It's Good Though…

Yield: 12

Billy Parisi

This delicious homemade apple cake recipe is easy to prepare and is topped off with an amazing vanilla custard sauce.

For the cake:

• 4cups AP flour
• 1cup sugar + 3 TBS
• 1TBS baking powder
• ½tsp sea salt
• 1½tsp cinnamon
• 8oz cold unsalted butter
• 2peeled cored and large diced granny smith apples
• 2peeled cored and large diced golden delicious apples
• 4large eggs
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• 1cup whole milk

For the custard:

• 4egg yolks
• 1cup whole milk
• ½cup sugar
• 1tsp good vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Cake:

In a food processor, cream the flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and butter until the butter is the size of rice. Remove to a large bowl.

Fold in the apples using a spoon until they are completely coated.

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, vanilla and milk and then combine it into the flour-butter-apple mixture until combined. It should resemble a thick dough.

Transfer the mixture to a 9” greased spring form pan and bake in the oven at 375°F for 80 to 90 minutes or until golden-brown on top and firm in the center.

Cool completely on a rack to room temperature before slicing and serving.

Custard:

Whisk together the egg yolks in a medium size bowl. Set aside.

Heat the milk and sugar in a medium size pot over medium heat just until lightly boiling.

Slowly pour the mixture into the bowl with the eggs while continually stirring and then pour the mixture back to the pan over low heat and stir until it becomes very thick, think alfredo sauce.

Finish by whisking in the vanilla and then pour a small amount over a cooled slice of cake.

Make-ahead: You can make this cake up to 2 days ahead of time. See storage instructions below.

How to store: You can cover and keep at room temperature for 3-4 days. Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for 5-6 days and freeze it covered for up to 3 months. Be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving.

If you want to prep everything up to make for another day, the apples will hold well in pineapple juice for up to 3 days.

To cream the dry ingredients together with the butter, feel free to put all of it in a food processor and pulse until the butter is incorporated.

If the top of the cake starts to brown too quickly, place a piece of parchment paper on top by just laying it on there or tent it with a piece of foil.

Yield: 36

All Recipes

These thumbprint cookies are filled with raspberry jam and drizzled with a sweet glaze. They look so pretty on a cookie tray and taste delicious!
Prep: 30 Cook: 15

• 1cup butter, softened
• ⅔cup white sugar
• 1¼tsp almond extract, divided
• 2cups AP flour
• ½cup seedless raspberry jam
• ½cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1tsp milk

Gather all ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Beat 1 cup butter and ⅔ cup white sugar together in a medium bowl until creamy. Mix in ½ tsp almond extract. Add 2 cups flour and mix until dough comes together.

Form dough into 1½-inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Use your thumb to press down and make a dent in the center of each ball, then fill with jam.

Bake in batches in the preheated oven until edges are lightly browned, about 14 to 18 minutes, allow to cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes.

Mix ½-cup confectioners’ sugar, 1 tsp milk, and remaining ¾ tsp almond extract together in a medium bowl until smooth: drizzle lightly over warm cookies.

Yield: 1 9-inch pie

http://www.texascooking.com/recipes/pumppecanpie.htm

This is an excellent pie. The layers remain separate and distinct, and the flavors complement each other beautifully.
Prep: 15 Cook: 50

• Unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell
• 1large egg, slightly beaten
• 1cup pumpkin purée (fresh cooked or canned)
• ⅓cup sugar
• 1TBS heavy cream, half-and-half or whole milk
• ½tsp cinnamon, rounded
• ¼tsp nutmeg
• ¼tsp ground ginger
• 2large eggs, slightly beaten
• ⅔cup light corn syrup (Karo)
• ½cup sugar
• 3TBS butter, melted
• ½tsp vanilla extract
• 1cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375°F.

For the pumpkin layer:

Combine 1 egg, 1 cup pumpkin, ⅓ cup sugar, 1 TBS heavy cream, ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg and ¼ tsp ginger. Spread gently over bottom of unbaked pie shell.

For the pecan layer:

Combine 2 eggs, ⅔ cup corn syrup, ½ cup sugar, 3 TBS butter and ½ tsp vanilla. Stir in 1 cup pecans. Gently spoon mixture over pumpkin layer in pie shell.

Place pie on a sheet pan and bake for 50 minutes.