Apple Dandy Recipes

CANDY APPLES

Steps:

• Remove the stalks from the apples, then put them in a heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water from the kettle to cover them and leave for 3-4 mins. Remove with a slotted spoon and pat dry. (This removes the protective wax from the skin and makes the toffee stick to the apples better.)
• Push the sharpest end of each stick into the stalk-end of each apple, making sure it's firmly wedged in. Put a large piece of baking parchment on a board.
• Tip the sugar into a large saucepan, add the lemon juice and 100ml water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar has dissolved. Swirl the pan gently to move the sugar around, but don't stir. Add the golden syrup and simmer the mixture (be careful it doesn't boil over) until it reaches 'hard crack' stage or 150C on a sugar thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, test the toffee by dropping a small amount into cold water. It should harden instantly and, when removed, be brittle. If it's soft, continue to boil. When it's ready, drip in some food colouring, if you like, and swirl to combine. Turn off the heat.
• Working quickly, dip each apple into the toffee, tipping the pan to cover it fully. Lift out and allow any excess to drip off back into the pan before placing on the baking parchment. Repeat with the remaining apples. Gently heat the toffee again, if you need to. Leave to set. Best eaten on the same day.

APPLE PANDOWDY

Steps:

• Crust: In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with some pea-size pieces remaining. Drizzle 3 tablespoons water over mixture; pulse several times to combine. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until mixture holds together when pinched. Shape dough into an 8-inch square and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough into about 20 squares (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches each). Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate while making filling.
• Filling: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel, quarter, and core apples, then cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. In a large bowl, toss together apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, flour, and spices. Transfer to a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons melted butter.
• Arrange dough squares in a patchwork design over apples, overlapping as needed to cover apples almost completely. Brush remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter over squares; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until beginning to brown around edges, about 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking until flaky and golden brown all over and juices are bubbling in center, 40 to 45 minutes more. Using the back of a metal spatula, gently press down on dough so it is slightly submerged under apples. Let cool at least 30 minutes. Serve, with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

CLASSIC APPLE PANDOWDY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine apples and lemon juice. Toss to combine. Add sugar, molasses, flour, cinnamon, ginger, pepper, and salt. Toss to combine. Pour into a 9-inch square baking dish, and dot top with butter; set aside.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough into a 10-inch square. Drape over apples, tucking pastry in and down around the edges. Cut a few vents in crust to allow steam to escape. If desired, brush with cream.
• Bake until crust is set and beginning to brown, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven, and with a spatula or a knife, cut crust into 2-inch squares. Push some of the pieces back down into the apple juices. Return to oven until juices are bubbling and the crust is golden brown and crisp, 10 to 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, drizzled with cream.

APPLE PANDOWDY

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add water and lemon juice; cook and stir over medium heat until thick. Cover and set aside. , In a bowl, combine baking powder and remaining flour and salt. Cut in 3 tablespoons butter. Add the milk and mix just until moistened (a few lumps will remain); set aside. , Arrange apples in a 1-1/2-quart baking dish; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Add nutmeg, vanilla and remaining butter to sauce; pour over apples. Drop dough by spoonfuls over sauce. Combine remaining cinnamon and coarse sugar; sprinkle over dough. Bake at 350° until top is brown and apples are tender, about 55 minutes. Serve warm, with whipped cream if desired.

APPLE PAN DOWDY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch square baking dish. Layer the sliced apples evenly into the baking dish.
• Mix together brown sugar and 1/4 cup flour in a saucepan, and stir in vinegar and water until the mixture is well blended and the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a simmer over low heat, and stir constantly until the mixture has thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool for about 10 minutes, and stir in the vanilla extract and butter. Pour the mixture over the apple slices in the pan.
• Mix together 1 cup flour and the baking powder in a bowl until there are no more lumps, and cut the shortening into the flour mixture until the mixture forms crumbs the size of peas. Stir in the milk, and spread the batter over the apples and syrup.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender, about 35 minutes.

CANDY APPLES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; butter parchment, and set aside. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar, 3/4 cup water, corn syrup, and food coloring, if using. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-high. Insert candy thermometer and continue to boil until temperature reaches between 300 degrees and 310 degrees (hard crack stage), about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, insert a wooden stick into the top of each apple, pushing about halfway through; set aside. When mixture reaches temperature, immediately remove from heat. Working quickly, dip apples in sugar mixture until completely coated. Transfer to prepared baking sheet; allow to cool.

CANDIED APPLES II

Steps:

• Lightly grease cookie sheets. Insert craft sticks into whole, stemmed apples.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Heat to 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads. Remove from heat and stir in food coloring.
• Holding apple by its stick, dip in syrup and remove and turn to coat evenly. Place on prepared sheets to harden.