Category: Apple

No. 549Recipe Card Posted on by — 2 Comments

Martha’s Bottom-Crust Apple Pie

Martha’s Bottom-Crust Apple Pie | Bijouxs Little Jewels

The All-American Apple pie, with a just a bit of a flavor twist. This pie is an old-fashioned Bottom-Crust Apple Pie I have been making for years, but the apples are flavored with a Winter Spice Blend. The cinnamon, allspice, anise seeds, black pepper and nutmeg create a one-of-a-kind spice blend that complements the apples. A Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Little Jewels Kitchen – Fall Forward.

Martha’s Bottom-Crust Apple Pie | Bijouxs Little Jewels

MARTHA MY DEAR

I always think of the Beatles song, Martha My Dear, which was composed for Paul’s sheepdog Martha. This recipe comes from a heritage cook from my vast collection, Martha Stewart’s Quick Cook, still a favorite in the Bijouxs Kitchen. There are many great recipes and you can still find used versions of this book on Amazon. This has worked to help me find many out-of-print cookbooks, many times available through thrift shops such as Goodwill.

OLD-FASHIONED BOTTOM CRUST APPLE PIE

This pie recipe is not common, yet omitting the top crust and replacing it with sugar, spices and butter it really allows the apple flavor to come through. Deeper than a tart it has been my go-to apple pie to make with my yearly bounty of over 100+ Anna Apples on my tree again this year. This apple tree variety really likes the coastal influence vs the hot interior valley. Yet, the Anna variety grows fabulous in Southern California, and bears a boatload of fruit. Check your local garden stores, this is one apple variety that bears fruit in warm California weather. More about Anna Apple Trees here.

Martha’s Bottom-Crust Apple Pie | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Martha’s Bottom-Crust Apple Pie | Bijouxs Little Jewels

WINTER SPICE BLEND

The Winter Spice Blend originated at March SF. This is one of my favorite stores to visit when in the beautiful city by the bay. As we all know, cities have changed since the downturn from COVID and other factors. The images from our cities are not dissimilar to the Great Depression, so sad for everyone. Their Winter Spice Blend contained allspice, anise seed, black pepper and nutmeg it remains a favorite, yet it is no longer available via the store.

So, I have tried here to recreate the blend to season this apple pie. The spice blend has a unique peppery finish. It is perfect for fall cooking, so make up a batch. Using a small coffee grinder dedicated to spices makes creating your own spice bends easy, as well, pie. Little Jewel No. 549 in the Recipe Collection.

 

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Apple La Flognarde

Apple La Flognarde | Bijouxs Little Jewels

A simple French dessert made from apples and some pantry basics makes this sweet baked Apple La Flognarde, another Little Jewel from the Kitchen Recipe Collection, perfect for Mother’s Day.

FLAUGNARDE VS CLAFOUTI

I have featured both a clafoutis and flaugnarde recipes previously at Bijouxs, and they provide the basis of this recipe as well. All of these simple French fruit desserts begin with what you will recognize as very thin crepe-like batter, that when baked, surrounds the fruit with a semi-firm custard. Served warm or as a cold dessert, these are French simplicity at its best.

Apple La Flognarde | Bijouxs Little Jewels

TRADTIONAL APPLE LA FOLGNARDE

Really, Apple La Flognarde is a clafoutis. That is to say that when made with apples this dish is more commonly referred to as a flognarde, the same simple sweet batter is used. The author Colette wrote “The flognarde becomes a huge blister that fills the oven, turning golden, brown, bursting here, swelling there…At the height of its eruptions, remove it, sweeten it with a little powdered sugar and share it while it’s boiling hot.” I love this perfect description of this apple dish.

I peel and chop the apple into large chunks that rise up when baking and create crispy peaks. These peaks create deep nooks for the Crème Anglaise and powdered sugar to sink into, dreamy.

Apple La Flognarde | Bijouxs Little Jewels

SWEET ENDINGS

Apple La Flognarde | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

This simple, crustless eggy custard-based dessert pairs well with a dousing of Crème Anglaise, very easily created by melting vanilla gelato or ice cream. The sweet cream adds a richness to the dessert. Happy Mother’s Day.

 

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Simple Apple Tart

Simple Apple Tart | Bijouxs Little Jewels

This year I found my self in the thick-of-it with apples from my new garden, many recipes ensued. Simple Apple Tart is a preview recipe from my 4th upcoming cookbook, Beautiful Food, by Design. 

APPLE CROP

This is the first year with my tiny Anna apple tree. I planted it in my new garden to remind me of the wonderful Anna tree from my home of old. The thin trunked tiny tree was planted, I had no idea what would ensure. In this first year the tiny tree yielded over 50 beautiful apples. At times, the branches bent down from the weight of 5-6 apples per branch. This really restores my belief in nature and the power of a garden.

Simple Apple Tart | Bijouxs Little Jewels

APPLE RECIPES

Thankfully I love apples and have a collection of recipes to choose from. Simple Apple Tart is really a variation on my Thin Apple Tarts recipe, another simple apple avenue. For this recipe I used a basic sweet pastry recipe and rolled out one large tart topped with thinly sliced apples, a sprinkle of sugar and baked.

As you can see, not all the apples were the same size so they don’t spread out perfectly, and of course the sugar gets a deep brown and burns slightly on the edges of the tart not to worry.

Simple Apple Tart | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Simple Apple Tart | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Simple Apple Tart | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

Simple, you got this. Enjoy another jewel recipe from Bijouxs.

 

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Brioche Toast with Goat Cheddar & Apple Mostarda

Brioche Toast with Goat Cheddar & Apple Mostarda | Bijouxs Little Jewels

A grilled cheese sandwich remains a classic little jewel in the kitchen, but a thick slice of brioche toast with melting cheddar cheese, topped with a sweet-savory apple mostarda is a new little jewel to savor.

TOAST RECIPES

There are many ‘toast’ recipes out there, you know the avocado kind. This toast version takes the favorite grilled cheese in a new direction. The inspiration for the flavors of this sandwich comes from apple pie topped with cheddar cheese, a classic. Here a buttery slice of brioche bread is topped with a tart goat cheddar, put under the broiler, then topped with sweet-savory apple mostarda, think chutney. A buttery-rich sandwich to love.

Brioche Toast with Goat Cheddar & Apple Mostarda |Bijouxs Little Jewels

MOSTARDA

Mostarda is a typical condiment of Northern Italy, usually made by caramelizing fruit with sugar and mustard. These condiments are great accompanying roasts and on the cheese plate. The most famous mostarda recipe is the one from Cremona, made with figs and pears known as Mostarda di Mele, which is widely available online, and also combined with many types of fruits. I discovered a mostarda recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks and restaurants in L.A. Apples and rosemary lead the flavor profile, since I was gifted a bounty of apples a mostarda made sense. This condiment is delicious, versatile and simple to prepare.

Brioche Toast with Goat Cheddar & Apple Mostarda |Bijouxs Little Jewels

Brioche Toast with Goat Cheddar & Apple Mostarda | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Brioche Toast with Goat Cheddar & Apple Mostarda |Bijouxs Little Jewels

BRIOCHE & CHEDDAR CHEESE

After discovering I could make a wonderful tea sandwich loaf via the pro Nancy Silverton, I though I’d try her brioche, also in a favorite cookbook. I baked the brioche in my pullman pan that I used to bake her Tea Sandwich Loaf. The bread was lovely, although my oven has hot spots and uneven heating which makes it a challenge not to over-bake.

Brioche Toast with Goat Cheddar & Apple Mostarda | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

Whether you bake your own bread or pick up a wonderful loaf from the bakery, this sandwich topped with the Apple Mostarda is a little jewel. Stay well.

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