are a welcome treat on cool Autumn days.

Ingredients

•     6 large baking apples
•     1/4 cup light brown sugar
•     1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•     1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
•     1/4 cup golden or black seedless raisins
•     1 tablespoon butter
•     3/4 cup boiling water

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
2. Wash and dry apples. Using a sharp knife cut the top off each apple about 1/2-inch down from stem; set tops/lids aside. Using a knife or an apple corer, cut out the cores and flesh, leaving sides and bottom 1/2 inch of the apples intact. Peel and core the remaining two apples. Chop remainder of the apples into bite-size chunks.
3. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, cinnamon, chopped apples, pecans, and raisins. Spoon mixture into the four cored apples. Dot each apple with butter.
4. Place the apples in a baking dish. Place reserved apple top/lid on each apple or alongside apples in baking dish. Pour the boiling water into bottom of dish to surround apples in a water bath. Bake at 375°F for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the apples are cooked through and tender.
5. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Pumpkin Doughnuts

Oct 3, 2017

These pumpkin doughnuts are baked, not fried, resulting in a cake-like texture that is moist and delicious. They’re full of spices reminiscent of pumpkin pie and glazed and decorated in colours that are frightfully fun for Halloween celebrations.

Prep time: 10 mins  •  Cook Time: 15 mins  •  Total time: 25 mins  •  Makes: 12 doughnuts

Extras you’ll need for this recipe: A doughnut pan, and Halloween themed nonpareils and sprinkles.

Ingredients

•     ½ cup vegetable oil
•     3 large eggs
•     1½ cups granulated white sugar
•     1½ cups canned pumpkin
•     1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•     ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
•     ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
•     1½ teaspoons salt
•     1½ teaspoons baking powder
•     1¾ cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour

Instructions

1.     Preheat oven to 350°F.
2.     Lightly grease a doughnut pan with a cooking spray. Set aside.
3.     In a small mixing bowl whisk together the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, baking powder and flour.
4.     In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oil, eggs, sugar and pumpkin. Mix together until well blended.
5.     Add the flour and mix on low until smooth, do not overbeat.
6.     Fill each doughnut pan cavity to three-quarters full.
7.     Bake for 15-18 minutes. Doughnuts are cooked when a toothpick inserted in center of the doughnut come out clean.
8.     Remove from the oven; allow to cool for 5 minutes, then remove doughnuts from pan and finish cooling on a wire rack. Cool completely before glazing.

For Glaze:

• 2 cups icing sugar
• 4 tablespoons milk
• A drop of vanilla bean paste
• Food colouring (red, blue, yellow)

1. In a small bowl, mix icing sugar and milk intil sugar is dissolved.
2. Separate glaze into two bowls.
3. For purple glaze add red and blue food colouring until you reach desired shade.
4. For orange glaze add yellow and red food colouring until you reach desired shade.
5. Add edible decorations as desired.