apples to apples

I made my first apple pie back in October when inspired by Blue Stoves own homemade pies. I've been perfecting my skill since then for Thanksgiving, Chris's Birthday and just for the sake of the smell filling the apartment. Tonight I made apple cake as requested by the apple king himself, Chris. As we wait for the cake to cool, I thought to share the two recipes for those of you who are looking to fill your own kitchen with the amazing aroma of baked apples. Happy Sunday to everyone. Cheers.

apple pie

crust

2 1/2 cups of flour

1 cup butter, chilled and diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup ice water

Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles crumbs. Stir in water, a tablespoon at a time, until mixture forms a ball. Refrigerate while you prep the filling. Roll out half the dough to fit a 9 inch pie plate. Place crust in pie plate. Fill the pie with your apple mixture. Roll out the other half of the dough and either lattice 1/4" wide strips or cover it fully and slice small slits into the top.

filling

4-5 baking apples

3/4 cup fine sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Peel and core the apples. Dice them into 1-inch cubes. Place in medium bowl with sugar, flour and cinnamon. Mix together and empty into pie curst. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

apple cake

ingredients

3/4 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

4 large apples (a mix of varieties)

2 large eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons dark rum

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted, melted and cooled to room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch pan. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Peel and core the apples. Dice them into 1-inch cubes. In a separate bowl whisk eggs until foamy. Whisk in sugar, then rum and finally the vanilla. Add in half of the flour mixture and half the butter. Add the rest once it blends together. Fold in apple cubes little by little until they are well coated in the batter. Scape everything into your pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes.

ghouling good

Happy Halloween! I'm wishing everyone tricks and treats from NYC. I spent my weekend in California with both an old and now some new friends. The photo is of myself painted as a sugar skull. I've had an obsession with Día de los Muertos ever since high school. It's a tradition that I wish were celebrated here in the states. Wouldn't it be great to be able to dress up and celebrate the lives of those lost in a colorful, beautiful way? I love that the skulls represent the sweetness of life (sugar) and the sadness in death (skull). A big thanks to Matt for the photo and being the best California guide all weekend.

exs & ohs

I never gave Valentine's Day a thought but this morning as I made my way into work and looked in the 20+ cafes, pharmacies and stores decked out in red and pink, I couldn't help but laugh at myself decked out in all black. What a terrible mistake to make! It's an odd feeling to not have someone to snuggle up to today but at the very same time, it's weirdly refreshing. Not because I'm getting all 'single girl power' on myself but because I found that Valentine's day was actually more upsetting when there was someone there and the day fell flat because there were zero surprises or extra kisses waiting for me. I'm a simple girl; no flash, no rose petals, no little blue boxes needed. But a funny card and a trip to the movies goes a very long way. So now I wonder, how will my very first single Valentine's day pan out in (dare I say it…) around 7 years! I'm going to treat myself to a cupcake covered in pink frosting and red and white sprinkles later (thanks to my wonderful roommate) and dive into a new read. Low key and perfectly fine with me. To everyone else, Happy Valentine's Day! Kisses from NYC - hope you all have a wonderful day! xx