It’s nevery easy trying to describe a new kind of autumnal THANKSGIVING celebratory recipe or any newer kind of thing, for that matter. The title could have actually been longer like “butter, sugar and apple juice poached apples, stuffed with dried fruits and nuts and then crusted (or coated) in crushed spiced cookies and then finally baked” . . . SOOOOO LOOOOONG ! And yet so precise !
My recipes are adapted to my equipment, but maybe you can adapt this one to a cupcake mold ? This recipe isn’t very difficult but it isn’t easy either. Each assembly does take several minutes. It’s a once-per-year type of production/preparation. But once again, you need the appropriate baking & shaping mold to make it. In this case (and once again)a silicone mold with 8 cylindrical straight-sided openings measuring about 6 cm in diameter and 4,5 cm high. Make no mistake, I’m neither paid nor sponsored in any way to talk about and use these molds (but I wish I was). I just appreciate their malleability, versatility and sturdiness, from a cold freezer to a hot oven. I must have over 25 different models in all. Are they necessary ? Only if you like individual portions and identical, predictable and measurable results. This is my justification and way of doing things. I love individual portions but only as long as everybody eats exactly the same thing. They’re individual portions but for a community that enjoys sharing and doesn’t feel the need to act overly individualistic. Get it ?
Imagine a baking dish filled with traditional oven-baked apples (with the skins still on), usually filled with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon; all mushy and soft and comforting, held together by their enveloping skins. Now imagine the same thing (but peeled, then pared down using a 4 cm metal ring mold and then poached this time), filled with dried fruits & nuts, coated with a thick, crunchy, crushed sweet & spicy cookie crust that hardens into a delicate shell when baked.
It’s different. It’s one step up. It’s what makes the difference. The memory of it warms hearts (at least mine) but the guests too. It’s how you make people feel special. You go that extra step. You invite them over, you tidy up and clean up your house, you get dressed up, you feed them good food …
And if you don’t feel like doing all of that for them, maybe you need nicer or newer or more ‘thankful’ guests or maybe you need to be a more ‘giving’ host to partake in the ‘happiness of sharing’ ?! Get it ?
THANKFUL + HAPPY + GIVING =
HAPPY THANKSGIVING . . . :)
