Desserts

French Apple Pie with Cream Cheese Topping
Take a delicious French apple pie and gild the lily by topping it with a cream cheese layer!
Serves 8.

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 1/2 cups diced apple without peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons hot water
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch pie pan. 2. Combine 1/4 cup butter, white sugar, egg, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, soda, flour, nuts, apples, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and hot water in the order given. (Batter will be thick). Pour into pie pan. 3. Bake for 45 minutes at 350°F (175°C). 4. Serve with cream cheese frosting. To make frosting: mix cream cheese, 3 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and sifted confectioners' sugar. Beat until smooth. Can serve hot or warm. Also, can refrigerate and let cream cheese topping set up for a cold dessert.

No Sugar Apple Pie
A good pie for the diabetic or for someone watching their weight. Contains no artificial sweeteners!
Serves 8.

2 (9 inch) pie shell
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 (12 fluid ounce) can unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed
6 cups sliced green apples

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch, cinnamon, and 1/3 cup of the apple juice concentrate. Set aside. 3. In a large saucepan simmer apples with remaining apple juice concentrate until apples are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture and continue to simmer until thickened. Remove from heat. 4. Spoon apple mixture into pastry-lined pie plate. Cover with top crust. Seal and flute edges. Cut steam vents in top. 5. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Apples In A Phyllo Crust
For a softer pastry, cool and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for three hours or overnight. Serves 8 to 10.

6 cooking apples (such as McIntosh), peeled, cored and sliced into thin wedges
2 tbsp. lemon juice, fresh or bottled
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp. minute tapioca
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Phyllo pastry sheets
2 tsp. canola oil (or use cooking spray)
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tsp. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Place apple wedges in large saucepan. Add lemon juice, brown sugar, tapioca and cinnamon. Stir. Let stand for 10 minutes. Heat on low, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and apples are partially cooked. Cool. Lightly oil 1 side of each phyllo sheet. Sprinkle with light dusting of graham crumbs. Center pastry sheets, crumb-side up, spiral fashion, in ungreased 10 inch (25 cm) glass pie plate, letting some pastry hang over edge. Pour apple filling over pastry sheets. Fold overhanging pastry sheets over filling. Lightly oil surface of folded pastry. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake on bottom rack in 350ºF (175ºC) over for 30 minutes until golden. Cool.

Nutrition Information (1/8 recipe): 204 Calories; 1 g Protein; 1.6 g Total Fat (0.4 g Sat., 0 mg Cholesterol); 50 mg Sodium

Apple Bars

4 cups peeled and sliced NS apples
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup raisins
water
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix apples and sugar together in medium bowl. Let stand 1 to 3 hours to draw out juice. Add eggs, oil and Vanilla. In small saucepan, add raisins and just enough water to cover; bring to a boil, then drain. Combine raisins, flour, soda, 2 tsp/10 mL Cinnamon, and nuts. Fold in apple mixture. Spread in a greased 15 × 10-inch/38 × 25-cm baking pan. Combine remaining sugar and Cinnamon and sprinkle over bars. Bake at 350°F/180°C for 20 to 25 minutes or until bars test done. If desired, bars can be frosted with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Makes 36 bars, 1 per serving.

Nutrition Information: 110 Calories; 1 g Protein; 19 g Carbohydrates; 40 mg Sodium; 3 g Fat (0 g Saturated Fat); 12 mg Cholesterol; 1 g Dietary Fiber

Easy Baked Apples
Makes 6 servings.

3 medium baking apples
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2-1/2 tbsp. brown sugar, packed
1-1/2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1-1/2 tbsp. apple pie seasoning
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut, if desired

Rinse apples, pat dry; set aside. Prepare filling by melting butter in saucepan. Add sugar, flour and spices. Heat until mixture bubbles; remove from heat and add walnuts and coconut. Halve and core apples, but do not peel. Place in ovenproof dish. Fill holes with filling, mounding slightly. Bake at 350ºF/180ºC for 35 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 210 Calories; 1 g Protein; 27 g Carbohydrates; 80 mg Sodium; 12 g Fat (6 g Saturated Fat); 21 mg Cholesterol; 4 g Dietary Fiber