My favorite was my mom’s apple squares—sweet apple filling spread thin inside two layers of flaky crust (see recipe below). But I also loved her apple crisp (see EatingWell’s version below) that she made when my parents’ friends and their kids came over after the high school football games that took place just down the street from my house.
When I moved to Vermont seven years ago, my husband, Jon, and I restarted the apple-picking tradition. This is the second year we’ll be taking our little boy, Julian. Just as I remembered it, apple picking is good family fun. And I still appreciate having a bounty of apples to bake with. (Find out why you might consider picking and buying organic apples.) Here’s what I make (in addition to Mom’s squares, of course):
1. Apple crisp: It’s fast and easy (and even yummier when you scoop some low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt on top). As soon as we get home from picking, I simmer up a big pot of vegetarian chili and get busy slicing apples for crisp.
2. Apple pie: You can’t get more classic than apple pie. But traditional recipes can have up to 750 calories a slice, not to mention loads of saturated fat—mostly in the crust. To cut back (and to add a little nutrition), I like to make a healthier apple pie with a crust that uses whole-wheat flour and canola oil in place of some of the butter.
3. Applesauce: Like most toddlers, Julian loves applesauce—and I like to make a Maple-Cinnamon Applesauce from scratch. For myself, I love to add a couple of tablespoons of the sauce on top of steel-cut oats and to stir it into yogurt for a little all-natural sweetness.
4. Mom’s Apple Squares (recipe below): Traditional recipes for apple squares often use plenty of trans fat–laden shortening in the crust. We replaced it with a mixture of canola oil and butter and swapped out half the all-purpose flour for whole-wheat pastry flour to add a little fiber. They are best enjoyed slightly warm. Gently reheat any leftovers in the oven or toaster oven to recrisp the crust. Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the crust (Step 1), wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 6 months. | Equipment: Parchment paper
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar, plus 3/4 cup, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
5 tablespoons canola oil
1/3 cup ice water
1 large egg, separated
4 cups thinly sliced firm tart apples, such as Granny Smith, Empire
or Cortland, peeled if desired
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons
sugar, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Cut butter into
small pieces and quickly rub them into the dry ingredients with
your fingers until smaller but still visible. Add oil and toss with
a fork to combine. Whisk water and egg yolk in a small bowl. Add to
the flour mixture and stir until it begins to come together. Knead
the dough with your hands in the bowl a few times until it forms a
ball. Divide the dough in half and shape into 5-inch disks. Wrap
each in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with
cooking spray and line the bottom and sides with parchment
paper.
3. Combine apples, the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in a
large bowl.
4. Roll one portion of dough between sheets of parchment or wax
paper into a 9-by-13-inch rectangle. Peel off the top sheet and
invert the dough into the prepared pan. Peel off the remaining
paper. Trim the dough so it covers just the bottom of the pan.
Spread the apple filling evenly over the dough. Using the parchment
or wax paper, roll out the remaining dough, invert it over the
filling and trim the edges so it just covers the filling. Whisk the
egg white in a bowl until frothy and evenly brush over the top
crust. Lightly sprinkle the crust with additional sugar, if
desired.
5. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool
for at least 1 hour before cutting into 12 squares.
Makes 12 servings.
Per serving: 253 calories; 10 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 28 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 2 g fiber; 163 mg sodium; 49 mg potassium.
By Nicci Micco
Nicci Micco is deputy editor of features and nutrition at EatingWell. She has a master's degree in nutrition and food sciences, with a focus in weight management. She's addicted to ice cream and pizza. But she also can’t imagine going a week without eating sweet potatoes, salad greens or kidney beans. Kale and beets also rank at the top of her favorite-foods list.
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