Crispy Apple Fritters

Food here is seasonal and it makes me feel that “I better eat as much I can eat now else when season is over there is no more”. I guess if I were to choose two food produce to represent autumn in New England, it will be apples and pumpkins/squash. Apples are in abundance now and there are different kinds of apples lined up in all farmers markets. I think an apple phobia may be developing soon. Haha!


Someone said to me that she would recommend anyone who wants to cook apples to bake apple crumble because it is so easy and simple. Well, I want to say I found something easier to make and will definitely put a smile on anyone’s face. Yea, apple fritters. 


There are few ways to have it. Coated with cinnamon sugar, drizzled with PURE maple syrup and walnuts or pair with delicious vanilla ice cream. 

Recipe (24 fritters)

Ingredients:

·        2 apples, peeled and cored, cut into 12 slices.

·        1 cup of Plain flour

·        1 tsp of Baking powder

·        1 tbsp of Sugar

·        1/4 tsp of Salt

·        1/4 tsp of Cinnamon powder

·        1 cup of Beer (Or soda water)

·        Cooking oil for frying

Steps:

1.     Mix all the dry ingredients in a big bowl.

2.     Add in beer and whisk to combine.

3.     Heat oil in a large saucepan.

4.     Dip apple slices in batter. Shake off excess batter and fry till golden brown

5.     Drain the fritters from oil with paper towels.

It is fast and tasty so try it!

October 27, 2011April 15, 2013 by Lee Categories: Desserts, Fruits 2 Comments

Rice Pudding in Caramel Apple Sauce

I think I am an Activist. I like to make things happen. I like to help and make things better. Hmm… 


Recently, I initiated a Culinary club in my residential community and volunteered to coordinate it. It is so great to be able to start a club to gather like-minded people (Foodies) together and I hope that through this club, people of different backgrounds and cultures can come together to build a community who loves and appreciate food. 


During my planning process for the culinary club’s inaugural session, I researched on some ‘apples’ dessert recipes as I would like to demonstrate a couple of recipes during the kickoff session. The recipes have to be good as you know…First impression counts. And everyone loves desserts! 


When I tried this recipe, I fell in love with the vanilla rice pudding immediately. “Oh my gosh! It is so creamy and yummy!”  I think I can eat this pudding all day and night, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Okay, I am exaggerating but I really love it. The caramel apple sauce is nice too but I think if you have your grandma’s hand-down recipe, you can always use that. 

So today, I did the demonstration. It went great and everyone loves it! 

Recipe (6 servings)

Ingredients:

Pudding:

• 3 cups of Water
• 1/4 tsp of Salt
• 1/2 cup of Rice
• 4 cups of Whole milk
• 1/3 cup of Sugar
• 2 tsp of Vanilla extract

Steps:

1.     In a saucepan, boil 3 cups of water, salt and rice for 10 minutes.

2.     Drain rice and discard cooking water.

3.     In the same saucepan, boil milk and sugar over medium high. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

4.     Add rice and reduce heat to medium. Simmer until the rice is tender and pudding turns creamy and thickened.

5.     Remove from heat.

6.     Stir in vanilla extract.

7.     Transfer pudding to a shallow bowl. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.

Ingredients:

Caramel apple sauce:

• 2 medium apples, peeled and cut into ½ inch size
•  1/4 cup of Sugar
• 1 tbsp of Lemon juice
• 1 tbsp of Unsalted butter
•  1/2 cup of Apple cider
• A pinch of salt
•  1/2 cup of Heavy cream
• 1 – 2 tsp of Rum (optional)

Steps:

1.     Using a saucepan, mix sugar and lemon juice together.

2.     Over medium high heat, caramelise sugar until it is medium amber colour.  Stir well.

3.     Remove from heat. Add butter and mix well.

4.     Return to heat and add in apple cider and salt. Bring to boil.

5.     Add in apples and simmer until tender. Stir occasionally.

6.     Add in heavy cream and boil until sauce thickens slightly.

7.     Add in rum and stir well. Boil for 1 minute.

8.     Remove from heat.

Serving instructions:

·        Using lowball glasses, top warm caramel apple sauce with cold rice pudding. Add another spoon of warm caramel apple sauce.

·        Garnish with whipped cream.

October 14, 2011April 15, 2013 by Lee Categories: Desserts, Fruits Leave a comment

My Favourite Meyer Lemon Tart

I was searching for a lemon tart recipe online and chanced upon a recipe that asked for Meyer Lemons. What’s Meyer lemons? I have never heard about them before. I googled and found out that they are actually a cross between lemons and mandarin oranges. And they actually taste so. Amazing! I have also observed that Meyer lemons are slightly rounder, smoother and more orangy in colour.

Oh… for my Singaporean readers, the wooden juicer you see on the picture is really a great buy. I tried to look for it in Singapore at various places and failed to find one. I was elated to get it in Cambridge, Porter Square. Just for less than $3 USD. I simply love it. It is so easy to juice citrus fruits now. 

This recipe is a keeper. The crust is amazingly crunchy and buttery. I love it so much. I gave one to a friend and served one when my brother and his wife came to visit me. Marvelous feedback! I do hope you try. If you do not have Meyer lemons, you can always use ordinary lemons. 


Recipe ( Four 5″ tarts) Adapted from Foodnetwork.com
Ingredients:
Crust: 

• 1/2 cup Cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1 1/4 cup Plain flour
• 1 Egg yolk
• A pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp cold water

Steps:

1. Mix all ingredients (except for cold water) in a food processor.You can opt to rub the butter into the dry ingredients. 
2. Using hands to gather the dough. Add a little of water at a time to help the dough come together. 
3. Knead a couple of times on a lightly floured surface. Wrap it with cling wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. 
4. Preheat the oven to 220 degree Celsius (425 F). 
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into 3mm thick. Lay it over the tart pans. Remove excess dough and poke the dough in the tart pan with a fork a couple of times. This will help to prevent air bubbles forming in tart shells during baking. 
6.  Cover the edges with aluminium foil to prevent burning. 
7. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 3 minutes. 
8. Remove from oven. It should be light golden brown. 

Filling:

• 3/4 cup Meyer lemon juice (approx 3 lemons)
• 3 Meyer lemons, zested
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 5 eggs
• A pinch salt
• 3/4 cup butter, cut into cubes

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degree Celsius (300 F).
2. In a saucepan, mix juice, zest, sugar, eggs and salt using a whisk. 
3. Bring to a boil using medium heat. Keep whisking to prevent the lumps from forming. 
4. When it boils, remove from heat and add in butter slowly. Stir at the same time. 
5. It should have a smooth consistency. 
6. Pour it into the tart shells. 
7. Bake for 15 minutes. The curd should set.
8. Remove from heat and cool it for 30 minutes before serving. 
9. You may serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream with berries. 

October 12, 2011April 15, 2013 by Lee Categories: Desserts, Fruits 2 Comments

Gorgeous Cinnamon Apple Crisp / Crumble

Last weekend, my hubby and I joined the Apple Picking trip organised by the residence committee. It was so fun to be able to pick your own apples. As a tropical gal from Singapore, apples are imported. As ignorant as I can be, I was ill-informed about the different types of apples and how they tasted differently. In the apple farm, there were several varieties of apples. There were Delicious, Cortland, McIntosh and Empire. It was quite an experience to pluck and taste the apples fresh off the trees. 

We were told that the sweetest and reddest apples are at the top of the tree. There were ladders around for us to hunt for the best apples. After tasting all the different types of apples, we like Delicious more. It is the sweetest. The others are little tart. Nevertheless, we got a little of everything. Oh no… my refrigerator is going to be packed with apples. 

I want to make apple dessert and didn’t want to spend too much time making dough for a tart so Apple Crisp it is! Well, some people call it Apple crumble too. 

Recipe (8″ x 8″ tray) Good for 5 servings

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 2 Big Red apples (I chose Empire), thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 pinch nutmeg powder

Topping:

• 1/4 cup plain flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 pinch cinnamon powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup granola (optional)

Steps:

1. Preheat the over to 180 degree Celsius/ 350 degree Fahrenheit. 
2. Mix the ingredients for the filling in a big mixing bowl. 
3. Place the mixed ingredients in a 8″x8″ baking tray.
4. In a clean mixing bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon powder and salt. 
5. Add in the cut butter. 
6. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients such that you get pea size lumps. 
7. Add in chopped walnuts and granola. Mix lightly. 
8. Sprinkle over the filling. 
9. Bake for about 35 minutes. 
10. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. 
11. Best served with vanilla ice-cream. 

October 2, 2011April 15, 2013 by Lee Categories: Desserts, Fruits Leave a comment